Harit Kumar, P.N. Katiyar, Anand Kumar Singh, B.V. Rajkumar and Bhagat Singh
Abstract
Pruning in ber is prerequisite for better quality of fruits because it bears on current season growth. Therefore, it is very essential as certain extent of pruning in particular cultivars. The present investigation was carried out at Main experiment station (Horticulture Garden) of Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur (U.P.) during the year (2011-12) to evaluate the response of pruning intensity on flowering and fruiting behaviour of ber cv. Banarasi Karaka. The experiment comprised of seven treatments, T1 (no-pruning), T2 (10% pruning on previous season growth, T3 (20% pruning on previous season growth), T4 (30% pruning on previous season growth), T5 (40% pruning on previous season growth), T6 (50% pruning on previous season growth) and T7 (60% pruning on previous season growth) with four replication and Randomized Block Design was applied. The growth attributes viz., days taken for sprouting, number of shoots emerged, number of retained shoots, shoot length (cm), girth of primary shoots at base (cm), days taken for flower initiation, fruit set (%), fruit retention (%), fruit length (cm), fruit width (cm), fruit weight (g), fruit yield (kg) have been markedly promoted by the 30% pruning intensity than rest of the treatments. From over all experimental results, it is concluded that moderate severity of pruning (30% pruning on previous season growth) has been adjudged as optimum level of pruning in improving quality of ber fruits cv. Banarsi Karaka yield. Highest severity of pruning (60%) has been found to increase the vegetative growth but yield and quality viz., has been found inversely proportional supra-optimal level of pruning to above findings.