Abstract

Field experiment was conducted to find out the impact of soil applied paclobutrazol on fruit quality of five year old acid lime trees. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design with four replications. Four concentrations of paclobutrazol viz., 1.25, 2.50, 3.75, and 5.00 g a.i/tree were applied as soil drench before flower bud formation during main season of the year 2008 – 2009. The results of the experiment revealed that the titrable acidity, ascorbic acid and total sugars content of fruits were improved by soil application of paclobutrazol. Soil application of paclobutrazol 5.00 g a.i / tree recorded higher titrable acid content in the main (9.59 and 8.91 per cent) and off season (9.38 and 8.75 per cent) and higher total sugars (reducing and non-reducing) in the main (1.15 and 1.13 per cent) and off season (1.13 and 1.12 per cent) during the year 2008 - 09 and 2009 – 10, respectively, whereas paclobutrazol 2.50 g a.i/tree recorded higher ascorbic acid content in the main (31.2 and 29.9 mg/100g) and off season (30.7 and 29.5 mg/100g) during the year 2008 - 09 and 2009 – 10, respectively.

Keywords: Acid lime, paclobutrazol, fruit quality, acidity, ascorbic acid.