PHYSIOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL RESPONSES FOLLOWING MIXTALOL TREATMENTSIN OKRA (ABELMOSCHUS-ESCULENTUS L. MOENCH.)

To study the effect on growth, yield and other physiological and bioch emical responses, foliar application of four concentrations of a synth etic plant growth regulator, mixtalol, on okra plant during kharif sea son of 1995 was made. The results revealed that plant height, dry weig ht of leaf and stem, number of fruits per plant and fruit yield pet pl ant were significantly influenced and increased by different treatment s. Of the four treatments, 2.5 ppm mixtalol gave comparatively better results. It produced maximum increase in the number of fruits and frui t yield per plant. Different biochemical parameters responded differen tly following mixtalol treatments. Chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carot enoids, total sugar, protein, oil contents and amylase activity were i ncreased following 2.5 ppm mixtalol treatment.