Response of nutrient supplementation through INM on yield and quality parameters of pomegranate (Punica granatum)

Abstract

A study was carried out during 2020–21 and 2021–22 at the research farm of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana to investigate efficacy of different fertilizers on yield, yield attributing characters and biochemical parameter on pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cv. Bhagwa. Different doses of RDF 50%, 75%, 100% FYM, biofertilizers were evaluated against control by following randomized complete block design, 22 treatments with 3 replications. The results revealed that yield parameters, viz. fruit weight (260.83 g), aril weight (168.00 g), rind weight (92.83g), rind thickness (3.63 mm), fruit length (6.64 cm) and fruit diameter width (4.82 cm), number of fruits per tree (105.61), yield (27.55 kg/tree), fruit firmness (28.76 lb/inch2), fruit cracking (26.17%), fruit set (42.30%), fruit retention (76.19%), fruit drop (23.81%); and biochemical parameters, viz. juice content (35.23%), TSS (14.15 °Brix), acidity (0.82%) and TSS acid ratio (17.37), total sugar (12.06%), reducing sugar (9.86%), non- reducing sugar (2.31%), sugar: acid ratio (41.00) ascorbic acid (16.79 mg/100 g) and anthocyanin content (4.94 mg/100 g) were significantly affected by different organic amendments and biofertilizers treatment against control. Treatment T21-100% RDF + FYM + Azotobacter + PSB proved most effective in enhancing yield attributing characters and biochemical parameters of pomegranate. This treatment gave best result by increasing the nutritional status of the plant through the beneficial effects of different fertilizers.