Silicon Studies On Sapota

The field experiment was conducted to know the response of soil and foliar application of silicon and micronutrients on growth, yield and quality of sapota at College of Horticulture Mudigere, Chikamagalur district during the year 2010- 2012. Silicon sources like potassium silicate and calcium silicate and micronutrient contents like solubor and kiecite-G were used as micronutrient source. Eleven treatments were replicated thrice with Randomized Complete Block Design. Three trees were selected for each treatment and replication and totally ninety nine trees were selected for the experiment. Maximum number of shoots (23.96), flowers (250.16), fruits per square meter (27.16) and the maximum number of fruits per tree (27.16) were recorded with treatment supplemented with foliar application of potassium silicate at 8 ml per litre. Highest yield per tree (124.81 kg) and hectare (12.48 t) were recorded in treatment supplemented with foliar application of potassium silicate at 8 ml per litre where as highest B:C ratio (2.36) was recorded in treatment which is supplied calcium silicate with 2.5 kg per tree as soil application.