HortFlora Research Spectrum

5-12

Authors: Jitendra Singh and Raj Kumar

Pomegranate and ber are important fruits find favour especially in arid/ semi-arid areas of tropics all across the globe. Bright sun-shine and light soil offer premium quality in harvest un matching to the harvest obtained from any where else in the world. However, the share of India in world trade is abysmally low. Quality of the produce matching to international standard is proved as the hard impediment in this regard. It is obvious that the quality of produce depends a lot upon the inherent fertility and productivity of soil. To have an account of all such factors study was undertaken selecting ten representative orchards of pomegranate cv. Ganesh and also of ber cv. Gola of Bikaner district and it was attempted to study the inherent nutrient status of orchards and its impact on physico- chemical characteristics of fruits. Soil samples were collected from each orchard from 0-60 cm soil depth. From the investigation it was found that the level of organic carbon, nitrogen, zinc, phosphorus and sulphur was low to medium and potassium content was in medium range in soils of selected sites in orchards in Bikaner district. All soil nutrients were found positively correlated with nutrient status of leaves, fruit yield and qualitative attributes of ber except phosphorous and zinc contents in leaves.

17-23

Authors: N.K. Arora; M.I.S. Gill; Navjot

The present studies were conducted to ascertain the effect of different combinations of N, P and K fertilizers on the yield and quality of Perlette grapes. The yield and quality characteristics varied with the different combinations of N, P and K. The mean pooled data indicates that the maximum number of bunches/vine (2.28) were obtained in N1P1K1 combination. The mean bunch weight was however,significantly higher (497.2g) in a fertilizercombination N1P2K2 followed by combination N1P1K2 (469.3). The higher yield /vine (10.3 kg)was obtained in N1P2K2 combination. The quality parameters viz., TSS, acidity and TSS/Acid ratio also varied with change in fertilizer dose. The significantly higher TSS (19.1%) was obtained in the bunches harvested from the vines given 75g N, 50 g P and 150 g K. The TSS/Acid ratio was significantly higher (37.3). Thus the fertilizer combination N1P1K2 (75g N, 50 g P and 150 g K)/ year age of vines should be recommended in vine yards to obtain higher yield and better quality fruits.

29-33

Authors: Bikramjit Singh; Sukhdev Singh; Savreet Sandhu

Present investigation was carriedout during 2009-10 to standardize levels of growth retardants (CCC and PBZ) for proper vegetative growth, flowering and fruiting in litchi cv. Calcuttia, Results revealed that PBZ 7.5 ml proved to be the most effective treatment for suppressing shoot growth, panicle size, male flower percentage, fruit drop and sex ratio. Same treatment resulted in increased hermaphrodite flower percentage, fruit set and fruit retention. PBZ 2.5 ml proved to be the most effective in increasing fruit size and PBZ 5.0 ml in fruit breadth and weight. CCC 2000 ppm resulted in maximum pulp weight, pulp/stone ratio, total soluble solids and minimum acidity whereas CCC 500 ppm found helpful in decreasing seed and peel weight. PBZ 7.5 ml was the most effective treatment in producing maximum sugars (total andreducing) and fruit yield/tree.

38-41

Authors: P.N. Katiyar; V.K. Tripathi; R.K. Sachan; J.P. Singh; Ram Chandra

The experiment was carried out in the Horticulture Garden of C.S. Azad University of Agriculture & Technology, Kanpur during 2009-11 to investigate integrated nutritional management effects on the growth, flowering, fruiting yield and quality of rejuvenated ber (Zizyphus mauritiana Lamk.) cv. Banarasi Karaka. The 35 years old ber plants were headed back with the help of hand saw after leaf fall during mid of May of 2009. There were six treatments of NPK (g) viz., T1 (200:100:50), T2 (400:200:100), T3 (600:300:150), T4 (800:400:200), T5 (1000: 500:250), T6 (Control – No fertilizer and manure) replicated four times in a RBD. Tree under all the treatments barring T6 were supplemented with 50 kg FYM. Fertilizer application through DAP, Urea and MoP was done just after pruning the trees. Application of T5 promoted vegetative growth but blossoming, fruit set were maximized under T4 whereas the percentage of fruit drop was noted minimum under the lowest level of NPK i.e. T1. The size and weight of fruit were noted greater under T4 and smallest size and lesser weight were noted control. The fruit quality was augmented superior in respect of T.S.S., ascorbic acid and lower titratable acidity when the trees were supplemented with 800gN + 400g P + 200gK + 50Kg FYM. The same treatment gave significantly better harvest during first year (30.08 Kg fruits).

46-49

Authors: S.K. Jawandha; Nav Prem Singh; P.P.S. Gill; Karnail Singh

Baramasi lemon plants are common found growing in various agro-climatic zones including sub mountainous tract of Punjab and chance for the selection of elite strains are high due to wide genetic diversity in the exiting germplasm. To assess the genetic variability in baramasi lemon, the fruit samples collected and analysed for various physico-chemical attributes. A wide range of variability with respect to fruit attributes like fruit weight, rind thickness, vitamin C content and number of segments have been recorded. This variability may possibly be exploited for the selection of superior genotypes for conservation, evaluation, utilization and a source for crop improvement in future breeding programme under sub tropical conditions.

55-59

Authors: S.K. Jawandha; P.S. Tiwan; J.S. Randhawa

Study was planned and freshly harvested kinnow fruits were washed and treated with Sodium carbonate (2 & 3 %), Boric acid (2 & 3%) and packed in low density polyethylene (LDPE) bags with perforation and with out perforation before packaging in CFB boxes. Fruits were analysed for various physico-chemical characteristics after 15, 30,45 and 60 days of storage. Results revealed that minimum rotting and maximum palatability rating and acidity were registered in Boric acid @ 3 % + LDPE packaging with perforation during the entire storage period. TSS was found maximum in control fruits, whereas minimum physiological loss in weight was recorded in Boric acid @ 3 % +LDPE packaging without perforation. It can be concluded that the storage rots can be reduced by treating the kinnow fruits with Boric acid @ 3 % +LDPE packaging with perforation and fruit health can be maintained up to 45 days at ambient conditions without much deterioration in quality.

64-68

Authors: J.P. Singh; Krishna Kumar; P.N. Katiyar

An experiment entitled “Effect of zinc, iron and copper on yield parameters in gladiolus” was carried out at, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur during the year 2010-11. The experiment consisted two levels each of Zn (Zn0 and Zn1),Fe (Fe0 and Fe1) and Cu (Cu0 and Cu1) which were sprayed on gladiolus plant. The dose of foliar spray of zinc, iron and cop per were 0.50%, 0.25% and 0.25%, respectively. Weight of corms significantly increased with the application of Zn and Cu (94.38 and 94.82 g, respectively).Diameter of corms influenced significantly with the application of Zn, Fe and Cu (5.71, 5.77 and 5.81 cm diameter, respectively). Foliar spray of Zn, Fe and Cu, significantly increased the number of corms per plant. Interaction between Zn x Fe and Zn x Cu, significantly enhanced number of corms per plant whereas, the number of corms per plant revealed by Zn (1.74),Fe(1.66) and Cu (1.68) over their respective controls. Maximum increase in cormels production per plant was influenced due to application of zinc (44.97) followed by spray of copper (43.18)and iron (42.11) over their respective controls.

73-76

Authors: Prakash Chandra Singh; Ritesh Singh Gangwar; Vivek Kumar Singh

An investigation was carried out during 2006 and 2007 to study the effect of boron (0.1, 0.2 and 0.3%), zinc (0.2, 0.4 and 0.6%) and cop per (0.1, 0.2 and 0.3%) along with a control on fruit drop, physical parameters and yield of aonla fruits cv. Banarasi. There were ten treatments tried in a RBD. All the characters studied were significantly improved by application of different micro-elements and their levels showing varying degree of their efficacy. The minimum fruit drop (56.84 and 50.22%), maximum length of fruit (4.01 and 4.10cm), breadth (4.31and 4.35 cm), weight (46.85 and 47.34 g) and pulp content (44.66 and 45.16 g)were obtained under the foliar spray of zinc. Among the three con centrations, the higher level proved most effective in respect of all the characters. Zinc at its higher concentration proved the best treatment in improving the yield of aonla.

80-82

Authors: D.S. Mishra; Prabhat Kumar; Rajesh Kumar

An attempt was made to study the effect of GA3 and BA on ripening of litchi cultivar Rose Scented. In this attempt, KNO3 (4%) was sprayed at 1 cm size of panicle in the first week of February. However, other treatments viz. GA3 (20, 40 ppm) and BA (20, 40 ppm) were applied two weeks before expected date of harvest (on 15th May). KNO3 (4%) advanced the harvesting date only for 2 days in comparison to control. GA3 20 and 40 ppm delayed the harvest date for 2 and 5 days, respectively while BA 20 ppm and 40 ppm delayed the harvest date for 5-6 days. In all the treated trees, fruit weight was found to be more than 21g as compared to control. Higher fruit quality attributes were recorded with GA3 (40 ppm) followed by GA3 20 ppm over other treatments. Reduced fruit cracking was also observed in trees which were sprayed with GA3 and BA.

86-88

Authors: Bijay Kumar; Sanjay Kumar; Yogesh Chandra Yadav

Field studies were conducted in Uttar Pradesh, India, to determine the genetic variation in various strawberry genotypes. Runners of the 16 genotypes, i.e. Pusa Sweet (S-5), Larsan, Red Coat, Himalayan Scarlet (S-1), Katrain Sweet, Sea Scape, Etna, Sweet Charlie, Dana, Torrey, Fern, Addie, Selva, Phenomenal, Chandler and Pajaro, were kept for 2 days in the shade for hardening before transplanting in well prepared beds under field conditions. The plant to plant and row to row spacing were maintained at 30 × 30 cm, respectively. Observations were recorded on the height of plant, spread of the plant, number of leaves per plant, number of flowers per plant, number of fruits per plant, fruit yield per plant, length of fruit, fruit diameter, average fruit weight, total soluble solids (TSS) and titrable acidity. The analysis of variance and variability for different quantitative characters (heritability and expected genetic advance) were calculated. The analysis of variance for the various characters of strawberry parental lines shows that the mean sum of square due to the treatment was highly significant for all the characters. The phenotypic coefficient of variation was higher than their respective genotypic coefficient of variation for all the traits studied

92-93

Authors: Ajay Tiwari; B. Singh; T.B. Singh; S.K. Sanval; S.D. Pandey

Field studies were conducted in Uttar Pradesh, India, in 2006 and 2007, to determine potential sources of resistance of okra to Okra yellow vein mosaic virus (OYVMV) under natural epiphytic conditions. A total of 5 okra cultivars were screened for resistance to infection by YVMV under field conditions. Results showed that only the VRO-6 cultivar was resistant to OYVMV, while moderate resistance was observed in the VRO-3 and HRB-9-2 cultivars. Pusa Makhamali was moderately susceptible, while Pusa Sawani was highly susceptible.