Gupta, MonikaKomalpreet Kaur2024-01-082024-01-082023Komalpreet Kaur (2023). Management of Fruit Splitting in Daisy Mandarin (Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation). Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810205978The present study entitled “MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT SPLITTING IN DAISY MANDARIN” was carried out at Fruit Research Station Jallowal-Lesriwal, at a farmer field in an arid irrigated zone and laboratories of Department of the Fruit Science and Botany, Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana during 2021 and 2022. This study aimed to investigate the physiological, biochemical and anatomical changes occurring during fruit splitting and management of fruit splitting in Daisy mandarin. This study investigated the various physical and biochemical attributes in both healthy and splitted fruits of Daisy mandarin. The different treatments, including foliar application of growth regulators and nutrients, were applied at different developmental stages to mitigate fruit splitting and improve fruit quality. Splitted fruits exhibited increased fruit size, weight, pulp weight and moisture content in peel and pulp. Healthy fruits had thicker peel and higher peel content. The biochemical attributes viz. total soluble sugars, proteins, free amino acids and proline content were found higher in peel of splitted fruits as compared to healthy fruits. The activity of antioxidant enzymes viz. peroxidase, polygalacturonase and cellulase were found higher in peel of splitted fruits. However, splitted fruits had lower juice content, TSS, acidity, ascorbic acid and total phenolic content. The mineral nutrients (P, Ca and B) were also observed low in peel of splitted fruits. The cross section of the peel, stem end and pedicel of healthy and splitted fruits of Daisy mandarin showed significant difference in peel thickness, epidermal thickness, arrangement of oil glands and vascular tissues. Among the different growth regulators treatments, application of the 100 ppm salicylic acid was found to be most effective in reducing fruit splitting severity and improving biochemical parameters such as total soluble sugars, proteins and enzymatic activity in fruit peel. The application of 10 ppm GA3 improved the fruit’s physical parameters including yield, weight, size and juice attributes. The foliar application of K2SO4 (2%)+paddy straw mulching was superior in reducing the fruit splitting severity and biochemical parameters of peel such as total sugar, protein and enzymatic activity in fruit peel. Fruit yield, weight, size and juice attributes were improved with KNO3 (2%)+paddy straw mulching. Thus it was concluded that among growth regulators, the application of 100 ppm salicylic acid and K2SO4 (2%) + paddy straw mulching was the most effective treatments to reduce the fruit splitting severity and enhance the other quality attributes in Daisy mandarin.EnglishThesis