Evaluation of Mulch Colour for Enhancing Winter-Strawberry Production under Polyhouse in Mid-Hills of Himachal Pradesh

Strawberry cultivation in Himachal Pradesh is mainly based on outdoor planting using hay as mulch and, very recently, using black polythene as mulch. The bulk of its production under field conditions usually occurs in April- May when market price is quite low. In an effort to make the crop remunerative through enhanced winter-production, a polyhouse experiment was set up to investigate influence of mulch colour on off-season fruiting response, fruit size and quality in strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.). Plants of cv. Chandler were planted in September, 2004. Irrigation was imposed using the given through T-Tape system, from 8.00 AM to 5.00 PM. Yellow plastic mulch significantly increased number of fruits, effected early and higher total yield compared to black or silver-over-purple plastic mulches. Un-mulched bed produced lowest yield and fruit quality. Yellow plastic mulch raised soil temperature by at least 2°C compared to the un-mulched bed

Integrated Nutrient Management as a Low Cost and Eco-Friendly Strategy for Sustainable Fruit Production in Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.)

ABSTRACTProlonged and excessive use of chemical fertilizers has resulted in serious harm to soil health and ecosystems. This study aimed to reduce the cultivation costs for apricot trees, nearly 1/3rd of which are spent on fertilizers. The research was conducted on fully grown apricot trees of the cultivar “New Castle,” in the Solan district of Himachal Pradesh, India. The experiment consisted of fourteen treatment combinations evaluated in triplicate and statistically analyzed using a randomized block design (RBD). Results revealed that treatment T12 [50% Nitrogen (Calcium Nitrate) + 50% Nitrogen (Urea) + Azotobacter + Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria + Vermicompost] resulted in the highest percent increase in tree trunk girth (6.82%), highest leaf chlorophyll content (3.00 mg g−1 fresh weight), leaf area (58.29 cm), fruit set (61.00%) and total yield (61.9 kg tree−1). In terms of nutrient status, T12 had the highest leaf N (2.95%), leaf K (2.60%), soil N (386.33 kg ha−1), soil P (51.00 kg ha−1) and soil organic carbon (1.81%). The highest net return and profit over recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) was also recorded in treatment T12. The results of this study show that judicious fertilizer use along with integrated organic manure and bio-fertilizers can reduce cultivation costs, improve soil health, and increase fruit production with minimum ecosystem damage