Effect of pre-harvest sprays of forchlorfenuron and boron on fruit cracking and quality of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cv

Abstract

An investigation on pre-harvest spray of forchlorfenuron (CPPU) and boron along with some in-situ soil moisture conservation techniques was carried out on seven-year old plants of pomegranate cultivar Kandhari trained as four stems grown under rainfed conditions of Himachal Pradesh. Experimental plants were subjected to 11 treatments, viz., mulching, CBOC (crescent bund with open catchment pits), CPPU at 5 or 10 ppm, H3BO3 at 0.2 or 0.4%, mulching + CPPU at 5 ppm or H3BO3 at 0.2%, CBOC + CPPU at 5 ppm or H3BO3 at 0.2% and control. Growth parameters like plant height, plant spread, trunk girth and annual shoot growth were observed significantly higher under the treatment CBOC + H3BO3 at 0.2%. However, leaf area and leaf chlorophyll content were recorded significantly higher under the treatment CBOC + CPPU at 5 ppm. The extent of fruit cracking was reduced to the lowest level (2.8%) from 11.67% in control and highest fruit yield (26.8Kg/plant) was recorded when the plants were given foliar application of CPPU at 5 ppm under CBOC. The maximum fruit length (86.2 cm) and fruit breadth (88.3 cm), fruit weight (419.74 g), aril weight (279.21 g), aril percentage (66.52), juice content (67.93 ml/100 g), ascorbic acid content (16.84 mg/100g) were obtained with the treatment of CPPU at 5ppm +CBOC. The lowest titratable acidity (0.49%), highest TSS (15.210 B) and TSS/acid ratio (31.07) was recorded in fruits from plants under the treatment of H3BO3 at 0.2% with mulching. Total sugar, reducing sugar were recorded highest under the treatment H3BO3 at 0.2% + CBOC and lowest in control.