Studies on the effect of foliar sprays of nutrients after fruit set on harvesting, yield and quality of kokum (Garcinia indica Choisy)

Abstract

An investigation was undertaken to study the effect of foliar application of nutrients after 30 days of fruit set on harvesting, yield and quality of kokum (Garcinia indica Choisy). The experiment was conducted during two consecutive years in a randomized block design with three replications and nine treatments consisting of various concentrations and combinations of urea (1.0%), potassium nitrate (3.0%), monopotassium phosphate (0.5%) and ready mixture 19 N: 19 P: 19 K (1.0%). All foliar nutrient sprays improved the physico-chemical properties of kokum fruit over control. The relative growth rate for length, circumference and fruit weight in all foliar nutrient sprays was greater than T9 (control). Among all the treatments studied, T5 was the best which pre-poned the harvesting by 39.5 days, maximised the yield before rains and contributed for desired chemical composition of fruits with respect to acidity, ascorbic acid, reducing, non-reducing and total sugars contents