Punjab Agricultural University approves three new varieties of fruits
Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has come up with three new varieties of papaya, pomegranate and fig.

The ''Red Lady 786'' of papaya, ''Bhagwa'' of pomegranate and ''Brown Turkey'' of fig (anjeer) have been approved for general cultivation in the Punjab state during the meeting of State Variety Approval Committee for Horticultural Crops, held today under the chairmanship of L S Brar, Director of Horticulture, Punjab.

Giving details about the papaya variety ''Red Lady 786'', S S Gosal, Director of Research, said that its plants are self- fruitful, vigorous having height of 238 cm.“Fruit bearing starts from a height of 86 cm from the ground level,” he added.

Its fruits are medium, oblong to oval, and its flesh is reddish orange having excellent taste and flavour.

He further told that its TSS (total soluble solids) is 11 per cent and its average yield is 50 kg per plant. The plants are free from disease and pest incidence under protected conditions, he highlighted.

Referring to the pomegranate variety ''Bhagwa'', Gosal said its tree is medium in size and its fruit is medium to large in size, rind, smooth, glossy, red in colour.

Informing that the main crop matures between mid-August and mid-September, he said that its average yield is 14.6 kg/plant.

Elaborating, Dr Gosal said that the fruit of ''Brown Turkey'' fig is of medium to large size, delicious with deeply coloured ribs, and a medium sized eye. Its fruit skin is purplish brown and lighter at the stem end, and the flesh is pinkish brown with an excellent flavour, he highlighted.

Its tree is prolific and crops yield 53 kg fruit per tree. Fruits mature from last week of May to end of June, he said.