Effects of Plant Growth Regulators on Flowering, Fruiting and Fruit Yield in Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia L.)

The effect of exogenous application of various levels of Gibberrelic Acid (GA(3), 25 and 50 ppm), ethrel (250 and 500 ppm), Naphthalic Acetic Acid (NAA; 50 and 100 ppm) and Cycocel (CCC; 100 and 200 ppm) on flowering fruiting and fruit yield in bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) plants cv. Phule Green Gold was investigated under field conditions in Junagadh Agricultural University Junagadh. Among all the foliar agents, the response of GA3 and ethrel was found better. Exogenous application of ethrel 500 ppm were observed lowest node number (22.13) on which first female flower appered as compared to control. Moreover, the treatment GA3 50 ppm produced maximum number of fruits (8.85 per vine), fruit weight (66.14g) and matured fruit yield (0.59 kg). However, foliar spray with different combinations of CCC did not improve yield and yield contributing attributes.