Plant Growth Regulators in Phalsa ( Grewia subinaequalis D.C.)

Abstract

Phalsa (Grewia subinaequalis D.C.) a member of family Tiliaceae, is one of the oldest fruits known to Indian. Phalsa has been mentioned in Vedic literature as having certain medicinal properties. It is capable of growing under neglected and water scarcity conditions where only a few other crops could survive. Besides, it is an important catch crop in commercial orcharding. The mildly acidic fruits are rich in Vitamin A, C and minerals. Flowering in phalsa starts from February-March and continues till May. After 40-45 days of flowering, the fruits start ripening. Fruits are small-sized and ripen over a period of about a month. Gradual but steady ripening of few fruits in a cluster during summer necessitates frequent harvesting. Therefore a number of pickings are required at 2–3 days intervals which are very expensive. Phalsa fruits have short shelf life; therefore, its fruits are suitable for local market or need to be processed immediately after harvesting. Problems in phalsa whether related to the propagation or production may be tackled with the use PGRs are presented here.