Vol. 11, Issue 9 (2022)

Author(s):
Lokesha R, Athani SI, Gollagi SG, Sanjeevraddi G Reddy, Nadaf AM, Prasanna SM and Patil DR

Abstract:
A trial conducted to evaluate the influence of different cover crops on flowering and fruit set of custard apple (Annona squamosa L.) cv. Balanagar under northern dry zone of Karnataka. Different cover crop treatment includes Mucuna, Dhaincha, Sunhemp, Cowpea, Lucerne, water spray and control (without cover crop) were used as a different treatments. A field experiment was conducted in two seasons 2021 and 2022. In pooled data, among the different cover crop treatments cover crop Sunhemp (T3) recorded the minimum (33.39) number of days required from flowering to fruit set and flowering to maturity (40.61 days). Days required for initiation of flowering, number of flowers per shoot and number of flowers per plant were found non-significant among the different cover crop treatments. Similarly, maximum (74.10%) pollen viability, maximum (81.50) number of fruits per plant and highest (10.28%) fruit set were recorded in T3 (Sunhemp). Whereas, maximum (40.61 days and 127.06 days) from flowering to fruit set and flowering to maturity, respectively were recorded in control treatment. Similarly, the minimum pollen viability (56.07%), fruits per plant (52.20) and lesser fruit set (7.78%) were recorded in control treatment.