Response of nutrients level and pruning intensity on vegetative growth, reproductive growth, and yield of Apple ber (Ziziphus mauritiana L.) under sodic soil condition

The experiment was carried out at the Main Experiment Station, Department of Fruit Science, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya, U.P., during the years 2023-24 to 2024-25. To find out the response of nutrient level and pruning intensity on vegetative and reproductive growth, and yield of Apple ber (Ziziphus mauritiana L.) under sodic soil conditions. The treatments investigated the effects of varying pruning intensities 4 buds, 6 buds, and 8 buds combined with foliar application of nutrient, time of spraying July-August (Pre-flowering stage), and Oct. (Fruit set stage) application, including boric acid, and zinc sulphate, both were used at 0.2%, 0.4% concentration, and control. The treatment interaction with (P4×N4) demonstrated the most significant increase in vegetative growth, showing such as a number of secondary branches (7.72 and 7.66), the interaction of (P1×N4) number of tertiary branches (86.95 and 85.80). This treatment also led to the reproductive growth parameters no. of flowers in P1×N4(324.33 and 327.34). The interaction of P1×N4 gives significantly the highest fruit set % (71.84 and 68.54), the interaction of P4×N4 gives significantly the highest fruit retention % (33.22 and 33.50), the interaction of P2×N6 gives highest fruit width (43.90 and 43.96 mm) and fruit length (48.68 and 49.06 mm) and highest fruit weight (68.54 and 69.08 g) and fruit yield in P4×N6 (18.60 and 19.39 kg/tree). The study provides valuable insights into optimizing the ber plant vegetative and reproductive growth through targeted pruning and nutrient management practices.