ASSESSING THE INFLUENCE OF HYDROGEL AND SALICYLIC ACID ON INDIAN MUSTARD (BRASSICA JUNCEA L.) YIELD AND QUALITY UNDER RESTRICTED IRRIGATION CONDITIONSVikram Bharati, R.S. Singh, S.S. Prasad, Kanhaiya Lal, C.S. Choudhary, Rajesh Kumar and Harendra SinghAbstract An experiment was conducted at Dholi farm of RPCAU, Pusa, 2017 to 2020 to evaluate the effectiveness of hydrogel and salicylic acid in increasing the growth and productivity of Indian mustard in restricted irrigation conditions. Twelve treatment combinations were formulated, including control, soil application of hydrogel at 2.5 and 5 kg/ha, foliar spray of salicylic acid @ 100 and 200 ppm at flowering and siliqua formation, and combinations of hydrogel and salicylic acid. The results showed that using hydrogel at 5 kg/ha with two sprays of salicylic acid at 200 ppm at flowering and siliqua formation significantly increased plant height, dry matter, siliquae plant-1, seed yield and oil yield. The highest grain and oil yield were recorded under irrigation treatment applied at pre-flowering and siliqua formation. The experiment findings after three years suggest that the application of hydrogel at 2.5 or 5 kg/ha with two sprays of salicylic acid at 200 ppm at flowering and siliqua formation are beneficial for obtaining high seed and oil yield. |