Performance Evaluation of Dwarfing Rootstock under Open Field and Protected Structure in Cold Arid Region of Ladakh

Abstract

The basics of a productive and healthy orchard are the rootstocks that provide anchorage, water and nutrients essential to the above-ground portions of the trees. Thus, rootstock play crucial role in determining productive and healthy orchard efficiency in fruit crops by directly influence on the production of flower and fruits setting. The present study explores the performance evaluation of dwarfing rootstock under open field and protected structure in cold arid region of Ladakh. A two factorial Randomized Block Design with four replications was carried out at Krishi Vigyan Kendra Kargil-, SKUAST-K Kargil Ladakh. The saplings were dugout in the month of March when the temperature is favorable, planted both in open field as well as under hi-tech polyhouse. Individual data at each treatment, representing a combination of rootstock and environmental condition, was replicated four times to ensure reliability and accuracy of the results. Data from the observation were also subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) to compare the means of the different rootstock and different environmnet condition for each parameter. Statistical significance was determined at a 5% level (p ≤ 0.05). Among all the dwarfing rootstock M111 recorded maximum plant height, number of shoots, and stock girth followed by M106 under both open filed and hi-tech poly house. However, shoot length was found maximum in P22 under protected while under open field condition, it was found maximum in M111rootstsock. And survival per cent was found maximum under M9 rootstock. The polyhouse protection during the initial growth phase can significantly accelerate the production of vigorous, high quality rootstock saplings in such shorter timeframe than open field cultivation, offering a scale strategy for horticultural expansion in Ladakh’s harsh environment.