Effect of chemicals and physical means on harvesting span, yield and quality of litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) cv. Rose Scented

An investigation was carried out for extending harvesting span of litchi (Litchi chinensis) cv. Rose Scented on twenty year old litchi trees at Pantnagar, U.S. Nagar (Uttarakhand, India). The experiment consisted of 10 treatments [30% shade net (T1), 50% shade net, (T2), 20 ppm GA3 (T3), 40 ppm GA3 (T4), 20 ppm BA (T5), 40 ppm BA (T6), 4% KNO3 (T7), perforated polyethylene bagging (T8), silver thiosulphate (STS), 10 mM (T9) and control (T10)] in Randomized Block Design with four replications. The application of KNO3 @ 4% resulted in significantly higher fruit set per panicle (64.93). Maximum fruit drop of 79.05 per cent was observed under control while under shade net (30%) low per cent fruit drop was recorded. Shade net (50%) checked the fruit cracking (4.49%) whereas; maximum fruit cracking took place in untreated trees. The maximum delay in harvest (16 days) was recorded in shade net 50% closely followed by shade net 30% (14 days). Significantly more fruit yield per tree (116.50 kg) was recorded in shade net (50%). Treatment of GA3 (40 ppm) being at par with BA @ 20 and 40 ppm exhibited significantly more TSS, total sugars and non-reducing sugars. Application of KNO3 @ 4% exhibited significantly higher reducing sugars and lower titratable acidity, however, difference in ascorbic acid content were found to be non-significant among different treatments. Shading extended the harvesting span and maximized fruit quality and yield of litchi.