Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

INFLUENCE OF MULCHING ON FRUIT QUALITY OF AONLA (EMBLICA OFFICINALIS GAERTN.) CV. NA-7

Mudasir Iqbal, Parshant Bakshi, Rakesh Kumar, V.K. Wali and Bharat Bhushan

Abstract

A study was carried out to investigate the effect of different organic and inorganic mulching materials on aonla cv. NA-7. Various quality parameters of aonla were monitored with different types of mulching materials viz., black polythene, white polythene, paddy straw, saw dust, sarkanda, dry grass and control (unmulched). Black polythene mulch significantly increased fruit weight (41.32 g), fruit length (3.73 cm), fruit diameter (4.42 cm), fruit volume (39.80 cm3), fresh weight of pulp (39.57 g), dry weight of pulp (6.03 g) and pulp: stone ratio (20.94). It was also found to be superior in terms of chemical characteristics of fruits such as T.S.S. (10.730B), total sugar (5.71 %), reducing sugar (3.41 %), non-reducing sugar (2.30 %), vitamin- C (495.03 mg/100g fruit), chlorophyll content (36.90 %) and TSS: acid ratio (6.54). Titratable acidity (1.92) and specific gravity (1.27) was found maximum in control (unmulched) and minimum in black polythene mulch. From this study, it can be concluded that black polythene was much superior in terms of fruit quality as compared to unmulched.