FRUIT THINNING CHEMICAL AGENTS IMPROVES FRUIT SIZE AND QUALITY IN 'KINNOW' MANDARIN (CITRUS RETICULATA BLANCO) - RUTACEAE

'Kinnow' mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) fruit needs to be thinned to increase the availability of photosynthates used to increase fruit size, fruit quality, profitability and can also help to overcome alternate bearing. This study evaluated 'Kinnow' fruit thinning using three chemical agents with different levels of concentration i.e. naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) @ 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 gL(-1); 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridyloxyacetic acid (3,5,6-TPA) at TPA at 0.2, 0.5, and 0.7 gL(-1), and ethephon @ at 0.4, 0.5, and 0.6 gL(-1), in Pakistani orchards just after the June fruit drop for two growing seasons 2017-19. Fruit weight was increased due to chemical thinning application when compared with the respective controls. The soluble solid contents were also higher than control in plants that had having chemical thinning treatment. The Application of fruit thinning chemical treatment increased the growth rate of fruit during the development cycle. Compared with the controls, the cost-benefit ratio was higher in 3,5,6-TPA at 0.5 gL(-1), ethephon at 0.5 gL(-1), and NAA at 0.3 gL(-1). It was positively concluded that fruit thinning efficiently improved the fruit quality and fruit crop profitability of 'Kinnow' by sustaining the carbohydrate supply and overcoming alternate bearing.