Traing and Pruning of fruits crops

Traning and Pruning of fruits crops

 

Training

Training is a done to shape or build a strong  framework  of the trees in order to support maximum crop when plant reaches bearing stage. There are several system of training, especially for dwarf  plantation like spindle bush, dwarf pyramid and cylindrical spindle  etc.,  but modified Centre leader system for up right branching  varieties and open Central system for spreading varieties of temperate fruits are most suitable for standard plantations.

MODIFIED  CENTRAL  LEADER  SYSTEM

• Generally, one - year  -old whip-without a single branch is planted in the dormant season. Immediately after transplanting the tip of the plant is headed back 60 to 75 cm above the ground level.
• In the following summer, most of the  buds on main branch will sprout. In order to develop clean stem up to 45 cm from the ground the sprouted buds are pinched off soon after their appearance. Three or four well spaced buds projecting in the opposite directions are retained with lowest one 45 cm above ground.
• If summer pruning is not done, then 3-4 well spaced primary scaffold branches having wider crotch angle (>45')  are selected during dormant pruning. The selected branches should be spaced 10 to 15 cm apart in spiral fashion. The  branches emerging below 30 cm from ground level and other undesirable branches are pruned off.  The selected branches are headed back to 1/4 of growth to a bud  projecting to the outer direction. The leader is also headed back to 30 cm above the last branch.
• During the second dormant pruning, 2-3 well spaced primary branches are selected on the leader. On the primary branches selected during previous year, two secondary branches which are growing outword direction should be selected. The selected primary and secondary branches are headed back to 1/3 - 1/4 of  the growth. The secondary and tertiary branches selected should be spending horizontally and upright or down word growing branches should be removed.
• The third year training consists of thinning out of unwanted branches and heading back of desirable side branches. The central leader should be headed back to a bud or weak shoot, which will develop in the form of a side branch.
• By forth year training should be completed.
  

OPEN CENTRE SYSTEM

One of the best methods for early training involves allowing newly planted trees to grow unpruned for some 2 to 3 months or until shoots reach 24 to 36 inches in length. Usually, one or two leaders grow straight up and several lower branches develop with wide angles. At this time, remove the upper one- half to two-thirds of the leaders. Select three to four of the most desirable lower wide-angle branches for the permanent scaffolds, and remove all excess shoots. Recut the leader and sum of its branches every 4 to 8 weeks to allow the lower selected branches to develop properly. During late winter to Early Spring of the next year, remove the pruned leader about 1/2 to 1 inch above the uppermost scaffold branch.

Pruning

In pruning, thinning and heading back of shoots are two basic components. Pruning should be done so as to produce 30-70 cm of growth under subtropical conditions and 25 -30 cm under mid hills, annually, which is sufficient for optimum fruit production, For good quality fruit production, 40-50% of thinning out and 75% heading back of shoots is suggested under mid hills conditions. At the time of pruning, dead, diseased and broken branches should be pruned off.