EXTENDING HARVESTING PERIOD OF LITCHI (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) THROUGH CHEMICALS APPLICATION

An experiment was conducted to stagger the harvesting of litchi in cultivar Rose Scented. In this regard, various kinds of treatments were imposed on 20 years old full bearing litchi tress either at flower initiation or few days before harvest of fruits. KNO3 (4%) was sprayed at 1 cm size of panicle in the first week of February. However, other treatments viz. GA3 (20, 40 ppm), BA (20, 40 ppm) and bagging of fruit panicles were applied two weeks before expected date of harvest, while silver thiosulphate (10 m mol) sprayed twice (on 30th April and 15th May). Shading treatments were given by covering the tree with nylon nets producing 30% and 50% shade, respectively, 30 days after fruit set. KNO3 (4%) and cluster bagging treatments advanced the harvesting for 2 and 3 days, respectively over control. Shade nets of 30% and 50% were most effective in delaying ripening of litchi fruits and delayed the harvest date by 14 and 16 days, respectively without compromising with the fruit quality. Silver thiosulphate gave a harvest delay of 8 days, however, a few brown spots on fruit skin were observed after the spray. GA3 20 and 40 ppm delayed the harvest date for 2 and 5 days, respectively while BA delayed the harvest date for 5-6 days. Higher fruit retention and reduced fruit cracking were obtained with shade net (50%) which was remained at par with shade net (30%) and cluster bagging. Higher fruit quality attributes were recorded with GA3 (40 ppm) over other treatments.