Vol. 9, Special Issue 10, Part M (2025)

The present investigation, entitled Effect of Foliar Biostimulant on Growth, Yield and Quality of Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) Cv. PBNC-17, was conducted during the Kharif season of 2024-2025 at the Oilseed Research Station, Latur, under Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth (VNMKV), Parbhani. The study aimed to evaluate the influence of various foliar biostimulants on the growth, yield and quality of the chilli cultivar PBNC-17. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with ten treatments replicated thrice. The treatments included foliar applications of amino acid (Isabion), humic + fulvic acid (Humiffco), seaweed extract (Biozyme Crop+), Panchagavya and Jivamrut at two different concentrations each.

Observations were recorded on growth parameters (plant height, stem girth, number of branches and leaves), flowering traits (flower count, fruit set, flower drop, days to flowering) and yield components (number of fruits, fruit yield per plant, per treatment and per hectare). Among the treatments, T2 (Amino acid @ 3 ml/l) consistently outperformed others by recording the maximum plant height (65.69 cm), leaf count (170.01), number of fruits per plant (63.51) and yield (74.28 q/ ha). T4 (Humic + Fulvic acid @ 3.5 ml/l) showed early flowering (34.09 days) and earliest harvest (65.00 days), while T10 (Jivamrut @ 25 ml/l) was most effective in enhancing fruit set (55.68%) and reducing pest and disease incidence.

The study concludes that foliar biostimulants significantly influence chilli growth and productivity. Amino acid at 3 ml/l is recommended for enhanced yield and quality, while Jivamrut and humic-based formulations offer complementary benefits in pest management and phenological advancement. These findings advocate the integration of biostimulants as a sustainable and efficient approach in chilli cultivation.