Dept. of Fruits and Orchard Management, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, PO Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia, 741252, West Bengal
*Corresponding author's present address: Dept. of Pomology and Post Harvest Technology, Faculty of Horticulture, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, PO Pundibari, Cooch Behar, 736 165, West Bengal; E-mail: nileshbhowmick@gmail.com
Online published on 17 September, 2012.
The influence of zinc sulphate and borax (as foliar application) on fruit retention, yield and physico-chemical properties of mango cv. Amrapali were evaluated for consecutive two years at Horticultural Research Station, Mondouri, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya under the new alluvial zone of West Bengal, India. The chemicals, i.e., zinc sulphate (0.5, 1.0 & 1.5%) and borax (0.25, 0.5 & 0.75%) were sprayed at pea and marble stages of fruit growth and development. The pooled data from the consecutive two years experiment reveals that the maximum fruit retention at marble stage (40.95%), at harvest stage (7.66%), maximum number of fruits per plant (170), and maximum yield per tree (36.00 kg) was obtained with borax 0.5%. Whereas, average maximum fruit length (10.33 cm), breadth (6.33 cm), were recorded with borax 0.25% and maximum pulp content (73.57%) was obtained from the treatment with borax 0.75%. Regarding quality parameters, maximum TSS (20.75°brix), total sugars (17.08%), non reducing sugar (12.32%), ascorbic acid (41.62 mg/100 g of fruit pulp), TSS/acid ratio (115.11) and lowest acidity (0.18%) were recorded with 1.0% zinc sulphate.
Foliar application, zinc sulphate, borax, Amrapali mango
