Effect of Different Methods of Pollination on Physio-Chemical Properties of Plum Cultivars under Temperate Regions of North India

Pollination in fruit crops is a major challenge to ensure fruit quality and production which affects the physio-chemical characteristics of many fruit crops, but the effects of cross-pollination on the fruit quality of plum (Prunus spps) are poorly known. As part of the effort to deal with this challenge, this study suggests how different aspects of pollination affect the fruit quality of plum fruits under Kashmir conditions. The present investigation was conducted on six-year-old bearing plants of different plum cultivars i.e. Burbank, Wickson, Santa Rosa, Satsuma, and Sharp’s Early grown under controlled environment conditions. Plants were allocated to five treatments with four replications with all flowers on each plant receiving either: (1) Self-pollination (Autogamy) (2) Hand-pollination with compatible pollen or (3) Open pollination under environmental conditions. In this study, the data was recorded after fruit set by different methods of pollination. Various parameters viz., physical, chemical, color variability, and stone characters were studied. The results from the above investigation reveal that, the maximum red color (25.01) was reflected in cross-combination of Santa Rosa x Wickson followed by the cross-combination of Santa Rosa x Burbank (24.37). Fruit weight and fruit length were found maximum in cultivar Santa Rosa (51.42 g and 4.86 cm, respectively) under open pollination. Among all cross combinations, Santa Rosa x Wickson combination was best in terms of fruit weight (50.55 g). The maximum fruit density was recorded in cultivar Santa Rosa (0.173 m/V) under self-pollination and minimum under combination Santa Rosa x Sharp’s Early (0.093 m/V). The maximum total sugars were recorded under the combination Wickson x Satsuma (9.05 %) and the minimum was recorded in cultivar Sharp’s Early (6.50 %). Santa Rosa cultivar showed maximum SSC (16.20 oBrix) and minimum (12.38 oBrix) under open conditions. The stone weight of cultivar Burbank (1.79 g) was heavier than other cultivars under open pollination. The highest stone: pulp ratio (49.40) was recorded in cultivar Satsuma under open pollination, and a minimum (21.53) was recorded in cultivar Burbank under self-pollination. From this study, it was concluded that the best pollinizer for Santa Rosa was Wickson, Burbank, and Satsuma as they have high pollen viability and germination percentage. Open pollination is regarded as the best method of pollination having maximum fruit set and fruit retention followed by cross-pollination.