Crop Regulation in lemon var. Assam lemon (Citrus limon L. Burm.) by pruning
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Date
2023
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Abstract
The present investigation entitled "Crop regulation in lemon var. Assam lemon (Citrus limon L Burm)” by pruning" was conducted during 2022-2023 at the ICR farm for field experimentation and in the laboratory for qualitative analysis of fruits in the Department of Horticulture, Biswanath College of Agriculture, AAU, Biswanath Chariali with three objectives: (a) to study the effect of pruning on growth, yield and quality of Assam lemon, (b) to study the effect of time of pruning on growth, yield and quality of Assam lemon and (c) to make the fruits available during the lean period particularly during November to February. The experiment was laid out in RBD with 3 replications and 12 treatments. Each treatment consisted of two plants and accordingly 72 plants were selected for conducting the experiment. Pruning considered as treatments were carried out from 1st May, 2022 to 15th October, 2022 at 15 days interval.
The results revealed that both the pruning and time of pruning significantly influenced the vegetative growth and production of Assam lemon fruits. Among the treatments, the highest increase in plant height (18.82%) and number of laterals (4.62) per primary shoot was observed in T1 (pruned on 1stMay). Leaf production per terminal shoot was highest (19.33) in T2 (pruned on 15 May) closely followed by T1 (19.22). Shortest duration (18.66 days) for new shoots emergence after pruning was recorded in T6 (pruned on 15th July) while longest period (26.50 days) was observed in plants pruned on 15th October (T12) but the plants under this treatment produced first flower buds within shortest period (43.83 days) from the date of pruning. Days required to attain maturity of fruits from flower bud emergence was lowest (141.5 days) in plants pruned on 1st May (T1).
Average number of hermaphrodite flowers (96.09) male flowers (96.70) and total number of ((192.79) were highest in T12 (pruned on 15th October) and plants under this treatment also recorded the highest fruit set (58.44%), fruit retention (92.01%), average number of fruits per plant per month (51.55) and number of fruits per plant per year (360.85). These values were found to be the lowest in plants pruned in May (T1 and T2). Plants pruned on 1st May (T1) recorded the highest values of fruit weight (168.33g), volume of fruit (184.83cc) and fruit length (9.21cm) while thinnest peel (2.95mm) and the highest pulp-peel ratio were recorded in T12 (pruned on 15th October). Among the treatments, T12 (pruned on 15th October) was found to be efficient in terms of quality like highest juice content (35.66 %), TSS (6.330Brix) and ascorbic acid (37.95 mg/100ml) contents.
From the present investigation, it was evident that mature fruits could be harvested from November onwards from the plants pruned during May-June. Though total production was lower in these plants as compared to the plants pruned during October (recommended practice) but because of higher prices per fruit during lean period (Nov-Feb), the benefit: cost ratio was also higher than the plants pruned during October from which fruits were harvested from April onwards.