INTEGRATED NUTRITIONAL MANAGEMENT AFFECTS THE GROWTH, FLOWERING AND FRUITING OF REJUVENATED BER

The experiment was carried out in the Horticulture Garden of C.S. Azad University of Agriculture & Technology, Kanpur during 2009-11 to investigate integrated nutritional management effects on the growth, flowering, fruiting yield and quality of rejuvenated ber (Zizyphus mauritiana Lamk.) cv. Banarasi Karaka. The 35 years old ber plants were headed back with the help of hand saw after leaf fall during mid of May of 2009. There were six treatments of NPK (g) viz., T1 (200:100:50), T2 (400:200:100), T3 (600:300:150), T4 (800:400:200), T5 (1000: 500:250), T6 (Control ? No fertilizer and manure) replicated four times in a RBD. Tree under all the treatments barring T6 were supplemented with 50 kg FYM. Fertilizer application through DAP, Urea and MoP was done just after pruning the trees. Application of T5 promoted vegetative growth but blossoming, fruit set were maximized under T4 whereas the percentage of fruit drop was noted minimum under the lowest level of NPK i.e. T1. The size and weight of fruit were noted greater under T4 and smallest size and lesser weight were noted control. The fruit quality was augmented superior in respect of T.S.S., ascorbic acid and lower titratable acidity when the trees were supplemented with 800gN + 400g P + 200gK + 50Kg FYM. The same treatment gave significantly better harvest during first year (30.08 Kg fruits).