Application of Plant Growth Regulators Improves Fruit Quality in Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.)

Application of plant growth regulators (PGRs) has shown promising results in improving fruit quality in various horticultural crops. The present study aimed to evaluate the qualitative traits of chilli cv. Pant Chilli-1 as influenced by application of plant growth regulators. The trial was conducted during 2022-23 at the Vegetable Research Centre of the Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand. The experiment was laid out in randomised block design (RBD) comprising seven treatments, viz. Triacontanol @250 mL ha-1, NAA @10 ppm ha-1 and four concentrations of Paclobutrazol, i.e., 50, 60, 70 and 87.5 mL ha-1, and a control, replicated three times. The results revealed that the maximum ascorbic acid content (117.43 mg 100 g-1) and TSS (7.80 °Brix) in fruits were observed in plants treated with Paclobutrazol @87.5 mL ha-1. This treatment recorded 27.23% higher ascorbic acid content and 53.85% higher TSS compared to the control treatment.