Effect of pre harvest application of plant growth regulators on quality of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) CV. Bhagawa

The present investigation was carried out at Department of Horticulture, VNMKV, Parbhani during Mrig bahar of the year 2017-18 and 2018-19. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with thirteen treatments replicated thrice. Three foliar sprays of all the treatments given at 45, 90 and 135 days after flowering and observations were recorded. The results of the investigation revealed that, amongst the different treatments GA3 100 ppm recorded maximum total soluble solids (15.77%), reducing sugar (13.87%), total sugar (15.20%), ascorbic acid (16.86 mg/ 100 g), juice content (52.50%) and minimum pH of juice (1.91), and titrable acidity (0.26%), whereas treatment control recorded minimum values for total soluble solids (13.28%), reducing sugar (11.83%), total sugar (12.85%), ascorbic acid (14.69 mg/ 100 g), juice content (40.33%) and maximum titrable acidity (0.35%), pH of juice (2.30). Significantly maximum shelf life of pomegranate fruits was observed in treatment Sperm dine 15.0 mM/Lit (26.43 days) over rest of the treatments under study Treatment control recorded minimum shelf life of pomegranate fruits (19.25 days).