EFFECT OF DIFFERENT PRUNING INTENSITIES ON GROWTH, FLOWERING, YIELD AND QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF NECTARINE CVS. SILVER KING AND SNOW QUEEN
Loading...
Date
2010
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The present investigation on the “Effect of different pruning intensities on growth, flowering,
yield and quality characteristics of nectarine cvs. Silver King and Snow Queen” was conducted in the
experimental orchard of the Department of Fruit Science during the year, 2009 and 2010. The study
was conducted on 5 year old nectarine plants of two cultivars namely; Silver King and Snow Queen,
planted at a spacing of 2 m x 3 m and trained according to open centre system. The experiment
comprised of nine pruning treatments viz., T1-20% thinning out + ¼ heading back, T2-20% thinning out
+ ½ heading back, T3-20% thinning out + ¾ heading back, T4 - 40% thinning out + ¼ heading back,
T5-40% thinning out + ½ heading back, T6-60% thinning out + ¼ heading back, T7-60% thinning out +
½ heading back, T8-60% thinning out + ¾ heading back, and T9-40% thinning out + ¾ heading back
(control).
The results of the present investigation revealed that among different pruning intensities, the
best results in terms of growth and flowering characteristics namely; shoot extension, trunk growth,
leaf emergence, leaf area, flower initiation, full bloom; fruit quality characteristics namely; fruit weight,
fruit size, sugar acid ratio and pulp stone ratio of nectarine fruits were recorded with the treatment T8
where 60% thinning out + ¾ heading back was done. The best grade i.e. three layer grade fruits were
also observed to be maximum with this treatment. Among two cultivars, Silver King exhibited better
growth, yield and quality characteristics than the Snow Queen.