Vol. 9, Issue 5, Part B (2025)

Custard apple (Annona squamosa L.) commonly known as sugar apple is very delicious fruit from the family Annonaceae. Custard apple is one of the important fruit crop of India. It is easy to cultivate due to hardy in nature. Leaf to fruit ratio adjustment refers to maintaining source to sink relationship. Leaves are the source organ with synthesis. Carbohydrate which is most important for growth and development of sink organ i.e., fruits. Adjustment of leaf fruit ratio improves fruit quality and ensures the accumulation of reserves which can positively influence tree development for the subsequent years (George et al., 1995). The use of growth regulators like GA₃ in varying concentrations was reported as beneficial for increasing fruit set, yield and quality of custard apple. Effect of foliar application of plant growth regulators on fruit crop is known for increasing of fruit production.

An experiment entitled, “Studies on leaf to fruit ratio and GA₃ on fruit growth yield and quality of custard apple” was carried out during 2019-20 at CRS, Dr. PDKV, Akola, Maharashtra with the objective to study the effect of leaf to fruit ratio and GA₃ on fruit growth, yield and quality of custard apple wherein, there were 16 treatment combinations in FRBD design compromising of four leaf to fruit ratio and four application of GA₃ through foliar spray in different combinations. Amongst the combinations of leaf to fruit ratio and GA₃ application, the combined application of 50:1 leaf to fruit ratio and 30 ppm GA₃ showed the better performance in terms of leaf area, chlorophyll content, shoot and leaf carbohydrate content and fruit quality in terms of fruit size, pulp weight, total soluble solids, total, reducing, non-reducing sugar in custard apple cv. Balanagar.