Effect of Gibberellic Acid and Maleic Hydrazide on Growth Characters of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench) cv. Varsha Uphar

The experiment was carried out during kharif season of 2012–2013 at the Horticulture Research Farm, Department of Horticulture, R.A.K. College of Agriculture, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Sehore (M.P.). The experimental material for the present investigation was comprised of three GA₃ and three MH levels and one control. These treatments were sown in factorial randomized block design with three replications. To observed growth characters of the treatments. The growth parameters i e plant height (cm), number of leaves per plant, number of branches per plant, stem diameter (cm), was recorded at 30, 45, 60 and 75 days after sowing. Leaf area per plant (cm²), leaf area index (LAI) was recorded in 30, 60 and 90 days after sowing and Leaf area duration was also recorded. Significantly maximum (33.83cm, 65.65 cm, 89.00 cm and 98.00 cm) plant height at 30, 45, 60 and 75 DAS, number of leaves (8.40, 14.76, 25.93 and 32.16) per plant at 30, 45, 60 and 75 DAS, stem girth (2.96 cm, 3.65 cm, 4.20 cm and 4.75 cm) at 30, 45, 60 and 75 DAS, number of branches (2.93, 3.20 and 3.96) per plant 45, 60 and 75 DAS and leaf area (321.59 cm², 1700.11 cm² and 2708.74 cm²) at 30, 45, 60 and 75 DAS was recorded in treatment T₉ (MH 100 ppm + GA 60), followed by treatment T₈ (MH 100 ppm + GA 40), while the minimum value of all these observations was recorded under treatment T₁₀ (Control), respectively.