Impact of pruning and fertilizer application on fruit quality of guava cv. sardar under Chatrapti Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) condition of Maharashtra

Abstract

An investigation\r\nentitles the Impact of pruning and fertilizer Application on fruit quality of\r\nguava cv. Sardar under Chatrapti Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) condition of\r\nMaharashtra was conducted in Randomized Block Design with ten treatments comprising\r\nof three pruning levels (30 cm, 60 cm, and 90 cm) and three levels of fertilizer\r\napplications (N: P₂O₅: K₂O) replicated thrice. Results revealed that, pruning\r\nat 90 cm with N: P₂O₅: K₂O @ 1000:400:400 g/plant significantly improved fruit\r\nweight (220.05 g), length (8.09 cm), diameter (7.99 cm), and volume (225.97 ml)\r\ncompared to the control. This treatment also reduced seed count (222.33) and\r\nseed weight (3.05 g) while increasing pulp weight (217 g), pulp percentage\r\n(98.60%), and the pulp-to-seed ratio (71.63). Enhanced resource allocation and\r\nnutrient mobilization were identified as key factors contributing to these\r\nimprovements. The findings demonstrate the importance of optimized pruning and\r\nfertilization practices in enhancing guava yield, quality, and economic\r\nreturns.