Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT SPACINGS ON GROWTH, YIELD, QUALITY AND RELATION TO CITRUS CANKER OF ACID LIME (CITRUS AURANTIFOLIA SWINGLE)

S.N.Gohil, D.D. Jagtap, R.V.Patil, S.V.Bulbule and V.B.Jadhav

Abstract

Effect of different spacings viz., 6 x 6 in, 6 x 4.5 m, 4.5 x 4.5 in and 6 x 3 m on growth behaviour, fruit yield, quality and reaction to diseases in acid lime was studied during the year 1999-2002. Plant growth expressed as tree volume and stern girth of the plants increased under wider spacing, however, reverse trend was observed in the height of plants. The fruit yield/ tree and weight of fruit increased under wider, 6 x 6 m spacing. The closed spacing 6 x 3 m resulted in high intensity of canker. It is therefore concluded that the maximum tree volume (30.77 m'), stem girth(40.54 cm), number of fruits per tree (577.99), yield/tree (26.07 kg/tree) and the lowest intensity of canker (3.28 PDI) was observed under wider spacing, 6 x 6 in compared with other spacings.