Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Satpuda Botanic Garden, College of Agriculture, Nagpur (M. S.) during 2013–14 and 2014–15 in factorial randomized block design with 16 treatment combinations. The treatments comprised four timings of pruning viz., 2nd week of December, 4th week of December, 2nd week of January and 4th week of January and four levels of pruning viz., light pruning (45 cm above ground level), medium pruning (30 cm above ground level), hard pruning (15 cm above ground level) and no pruning (control). The treatments were imposed on already existing three years’ old plants of Jasminum sambac (L). The results revealed that significantly maximum length of primary shoot, leaves/primary shoot and productive shoots/plant were recorded when the jasmine plants were pruned at 4th week of December, whereas, sprouts/plant, weight of 100 flower buds and shelf life of flower were non-significantly influenced by time of pruning during both the years of experimentation. In respect of level of pruning, sprouts/plant, length of primary shoot, leaves/primary shoot, productive shoots/plant, weight of 100 flower buds and shelf life of flower were noted significantly maximum with medium pruning. Interaction effect of time and severity of pruning was found significant in respect of flower yield in jasmine. Significantly the highest flower yield in terms of flower buds/plant, flower yield/plant and flower yield/ha were noted when the plants were pruned during 4th week of December at 30 cm above ground level (medium pruning).