EFFECT OF GIRDLING AND PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS ON PRODUCTIVITY IN OLIVE (OLEA EUROPAEA)

Abstract

Olive (Olea europaea L.) belongs to family oleaceae, is one of the most important fruit crop grown worldwide due to their nutritional and economic importance. Unfruitfulness in olive has frequently been observed which may be attributed to numerous factors. Some of them are probably related to the internal imbalance of growth regulators and other physiological factors. Plant growth regulating hormones like gibberellic acid (GA ), salicylic acid (SA) and naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) alone and/ 3 or coupled with girdling operations may improve cropping potential of existing olive varieties in Pakistan. Therefore, this study was envisaged on olive trees to explore possibilities of inducing fruitfulness through the use of hormones and girdling operations under Islamabad conditions. Treatments consisted of control, girdling and spray of gibberellic acid, salicylic acid and naphthalene acetic acid @ 30 ppm, 250 ppm and 60 ppm, respectively. This experiment was laid out according to Randomized Complete Block Design with two factors, in four replications. Statistical analysis of data showed that T where GA was applied @ 30 ppm caused 2 3 more pronounced effect on number of inflorescence, flower count, perfect flower percentage, fruit drop percentage, fruit set percentage, fruit harvest percentage, fruit size, fruit weight, pulp weight and oil contents followed by girdling, NAA and SA. All growth parameters were found enhanced in Uslu (V ) with exception for fruit drop percentage, fruit size and fruit weight 1 which was improved in Nochlerra (V ). 2