EFFECT OF ORGANIC AND INORGANIC MULCHES ON GROWTH, YIELD AND FRUIT QUALITY OF POMEGRANATE (Punica granatum L.) cv. BHAGWA
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Date
2019-09
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UHF,NAUNI
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The present study entitled, “Effect of organic and inorganic mulches on growth, yield and
fruit quality of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cv. Bhagwa” was carried out in the
experimental farm of HR&TS and KVK Kandaghat at Jadari, Dr YS Parmar University of
Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, during the year 2017-2018. The
experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with 9 years old pomegranate plants
with seven treatments viz., Nylon mulch mat, Silver polyethylene mulch, Black polyethylene mulch,
Red polyethylene mulch, Coir mulch mat, Grass mulch and Control with four replications. The results
revealed that the growth and fruit quality parameters of pomegranate trees were significantly
improved by all the mulching treatments as compared to control. The maximum increase in tree
height, spread, volume, annual shoot extension growth, fruit set, fruit retention, and lowest fruit drop
and fruit cracking was recorded in the plants under black polyethylene mulch. Black polyethylene
mulch recorded highest fruit yield as compared to control. The fruit quality parameters such as fruit
size, weight, volume, colour and bio-chemical traits were recorded maximum under silver
polyethylene mulch which was at par with black polyethylene mulch. The leaf nutrient contents and
soil nutrient contents were significantly higher under grass mulch. The soil hydrothermal regimes
were significantly higher under black polyethylene mulch. The nylon mulch mat gave highest
efficiency to control weed population among different mulching treatments. The maximum benefit
cost ratio (3.06:1) was recorded in the plants under black polyethylene mulch. However, black
polyethylene and silver polyethylene mulch gave better performance in respect of tree growth,
cropping efficiency, maintaining adequate soil hydrothermal properties and elimination of weeds in
pomegranate orchards.
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