Influence of Nipping and Hormonal Sprays on Growth and Seed Yield in Field Bean [Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet] Genotypes

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to know the influence of nipping and hormonal sprays on growth and seed yield of field bean genotypes at the Main Agricultural Research Station, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad. The treatments include two genotypes (G₁: DA-8, G₂: HA-3), two nipping operations (N₁: No nipping, N₂: Nipping), hormonal sprays (S₁: Water spray as control, S₂: GA₃ @ 50 ppm and S₃: MH @ 50 ppm) and their interactions. Genotype HA–3 recorded higher number of branches (13.27), dry matter (266.34 g plant^-1) and seed yield (1966 kg ha^-1) at harvest as compared to genotype DA-8_.  Nipping of plants at 55 DAS lead to decrease in plant height but increased the number of branches (14.20), dry matter (283.02 g plant^-1) and seed yield (2166 kg ha^-1). Among hormonal sprays, plants sprayed with GA₃ recorded higher plant height (136.77 cm)  while, the other growth parameters recorded were higher with MH application and also registered higher seed yield (1953 kg ha^-1). The interaction effect between G ´ N, G ´ S, N ´ S and G ´ N ´ S were non significant for majority of the characters studied. However, in both the genotypes nipped plants sprayed with MH recorded higher growth and yield parameters compared to either GA₃ or water sprays and also with no nipping.