Current Journal of Applied Science and Technology

Abstract

Phalsa fruit (Grewia asiatica L.) berries are one of the most effective source of bioactive food ingredients with multiple health benefits when consumed regularly. Phalsa fruit, seed and pulp contain numerous functional phytochemicals that can be used to treat various diseases, and have be found to be highly effective in improving respiratory and cardiac functioning. Pruning is essential for fruit bearing. Plants pruned in different months in a year for two times stimulate growth, flowering and fruiting. A field experiment carried out in the year 2019 and was laid out in Completely Randomized Design (Factorial) with 10 treatment combinations with 4 replications. Treatment P₁N₂ found significant with the length of shoot (125.12 cm), days taken to flowering (38.25), days taken to fruit set (67.87) and days taken to first picking (98.25). Treatment P₂N₁ (pruning in September i.e. 1^st pruning) recorded higher shoot length i.e. 116.00 cm, while, P₃N₁ (pruning in October i.e. 1^st pruning) and P₃N₂ (pruning in March after the completion of October crop i.e. 2^nd pruning) found superior with number of picking during both the pruning i.e. 5.00 and 5.25 respectively. Treatment P₄N₁ (pruning in November i.e. 1^st pruning) had higher number of sprouted shoot per cane i.e. 9.37. however, treatment P₅N₁ (pruning in December i.e. 1^st pruning) was significant in days taken to flowering (44.25), days taken to fruit set (73.25) and days taken to first picking (102.12), while, P₅N₂ (pruning in May after the completion of December crop i.e. 2^nd pruning) had more number of sprouted shoot per cane i.e. 10.18.