Effect of Different Levels of Naphthalene Acetic Acid at Various Phenological Stages of Hybrid Sorghum to Enhance Fodder Productivity

Abstract
| Goal of the study was to examine optimum level of Naphthalene Acetic Acid (NAA) as foliar application at various growth stages to increase the fodder productivity of hybrid sorghum. A field trial was carried out in RCBD having 3-replications with split-plot arrangement at Agriculture Research Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan, KP during 2017. Sorghum hybrid cv. “Jumbo+” was used as tested plant material. Four levels of NAA (40, 80, 120 and 160 ml ha -1 ) were kept in main plots, while three crop growth stages (seedling, tillering and booting) of sorghum were kept in sub-plots. The crop was sown in month of July, while a seed rate of 25 kg ha -1 was used with manual drill. The crop received irrigation at interval of 15 days whilst fertilizer was applied @ 120-90-60 kg NPK ha -1 . Results revealed that levels of NAA affected significantly all parameters under study. Maximum number of leaves (16.70 plant -1 ), leaf area (411.98 cm 2 ), chlorophyll contents (46.84 and 53.50 µg cm -2 ) at 30 and 60 DAS and fodder yield (35550 kg ha -1 ) were higher with L 4 (120 ml) followed by L 3 (80 ml). While L 5 (160 ml) and L 2 (40 ml ha -1 NAA) were statistically at par. Mean values indicated that NAA level of L 4 (120 ml ha -1 ) had maximum fodder yield (35,550 kg ha -1 ) as compared to control (13,024 kg ha - 1 ). The results indicated that interaction between 120 ml NAA ha -1 ) at booting stage showed best results for productivity of fodder hybrid sorghum under agro-climatic condition of Dera Ismail Khan.