INFLUENCE OF PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS AND ORGANIC SUBSTANCES ON FLOWERING DYNAMICS AND FRUIT QUALITY ATTRIBUTES OF BER (ZIZIPHUS MAURITIANA LAMK.) CV. APPLE BER

Abstract

This experiment was conducted to assess the influence of foliar application of different  plant growth regulators  and organic substances on flowering , fruit set, fruit retention, fruit drop, yield and quality parameter of ber (Ziziphus mauritiana Lamk).cv. Apple Ber. Total 16 Treatments viz.Urea(1,2,3%),GA3(10,25,40ppm),NAA(10,30,50ppm),2,4 D(5,10,15 ppm), Humicacid (1,1.5,2%)with 3 replication were applied in RBD design. The result revealed that minimum days taken for Initiation of flowering (5.90 days), minimum days taken for 50% flowering (14.92 days)  and  minimum days taken for 100% flowering (23.63 days) ,maximum initial fruit set (3711), fruit retention (24.92%) and minimum fruit drop (75.07%) were recorded with NAA 50 ppm. Highest fruit yield (37.62kg/ Plant) produced with 40 ppm GA3 over control (8.35 kg/Plant). The quantitative character of fruits i.e. maximum volume (49.57cc), length (4.78cm), diameter (4.74mm), fruit weight (50.99g), pulp weight (46.45g) found with 40ppm GA3. The minimum stone weight (2.75g) observed with Urea @ 1% .The qualitative character i.e. TSS (12.9 0Brix), ascorbic acid (87.46 mg/100g), reducing sugar ( 4.82 %), non- reducing sugar(7.313 %), Total sugar (12.13%) observed maximum and minimum acidity (0.43%) with the application of GA3  @40 ppm.