Mitigation of Fruit Cracking in Litchi ( <i>Litchi chinensis</i> Sonn.): Genotypic Responses and Efficacy of Management Strategy in cv. ‘Shahi’

Fruit cracking and scorching are critical physiological disorders limiting the productivity and marketability of litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.), particularly in the commercially important cultivar ‘Shahi.’ The problem has intensified under recent climatic variability characterized by erratic rainfall and elevated temperatures. A two-year (production season of 2024 and 2025) field investigation was conducted at the ICAR – National Research Center on Litchi, Muzaffarpur, India, comprising two parallel experiments: (i) evaluation of litchi genotypes for susceptibility to fruit cracking and scorching, and (ii) assessment of management strategies in cv. ‘Shahi.’ Significant genotypic variation was observed, with cracking incidence ranging from 2.16% (‘NRCL-4’) to 16.14% (‘Shahi’). Cracking in ‘Shahi’ began during the rapid aril expansion stage and peaked at the color break phase, whereas scorching developed from color break to maturity under high temperature conditions. Among the tested interventions, under-canopy mini-sprinkler irrigation and preharvest bagging were the most effective, reducing the incidence of cracking by 90.22% and 78.24% and scorching by 78.80% and 87.76%, respectively. Mini-sprinkler irrigation lowered canopy temperature by 4.3°C and maintained a stable microclimate. The study confirms that cracking susceptibility in litchi is strongly genotype-dependent and climatically driven. Integrating genotype selection and microclimate regulation-based management provides an effective and sustainable strategy to mitigate cracking and scorching in sensitive cultivar such as ‘Shahi,’ supporting climate-resilient litchi production systems.