Performance Study of Betelvine (Piper betle Linn.) Cultivars under Varying Doses of Phytohormone-Triacontanol

Betel vine (Piper betle Linn.) belongs to the family Piperaceae. The experiment was carried out with two factorial randomized block design combining 3 replications and 18 no. of treatments. Adopted plant spacing was 50 cm x10 cm and plot to plot distance was 60 cm. Treatment Details: Factor 1: Triacontanol – 0.1% (T1), Triacontanol – 0.05% (T2), Triacontanol – 0% (T3), Factor 2: Cultivars: Utkal Sudam, Kali Bangla, Kotki, Simurali Bhabna, Simurali Gol Bhabna, Chalani local. Nutrients were applied as FYM (10 tonnes ha-1) and N:P:K::200:100:100 Kg ha-1year-1. Regarding the interaction effect of cultivar with the effect of Triacontanol, the cultivar Kotki treated with Triacontanol @ 0.1% (T1) recorded highest average vine elongation per month (32.83 cm). Whereas both the cultivar Kotki and Kali Bangla, when treated with Triacontanol @ 0.1% (T1) recorded maximum number of leaves per vine per year (4.60). The highest content of total Chlorophyll (3.89 mg/g) and essential oil (0.82%) was obtained from the cultivar Simurali Gole Bhabna treated with Triacontanol @ 0.1% (T1). The cultivar Utkal Sudam with Triacontanol @ 0.05% (T2) was observed highest Phenol content (142.58 mg GAE /100g). Maximum shelf life (18 days) was obtained from the cultivar Kali Bangla and Kotki treated with Triacontanol 0.1% (T1). From this experiment, highest benefit:cost ratio (3.03) was obtained from the cultivar Kali Bangla treated with Triacontanol @ 0.1%(T1) and lowest benefit:cost ratio (1.75) was recorded in cultivar Chalani local without the use of Triacontanol i.e. in control plot.