Effect of Calcium Formulations to Increase Yield and Shelf Life of Manjri Naveen Grapes

Abstract

The application of Calcium at veraison stage maintain the quality of grapes. Hence to evaluate the effect of Calcium formulations for increasing yield and the shelf life of Manjri Naveen grapes. The experiment was designed as randomized block design (RBD) having seven treatments and four replications (1 replicate = 4 vines). Three calcium formulations were used i.e. CaCl2, CaO, Ca(No3)2 as a dose of (2.5 g/l) and (5 g/l). Foliar application of calcium was done 10 days before harvest at veraison stage. Results obtained from the experiment showed the lowest weight loss was found in bunches of calcium oxide and calcium chloride spray treatments (8.14 %), (8.61 %) respectively, while the highest weight loss (10.36 %) occurred in untreated control. The PLW increased significantly at successive from 1.32 % on 1st day to 10.36 % on 7th day of storage at room temperature. CaO at 5 g/l recorded the lowest fallen berries 2.70 (%), followed by Ca(NO3)2 at 2.5 g/l recorded 3.38 (%). It might be due to calcium accumulated mostly in the rachis and less in the flesh during grape berry development. Yield and quality components like bunch weight, berry weight, total yield/vine, TSS, TSS/Acidity ratio were significantly influenced by calcium spray. Hence from this study it is concluded that the foliar application of CaO at 5 g/l was found to be effective for increasing the shelf life and yield of Manjri Naveen grapes.