Effect of Foliar Application of Chemicals on Shelf Life of Ber (Ziziphus mauritiana L.) cv. Apple Ber

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted out at Experimental orchard, Post-harvest Technology Laboratory of Department of Horticulture and laboratory of Department of Soil Science, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during the year 2022-23. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design with thirteen treatments and three replications viz., T1: K2SO4 (1.0%), T2: K2SO4 (1.5%), T3: K2SO4 (2.0%), T4: K2SO4 (2.5%), T5: Ca(NO3)2  (0.5%), T6: Ca(NO3)2  (1.0%), T7: Ca(NO3)2  (1.5%), T8: Ca(NO3)2  (2.0%), T9: C2H6ClO3P@ 150 ppm , T10: C2H6ClO3P@ 300 ppm), T11: C2H6ClO3P@ 450 ppm T12: C2H6ClO3P@ 600 ppm  T13: Control (water spray). The each treatments were applied two times i.e. first spray in the 3rd week of december and second spray at 10 days after first spray i.e. in the first week of january until total saturation of foliage of experimental plants. The control trees were sprayed with water. Among the shelf life parameters minimum spoilage % and minimum loss in PLW % was observed in case of calcium nitrate @ 2.0 % which further improve the shelf life of ber fruits.