Effect of pruning and KNO3 sprays on flowering attributes of litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) cv. rose scented

Abstract

The present investigation was conducted at Horticultural Research Centre, Patharchatta, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar (Uttarakhand) to study the effect of pruning and KNO3 sprays on flowering in litchi cv. Rose Scented during 2015 - 2016. The trial was laid out using Factorial Randomized Block Design with three replications. The treatments consisted of three factors i.e., pruning time (29th June, 11th July, 23rd July and 04th August), pruning intensity (20 cm and 40 cm) and KNO3 sprays (2% and 4%) and were compared with control. The results revealed that the flowering was significantly affected by pruning time, pruning intensity and KNO3 sprays. The treatments comprising pruning on 29th June at 40 centimeter pruning intensity and 4 per cent KNO3 (T4) and pruning on 11th July at 40 cm intensity and 4 per cent KNO3 (T8) were found to be more effective in terms of early and profuse flowering, higher sex ratio (female: male). Delayed pruning after 23rd July showed adverse effect on flowering characters. On the basis of the results obtained in the present study, it can be concluded that under Tarai region of Uttarakhand, early pruning after harvesting up to 11th July with 40 centimeter pruning intensity and 4 per cent KNO3 sprays on vegetative shoots has better effect on flowering of litchi cv. Rose Scented.