Impact of Biostimulants on Floral Induction and Yield Attributing Traits of Pitaya (Hylocereus undatus L.)
Author: B. Kavinmukil, J. Rajangam*, S. Muthuramalingam and K.M. Sellamuthu
Journal Name:
Download PDF
Abstract
The focus of this research was to investigate the synergistic effect of biostimulants on floral induction and yield of dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus L.) and also to tackle the obstacles of insufficient nutrient availability to the plants that results in poor fruit set and decreased crop output. The experimental trial was taken up in a farmer’s orchard in Seelayampatti, Theni district during the year 2021-2022. The cumulative imposition of various biostimulants consisting of Seaweed extract (0.5 per cent + Panchagavya (2 per cent) + CPPU 100 ppm foliar spray + Paclobutrazol 0.75 g active ingredient per meter of canopy diameter soil drenching (T13) significantly influenced flowering (number of days required for floral bud initiation, number of floral buds per pole, number of flowers per pole) and fruit yield contributing features among 14 treatments. As a result, the treatment viz., Seaweed extract (0.5 %) + Panchagavya (2 %) + CPPU 100 ppm foliar spray + Paclobutrazol 0.75 g soil drenching (T13) combination is indeed the best option for improving pitaya’s early floral commencement and yield traits.
Keywords
Dragon fruit, biostimulants, floral induction, yield, synergistic effect
Conclusion
From the progress of the contemporary research, it can be asserted that the treatment T13 comprising of Seaweed extract 0.5 % + CPPU 100 ppm + Panchagavya 2% foliar application + Paclobutrazol 0.75 g active ingredient per meter of canopy range soil drenching resulted with an outcome of maximum blooming and yield related attributes which was followed by treatment T12 (Seaweed extract 0.5 % + CPPU 100 ppm + Panchagavya 2% foliar application + Humic acid 7.5 per cent soil drenching). Early stimulation of flowering with qualitative fruit production was assisted by the synergic effect of biostimulants which hastened pitaya fruits harvest and put out for economic market utilization, offering significant returns to the farming sector.
References
INTRODUCTION
Dragon fruit, a tropical climbing epiphytic cactus species that has evolved in Latin America, is expanding as a tremendous commodity even in outlying areas mainly attributed to its medicinal and health virtues globally. Hylocereus bears a striking resemblance to the cactaceae family and is a dicotyledonous floral shrub (Spichiger et al., 2000 and Gunasena et al., 2007). Because of its spectacular nocturnal flowers, dragon fruit is recognized as the “Queen of the Night” and “Noble Woman”. Strawberry Pear, Night Blooming Cereus, Pithaya, and Belle of the Night are just a few of the fruit's nicknames. Vietnam, Indonesia, and China produce over 93% of the world's dragon fruit. According to recent statistics in India, dragon fruit is cultivated on an area of 3000 hectares with an estimated average output of 13.5 metric tonnes ha-1. The huge rise in production and cropped land is mostly ascribed to states such as Gujarat, Karnataka, and Maharashtra, which together contribute 70% of total output. Pitaya is diversified on an area around 100.40 hectares in Tamil Nadu, with an average output of 12.10 metric tonnes per hectare (Wakchaure et al., 2020).
Pitaya fruit has an intense complexion and a delightful, juicy pulp with black palatable seeds lodged in it with excellent nutritional values. Dragon fruit is notable for its high calcium and phosphorus content, as well as its antioxidant composition. The red pulped pitaya is enriched with betalains, which meets the expanding market need for antioxidants and natural food colorants with antiradical qualities (Perween et al., 2018). Dragon fruit offers antioxidants, anti-microbial, anti-diabetics, anti-carcinogenic, and cardiovascular protective properties.
Inadequate nutrition availability leads to reduced fruit set and crop output. As an outcome, appropriate dietary supply is essential for efficient dragon fruit production.Plant biostimulants are a novel class of chemicals, mostly exploited in sustainable fruit production, that attempt to accelerate plant development even after a stressful crisis has elapsed and have physiological effects akin to phytohormones (Patrick Du Jardin, 2015). Fruit trees benefit from the utilization of triazole plant hormones, particularly Paclobutrazol, which restricts vegetative growth and promotes blooming. According to Krishna et al. (2017), paclobutrazol has been shown to boost flowering and fruit set in mango cv. “Banganapalli”. By stimulating extensive and early flowering, CPPU (Forchlorfenuron) enhances fruit size and efficacy. Following the application of CPPU, Parson (2019) noted that the floral buds in dragon fruit developed into tiny flowers and started to open up between 4 to 7 days. The impact of forchlorfenuron (CPPU) pre harvest treatment on the red fleshed cv. "Fu Kwai Hong" pitaya fruit under storage at 5°C was investigated by Jiang et al. (2020). The bracts were doused with 100 mg L-1 CPPU at blooming time, with water serving as the control. Fruit that had undergone CPPU treatment had considerably thicker bracts, a lower fruit index and a lower cracking ratio in both winter and summer seasons.Several scholars had explored the utilization of biostimulants in order to improve flowering and yield attributes in mango (Gopu et al., 2017); dragon fruit by Chang (2021); pomegranate (Hussein et al., 2021). Nonetheless, there appears to be very little evidence concerning the usage of biostimulants on blooming and yield contributing features of dragon fruit, hence the current study was undertaken to seek a substitute for solely inorganic fertilization.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The experimental field study was conducted at the six years old dragon fruit field during the academic year 2021 – 22 which is situated at 9° 52N latitude and 77° 23E longitude with an elevation of 296 m Mean Sea Level of Seelayampatti village, Theni district under the dominion of Department of Fruit Science, Horticultural College and Research Institute, Periyakulam. The trial was set up in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) featuring 14 treatments as well as 3 replications with 15 plants for each treatment.
How to cite this article
B. Kavinmukil, J. Rajangam, S. Muthuramalingam and K.M. Sellamuthu (2022). Impact of Biostimulants on Floral Induction and Yield Attributing Traits of Pitaya (Hylocereus undatus L.). Biological Forum – An International Journal, 14(3): 52-57.