Effect of growth regulators and micronutrients on fruit cracking and fruit yield in pomegranate

A field experiment was conducted at Fruit Research Farm of Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar to evaluate the effect of micronutrients and plant growth regulators on fruit cracking and fruit yield in pomegranate cv. Jodhpur Red. The treatments comprising of two micronutrients (H₃BO₃ & ZnSO₄ @ 0.20, 0.40, 0.60%), two growth regulators (2, 4-D & NAA @ 10, 20, 40 ppm) and water were applied fifteen and thirty days after fruit set. Occurrence of premature fruit cracking was more as compared to mature fruits during both the stages of application. Longitudinal (radial) cracking was more as compared to diagonal (transverse) cracking. 2, 4-D and NAA @10 ppm recorded significantly lower incidence of cracking than all other treatments. Highest fruit yield per acre (50.8q) was obtained with NAA @ 20 ppm when applied fifteen days after fruit set; while 2, 4-D @ 10 ppm recorded maximum fruit yield when applied thirty days after fruit set.