Effect of Foliar Nutrition on Growth, Yield and Quality of Mango

Abstract

The study was conducted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Pudukkottai district of Tamil Nadu during 2012–2013 to study the effect of foliar nutrition on growth, yield and quality of mango. The investigation was carried out in three treatments which consisted of TO1: soil application 1.0:1.0:1.5kg/tree NPK + 50kg FYM (Control), TO2: TO1 + Foliar application of sulphate of potash (SOP) at the rate of 2 percent during flowering stage, peanut size stage and third spray 15 days after second spray. TO3: TO1+Foliar application of mango special @0.5 percent recommended by the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru during June - August, November- December, peanut size and marble size stages. Different growth parameters viz. plant height, canopy height, plant spread (N-S, E-W) were not influenced significantly by foliar nutrition but found higher under treatment TO3 and lowest in TO1. Regarding fruiting parameters, the treatment TO3 resulted in low fruit drop, maximum number of fruits/panicle, longer fruit length and breadth, fruit weight, pulp weight, number of fruits per tree, fruit yield per hectare. All the fruit quality parameters were found non-significant except total soluble solids (TSS) due to application of NPK and micronutrients. TSS were found highest (22.54°brix) in TO3 treatment followed by TO2 (21.95°brix). The acidity was found lowest in TO3 and TO2 treatments and highest in TO1 but the differences were non-significant. Pulp: Stone ratio and pulp: peel ratio did not differ significantly due to foliar nutrition. However, the treatment TO3 recorded the highest and treatment TO1 lowest pulp: stone and pulp peel ratio. The shelf life of mango fruit was influenced by foliar nutrition. The TO3 and TO2 resulted in the maximum storage period (>12 days) at room temperature whereas it was 9 days in control group.