Fruit Quality Enhancement in Purple Passion Fruit (Passiflora edulis f. edulis Sims.) through Pruning and Foliar Nutrition
C.S Sooraj
Department of Fruit Science, Kerala Agricultural University, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvanathapuram, India.
B Bindu
Farming Systems Research Station, Kerala Agricultural University, Sadanandapuram, Kottarakkara, Kollam, Kerala, India.
Divya Hari *
Department of Fruit Science, Kerala Agricultural University, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvanathapuram, India.
B Renjan
Farming Systems Research Station, Kerala Agricultural University, Sadanandapuram, Kottarakkara, Kollam, Kerala, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
An experiment was carried out at Department of Fruit Science, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Kerala Agriculture University to insight into the impact of pruning intensity and foliar nutrition on quality parameters of passion fruit (Passiflora edulis f. edulis Sims.) with 12 treatments replicated thrice in Randomised Block Design. Various level of pruning intensities and foliar nutrition were given to the plants. The study revealed that T5 combined application of 50% pruning and foliar nutrition of 19:19:19@1% along with Sampoorna KAU micronutrient mixture @1% reduced the titratable acidity and recorded highest value for TSS, total sugar, reducing sugar, ascorbic acid, carotenoid content whereas control plants reported lowest values for these characters. Rind and pulp colour was also improved in this treatment. Highest non-reducing sugar content was recorded in the treatment which received 75% pruning and foliar nutrition of 19:19:19@1% along with Sampoorna KAU micronutrient @1%.
Keywords: Passion fruit pruning, foliar nutrition, micronutrient