Effect of IAA, GA3, Salicylic Acid and Tebuconazole on Growth, Productivity and Economics of Linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) Cultivation under Rainfed Conditions

Background: The use of plant growth regulators (PGRs) to manipulate and enhance the physiological and biochemical processes in plants is a potential area in crop production, to mitigate the many barriers imposed by genetics and environment especially for oilseed crop like linseed which is generally grown in high-risk environments under input starved conditions resulting in very low yields. Methods: Field investigations were conducted during the rabi seasons of 2019 and 2020 to study the response of linseed crop (Linum usitatissimum L.) to foliar applications of PGRs (plant growth regulators) under rainfed conditions. The trials were laid out in randomized block design with seven (7) treatments viz., control (water spray), Indole-3-Acetic Acid (IAA) @ 1 mg/l, IAA @ 2 mg/l, Gibberellic Acid (GA3) @ 200 mg/l, GA3 @ 400 mg/l, Salicylic Acid @ 75 mg/l and Tebuconazole @ 0.1%. Result: Results showed that the treatments IAA @ 1.0 and 2.0 mg/l and GA3 @ 200 and 400 mg/l were at par with each other and recorded significant higher seed yields ranging from 1270.72 kgs/ha to 1180.17 kgs/ha during 2019 and 1244.23 kgs/ha to 1135.10 kgs/ha during 2020. Application of IAA @ 2.0 mg/l was found to record the highest benefit cost ratio (BCR) [2.72 and 2.66 during 2019 and 2020 respectively] as well as economic efficiency (210.12 and 208.70 Rs./ha/day during 2019 and 2020 respectively).