INFLUENCE OF BEARING REGULATED CHEMICALS AND GIRDLING ON LEAF CHLOROPHYLL, SUGARS, AND LEAF NUTRIENT STATUS IN LITCHI CV. CHINAPragya Kumari, Sanjay Kumar Singh and Sanjay VyasAbstract A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of bio-regulators and girdling on the leaf chlorophyll, sugar content, and leaf nutrient status of litchi cv. China. The group of bio-regulators viz. KNO3 (2.0 %), Prohexadione-Ca (pro-Ca) (0.5 gL-1), Salicylic acid (SA) (2000 ppm), KH2PO4 (0.5 %) and Spermidine (Spd) (0.01mM) were applied as foliar spray and Paclobutrazol (PBZ) (2.5 g a.i. per m canopy diameter) solution was poured around the shallow circular trench (about 10 cm deep), i.e. beneath trunk soil line. Besides foliar sprays of various bio-regulators, the girdling (removal of bark as 3 mm width in 75 % branches) was also practiced during the end of September month. During FBD and flowering the maximum content of chlorophyll a, b and total chlorophyll were reported in SA treated tree. SA treated trees also showed an increment in total sugar (23.38 %) over control (12.67%). Reducing sugar was found to be maximum with PBZ treated tree @ 2.5 g (11.3 %) over Pro-Ca at flowering and FBD stage (8.73%) and (6.8%), respectively. PBZ was recorded with the highest amount of nitrogen (1.94%) during the FBD stage, over Spermidine (0.01mM). During flowering, girdling led to the highest nitrogen content. The leaf phosphorous and potassium content recorded maximum with a tree sprayed with spermidine (0.01mM). The maximum calcium content was recorded with PBZ. The highest magnesium content was recorded with SA during the FBD and flowering stage (0.54 % and 0.44% respectively). However, during flowering girdling caused the highest boron content (55.00 ppm). A significant difference was also observed for N, P, K, Ca, Mg and B due to different bioregulators and girdling. However, leaf K and Ca were non-significant but the application of bioregulators showed a significant effect on N, P, Mg and B contents. |