Effect of irrigation, pruning severity & nitrogen fertilization on fruit quality of plum cv. Santa Rosa

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to standardize the renewal pruning intensities under different irrigation & nitrogen levels for getting better yield & quality fruits in Santa Rosa plum. There were three irrigation levels, four pruning severities and two nitrogen levels. Pruning was done in the month of January every year. Pruning treatments exhibited a significant effect on fruit quality during both the years of study. Irrigation at 20 per cent soil moisture depletion of field capacity resulted in higher tree growth, fruit size and quality fruits. Fruit weight, volume, size, fruit firmness (75 % of HB) pruned trees whereas fruit yield was higher in lightly (25 % of HB) and normal pruned trees. Maximum reducing sugars, total sugars and non-reducing sugars were observed in I3 and minimum in I1 treatment. Reducing sugars, total sugars and non-reducing sugars in fruits tended to increase significantly with the increasing pruning severity. Among the nitrogen fertilization treatments, maximum was recorded at N1as compared to N2.