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1 Introduction

The origin of phalsa is India. It has a chromosomal status 2n = 18. Phalsa belongs to the family Tiliaceae. The genus Grewia has 140 species out of which 40 occur in India. The wild species Grewia elastica grows on the lower hills all over India; other important species are Grewia glabra, Grewia microcos , Grewia tiliifolia, and Grewia villosa .

It is often a cross-pollinated crop, and insects are the chief pollinating agents.

The plant genetic resource status of phalsa indicated that there are no distinct cultivars available in the country.

Phalsa is a small bush, which bears many small berrylike fruits. Its popularity is restricted by the fact that the fruit is very perishable and the tiny fruits have to be picked from a bush several times during fruiting season.

2 Reproductive Biology

In the current year’s growth, the axillary flowers are borne with 2–9 peduncles of 2.5 cm length each. Each peduncle has 3–6 pedicellate flowers. There were about 18–47 peduncles on each branch. Flowering started in the third week of November and continued till the last week of February. Randhawa and Dass (1962) reported flowering in phalsa during March–May. Anthesis started at 6 am and continued up to 3 pm with a peak at 10 am. The dehiscence commenced from 7 am and continued till 1 pm with a peak at 10 am. Stigma receptivity was maximum on the day of anthesis (Narayan Swamy et al. 1986).

3 Varietal Development

Types such as local and sharbati are popular. Two distinct types, tall and dwarf, have been recognized, of which dwarf types were found more productive. Two types on the basis of fruit size (bigger and smaller) have been identified and evaluated at Godhra.

4 Soil

It can grow under a wide variety of soil and is considered to be one of the hardiest fruits that is drought resistant. Well-drained loamy soils are preferred. In stagnant water the plant becomes chlorotic. They are moderately sensitive to salinity (up to 6 mmhos/cm), and in calcareous soils Fe chlorosis is a common problem. Rich loam is considered to be an ideal soil for its profitable cultivation.

5 Crop Production

5.1 Propagation

Phalsa is commonly raised by seed. The seeds are collected from fresh ripe fruits at harvest. They are sown in well-prepared nursery beds at 5–7 cm apart in rows normally kept at 25–30 cm apart. The best time for sowing is July–August. The seedlings thus raised are ready for transplanting in the months of February–March or July–August.

Only a few attempts on asexual method of propagation have been made with success. Shield and ring budding in the month of June have met with 90 and 82 % success, respectively. Significant success was achieved in propagating phalsa by hardwood cuttings during the rainy season. Treating the cuttings with 100 ppm indole butyric acid has been found beneficial in rooting. The cuttings are dipped in indole butyric acid (1,000 ppm) solution prepared in 50 % alcohol for about 5 s and then planted in nursery beds (Singh 1974).

The phalsa is planted at a distance of 3–4 m apart by square system of planting. It should be planted in well-mannered pits measuring 0.6 × 0.6 × 0.6 m. February is considered to be the best month for planting when the seedlings can be lifted without the ball of earth. Seedlings can be transplanted in July–August with a little more care. They should be lifted with the ball of earth.

5.2 Nutrition and Nutritional Status

Being a hardy crop, fertilization is hardly practiced. But since the bearing is on new growth, it would definitely respond to fertilization. Nijjar (1969) considered 1 kg N/plant to be sufficient for a good crop. However, Chundawat and Gupta (1974) believed that application of 15 kg FYM after pruning followed by 125 g N/plant after sprouting is optimum for high production. Pundir and Pathak (1981) recorded high yield in phalsa by the application of N, P, and K at 100, 40, and 25 kg/ha, respectively. This plant is very sensitive to Fe− deficiency; therefore, spray of 0.4 % FeSO4 would benefit the plants. Beneficial effects of ZnSO4 (0.5 %) and FeSO4 (0.4 %) have also been recorded by Singh et al. (1981). These sprays can be applied at prebloom and post-bloom stages.

5.3 Manuring

Manuring in phalsa is not commonly practiced as it is grown as a wasteland crop. However, if regular manuring schedule is adopted, phalsa can give better returns. About 10–15 kg farmyard manure is considered as an adequate dose for each plant. Manuring should be done in late January, immediately after the bushes are pruned. Manure should be properly mixed in soil. One irrigation immediately after manuring is beneficial.

5.4 Irrigation

Phalsa is regarded as a drought-tolerant crop. However, it has been observed that irrigation is necessary for quality and big harvest. Irrigations at 2–3-week interval during summer are desirable.

5.5 Soil Management

During the rainy season green manure crop could be taken which can be plowed in at flowering stage; for the whole winter the field can be left untilled, and with pruning it can be deep plowed to clear off weeds and mixed with FYM during summer. The field has to be kept free of weeds to allow good fruiting.

5.6 High-Density Plantation

High-density planting in phalsa was done with Neddlers fan design under semiarid conditions. The results indicated that maximum plant population of 8,333 plants per hectare can be accommodated in 3 m × 04 m spacing. Though the yield per plant was the least, maximum B.C. ratio of 2.78 was recorded closely followed by 3 × 0.8 m spacing. The least B.C. ratio (2.28) was recorded in 3 m × 1.2 m spacing which may be due to higher cost of cultivation (Hiwale 2007) (Table 10.1).

  • High-density in phalsa; Neddlers fan design

Treatments

  1. 1.

    1.3 m × 0.4 m = 8333 plants/ha

  2. 2.

    3 m × 0.8 m = 4166 plants/ha

  3. 3.

    3 m × 1.2 m = 2,722 plants/ha

  4. 4.

    3 m × 1.7 m = 1,960 plants/ha

  5. 5.

    3 m × 2.1 m = 1,587 plants/ha

  6. 6.

    3 m × 2.4 m = 1,388 plants/ha

Table 10.1 Yield, net return, and B.C. ratio in high-density plantation of phalsa
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figure a

5.7 Pruning and Training

Pruning phalsa to different intensities significantly influenced the production of the number of sprouts/shoots as well as yield per plant. Physicochemical characters were not affected significantly. The maximum number of sprouts was produced in plants pruned to 50 % of the previous season’s growth. Fruit set per shoot as well as yield per plant was also highest in plants pruned to 50 % intensity (1.416 kg/plant). In respect to physicochemical characters, fruit weight and fruit length were significantly influenced by different pruning treatments. The maximum fruit weight and length were recorded in ground-level pruning which may be due to less no fruit set and more leaf area. TSS and acidity were not significantly influenced (Tables 10.2 and 10.3).

Table 10.2 Effect of pruning intensity on growth, yield, and quality of phalsa
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Table 10.3 Effect of pruning time on growth, yield, and quality of phalsa
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Studies carried out on the effect of time of pruning under semiarid conditions of central Gujarat with four treatments, viz., pruning plants in the first week of December and subsequent treatments at 15 days’ interval, indicated that plants pruned in the first week of December produced the maximum number of sprouts/plants resulting in higher fruit set (63.01 %) and yield per plant (1.53 kg/plant). Analysis of physicochemical characters revealed that fruit weight was significantly influenced by various treatments. Data on other characters was not significantly influenced by various pruning treatments (Hiwale and Raturi 1990).

6 Use of Plant Growth Regulators

Spray of GA 60 ppm plus urea 1 % during flowering reduced the duration of harvest, while GA 60 ppm plus 2,4,5-t ppm was effective increasing the fruit size and yield (Chundawat and Singh 1980). Ethephon 500 ppm at color break stage considerably reduced the number of pickings (Singh et al. 1981) (Table 10.4).

Table 10.4 Effect of plant growth regulators on growth, yield, and quality of phalsa
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Work carried out at CHES, Vejalpur, under semiarid condition on the effect of growth regulators on growth yield and quality of phalsa indicated that the plants that were sprayed with GA at 75 ppm concentration produced maximum shoot length (53.5 cm) and maximum diameter in GA 100 ppm (5.45 mm). Maximum percent fruit set and yield per plant were recorded in NAA 50 ppm spray (58.4 % and 1.41 kg/pl, respectively). 2,4-D at both 2.5 and 5 ppm restricted the shoot growth resulting in the least fruit set and yield (44.7 % and 0.87 kg/pl), respectively. Thus, application of NAA at the rate of 50 ppm spray immediately after sprouting increased yield per plant as well as fruit weight.