Seed and yield parameters as influenced by season and plant growth regulators in dolichos bean [Lablab purpureus L. (Sweet)]

Field experiments were conducted in the Department of Seed Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, Karnataka during 2016-17. The field experiment consisted of 18 treatment combinations involving two seasons viz., kharif 2016 and rabi 2016-17 and plant growth regulators viz., G1: Control, G2 : GA3 @ 50 ppm, G3 : NAA @ 40 ppm, G4 : Cycocel @ 100 ppm, G5 : Mepiquat chloride @ 50 ppm, G6 : Nitrobenzene @ 200 ppm, G7: TIBA @ 50 ppm, G8 : Brassinosteroids @ 200 ppm, G9 : GA3 @ 5 ppm + IAA @ 5 ppm and experiment was laid out in Factorial RBD with three replications. The more number of pods per plant (117.19), number of seeds per pod (4.25), dry pod yield per plant (118.53 g), dry pod yield per plot (2.07 kg), seed yield per plant (114.48 g), pod length (5.66 cm), seed yield per plot (2.32 kg), seed yield per hectare (1,281 kg) was recorded in rabi season than kharif. Among the plant growth regulators more number of pods per plant (120.44), number of seeds per pod (4.44), dry pod yield per plant (120.17 g), dry pod yield per plot (2.21 kg), seed yield per plant (117.60 g), seed yield per plot (2.55 kg), seed yield per hectare (1,360 kg) and pod length (6.04 cm) was recorded in NAA @ 40 ppm, followed by nitrobenzene @ 200 ppm, (119.78, 4.35, 119.54, 2.11, 116.76, 2.42, 1,299 kg and 5.93 cm, respectively). The interaction effect was found to be non-significant for majority of the characters studied. However, foliar spray of NAA @ 40 ppm during rabi season recorded higher crop growth, seed yield and quality parameters as compared to control.