Split application of gibberellins at different growth stages to improve the yield and quality of cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.) under subtropical plain

Present experiment was conducted to optimize the actual time of gibberellins spray in cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.) for improving growth, yield and fruit quality attributes. Vegetative and physiological growth of the experimental plants improved significantly by three repeated GA₃ application (100 ppm each) at vegetative, flowering and fruit setting stage. However, three application of 25 ppm GA₃produced maximum number of flowers and fruits plant^− 1 (197.67 and 85.67, respectively). Further, three applications of 25 ppm GA₃ each also increased the fruit yield at maximum level (858.38 g plant^− 1) with statistically non-significant variation in three application of GA₃ at 50–100 ppm each (806.23–856.07 g plant^− 1). In addition, foliar spray of GA₃ at any concentration (25–100 ppm) increased the TSS: acid ratio significantly as compared to respective control. Total sugar content was estimated maximum (11.55%) under three GA₃ spray at 75 ppm each which was statistically at par with its application during all the three growth stages with 100 ppm (11.26%), 50 ppm (11.18%) or 25 ppm (11.10%). Similarly, application of GA₃ at 25–100 ppm each at all the three growth stages increased the ascorbic acid and total phenol content of ripe cape gooseberry fruits to its maximum level with non-significant differences. Hence, it can be concluded that the split application of 25 ppm GA₃ each at vegetative, flowering and again at fruit setting stage is optimum for improving the yield of better quality cape gooseberry fruit significantly under subtropical climate.