Integrated management of fruit drop in kinnow mandarin

Punjab is leader of Kinnow producer in India and has emerged as number one fruit with respect to area (387837 hectares) and production (876357 MT). Among the various problems, fruit drop is a major bottleneck as the fruits continue to drop at various stages of the fruit growth and development. Imbalance of growth regulators and plant pathogens has been found to be responsible for causing this problem. The pathological fruit drop (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) in the month of September and October is the most detrimental, as the fruits are near maturity and have drawn nourishment from the tree. Therefore, an experiment was conducted for the integrated management of the fruit drop at PAU, Regional Research Station, Abohar and Department of Horticulture, Ludhiana. Ziram 27SC(0.25%) + 2,4-D (10ppm), Propiconazole 25 EC (0.1%) +2,4-D (10ppm), Bavistin 50WP (0.1%) + 2,4-D(10ppm) and 0.1% Bavistin 50 WP (standard check) were sprayed in mid of April, August, September for three cropping seasons of 2007–08, 2008–09 and 2009–10. Two additional sprays of these fungicides singly were also given in end of July and September. Propiconazole + 2,4-D excelled all the other treatments and provided maximum control of fruit drop. The second best was Ziram + 2,4-D and was at par with Propiconazole +2,4-D but differed significantly from Bavistin + 2,4-D and Bavistin. The fruit yield was also at par in Ziram + 2,4-D and Propiconazole + 2,4-D but differed significantly to Bavistin + 2,4-D and Bavistin. The application of Ziram (0.25%) or Propiconazole (0.1%) +2,4-D is also economical. Therefore, Ziram + 2, 4-D and Propiconazole + 2, 4-D sprays are recommended for the integrated management of fruit drop in Kinnow mandarin.