Nav Prem SinghPandey, Divya2016-09-182016-09-182016http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/77274The present investigation was carried out to study the ‘Effect of foliar application of KNO3 on fruit yield and quality in litchi’ during the year 2015-16. Thirty five year’s old uniformly grown ‘Dehradun’ litchi plants established at MS Randhawa FRS, Gangian (Hoshiarpur) were sprayed with KNO3 @ 1.0, 1.5 and 2% at three different stages i.e. single spray 10 days after fruit set (DAFS) (S1); double spray after 10 and 20 DAFS (S2) and triple spray after 10, 20 and 30 DAFS (S3) and the control (water spray). The plants treated with K as foliar feeding significantly improved fruit pericarp colour, marketable fruit yield and quality attributes over the control. Increment in fruit yield to the tune of 13.9% was recorded in trees treated with double spray of KNO3 1% over the control. Fruit weight, size and fruit retention were also improved with different doses of K as foliar feeding. Fruit colour coordinates estimated in terms of ‘L’ value was recorded the highest with one spray of KNO3 1.5% and ‘a’ value also increased from 17.9 to 18.6 with the increased in dose of KNO3 from 1 to 2 per cent as well as single spray of KNO3 1.5%, however; ‘b’ colour value was noted maximum with single spray of KNO31%. Fruit quality characteristics viz. soluble solids content (SSC), SSC/acid ratio and total sugars were also enhanced with single, double and triple sprays of different concentrations of K fertilizers over untreated trees. Leaf N and K contents were significantly higher with foliar feeding of KNO3, however, effect on leaf P content was statistically non significant. From the present studies, it is concluded that single foliar spray of KNO3 1% after 10 DAFS considerably improved fruit size, fruit weight, pericarp colour, pulp/stone ratio and fruit yield in litchi cv. Dehradun.enfoliar applicationKNO3litchifoliar feedingThesis