Response of pruning severity and time of pruning in custard apple

The experiment entitled effect of severity and time of pruning on growth, yield and quality of custard apple was carried out at Highway Block, CFR Station, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth Akola, during year 2016-17 with the objectives to the effect of different severity and time of pruning on growth, yield and quality of custard apple and to find out optimum severity and time of pruning for obtaining maximum yield and quality of custard apple. The pruning was done on main shoot, subsequent secondary and tertiary shoots from top to end on whole plant. Results revealed in respect to plant growth, plant volume, mean of plant spread, leaf area, was recorded significantly maximum in 30 cm pruning severity on 30th April.
Minimum number of days for flowering was recorded in shoots without pruning (70.18 days). Highest numbers of flowers per shoot (13.07) were registered in 30 cm of pruning severity and 30th April on time of pruning. In case of yield and fruit attributes the highest fruit set was registered (62.56%), highest numbers of fruits per tree (76.00), maximum fruit yield was obtained (16.40 kg), maximum fruit weight (234.34g), Maximum fruit diameter (9.65cm) in total soluble solids ( 19.43°B ) and acidity ( 0.23 % ) in 30 cm pruning severity on 30th April.
The effect of interaction between effect of severity and time of pruning on stem diameter, seed weight, splitting fruit and stoning fruit percentages was found non-significant.