Response of NAA and enriched vermiwash on flowering and fruiting of Ber (Zizyphus mauritiana L.) in South Western Rajasthan

Abstract

The investigation was carried out to study the entitled “Response of NAA and Enriched Vermiwash on Flowering and Fruiting of Ber (Zizyphus mauritiana L.) in South Western Rajasthan” was conducted at a farmer’s field in Gangrar, Chittorgarh, Rajasthan during the Rabi season of 2024-25 to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of NAA (0, 30, and 40 ppm) and enriched vermiwash (0%, 10%, and 20%) on flowering and fruiting, of Ber variety ‘Thai Apple’. The experiment was laid out in a Factorial Randomized Block Design (FRBD). NAA was applied in four sprays: before flowering, after flowering, at 50% flowering, and at the fruit development stage, while enriched vermiwash was prepared using botanicals like Datura, Neem, and Calotropis and applied at different concentrations. Observations were recorded on key flowering (initiation, 50% flowering, fruit bloom), fruiting (fruit set, drop, retention, fruit number, and diameter), and biochemical parameters (TSS, acidity, TSS:acid ratio, and ascorbic acid). The study aimed to identify the most effective treatment combination for improving flowering behavior and fruit yield, in Ber under the arid conditions of South Rajasthan.