Author(s):

Rajani Pant, DC Dimri, Ratna Rai, VK Rao and Atul Kumar

Abstract: Paclobutrazol a plant growth regulator (PGR) has been reported to be very effective for dwarfing a wide range of crops including litchi. It is a cell elongation and internode extension inhibitor that retards plant growth by inhibition of gibberellins biosynthesis. The effect of paclobutrazol at varying time intervals of litchi as soil drench application (1.00-4.00 g a.i. per meter canopy diameter) on vegetative growth of litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) was investigated during 2016-18 in Pantnagar condition. The vegetative growth was significantly reduced due to higher dose of paclobutrazol (2.0-4.0 g a.i./meter canopy diameter). Application of paclobutrazol at the rate 2.0, 3.0 a.i./tree through soil application method was noted to be more efficient in reducing tree height, shoot length, internodal length and emergence of vegetative flush. The paclobutrazol applied at the rate 40 ml/tree was the most effective in reducing the plant height (3.70 m) followed by 80 ml/tree (3.94 m) and 60 ml/tree (3.95 m), while the maximum plant height was recorded under control (4.38 m). The application of paclobutrazol @ 40 ml/tree, the shoot length of litchi tree was found to be minimum (16.79 cm) as compared to control (19.60 cm). At varying time intervals, in the month of October estimated the minimum shoot length (17.72 cm) followed by September, while the maximum shoot length was noted under November (18.16 cm). The main purpose of this study is to focus upon contemporary information about paclobutrazol in litchi growth.

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