Effect of pruning severity and irrigation methods on flowering, fruit growth and yield of custard apple

Abstract

The experiment entitled “Effect of pruning severity and irrigation methods on flowering, fruit growth and yield of custard apple” was carried out during 2018-19 at Shivar block, Central Research Station, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola with the objectives to study the effect of severity of pruning on flowering, fruit growth and yield of custard apple, to study the effect of different methods of irrigation on flowering, fruit growth and yield of custard apple and to find out the suitable severity of pruning and irrigation method for better fruit growth and yield in custard apple. The experiment was laid out in Split Plot Design with three methods of irrigation viz., I1- no irrigation, I2- double furrow irrigation and I3- drip irrigation and severity of pruning are P1- no pruning (control), P2- light pruning, P3- medium pruning and P4- heavy pruning. The tree unit per treatment was two and it was replicated thrice with twelve treatment combinations. Light pruning (P2) showed the highest number of flowers per branch and minimum days to flowering was found in control trees (P1). Maximum number of fruits per plant, fruit yield (kg/tree), were recorded highest in treatment of light pruning (P2) and double furrow irrigation (I2) and maximum ‘A’ graded fruits/tree was produced in medium pruned (P3) trees with drip irrigation (I3). Irrigation does not show any significant effect except for days to harvesting in which unpruned and drip irrigated trees showed better result. The effect of interaction between severity of pruning and methods of irrigation on flowering, fruit growth and yield was found non-significant.