Vol. 7, Issue 4 (2018)

Author(s):
DD Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Niranjan Singh and Bunty Shylla

Abstract:
Santa Rosa is the predominant plum cultivar grown over 90 percent of the total area under plum cultivation in Himachal Pradesh and the predominance of single cultivar leads to monoculture like situation and create gluts in the market and the farmers do not get remunerative prices for their produce. To meet ever-changing consumer preferences and spread of harvest season, there is a need for varietal diversification with genetically improved cultivars. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with five replications of each cultivar planted at a spacing of 5 x 5 m during 2015. Observations were recorded in respect of tree vigour and fruiting parameters of fruits. Analysis of variance showed significant differences among all the cultivars for all the characters under study. Maximum tree vigour was recorded in 'Shiro' with respect to tree spread, tree volume, annual shoot growth and pruning weight. Maximum tree height (3.98 m), leaf area (18.36 cm²), earliest bud burst (7^th February) and flowering (13^th February) was observed in Red Beaut cultivar. Maximum duration of flowering (16 days) was recorded in 'Red Beaut' while minimum (12 days) in 'Shiro'. The highest fruit set (24.08 %), fruit retention (34.89 %), yield (7.30 kg/tree) and minimum fruit drop was recorded in ' Shiro'. Harvest date was recorded to be earliest (29^th May) in Red Beaut cultivar with shortest duration of 96 days for maturity. Cultivar 'Frontier' was recorded the maximum fruit size, weight, volume and pulp to stone ratio were found highly desirable in 'Black Amber' and all these fruit quality attributes were in close proximity to 'Duarte'. From the present investigations it can be concluded that out of newly introduced cultivars, 'Black Amber' and 'Duarte' may be suggested for cultivation in mid-hill conditions of Himachal Pradesh and can provide alternative to change the monotony of 'Santa Rosa' in order to stretch the harvest season, fulfill consumer ever-changing taste and better remuneration to the growers. These studies on different cultivars may be continued further at different locations prior to recommendation for commercial cultivation in sub-temperate and mid-hill conditions of Himachal Pradesh.