YIELD AND NODULATION OF FENUGREEK (TRIGONELLA FOENUM-GRAECUM) AS INFLUENCED BY GROWTH REGULATORS AND VERMI-WASH

A field study was conducted during rabi season of 2008-09 at Sardarkrushinagar to find out optimum level of suitable growth regulator for higher yield of fenugreek. The experiment consisting of ten treatments, viz., NAA (10, 20 and 30 ppm) Ethephon (50, 100 and 150 ppm)  vermi-wash (1, 2 and 3 lit. ha-1) and water spray was laid in simple RBD with three replications. The result revealed that highest number of nodules /plant and their dry weight at 60 DAS  as well as  seed , straw and biological yield were recorded with foliar spray of NAA @ 30 ppm being at par with Ethephon @ 150 ppm and NAA @ 20 ppm which  were significantly higher  over rest of the treatments but  initial and  final plant population as well as  number of effective  nodules  dry weight of nodules /plant were not significantly influenced with varying levels of growth regulators. Water spray treatment recorded significantly lower values of number of effective nodules and their dry weight per plant at 40 and 60 DAS as well as seed, straw and biological yields. Thus, it was  inferred that foliar spray of NAA @ 30 ppm, Ethephon @ 150 ppm and NAA @ 20 ppm has been found to be  better  for nodulation and  higher yield of fenugreek.