Effect of Plant Growth Regulators on Leaf Biochemical Characters and Fruit Yield Components of Bittergourd (Momordica charantia L.) Cvs. MHBI-15 and Chaman Plus

Effect of plant growth regulators on leaf biochemical parameters (chlorophyll pigments, sugars, nitrate reductase activity, total phenols) and fruit yield bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) was studied. The experiment consisted of foliar treatment with three plant growth regulators, GA₃ (20, 40 and 60ppm), NAA (50ppm) and CCC (100 and 200ppm) in two bittergourd varieties, MHBI-15 and Chaman Plus at 45 days after sowing (DAS). Results revealed significant difference between treatments on chlorophyll, sugar, total phenol content as also on nitrate reductase activity. Foliar application of CCC (200ppm) recorded maximum amount of total sugars (18.03% over Control), total phenol content (10.93%) as also nitrate reductase activity (16.12%). Among the treatments, application of GA₃ (20ppm) recorded maximum chlorophyll content (18.03% over Control). Highest increase in mean fruit yield over Control was recorded with application of GA₃ (20ppm) (39.88%), followed by CCC (200ppm) (34.15%) in both the cultivars.