Archive · 1 Sep 2026
Flower Regulation Offers Lemon Farmers A Market Solution
Lemon farmers sometimes harvest their crop when buyers do not want as much fruit.
This can lead to low prices.
The horticulture department is teaching farmers a method called flower regulation, or Bahar treatment.
It helps control when lemon plants flower.
Farmers can use changes in watering or certain plant-growth chemicals.
These chemicals are recommended at different times from June through October.
The goal is for lemons to reach markets when demand is high.
The government is helping by paying half the cost of plant growth regulators.
The horticulture department is promoting flower regulation, also called Bahar treatment, among lemon farmers.
The technique aims to align lemon harvesting with periods of stronger market demand and better prices.
Farmers can use moisture-stress treatment or growth regulators including Gibberellic acid, Cycocel and Potassium Nitrate.
The recommended chemical schedule applies Gibberellic acid in June-July, Cycocel in September and Potassium Nitrate in October.
The government is offering a 50 per cent subsidy on plant growth regulators while demonstrations are conducted in farmers’ orchards.
- Who
- The horticulture department and lemon farmers in Podalakur are involved.
- What
- The department is promoting flower regulation to better time lemon harvests with market demand.
- When
- The recommended chemical applications take place from June-July through October; the article does not specify when the demonstrations began.
- Where
- Farmers’ orchards in Podalakur.
- Why
- To reduce the mismatch between harvesting and market demand and help farmers obtain better prices.
- Technique
- Flower regulation, also known as Bahar treatment
- Main objective
- Coordinate flowering and harvesting with periods of strong market demand
- Moisture-based method
- Moisture-stress treatment
- Growth regulators
- Gibberellic acid, Cycocel and Potassium Nitrate
- Application schedule
- Gibberellic acid in June-July, Cycocel in September and Potassium Nitrate in October
- Government support
- A 50 per cent subsidy on plant growth regulators
- Demonstrations
- The horticulture department is demonstrating the technique in farmers’ orchards