CONTROLLING OF FRUIT SPLITTING IN POMEGRANATE (PUNICA GRANATUM L.) BY FOLIAR APPLICATION OF GROWTH REGULATOR AND NUTRIENTS

Various growth regulators have been used to improve the quality of different fruit crops. Foliar spray of macro and micronutrients play an important role in vegetative growth, yield and fruit quality. In the present study, the influence of foliar application of growth regulators and nutrients on fruit splitting and fruit quality was evaluated. For that purpose, Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), Potassium nitrate (KNO3) and Boric acid (H3BO3) at the rate of 40 ppm, 1% and 0.3% were used respectively. Spray of chemicals were applied in 2nd and 8th week from full bloom to yield in pomegranate cultivar ‘Golden pearl’. The experiment was designed under Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) comprised with seven treatments and replicated thrice. Fruit splitting was reduced (48.68%) significantly with application of KNO3 + Boric acid, while maximum fruit size (60.26 cm2), fruit weight (84gm), fruit grain weight (136.38gm), total soluble solid (TSS) 12.52% and yield (21.9kg/plant) were observed in KNO3 + Boric acid. Moreover, peel weight was increased in control (60.66 gm) and minimum was observed in 48.62 gm in KNO3 + Boric acid. Finally, it is concluded KNO3 %+ Boric acid reveled best results against fruit splitting % and other fruit quality parameters. These findings show that application of KNO3+ Boric acid significantly influences fruit quality of pomegranate when fruit are in the beginning stages of growth and development.