FOLIAR APPLICATION OF CALCIUM CHLORIDE AND BORAX ENHANCE THE FRUIT QUALITY OF LITCHI CULTIVARS - I. Haq; A. Rab; M. Sajid Hazara Agriculture Research Station; Abbotabad; Pakistan (Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences, 2013)
The influence of foliar application of calcium chloride and borax on the fruit quality of litchi cultivars was investigated by applying1-3% Calcium either alone or in combination with 0.5 to 1.5 Borax. The litchi cultivars varied significantly for quality traits. Cultivar Gola had the highest fruit weight (23.54 g), pulp weight (17.16 g), TSS (22.54%), total sugars (21.45%), reducing sugars (17.96%) and specific gravity (1.1051), while cultivar Bedana had the highest non-reducing sugars (9.72%). Foliar application of calcium chloride (CaCl2) alone had no significant effect on most of the quality variables, however, CaCl2 + Borax (Na2B4O7·10H2O) application increased the fruit weight (19.87 g), pulp weight (14.88 g) and pulp dry weight (13.76%) in control fruits to the maximum of 20.79, 15.69 g and 15.40% respectively with CaCl2 (3%) + Borax (1.5%). No variations were observed in total sugars, reducing sugars and non-reducing sugars of litchi fruit with application of CaCl2 alone, which increased significantly with foliar application of CaCl2 3% + Borax. The planned paired means comparison showed that the least fruit weight (19.87 g), pulp weight (14.88 g) and pulp dry weight % (13.76% ) of control fruits increased significantly to 20.10 g, 14.94 g and 13.93% with CaCl2 application and further to 20.54 g, 15.38 g and 15.08% with CaCl2 + Borax treatments. The fruit weight, pulp weight and pulp dry weight % was significantly higher with CaCl2 + Borax foliar application as compared to CaCl2 alone. The total sugars, reducing sugars and non-reducing sugars were not significantly affected by CaCl2 application but were significantly higher in Control vs. Rest, Control vs. CaCl2 + Borax and Ca vs. CaCl2 + Borax treatments means.
Keywords: journal article; Boron; Calcium; Litchi Fruit; Quality; TSS; Sugars