EFFECT OF PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS ON GROWTH, BIOCHEMICAL CHANGES AND YIELD OF MUSTARD [BRASSICA JUNCEA (L.) CZERN. & COSS.] Nitish Sharma*, Nikita Nehal, Monika Singh, Prashansha Singh, Priyanka Rajpoot 1 , Anand Kumar Pandey, A. H. Khan, A. K. Singh and R. K. Yadav Department of Crop Physiology, N. D. University of Agriculture & Technology, Narendra Nagar, (Kumarganj), Faizabad - 224 229 (Uttar Pradesh), India. 1 Department of Genetics and Plant Breeeding, N. D. University of Agriculture & Technology, Narendra Nagar, (Kumarganj), Faizabad - 224 229 (Uttar Pradesh), India. Abstract The investigation entitled “Effect of plant growth regulators (PGRs) on growth, biochemical changes & yield of mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.& Coss.]” was conducted during rabi season, 2013-2014 at the Instructional Farm of Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology, Kumarganj, Faizabad (U.P.), India in randomized block design with ten treatments, three replications and variety Narendra rai (NDR-8501). The treatments were comprised of foliar spray of 3 plant growth regulators (PGRs) of different concentrations viz., Salicylic acid (0.1 mM. 0.3 mM, 0.5 mM), GA 3 (25 ppm, 50 ppm, 100 ppm) and kinetin (25 ppm, 50 ppm, 100 ppm) along with untreated control (distilled water spray) & spraying was done at 30 DAS. Observations were recorded at 60, 90 DAS and at maturity. The observations were taken on growth parameters like plant height, number of branches plant -1 , biochemical parameters like chlorophyll a & b content, oil content, yield characters like no. of siliquae plant -1 , no. of seeds plant -1 , setting percentage of siliquae. All the PGRs viz., salicylic acid (0.1 mM, 0.3mM, 0.5mM), GA 3 (25 ppm, 50 ppm, 100 ppm) and kinetin (25 ppm, 50 ppm, 100 ppm) induced positive influence on the growth characters and chlorophyll content in plants but the foliar spraying of GA 3 50 ppm at 30 DAS was found more profound among all treatments. All the treatments enhanced the yield and yield contributing characters at all the doses in mustard. On the basis of above investigation it may be concluded that foliar spray of PGRs at 30 DAS may be used as a potential tool to improve growth and yield of mustard. Key words : Mustard, GA 3 , SA, kinetin, morphological traits and grain yield Introduction Oilseed crops play an important role in agricultural economy of India. Rapeseed-mustard is the third important oilseed crop in the world after soybean (Glycine max) and palm oil (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.). Mustard is an important rabi crop of Rajasthan, Gujarat, M.P, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Assam. India is one of the largest rapeseed-mustard growing countries in the world, occupying the first position in area and second position in production after China. Brassica (rapeseed-mustard) is the second most important edible oil seed crop in India after groundnut and accounts for nearly 30 per cent of the total oilseeds production and 13 per cent of the country’s gross cropped area. When compared to other edible oils, the rapeseed- mustard oil has the lowest amount of harmful saturated fatty acid. It also contains adequate amount of the two essential fatty acids (i.e. linoleic and linolenic), which are not present in many of the other edible oils. Rapeseed- mustard seed was primarily used for human consumption because of low erucic acid and thus, becoming desirable edible oil. With the invention of steam power, it was found that the oil could be used as a lubricant that would be used for cleaning water steam-washed metal surfaces better than any other lubricant. PGRs are organic compound other than nutrients that modify plant physiological process. PGRs are called bio- stimulants / bio-inhibitors act inside the plant cell to Plant Archives Vol. 17 No. 1, 2017 pp. 33-38 ISSN 0972-5210 *Author for correspondence : E-mail : nitish1992@gmail.com