Effect of Plant Growth Regulators and Zinc on Fruiting and Yield Parameters of Acid Lime (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle) under Malwa Plateau Conditions THESIS submitted to the Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE in HORTICULTURE (FRUIT SCIENCE) by ARVIND SINGH BHATI Department of Fruit Science Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Gwalior College of Horticulture, Mandsaur (M.P.)-458001 2015 CERTIFICATE- I This is to certify that the thesis entitled “Effect of Plant Growth Regulators and Zinc on Fruiting and Yield Parameters of Acid Lime (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle) under Malwa Plateau conditions”, submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE in Fruit Science of Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Gwalior is a record of the bonafide research work carried out by Mr. ARVIND SINGH BHATI under my guidance and supervision. The subject of the thesis has been approved by the Student’s Advisory Committee and the Director of Instruction. No part of the thesis has been submitted for any other degree or diploma or has been published. All the assistance and help received during the course of this investigations have been acknowledged by the scholar. (Dr. Jyoti Kanwar) Chairman of the Advisory Committee MEMBERS OF STUDENT’S ADVISORY COMMITTEE Chairman (Dr. Jyoti Kanwar): ……………………………….. Co-Chairman (Dr. Priyamvada Sonkar): ………………….……… Member (Dr. Roshan Gallani): ………………….………….. Member (Dr. G.P.S. Rathore): ………………….…………… CERTIFICATE- II This is to certify that the thesis entitled “Effect of Plant Growth Regulators and Zinc on Fruiting and Yield Parameters of Acid Lime (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle) under Malwa Plateau conditions”, submitted by Mr. ARVIND SINGH BHATI to the Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Gwalior in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in HORTICULTURE in the Department of (Fruit Science) has been accepted after evaluation by the External Examiner and approved by the Student’s Advisory Committee after an oral examination on the same. (Dr. Jyoti Kanwar) Chairman of the Advisory Committee MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE Chairman (Dr. Jyoti Kanwar): …………………………………………. Co-Chairman (Dr. Priyamvada Sonkar):.…………………………….... Member (Dr. Roshan Gallani): …............................................. Member (Dr. G.P.S. Rathore):...…………………………............ Head of the Department:…………………………………..……… Dean of the College: ……………………………………………… Director Instruction: ………………………………………………. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I take it to be my proud privilege to avail this opportunity to express my sincere and deep sense of gratitude to my learned advisor Dr.Jyoti Kanwar , Asst. prof. & Head of the Section of Fruit Science, for his stimulating guidance, constructive suggestions, keen and sustained interest and incessant encouragement bestowed during the entire period of investigation, as well as critically going through the manuscript. I am gratified to record sincere thanks to the members of the advisory committee; Dr. Priyamvada Sonkar, Assistant Professor, Department of Fruit Science, KNK College of Horticulture Mandsaur, Dr. R. Gallani, Assistant Professor, Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, K.N.K. College of Horticulture, Mandsaur, and Dr. G.P.S. Rathore, Department of Statistics and computer science, KNK College of Horticulture Mandsaur for there noble inspiration, keen interest, judicious direction, suggestions and comments during the preparation and presentation of manuscript of the thesis and above all for indomitable affection that they showered on me during the course of investigation, without which it would have not been possible to accomplish this stupendous task. With profound respect I am extremely thankful to Dr. A.K Singh, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, R.V.S.K.V.V., Gwalior, Dr. R. L. Rajput, Director of Instruction and Dr. B.S. Bhaghel, Dean, Faculty of Agriculture R.V.S.K.V.V., Gwalior, (MP). With deepest sense of humility and gratefulness, I feel myself duly bound to express my heartfelt and sincere thanks to Dr. H. Patidar, Dean College of Horticulture, Mandsaur. I am also thankful to Dr. Jyoti Kanwer Asst. prof. for providing farm facilities during course of investigation. I feel short of words to express my gratitude to my parents Shri. Chain Singh Bhati and Smt. Narendra Kunwar Bhati, my brother Ajaypal Singh Bhati and Ajit Singh Bhati and my nephew Kalpjeet Singh Bhati, for their utmost co-operation, sacrifice and encouragement during the course of this work. I also appreciate the co-operation and encouragement of my batch mates and friends Jawaher Gami, Ranjeet Jamra, Krishan kant Nargave, Deepak Choudhary, P. Dhakad, Rajesh Sharma, Arvind Patidar, Sumit, Anil, Raju, Om Prasad, Sonam, Riya, Hemlata, Aasha, Vinita, Nileema, Jetandra, Arjun , Ram Dhakad, Anushil, Vinod and Hemvant. It makes me feel elevated to express my heartfelt thanks to my intimate seniors especially Ganesh Kushawah and Neesha Nandale. I am thankful to my loving juniors specially Ajay, Toran Singh, Anil, Sunil and Dipeeka. I am also extremely thankful to all other staff members for their assistance and co-operation. Finally I have no reservation in admitting that it was nothing else but the grace of God that has enable me to achieve this seemingly invincible task. Place-Mandsaur Date- (Arvind Singh Bhati) Contents Page Chapter Title number I Introduction 1-3 II Review of Literature 4-13 III Materials and Methods 14-28 IV Results 29-75 V Discussion 76-88 VI Summary, Conclusion and Suggestions for 89-91 Further Work 6.1 Summary 89-90 6.2 Conclusion 91 6.3 Suggestions for Further Work 91 References 92-96 Appendices 97-100 Vita List of Tables Table Page Title No. Number 1 Details of treatment combinations 15 Weekly meteorological observations during the study 2 16 period (July - 2014 to January - 2015) 3 Skeleton of analysis of variance 28 Effect of plant growth regulators and zinc on number of 4 days taken from initiation of flower to fruit set and number 30 of days taken from fruit set to fruit maturity Effect of plant growth regulators and zinc on fruit set, fruit 5 36 drop and fruit retention (%) Effect of plant growth regulators and zinc on fruit volume 6 40 and specific gravity Effect of plant growth regulators and zinc on fruit length 7 43 and diameter Effect of plant growth regulators and zinc on rind 8 47 thickness, juice (%) and number of sacs per fruit Effect of plant growth regulators and zinc on percentage 9 53 of rags per fruit and number of seeds per fruit Effect of plant growth regulators and zinc on acidity and 10 57 ascorbic acid Effect of plant growth regulators and zinc on TSS and 11 61 TSS/acid ratio Effect of plant growth regulators and zinc on total sugars 12 65 and chlorophyll content in leaves Effect of plant growth regulators and zinc on number of 13 fruit per plant, average fruit weight and yield of fruit per 69 plant 14 Economics of the different treatments (per ha.) 74 List of Figures Figure Page Title Number Number Weekly meteorological observations during the study 1 17 period (July - 2014 to January - 2015) 2 Layout of the trial 18 Effect of plant growth regulators and Zinc on number 3 31 of days taken from initiation of flower to fruit set Effect of plant growth regulators and Zinc on number 4 33 of days taken from fruit set to fruit maturity Effect of plant growth regulators and Zinc on fruit set 5 35 (%) Effect of plant growth regulators and Zinc on fruit drop 6 37 and fruit retention (%) Effect of plant growth regulators and Zinc on fruit 7 39 volume. Effect of plant growth regulators and Zinc on specific 8 41 gravity Effect of plant growth regulators and Zinc on fruit 9 44 length and diameter Effect of plant growth regulators and Zinc on rind 10 46 thickness 11 Effect of plant growth regulators and Zinc on juice (%) 48 Effect of plant growth regulators and Zinc on number 12 50 of sacs per fruit Effect of plant growth regulators and Zinc on 13 52 percentage of rags per fruit Effect of plant growth regulators and Zinc on number 14 54 of seeds per fruit 15 Effect of plant growth regulators and Zinc on acidity 56 Effect of plant growth regulators and Zinc on ascorbic 16 58 acid 17 Effect of plant growth regulators and Zinc on TSS 60 Effect of plant growth regulators and Zinc on TSS/acid 18 62 ratio Effect of plant growth regulators and Zinc on total 19 64 sugars Effect of plant growth regulators and Zinc on 20 66 chlorophyll content in leaves Effect of plant growth regulators and Zinc on number 21 68 of fruits per plant Effect of plant growth regulators and Zinc on average 22 70 fruit weight Effect of plant growth regulators and Zinc on yield per 23 72 plant 24 Economics of the treatment combinations 75 LIST OF APPENDICES APPENDIX PAGE TITLE No. No. I Analysis of variance for reproductive parameters 97 II Analysis of variance for reproductive parameters 97 III Analysis of variance for physical parameters of fruits 97 IV Analysis of variance for physical parameters of fruits 98 V Analysis of variance for physical parameters of fruits 98 VI Analysis of variance for physical parameters of fruits 98 VII Analysis of variance for bio-chemical parameters 99 VIII Analysis of variance for bio-chemical parameters 99 IX Analysis of variance for bio-chemical parameters 99 X Analysis of variance for yield parameters 100 List of abbreviations/symbol Symbol Abbreviation Stands for % Per cent / Per - Cm Centimeter - cv. Cultivar - et al. et-alai - Fig. Figure - G Gram (s) - Ha Hectare - hr. Hour - i.e. That is - Kg Kilogram (s) - M Meter - m2 Meter square - Max. Maximum - Min. Minimum - Ml Millilitre - oC Degree Celsius - PGRs plant growth regulators - Ppm Part per million - Qt Quintal - RH Relative humidity - spp. Species - Temp. Temperature - TSS Total soluble solids - var. Variety - Viz. Videlicet - MSL Mean sea level