Regional Fruit Research Station, Punjab Agricultural University, Abohar
Aqueous solutions of GA at 50, 100 and 250 ppm and Sevin at 250, 500, 1000 and 2000 ppm were tried on Perlette clusters with a view to loosen up compact clusters, reduce the number of shot berries and to assess their effect on other quality attributes. Treatments to the clusters were applied at two stages, i.e. full bloom and shatter.
Sevin treatments, particulary 2000 and 1000 ppm, significantly reduced the cluster weight as well as decreased number of berries per cluster. Furthermore, number and percentage of shot berries was strikingly reduced. The chemical proved much more effective when applied at full bloom. On the other hand, GA applications significantly increased the cluster weight and the total number of berries per cluster. GA-treated clusters had significantly higher number of shot berries and were straggly in appearance. The fruit quality attributes, viz. TSS and acid contents were not significantly affected by either of the GA or Sevin treatments. However, Sevin-treated clusters tended to have slightly higher TSS than GA and control clusters.
