EFFECT OF MICRONUTRIENTS AND GROWTH REGULATORS ON PIGMENT CONTENT, NITRATE REDUCTASE ACTIVITY AND RELATIVE LEAF WATER CONTENT OF CHILLI (Capsicum annuum L)

A field study was conducted during rabi season of 2015-16 and 2016-17 to study the effect of micronutrients and growth regulators on the pigment (chlorophyll and carotenoids) content, nitrate reductase activity and relative leaf water content of chilli. The treatments of the study comprised of five levels each of micronutrients including control (no micronutrient), two levels of ZnSO4 (0.1% and 0.2%) and two levels of H3BO4 (0.1% and 0.2%) and growth regulators including control (no growth regulator), two levels of 28-Homobrassinolide (0.5 and 1 ppm) and two levels of Putrescine (10 and 20ppm) which were applied as foliar spray to chilli plants. The experimental finding revealed that application of micronutrients improved pigment (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll and carotenoids) content of leaves as well as nitrate reductase activity and relative leave water content of chilli with highest value recorded with the application of the micronutrient 0.2% Zinc (ZnSO4) followed by 0.2% Boron (H3BO4) and 0.1% Zn(ZnSO4). Foliar application of 0.2% Zinc (ZnSO4) also recorded highest fruit yield per plant. The application of growth regulators also improved these physiological parameters with highest value recorded from the treatment 0.5 ppm of 28-Homobrassinolide followed by 1 ppm of 28-Homobrassinolide and 20 ppm Putrescine. Maximum fruit yield per plant was also recorded from 0.5 ppm of 28-Homobrassinolide. The result further revealed that fresh fruit yield per plant was positively correlated with total chlorophyll content, nitrate reductase activity and relative leaf water content.