Articles
FRUIT PRODUCTION AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN BANARASI KARKA CULTIVAR OF BER THROUGH CANOPY MANAGEMENT
Article number
840_50
Pages
363 – 368
Language
English
Abstract
In ber, the fruit is borne in axils of young growing shoots of the current year and regular annual pruning is an utmost cultural practice for sustainable production of quality fruits.
The extent to which ber trees to be pruned depend mainly on genotype, spacing and agro-climatic condition where the crop is being grown.
The Banarasi Karka cultivar of ber is widely adopted by the farmers in West Bengal (India). To improve the fruit production through canopy management, no scientific investigation has been carried out in West Bengal and therefore, an attempt was made to standardize the best pruning technique for Banarasi Karka of ber grown in close spacing (3.5×4.5 m) in laterite soil under irrigated condition.
To find out the best pruning method, seven levels of pruning was performed, i.e., removal of primary branches leaving 30, 60 and 90 cm from base of the trunk; removal of 25, 50 and 100% of primary branches from the tip and unpruned (control). Results of two consecutive years of study revealed that 25% pruning of primary branches resulted highest fruit yield of 19.7 t as against 10.4 t ha-1 in control.
As a result of production increment, an additional income of Rs. 1.08 lakh ha-1 was estimated at the plant age of 8 years.
Fruit quality in respect of total soluble solids, total sugar and vitamin C was better in all the pruned plants as compared to control.
The extent to which ber trees to be pruned depend mainly on genotype, spacing and agro-climatic condition where the crop is being grown.
The Banarasi Karka cultivar of ber is widely adopted by the farmers in West Bengal (India). To improve the fruit production through canopy management, no scientific investigation has been carried out in West Bengal and therefore, an attempt was made to standardize the best pruning technique for Banarasi Karka of ber grown in close spacing (3.5×4.5 m) in laterite soil under irrigated condition.
To find out the best pruning method, seven levels of pruning was performed, i.e., removal of primary branches leaving 30, 60 and 90 cm from base of the trunk; removal of 25, 50 and 100% of primary branches from the tip and unpruned (control). Results of two consecutive years of study revealed that 25% pruning of primary branches resulted highest fruit yield of 19.7 t as against 10.4 t ha-1 in control.
As a result of production increment, an additional income of Rs. 1.08 lakh ha-1 was estimated at the plant age of 8 years.
Fruit quality in respect of total soluble solids, total sugar and vitamin C was better in all the pruned plants as compared to control.
Publication
Authors
S.N. Ghosh
Keywords
ber, close spacing, laterite soil, pruning, fruit yield, quality
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