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Department of Crop Physiology, S.V. Agricultural College, ANGRAU, Tirupati-517 502.
Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a vital leguminous oilseed crop rich in oil and protein, extensively cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions. In India, it occupies 48.80 lakh hectares with a productivity of 1,847.4 kg/ha. Plant growth regulators (PGRs) such as GA3, auxins and cytokinins enhances growth, nodulation, and yield. The treatment with GA3 at 50 ppm significantly improved pod and seed development. Nanoparticles, particularly nano-chitosan, facilitate targeted and sustained delivery of PGRs, though research in groundnut remains limited. An experiment titled “Influence of nano chitosan encapsulated growth hormones on morpho-physiological attributes of groundnut” was conducted during kharif 2024 at wetland farm, S.V. Agricultural College, Tirupati. Treatments included nano-encapsulated GA3, auxins, and cytokinins, with observations on growth and yield parameters. Significant variability was observed among eight treatments in groundnut under the influence of nano chitosan encapsulated growth promoters. At 60 DAS, maximum plant height was recorded in T2 (GA3 @ 50 ppm) 31.11 cm. The highest number of branches (5.67) and stem diameter (1.78 mm) were noted in T5 (Nano chitosan encapsulated GA3 @ 50 ppm). While differences in SPAD chlorophyll meter readings and Leaf area index were not statistically significant, T5 consistently exhibited superior values. These results highlighted the potential of nano chitosan-based GA3 for enhancing groundnut vegetative growth. Nano chitosan encapsulated GA3 recorded the highest seed yield (2533.2 kg ha-1), harvest index (41.36 %) and haulm yield (45.89 g). Results showed that the improved plant responses under nano-chitosan encapsulated PGR treatments, indicating their potential for enhancing groundnut productivity.
KEYWORDS: Nano chitosan, NAA, GA3, BAP.