Md. Mokter Hossain*
Department of Horticulture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh
Md. Shahadat Hossain
Department of Horticulture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh
Md. Mazharul Islam
Department of Horticulture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh
The study was conducted in order to examine the effects of foliar application of different chemical solutions on fruit setting, cracking and quality of litchi. The study was carried out at the Germplasm Centre of Fruit Tree Improvement Program (FTIP), Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh. The experiment comprised two factors viz., varieties (China-3 and Mongolbari) and ten pre harvest treatments [Control (T0 ), magic growth 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 ml/L water (T1 , T2 and T3 , respectively), boron 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 g/L water (T4 , T5 and T6 , respectively) and zinc 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 g/L water (T7 , T8 and T9 , respectively)]. The experiment was laid out in a three replicated randomized complete block design. The result showed that variety China-3 exhibited the highest percentage of fruit setting at 20, 40 and 60 days after fruit setting (DAFS)(63.84, 47.69 and 39.17%, respectively), normal fruits (72.03%) and maximum total soluble solids (TSS) (21.23 0Brix), total sugar (14.20%), reducing sugar (10.58%) content, pulp pH (4.54) and sugar/acid ratio (52.66). While Mongolbari variety showed the highest percentage of fruit dropping at 20, 40 and 60 DAFS (41.16, 58.81 and 67.41%, respectively), cracking (11.21%), defected fruits (31.50%) and maximum non reducing sugar (3.66%), vitamin C (30.32 mg/100g) and titratable acidity (0.58%) content. Almost all the parameters studied were found to be influenced by different foliar application treatments. The highest percentage of fruit setting at 20 and 40 DAFS (74.52 and 56.75, respectively) were found from T5 and 51.24% was found from T2 at 60 DAFS. The highest normal fruits (81.67%) and maximum total sugar (15.14%), reducing sugar (11.14%) content, pulp pH (5.18) and sugar/acid ratio (62.56) were found in T5 treated fruits. TSS (21.55, 21.85 and 21.99 0Brix) were found superior in T2 , T5 and T8 treated fruits, respectively. The highest percentage of fruit dropping at 20, 40 and 60 DAFS (48.83, 68.00 and 76.27%, respectively), cracking (14.50%), defected fruits (39.17%) and maximum vitamin C (33.51 mg/100g) and titratable acid (0.73%) content were found from control. The maximum non reducing sugar (4.22%) was obtained from T7 treated fruits. The maximum normal fruits (86.67%), total sugar (16.17%), reducing sugar (12.10%) content, pulp pH (5.72) and sugar/acid ratio (71.93) were recorded from China-3 provided with T5. From the above findings it could be concluded that China-3 variety and treatment T2, T5 and T8 were found to be the best in respect of percent fruit setting, dropping, cracking, normal and defected fruits and biochemical compositions considering under the climatic conditions of Mymensingh.
Magic growth, Boron, Zinc foliar spray, Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.)
Germplasm Centre of Fruit Tree Improvement Program (FTIP), Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh
Quality and Nutrition
The study was conducted at the Germplasm Centre of Fruit Tree Improvement Program (FTIP), Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during the period from February, 2011 to June, 2011 to investigate the effects of foliar application of different nutrients on fruit setting, cracking and quality of litchi. The two factor (variety and pre harvest treatment) experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Each plant was divided into 10 units where 10 treatments were allocated at random. Thus, there were 60 (2×10×3) treatments altogether in the experiment. It consists of two varieties of litchi; V1 = China-3, V2 = Mongolbari. Three litchi trees of each variety China-3 and Mongolbari were used as experimental plants. Boron (B) as boric acid (H3BO3), zinc (Zn) as zinc sulphate (ZnSO4), magic growth and a garden hand sprayer were supplied from GPC. Composition of magic growth was 12% N, 10% P2O5, 6% K2O and trace amount of S, Zn & Ca. (Arif, 2011). The treatments were randomly assigned to the selected branches. Each treatment replicates three times. When the fruits were full matured then base of each branch was broken by hand. After harvesting fruit branches were packed in polythin bag. When all fruits were harvested and pack then all the samples were stored at -200 C in Fruit Research Laboratory Dept. of Horticulture BAU for quality assessment. The parameters such as percent fruit setting, percent fruit dropping, percent fruit cracking, percent normal and defected fruits, TSS, total sugar, reducing sugar, nonreducing sugar, vitamin C, titratable acidity content, pulp pH and sugar/acid ratio were determined. The physico-chemical parameters were measured according to the methods described by Ranganna (1979). The treated fruits were keenly observed at 20 days interval during the entire period of study. Ten fruits in each replication of each treatment were used for destructive sampling to investigate postharvest parameters. To evaluate fruit setting, fruit dropping and fruit cracking from each treatment, fruits of the selected branches were counted before spraying. The second counting was done 20 days after foliar spray (DAFS) and third counting was done 20 DAFS of second counting and so on. Finally, the percentage of fruit setting, fruit dropping and fruit cracking were determined. Percentage of normal (Fully mature, fresh and without any injury) and defected fruits (Insect infested, under size, cracked, dry and rotten) were also determined. After harvest, fruits were kept in the field laboratory under room temperature (25±2 0C) until fruit become attain marketable condition; the required number of days was counted. TSS content of litchi pulp was determined by using a handheld Abbe's Refractometer. Temperature corrections were made by using a temperature correction chart described by Ranganna (1979). Total sugar content of litchi pulp was determined calorimetrically by the method of Jayaraman (1981). Extraction of sugar from litchi pulp was done by following the method of Loomis and Shull (1937). Reducing sugar content of litchi pulp was determined according to the method of Miller (1972), where dinitrosalicylic acid was used for the development of color. Non reducing sugar content of litchi pulp was calculated by using the following formula: %non-reducing sugar = % total sugar - % reducing sugar Vitamin C content of fruit pulp was estimated by using 2, 6- dichlorophenol indophenols visual titration method as described by Plummer (1971). The titratable acidity of litchi pulp was determined by method of Ranganna (1979).
Statistical analysis The data obtained from the experiment on various parameters were statistically analyzed in the MSTAT program. The mean values for all parameters were calculated and analysis of variances for the characters was accomplished by F variance test. Comparison of means was tested by the least significant difference test at 5% and 1% levels of probability (Gomez and Gomez, 1984).
Journal of Agricultural Technology 2014 Vol. 10(3): 717-731
Journal