Effect of organic and inorganic mulches on growth, yield and fruit quality of peach cv Redhaven

Abstract

The present study was carried out on the effect of mulch materials on growth, yield and fruit quality of peach [Prunus persica (L) Batsch] cv Redhaven at experimental block of Department of Fruit Science, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh during 2019-2020. Various types of mulches like grass mulch, black polyethylene mulch, silver red polyethylene mulch, polyethylene mulch, nylon mulch mat and coir mulch were evaluated in this experiment. The results of the study showed that plant growth, yield and fruit quality of peach were significantly affected by all the mulching treatments as compared to control. The maximum increase in tree height, spread, volume, annual shoot extension growth, fruit set, lowest fruit drop, fruit yield, leaf area, leaf chlorophyll content, fruit size, weight and volume were recorded in the plants under black polyethylene mulch which was statistically at par with nylon mulch mat. The maximum fruit quality parameters like total soluble solids, titratable acidity, reducing and non-reducing sugars were recorded under nylon mulch mat.