Effect of mulching material and herbicides on tree growth, yield and fruit quality of ber

Abstract

The investigation on effect of mulching material/herbicides on tree growth, yield and fruit quality of ber was carried out in New Orchard, PAU, Ludhiana during 2006-07. Three years and eight-month-old plants of ber cv. Umran planted at 7.5 m × 7.5 m were selected. The plants were mulched in the month of June 2006 by different type of mulch materials, i.e., paddy straw, dry grass, sarkanda, black polythene, black polythene + glyphosate @ 1 l/ha and black polythene + gramoxone @ 1 l/ha. Tree volume and number of days to complete the flowering phase were recorded maximum with black polythene + gramaxone @ 1 l/ha. The maximum increase in pruning weight was observed under black polythene + glyphosate @ 1 l/ha (82.69%). Scion/stock ratio was found maximum with sarkanda mulch. The maximum leaf area and vitamin C in fruits from plants mulched with black polythene, black polythene + gramoxone @ 1 l/ha and black polythene + glyphosate @ 1 l/ha. The maximum fruit size, weight and yield were observed from the plants under black polythene mulch. The maximum TSS in fruits was recorded from plants mulched with black polythene + gramoxone @ 1 l/ha (12.16%) and black polythene + glyphosate @ 1 l/ha (12.00%). Black polythene and black polythene + herbicides are the ideal choice for ber orchards. Paddy straw was found to be the best natural mulch.