Effect of plant growth regulators and zinc on growth and yield of pearl millet

The field experiment was conducted during Zaid 2023 at Crop Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, SHUATS, Prayagraj (U.P) to determine the "Effect of Plant growth regulators and Zinc on growth and yield of Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.)". The soil of experimental plot was sandy loam in texture, nearly neutral in soil reaction (pH 7.8), low in organic carbon (0.62%), available nitrogen (225 kg/ha), available phosphorus (38.2 kg/ha) and available potassium (240.7 kg/ha). The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with ten treatments which are replicated thrice. The treatments combinations are T1: NAA 100 ppm + Zinc 15 kg/ha, T2: Chlormequat – 250 ppm + Zinc 15 kg/ha, T3: NAA – 50 ppm + Chlormequat – 175 ppm + Zinc 15 kg/ha, T4: NAA 100 ppm + Zinc 20 kg/ha, T5: Chlormequat – 250 ppm + Zinc 20 kg/ha, T6: NAA- 50 ppm + Chlormequat – 175 ppm + Zinc 20 kg/ha, T7: NAA 100 ppm + Zinc 25 kg/ha, T8: Chlormequat – 250 ppm + Zinc 25 kg/ha, T9: NAA -50 ppm + Chlormequat – 175 ppm + Zinc 25 kg/ha, T10: Control 80:40:40 (NPK kg/ha) are used. Results obtained that combined application of NAA-50 ppm + Chlormequat – 175 ppm + Zinc 25 kg/ha (Treatment 9) significantly increased higher plant height (147.03 cm), maximum plant dry weight (54.04 cm), Ear head length (14.86 cm), Grains/ear head (1479.64), test weight (5.30), Grain yield (23.29 q/ha), straw yield (42.89 q/ha) and Harvest index (35.19%) and this treatment also recorded maximum gross return (1,16,450.00 INR/ha), net return (81,650.00 INR/ha) and B:C ratio (2.34).