Effect of foliar sprays of NAA and boron on flowering, fruiting, fruit retention and yield of litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.)

Abstract

The experiment was carried out at Horticulture Garden, Department of Fruit Science, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture & Technology, Kanpur (U.P.) during the years 2017-18 and 2018-19. Sixteen treatments viz. four levels of NAA (0, 30, 60 and 90 ppm) and Boron (0, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6%) were studies in a Factorial Completely Randomized Design with three replications. Spraying were done twice i.e. before flowering (10 Feb.) and at pea stage (06 April) during both the years. Application of individual sprays of NAA 60 ppm significantly maximized length of panicle (33.13 and 35.03 cm), number of fruits at pea stage (44.51 and 47.50), fruit retention per panicle at maturity stage (23.78 and 25.43), fruit length (3.06 and 3.26 cm), fruit diameter (2.84 and 2.98 cm), fruit weight (19.04 and 20.10 g) and yield of marketable fruits per plant (70.03 and 73.40 kg) in corresponding years, whereas, days to flowering was hastened taking (23.42 and 21.73 days). Sprays of 0.4% boron elongated shoot length significantly (24.75 and 26.71 cm), number of fruits at pea stage (42.16 and 45.29), fruit diameter (2.79 and 2.92 cm), fruit weight (19.22 and 20.08 g) in respective years and 0.6% boron significantly enhanced fruit retention per panicle at maturity (22.62 and 24.29) and yield of marketable fruits per plant (65.21 and 68.55 kg), whereas, length of panicle (33.42 and 35.32 cm) and fruit length (3.09 and 3.29 cm) were enhanced and days to flowering was earliest (23.66 and 21.99 days) with 0.4% boron during previous year and 0.6% boron sprays during final year. Regarding interaction effect marketable yield per plant was found significantly highest (74.64 kg) under interactive treatment N2 B2 during previous year only.