EFFECT OF NAPHTHALENE ACETICA ACID, UREA AND ZINC SULPHATE ON FRUIT DROP AND QUALITY OF BER (ZIZYPHUS MAURITIANA LAMK)

Abstract

Ber is an indigenous and common fruit on India. It is mainly cultivated in arid and semi-arid areas of tropical and sub-tropical parts of the country. Ber is one of the most delicious and nursing fruit and is rich source of vitamin C. protein and mineral. Heavy fruit drop is a main problem in ber which may be due to several factors like moisture stress, root damage, nutritional factor, hormonal imbalance, wind velocity, insect pest and diseases. Therefore, studies were undertaken at CCS Haryana Agcitultural University to ascertain the effect of NAA, urea and zinc on fruit drop and quality of ber cv. Umran. Umran is an important ber cultivar due to high yield and more income per unit area. Three levels of NAA (10, 20 and 30 ppm) and level of urea and zinc (1.5 and 0.5%), respectively and their different combinations were applied as foliar spray two times. The first spray was given in the last week on November and second spray was given in the last week of December on 17 year old ber trees planted at 10x10 m apart. The fruit drop reduced significantly with NAA 10 ppm (34.80%) followed by NAA 20 ppm (36.17%) and urea 1.5% + 0.5% ZnSO4 (38.68%) whereas it was highest in control (48.20%). All the treatments increased the fruit weight and size. Maximum length and breadth was observed with NAA 30 ppm + 1.5% urea. Increased TSS was observed in the treatments NAA 20 ppm + 0.5% ZnSO4.