Amelioration of lodging in barley (Hordeum vulgare) using plant growth regulators

The present study with aim to evaluate the efficacy of plant growth retardants to enhance productivity of barley by reducing lodging behaviour under high nitrogen supply was carried during rabi 2016–17 and 2017–18 at Rajasthan Agricultural Research Institute, Durgapura, Jaipur. Results revealed that application of 125% and 150% RDN recorded significantly higher periodic plant height and dry matter accumulation over 100% RDN. The combined application of Chlormequat Chloride fb Cerone reduced the plant height by 6.65, 4.49 and 2.93% at 60 DAS, 12.19, 8.58 and 3.57% at 90 DAS and 11.46, 8.50 and 4.63% at harvest, thus, reduced the lodging score by 70.05, 52.01 and 29.40% over water spray, CCC and Cerone, respectively. The significantly maximum lodging score (10.23), number of effective tillers/m2 (318.69), spike length (12.03 cm) and number of grains/spike (44.67) were registered with 150% RDN. The combined spray of Chlormequat Chloride fb Cerone increased the effective tillers by 14.97, 10.12 and 5.11% and test weight by 8.90, 5.72 and 2.88% over water spray, Chlormequat Chloride and Cerone used alone, respectively. The grain, straw and biological yield of wheat with 150% RDN were 10.98, 5.17 and 7.90% higher compared to 100% RDN, respectively. However, 125% RDN was found statistically at par with 150% RDN. The application of 125 and 150% RDN increased the gross return by 5.72–9.48% and net returns by 7.47–12.02% and B:C ratio by 5.74- 8.66% over 100% RDN. The combined application of CCC fb Cerone increased gross by 9.65, 6.01 and 2.37% and net returns by 10.31, 7.98 and 2.70% over water spray, Chlormequat Chloride and Cerone used alone, respectively. Therefore, it can be concluded that use of plant growth regulators i.e. Chlormequat Chloride fb Cerone under higher use nitrogen (125% RDN) can be advocated as sustainable strategy to manage the problem of lodging and enhancing productivity and profitability of barley cultivation.