Effect of Growth Retardants on Floral Biology, Fruit Set and Fruit Quality of Cape Gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.)

Various doses of paclobutrazol (12.5, 25, 50 and 100 ppm) and ethephon (100, 200, 400 and 800 ppm) on flowering, fruit characters and quality of cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.) were observed. Results indicated that ethephon 800 ppm delayed flowering but prolonged duration of fruit set and early ripening by 30.25, 2.5 and 10.13 days, respectively over control. 400 ppm of ethephon was more effective than 800 ppm in respect of fruit weight and quality constituents. In the same trend by 17.5, 2.37 and 5.85 days delay in flowering, prolonged duration of fruit set and early ripening, respectively were recorded with paclobutrazol 100 ppm. However, ethephon 400 ppm and paclobutrazol 50 ppm significantly influenced the fruit set, growth rate, cumulative growth, volume, density and TSS/acidity ratio of the fruit as compared to control and other concentrations of the retardants.