IMPROVING FRUIT QUALITY IN LEMON THROUGH INM Savreet Khehra* Punjab Agricultural University, FASS, Amritsar - 143 001, Punjab, India. *E-mail: savreetz@gmail.com ABSTRACT : With a view to harvest superior quality lemon fruits, the experiment was carried out to study the impact of integrated use of inorganic fertilizer (N), organic manure (FYM) and biofertilizer (Azotobacter) on lemon cv. ‘Baramasi’ during 2009. The plant material was selected from Punjab Government Progeny Orchard & Nursery, Attari, Amritsar. There were nine nutrient management practices set in a Randomized Block Design replicated thrice. The present experiment showed that the substantial improvement in fruit quality could be achieved with the consortium of three classes of nutrient sources. FYM (75 Kg/tree), inorganic nitrogen (350g/tree) along with biofertilization (Azotobacter 18g/tree) proved to be the most judicious treatment in minimizing fruit cracking and maximizing fruit quality. Keywords: Inor ganic fertilizer, farmyard manure, biofertilizer, cracking, quality, lemon. Citrus is one of the most important fruit crops grown in many tropical and subtropical countries. Of this lemon, a leading acid citrus fruit forms an integral part of citrus fruits for their utilization as refreshing cool drinks in summer having very appealing colour, odour and flavour. It is a medium sized abundantly juicy and little thick skinned fruit. Lemon has characterization of bearing fruits in many flushes making it available throughout the year, but simultaneously, the lemon is confronted with a serious problem of poor fruit quality in summers which causes considerable reduction in the marketable fruit. The adequate fertilization, regular application of nutrients or alternatively use of nutrient enriched organic manures and biofertilizers in integrated nutrient management results in quality citrus production (Srivastava, 17). Extensive use of chemicals and fertilizers with low doses of organic manures has resulted in deterioration of soil fertility and soil health as well. Biological routes of improving soil fertility and health for optimum crop production form vital component of integrated nutrient management. These routes are operated through the use of FYM and biofertilizer along chemical fertilizers. In the present experimentation, poor fruit quality was noticed when one or another source of nutrients was missing. This may be due to the reason that when one or another source was missing, it caused misbalancing in the nutrient uptake by the plants, hindering proper uptake of nutrients. The attractive fruit having superior quality, maintaining consumer appeal in taste, appearance and storability can be obtained only by following the concept of integrated nutrient management in lemon. Thus, the optimized standards of fertilizer application are of great importance to enhance fruit quality. The use of bio-fertilizers in enhancing fruit quality has gained momentum in recent years because of higher cost and hazardous effects of chemical fertilizers. Therefore, integrated application of inorganic fertilizers, organic and biological sources of nutrients in an efficient way would not only reduce the sole dependence on inorganic fertilizers but also reduce fruit cracking and enhance fruit quality as well as minimise environmental hazards. MATERIALS AND METHODS The present studies were conducted at Punjab Government Progeny Orchard & Nursery, Attari, Amritsar during the year 2009. In the trial, eight year old, uniform and disease free trees of lemon were selected to study the effect of organic manure, inorganic fertilizer and biofertilizer on fruit quality in lemon (Citrus limon (L.) Burm.) cv. ‘Baramasi’. The data were analysed in Randomized Block Design. Arc sine transformation was applied on fruit cracking data. There were nine treatments and all the treatments were replicated three times having a treatment unit of single tree as per following treatment details. T 1 -Control (Standard dose), T 2 -Azotobacter 18g/tree T 3 -Azotobacter 18g/tree + FYM, T 4 -Azotobacter + 100% N, T 5 -Azotobacter 18g/tree + 75% N, T 6 -Azotobacter 18g/tree + 50% N, T 7 -Azotobacter 18g/tree + 100% N + FYM, T 8 -Azotobacter 18g/tree + 75% N + FYM, and T 9 -Azotobacter 18g/tree + 50% N + FYM www.hortflorajournal.com HortFlora Research Spectrum, 3(2): 133-137 (June 2014) ISSN : 2250-2823 Received : 25-05-2014 Accepted : 16-06-2014