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Shorter shelf life and faster deterioration of fruits after harvest are the major constraints with the peach production in the subtropical regions. Pre-harvest application of GA3 and chloride & nitrate of calcium were tried in a RBD experiment for enhancing peach fruit quality and reducing fruit deterioration during shelf life studies of five subtropical peach cultivars. At harvest fruit quality parameters viz. TSS, acidity, firmness etc. were influenced greatly by the treatments. Other physical properties of the fruit such as fruit weight, size and yield were not influenced much. Physiological weight loss during storage and the deterioration of other fruit characteristics were considerably lowered by calcium treatments. Foliar application of Calcium nitrate (1%) was found to be superior over calcium chloride (2%) for improving fruit quality and shelf life.

Brassinsteroids (BRs) are a class of novel plant hormones gaining importance as potential allies of agricultural development worldwide. Research findings on influences of exogenous BRs application on various aspects of growth and development like vegetative growth, flowering, fruit set, fruit growth, ripening, storage, and tolerance to various biotic and abiotic stresses in fruit plants’ have been reviewed and discussed. The molecular or biochemical aspects of BRs responses to modulate growth and productivity by activating or withholding enzymatic reaction of different biochemical pathways of fruit plants have been elaborated. BRs are involved in ripening and fruit quality development of climacteric and non-climacteric fruits; as per reports of many researchers, they improve fruit color, phenolics, anti-oxidant activities and post-harvest life of many fruits. Fruit cracking in litchi has been found to be significantly reduced due to BRs application. This group of plant hormones possess the capacity to negate genetoxicity and pesticidal residues in many horticultural crops; it reflects the extension of their uses in producing consumer-friendly fruits through BRs application. One of the biggest advantages of BRs application is controlling favorable plant responses under abiotic and biotic stresses; plants have been reported to manage these stresses through modifications in various gene expressions and physiological processes under the influence of the BRs. The need for in-depth studies has been speculated for optimizing the concentration of BRs application together with the standardization of critical stages for harnessing the benefit of quality orchard productivity under varied growing conditions.

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Fruit tree production is a mid to long term investment in which only few adjustments can be done once the crop has become established. Targeting of existing varieties for expected climatic variability is therefore critical for any fruit grower. In the current studies inter-annual variability in climatic variables has been desired to be confirmed with its potential impact on variation in the phenological, production and quality traits of peach germplasm grown under the subtropical Himalayan eco-system. Different meteorological variables were monitored and behaviour of ten peach varieties were studied for their date of first bloom, full bloom fruit maturity, yield and fruit quality parameters during the years 2006-07 to 2012-13. Higher inter-annual variability in climatic variables has been confirmed together with the variation in the phenological traits. Yield and fruit quality performance of these varieties has also been evaluated. The resilience potential of varieites to climate change was ranked (in decresing order) as: Early Grande> Shan-i-Punjab> Pratap> Florida Prince> May Fire. Highlights• Ten low chill requiring peach varieties were evaluated• Dispersion in phenological attributes of different peach varieties has been quantified w.r.t the inter-annual meteorological changes • Significant changes in yield and fruit quality parameters have also been studied • Adaptation score of different varieties for changing climatic conditions has been worked out • The varieties having resilience potential for the changing climatic conditions have been identified