Using paclobutrazol and leaf-to-fruit-ratio as tools for improving yield and quality of non-dwarfing high-density peach orchards

Abstract Excessive fruit set and foliar shading are the major deterrents to the economic productivity of peach orchards raised on vigorous rootstocks. To address this issue in high density peach orchards studies were conducted on the Early Grande peach grafted on to non-dwarfing wild peach seedling rootstock. The orchard was situated in the sub-Himalayan subtropics having sandy loam soil with normal physico-chemical characteristics. Experiment was laid out in RBD factorial experimental design with paclobutrazol (PBZ) and leaf-to-fruit ratio (LFR) treatment factors; three levels of PBZ viz. P1-1500ppm, P2-2500ppm, P3-0 ppm and four levels of LFR i.e. L1-30:1, L2-40:1, L3-50:1 and L4 - normal leaf number were tried. The findings revealed that 2500 ppm PBZ together with 40:1 LFR treatment not only reduced the number of days from full bloom to maturity but also improved fruit thinning. The fruit retention was recorded better with 1500 ppm PBZ and 50:1 LFR; however, the yield was recorded highest with 2500 ppm PBZ and 40:1 LFR treatments. This treatment combination also resulted in better overall fruit quality in terms of fruit surface colour, total soluble solids, firmness, acidity, sugars etc. The control over the vegetative growth was also observed better under this treatment combination.