Influence of pre-harvest application of gibberellin and brassinosteroid on fruit growth and quality characteristics of pear (Pyrus pyrifolia (Burm.) Nakai) cv. Gola

Abstract

Quality of fruit crop is an important parameter to decide the acceptability of the product. The present study consists of seventeen year old pear (Pyrus pyrifolia (Burm.) Nakai) trees subjected to seven treatments viz., GA3 (50 ppm,100 ppm), BR (0.5 ppm, 1.0 ppm), and GA3 + BR (50 ppm + 0.5 ppm and 100 ppm + 1 ppm) and water as control, sprayed thrice at 15 days intervals starting from petal fall stage. Each treatment was replicated thrice with one tree served as a treatment unit. The experiment was conducted in Randomized Block Design. The fruits treated with GA3 @ 50 ppm (T1) showed the highest fruit length (6.98 cm), breadth (6.81 cm), weight (175.9 g) and volume (171.16 cc). An improvement in terms of fruit quality was observed either alone or in combined application of GA3 and BR. The application of BR @ 1 ppm (T4) recorded the highest TSS (12.91°Brix) and lowest titrable acidity (0.42%) while the highest ascorbic acid content (6.95 mg / 100 g) and non reducing sugar (0.44%) was estimated under GA3 @ 100 ppm + BR @ 1 ppm (T6). Total sugar (7.88%) and reducing sugar (7.45%) was observed highest in GA3 @ 50 ppm + BR @ 0.5 ppm (T5). Based on this research combined application of GA3 + BR had a positive effect and therefore can be recommended for spray on pear in order to obtain higher yield and better quality.