Ikisan - Package of Practices for Acid Lime and Sweet Orange Crop
Acid Lime and Sweet Orange
Well drained soils, free from salinity and alkalinity and uniform
texture up to a depth of 2-3cm are ideal.
Varieties
There are no named varieties in acidlime except Kagzi lime. In sweet
oranges, Sathgudi, which is superior to Mosambi is recommended.
Planting
Acidlime is usually raised from seed. Buddings on Gajanimma root stock
are also recommended. In case of sweet oranges, buddings on Rangpur
lime root stock are recommended. Buddings from registered nurseries
should be used for planting.
Pits of 1.0x1.0x1.0m have to be dug with 6.0m spacing, refilled with
soil and manure mixture (1:1) for planting during July-December. Lower
branches should be pruned up to 45cm from ground. Water sprouts and
stock sprouts should also be removed periodically.
Manuring
One year old plants may be given 25kg FYM and 3kg castor cake in equal
splits during January, June and October. The dose should be increased
by equal amounts every year. Four year old plants should receive 100kg
FYM along with 12 kg castor cake during the period as in the case of
one year old plants. About 1.5kg of urea, 2.5kg single super phosphate
and 0.75 kg muriate of potash may be given to all bearing trees once
in a year.
A combines micronutrient spray – zinc sulphate 500g, magnesium sulphate
200g, ferrous sulphate 250g, copper sulphate 300g, borax 200g, lime
100g, urea 1000g and water 100 lit can prevent deficiency of minor elements,
besides improving the quality.
Irrigation
Frequency of irrigation depends on the nature of the soil. Light soils
need frequent (weekly) irrigations than heavy soils (10-15days). Plants
should not be subjected to stress during flowering. Double ring method
of irrigation is ideal. Drip irrigation greatly economises the irrigation
water.
Pest Management
Leaf Miner
Spray malathion @ 3ml l-1 or dimethoate @ 1ml l-1
twice at weekly intervals beginning with the production of flush or
sprinkle the neem cake solution on trees @ 250g of neem cake mixed in
4.5 litres of water at the early stages of infestation.
Leaf weevils
Spray monocrotophos @ 1.6ml l-1 or carbaryl @ 3g l-1,
two or three times at 10days interval.
Citrus butterfly
Spray endosulfan @ 2.0ml l/ha or dichlorovas @ 1.0m l/ha of water
or monocrotophos @ 1.6 ml l/ha.
Bark and Stem Borer
Pour petrol in the holes and plug them with mud or inject solution
of endosulfan @ 1.6ml l-1 or dichlorovos @ 0.5ml l-1
or malathion @ 1ml l-1.
Clean cultivation and removal of alternate hosts are of primary importance.
The fruit damage can be minimised by bagging the individual fruits with
palmyrah baskets.
Aphids
Spray dimethoate @ 2ml/l.
Scales
Rubbing the affected portion with a piece of gunny bag
and spray malathion or methyl – o –demeton @ 2.0ml l-1.
Disease Management
Twig blight and diplodia gummosis
Pruning blighted twigs before onset of monsoon and spraying
carbendazim @ 1.0g l-1 four times at quarterly interval.
Canker
Spray paushamycin @ 1g 10 l-1 (copper oxychloride
@ 10g 10l-1) or mancozeb @ 2.0 g l-1 + copper
oxychloride 3g l-1 thrice at monthly intervals during rainy
season. For sweet orange first spray should be given when fruits are
of marble size.
Pre harvest stem end rot
Spray carbendazim @ 1.0g l-1 thrice at monthly
intervals during June, July and August.
Virus diseases
Use certified bud material free from virus diseases.
Greening and tristeza in sweet orange can be prevented by using Rangpur
lime as rootstock.
