Soil Incorporation of Fungicides in Relation to Leaf Age, Tree Vigour and Production of ‘Blood Red' Sweet Orange

Different fungicides as soil incorporation were tested to improve leaf age, tree vigour and production of ‘Blood Red’ sweet orange by correcting health. The experiment was performed on 13-14 years old sweet orange (Citrus sinensis Osbeck L. cv. Blood Red) trees grafted on rough lemon (Citrus jambhiri Lush.) rootstock, growing at Sq. No. 9 Experimental Fruit Garden, Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (Latitude 31°- 26´ N  and Longitude 73°- 06´ E) Province Punjab, Pakistan. Two commercial fungicides Alliette and Ridomil Gold MZ and CuSO₄ were used alone, and in different combinations with each other. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with seven treatments including control with three replications. A single tree was taken as treatment unit hence data were collected from 21 trees.  The experiment was performed for two years and a lot of data on different parameters of vegetative and reproductive growth were recorded. Leaf retention, total number of buds/ shoot and production were significantly improved compared with control. Soil drenching of Ridimil Gold MZ along with CuSO₄ remained the best treatment. It was revealed from these two year studies that for such a field experiment, so short period was insufficient to get concrete results of fungicides application. General health and vigour was improved which was attributed to better uptake of nutrients by improved health of diseased roots of the trees. Further it was evident from the results that best management practices (BMP) could improve the production of sweet oranges in Pakistan for diversification of monoculture citrus industry of Punjab Pakistan.