Present study was carried out at Instructional-Cum-Research Orchard of AICRP on Arid Zone Fruits, Department of Horticulture, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri during the year 2016–17 on 19 years old orchard, spaced at 5 x 5 m2. The experiment was planned in randomized block design. It involved five cover crops i.e. Maize (T1), Bajra (T2), Dhaincha (T3), Jowar (T4) and Sunhemp (T6), two irrigation systems i.e. Sprinkler (T6) and Foggar (T7), Sod culture (T8) and control i.e. conventional method (T9). The cover crops were sown on 2nd of February 2016. highest number of fruits per tree were recorded in case of Sunhemp (142.75), followed by Bajra (139.87). The average weight of fruits per tree was significantly influenced by various cover crops cultivated with custard apple. Significantly maximum weight of custard apple fruit was recorded due to the sowing of Sunhemp as a cover crop (315.33 g), with highest fruit yield per tree (45.03 kg). Thus sowing cover crops under the canopy of custard apple trees is better for off season fruit yield of custard apple.
Custard apple, Cover crops, Irrigation system, yield
