Effect of nitrogen and ethrel on various physiological and yield attributes of mustard (Brassica juncea L.) Mir M.R.1,*, Khan N.A.1, Rather G.H.2, Lone N.A.1, Basharat Subaya3 1Department of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002, (Uttar Pradesh). 2Division of Pomology, S.K. University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar, Srinagar-191 121, (J&K). 3Department of Agriculture, Zone Brane, Nishat, Srinagar-191 121, (J&K). *E-mail: ramzanmir999@rediffmail.com
Abstract The mustard plants (Brassica juncea L. Czern and Coss) cv. ‘Alankar’, grown on a soil treated with 40, 60 and 80 kg N ha−1, were sprayed with 0.02% ethrel (2-chloro-ethyl phosphonic acid) at flowering stage [60 days after sowing (DAS)] to observe the changes in leaf area index, net photosynthetic rate, nitrate reductase activity and plant dry biomass on 80, 100 and 120 DAS. At harvest, the pod number plant−1, 1000-seed weight and seed yield were also recorded. Ethrel (0.02%) + 80 kg N ha−1 treatment enhanced leaf area index, net photosynthetic rate, nitrate reductase activity, plant biomass by 75.5, 56.4, 72.1 and 39.1%, respectively, while pod number plant−1, 1000-seed weight and seed yield were enhanced by 27.2, 5.6 and 71.9%, respectively. Top Key words Ethrel, net photosynthetic rate, nitrate reductase activity, nitrogen, plant biomass, seed yield. Top |