Foliar application of plant growth regulators to improve fruit retention, yield and quality of aonla cv. NA-7

Abstract

To assess the influence of GA3 and NAA on fruit retention, yield and quality of aonla cv. NA-7, the present investigation was carried on 8 years old aonla trees during 2016-17. Foliar application of GA3 (20 and 40 ppm), NAA (20 and 40 ppm) and their factorial combination were sprayed during the flowering and pea size stage of the fruits. Various quantitative and qualitative physicochemical parameters analyses revealed that maximum fruit retention (17.66 %) and yield (18.70 kg tree-1) was recorded in treatment of GA3 @ 20 ppm + NAA @ 40 ppm. Whereas maximum fruit size (length 34.73 mm and fruit breadth 35.73 mm), fruit weight (30.79 g), fruit volume (28.99 cm3), pulp weight (29.60 g), stone weight (1.19 g) and pulp/stone ratio (24.87) was recorded in treatment of GA3 @ 40 ppm + NAA @ 20 ppm. Quality traits like TSS (11.43 oBrix), ascorbic acid (486.22 mg 100g-1) and sugars content was recorded significantly highest in treatment of GA3 @ 40 ppm + NAA @ 40 ppm. The maximum acidity (2.03 %) was recorded in control treatment of water.