Pruning and defoliation are essential operations for inducing off-season flowering and fruiting to yield better quality and quantity of fruits in custard apple. A study was undertaken to investigate the effect of different levels of pruning on growth and quality of custard apple (Annona squamosa L.), cultivar Dharur-6 of eight years old plants spaced at 4×4 m 2 . studied at custard apple, Research Station, Ambajogai, district Beed during the year 2016-2017. The data has been statistically analyzed by using Randomized Block design. In this experiment, six pruning treatments (5 cm, 10 cm, 15 cm, 20 cm, 25 cm and control) were taken after harvesting of previous year fruits. Shoot emergence was found earlier, in pruned trees as compared to unpruned trees. The statistical analysis revealed that, the treatment Pruning at 20 cm shows maximum weight of fruit (263 g), weight of pulp (110.7) and weight of peel (131.23 g) ware recorded. Maximum total soluble solid (23.80%) was recorded in the treatment pruning at 20 cm. Maximum reducing sugar (18.50%) was recorded in treatment pruning at 15 cm. Significantly maximum non-reducing sugar 1.88% was observed in treatment Pruning at 15 cm. Significantly maximum total sugar 20.38% was recorded in the treatment Pruning at 15 cm. Hence, it is therefore suggested that treatment pruning at 20 cm can be used to maintain growth and quality of custard apple. AbstractArticle History

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A field experiment was conducted at Department of Agronomy, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani during Rabi season of 2009-10 with a view to find out a response of different fertilizer levels and varieties on growth and yield of wheat and to find interaction effect of fertilizer levels and varieties. The results of study showed that the fertilizer level 120:60:60 kg NPK ha-1 was found beneficial in improving growth characters, yield attributes and yield as compared to 80:40:40 kg NPK ha-1 , 100:50:50 kg NPK ha-1 and 150:75:75 kg NPK ha-1 under late sown condition. Variety Lok-1 proved to be superior in growth characters, yield attributes and yield as compared to SKFPS-645 and NIAW-34 under late sown condition.

A field experiment was conducted on response of watermelon to foliar application of different water soluble fertilizer at Micronutrient Research Scheme Farm, Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry during Summer season of 2011. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with four replications. There were total six treatments, out of which four treatments of foliar application of different NPK fertilizer in which one treatment was through conventional fertilizer and other three treatments through different water soluble grades. Other two treatments viz., GRD + water spray and absolute control were included for comparison. The yield contributing characters viz., the average number of female flowers per plant, average numbers fruit/plant were found significantly higher in treatment of 0.830:1.338:1.630 N, P 2 O 5 and K 2 O kg ha-1 through water soluble grade and conventional fertilizer. The fruit setting was found statistically non significant. The earliness in harvesting was observed in between the treatment of foliar application of fertilizer through water soluble grade and through conventional fertilizer was 74 to 80 days after sowing. Foliar application of 0.830 : 1.338 : 1.630 N, P 2 O 5 and K 2 O kg ha-1 through water soluble fertilizer grades (15:10:15, 15:30:15, 8:12:24) significantly found increase in uptake of nutrients and fruit yield of watermelon (33.89 to 36.90 Mg ha-1) showed best to obtain higher yield along with good quality of watermelon (cv. KIRAN) followed by or through conventional fertilizers.