Vol. 12, Issue 12 (2023)

Author(s):
Shaila Din, GH Rather, MA Mir, Sajad AH Bhat, JA Wani, Imtiyaz Murtaza, AH Pandith, Insha Majid, Shemoo Nisar, Tajamul Farooq Wani and Fouzea Nissar

Abstract:
The present investigation entitled “Effect of chemical thinning on fruit and leaf mineral content of apple (Malus x domestica) cv. Red Braeburn with chemicals under high density planting system” was conducted in the Experimental fields of Division of Fruit Science, SKUAST, Shalimar during the year 2021-22. Four year old trees of exotic apple cv. “Red Braeburn” grafted on M-9 T337 rootstock, planted at a distance of 3 m× 1m and trained on tall spindle system were selected for experimentation. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (two factorial) and comprised of 17 different treatment combinations for blossom thinning chemicals which were applied at three different stages viz, 50% bloom, 100% bloom and 50% petal fall. Each treatment combination was replicated thrice. The different thinning treatments and their time of application showed significant effect on fruit and leaf nutrient content. Maximum fruit and leaf nitrogen, fruit and leaf phosphorus, fruit and leaf potassium and minimum fruit calcium was observed in T₈ (NAA 20 ppm + BA 150 ppm) during both the years of study. Minimum fruit and leaf nitrogen, fruit and leaf phosphorus, fruit and leaf potassium and maximum fruit calcium was observed in T₁₇ (Control) during both the years of investigation. Significant effect of the time of application of thinning chemical on fruit mineral content was observed. Maximum fruit nitrogen, fruit phosphorus, fruit potassium was observed when the treatments were applied at 50% petal fall. Minimum fruit nitrogen, fruit phosphorus, fruit potassium was observed when treatments were applied at 50% bloom. Effect of thinning chemicals on leaf calcium was found to be insignificant. From the present investigation it was concluded that that chemical thinning may affect the accumulation of some nutrients and thereby improves the fruit quality.