EFFECT OF FOLIAR APPLICATION OF METHANOL ON YIELD AND SOME OF PHYSIOLOGICAL TREATS IN BEAN

To investigate the effects of methanol on relative water content (RWC) and leaf chlorophyll content of common bean an experiment was carried out at the Research Field of the Faculty of Agricultural and Natural Resources of Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch in 2009. A factorial experiment with randomized complete block design with three replications was used. First factor consisted of 8 levels of aqueous spraying on plants [0 (control), 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40% (v/v) methanol] by 3 times during growing season at 12 days intervals. Traits measured were grain yield, RWC, chlorophyll content and dry weight of the plants. These traits measured before and after methanol spraying. Results showed that were significant differences between methanol spraying solution on leaf chlorophyll content and RWC after second and third stages at 1% and on grain yield at 5% probability levels. Methanol using affected to dry weight accumulation. Means comparison showed that increasing levels of methanol foliar application increase chlorophyll content and relative water content. Effect of M3, M4 and M5 methanol levels on measured traits was greater than other treatments. Application of methanol increased grain yield, chlorophyll content, relative water content and leaf area.