Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

STUDIES ON VEGETATIVE GROWTH AND FLORAL BIOLOGY OF (ZIZYPHUS MAURITIANA LAMK.) GERMPLASM UNDER RAINFED CONDITIONS OF JAMMU, INDIA

Shilpy Kumari, Deep Ji Bhat, V.K. Wali, Parshant Bakshi and Rajesh Kumar

Abstract

The present investigation entitled ‘’Studies on vegetative growth and floral biology of different ber (Zizyphus mauritiana Lamk.) germplasm under rainfed conditions of Jammu” was carried out at Rainfed Research Sub-station for Subtropical Fruits, Raya, Jammu during 2013-2014 on eight ber cultivars. The studies showed that maximum tree height (6.02 m), tree volume (269.50 m3), trunk girth (0.97 m), leaf area (45.28 cm2), chlorophyll content (35.95 %) and annual extension growth (18.75 cm) was observed in Sanaur -4, whereas, minimum tree height (5.20 m), tree volume (72.13 m3), was found in Walliati and least trunk girth (0.47 m), and annual extension growth (15.52 cm) was recorded in Ranjari Selection-2 and smallest leaf area (33.14 cm2) with lowest chlorophyll content (32.47 %) was recorded in Raya Selection. Among different cultivars, early flowering was observed in Gola followed by Sanaur-4 and Z.G-2, while duration of flowering was longer in Z.G-2 (54 days) and shortest in Gola (48 days). The days taken from full bloom to maturity were minimum in Gola (180 days) and maximum in Ranjari Selection-2 (205 days). Maximum fruit yield (80.00 kg/tree), fruit set (9.36 %) with minimum fruit drop (52.12 %) was recorded in Sanaur.