INFLUENCE OF PACLOBUTRAZOL AND ETHEPHON ON FRUIT QUALITY OF ‘ALLAHABAD SAFEDA’ GUAVA

Investigation on 4-year old plants of guava cv. Allahabad Safeda was conducted to find out the influence of gibberellin-inhibitor paclobutrazol (PBZ), [(2RS, 3RS)-1-(4-chlorophenyl)-4,4-dimethyl-2-(1,2,4 triazol-1-yl)pentan-3-ol] and ripening promoter ethephon [(2-chloroethyl) phosphonic acid], on fruit quality. Treatments in the form of foliar application were applied repeatedly during March 2007 and 2008 at 500 and 1000 ppm of each chemical on plants at 6×5 m spacing. Fruit size and weight was recorded higher in all treated plants during both rainy and winter seasons as compared to untreated plants. Number of seed was counted highest in fruits obtained from control plants during both seasons. Pulp proportion was not affected significantly with treatments. The palatability rating and TSS of fruits during both rainy and winter season were recorded higher and acidity was recorded lower in treated plants as compared to untreated plants. Highest vitamin C content was noted in fruits obtained from ethephon 1000 ppm treated plants during rainy season and ethephon 500 ppm during winter season. Although, PBZ 500 ppm was found to increase the fruit size and weight particularly during rainy season but ethephon 500 ppm treated plants provided fruits with best eating quality.