Orchard Care
Care of the Orchard
- For the successful establishment of a mango orchard. it is necessary
to protect the newly planted sapling from excessive heat, moisture and
cold.
- Winter in north India is severe and plants must be protected from
frost.
- For this they are thatched with any type of dried grass or dried stalk
of maize or bajra along with paddy straw.
- The plant is covered from 3 sides. leaving a gap towards east to allow
entrance of sunlight and air.
- Likewise it must be protected in summer to avoid scorching from hot
winds and intense heat of the summer months.
- During these months, timely irrigation is very necessary .
- The frequency of irrigation for young plants ought to be at least
once a week.
- Care should be taken to remove the weed.
- If any as they compete with the plant for moisture and nutrients.
- During rainy season, water must not be allowed to stagnate around
the plant. as it will affect the root activity adversely.
- For this a perfect drainage must be maintained in the orchard.
- When mango grafts have grown taller, the stem may be whitewashed with
lime to protect from sunscald.
- The young grafted plants of mango may start giving inflorescences
even after a year of planting.
- If these are allowed to bear fruit growth of the plant is adversely
affected.
- Therefore such inflorescences should be nipped off immediately after
their emergence, so that the vegetative growth is not hindered.
- This practice should continue till the trees complete 4 years.
- By this time the plants will have formed a definite framework.
- After satisfactory completion of the juvenile phase. trees could be
allowed to commence bearing.
- For a proper framework. it may be advisable not to allow branches
at the base of the main stem to trail on the ground. Such branches should
be removed in the early stages of growth. to leave a standard main trunk
without any branch up to a height of 1 m.
- Main scaffold branches along with the leader should be allowed to
develop at this height.
- This will facilitate cultural operations in a mango grove.
Intercrops and Cover Crops
- As mango 'trees take longer time to yield any profit to the grower.
it is desirable to supplement one's income by growing some short-term
crops till they are shaded by the trees.
- Such crops when taken in the orchard are called intercrops.
- There is another kind of cropping in the orchard when the orchard
soil is covered with some crop which in due course is turned back to
the soil to supplement organic matter of the orchard soil.
- This is called cover crop.
- These 2 types of crops (intercrops and cover crops) are important
operations in the management of a good orchard, although many growers
in India do not pay much attention to it.
Principles of intercropping
- Intercrops should occupy a secondary place in the orchard, primary
consideration being given to the perennial fruit trees.
- The crops that may grow tall and have a tendency towards excessive
growth should be discouraged.
- At least 120cm radius must be left from the base of the growing fruit
trees for taking intercrops.
- Water requirements of the intercrops should as far as possible coincide
with the requirement of fruit trees.
- Such intercrops should be selected that do not exhaust the nutrients
and moisture from the soil, so essential for the growth of fruit trees.
- Perennial or exhaustive crops should be discouraged as an intercrop
in the orchard.
- This may have devitalizing effect on the growing trees.
- For example, sugarcane, pigeonpea, maize, jowar should invariably
be excluded from an intercropping programme in the orchard.
Different intercrops
- Vegetables that have their roots within 25cm depth of the soil are
considered good for intercropping.
- These are tomato, onion, cauliflower, beans, radish, palak etc.
- These vegetables can be taken profitably in a growing orchard by appropriate
application of nutrients to the soil and also maintaining an optimum
level of moisture.
- Among the annual crops, due consideration should be given to the legumes
such as pea, lentil, mothbean, blackgram and greengram.
Fruit crops as intercrops
- While taking some of the short-term and early bearing fruit crops
as an intercrop, due consideration is essential in the selection of
a particular fruit.
- This is essential because the roots of such trees may start competing
with the roots of main fruit trees for nutrients and moisture.
- The filler trees, unless removed at appropriate time when primary
fruit trees start giving economic crop, may create problems of low orchard
efficiency.
- Keeping this point in mind, it is apparent that wherever pineapple
and strawberry can be grown, these may serve as an ideal intercrop.
- Wherever frost hazard is less, an intercrop of papaya can be taken
profitably in a mango orchard.
- Likewise, in the northern plains of India, 'Sharbati' peach can be
an excellent intercrop for mango orchard.
- Phalsa and guava could also be included in the early stages
of growth of the trees, provided these are maintained properly by adequate
pruning and removal at proper time.
Cover crops
- These save the orchard soil from being eroded during the rainy season,
particularly in areas where drainage is not proper.
- When the cover crops are turned into the soil, the organic matter
of the soil is increased, and this results in many advantages.
- For example, if organic manure such as compost or farmyard manure
is not available, the nutrient requirements of fruit trees can be met
by applying only artificial fertilizers without any adverse effect on
the soil.
- Water-holding capacity of the soil is increased and the biological
complex of the soil is also improved.
- It is preferable to take leguminous crops for cover cropping so that
nitrogen fixation in the orchard soil is facilitated.
- Another advantage of cover crops is that they will prevent the growth
of weeds.
- During rainy season (kharif) greengram, blackgram, cowpea and
guar are preferable.
- During winter season (rabi) it is desirable to take sweet clover
(senft), pea, lentil, mothbean and fenugreek.
- The most important point in the selection of cover crops is the requirement
of water of a particular crop.
- If a particular crop needs to be irrigated very frequently when the
orchard trees are not in need of moisture, this will certainly tell
upon the productivity of the fruit trees.
- For example, if berseem is taken in a mango orchard during
winter when fruit-bud differentiation and flowering is expected and
the orchard is irrigated too frequently, it may not be conducive to
the productivity of the tree in general.
Lacuna in Research
- So far no authentic experimental data are available regarding the
merits and demerits of individual cover crop or intercrop to be taken
in a mango grove.
- Recently some trials have been in progress in the experimental orchard
of mango at Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology.
- The following information is based on the general observations made
so far at the Horticultural Research Centre, Patherchatta.
- From the trials under way on the soil management of mango orchard,
it was observed that selection of intercrop for a bearing mango orchard
has to be made with caution.
- Crops which are cultivated during rabi and which require regular
and good amount of irrigation should not be preferred.
- The reason is that the fruit-bud differentiation of mango under subtropical
conditions of northern India takes place in November- December, and
irrigation during this period or before will interfere with the fruit-bud
differentiation and affect ultimately the production.
- In this group of intercrops are included crops like berseem and
wheat, which have to be avoided.
- Also, with growing of berseem in between the tree rows, the
nitrogen status of the soil rises, which encourages good vegetative
growth at the cost of fruit quality.
- Another groups of crops which need to be avoided as intercrops are
those which are grown for seed/grain.
- In this are included wheat, oats, gram, oilseeds, pea and radish (for
seed).
- The reason is that the period of seed formation and subsequent development
of seed in the intercrop generally coincides with the period of active
fruit development in mango, and during this period the intercrops extract
maximum amount of moisture and nutrition from the soil and deplete it,
irrespective of the care taken to replenish it for fruit trees.
- Similarly, certain crops such as ginger, Colocasia and turmeric
are basically heavy feeders and extract maximum amount of nutrients
from the soil for several months during which these crops stand in the
field.
- Severe defoliation of trees has been observed in the plots where ginger
was grown as an intercrop at Pantnagar.
- Such crops should therefore be avoided.
- Hence, to make intercropping a profitable venture for better utilization
of land in between the tree rows, it has been found practically feasible
to grow limited number of crops (under Pantnagar conditions) in the
following rotation:
(A) Bearing orchard
Tomato : February-June
Cowpea : July-September
Soybean : June-September
Spinach (palak) : October-January
Cowpea : June-September
(B)Non-bearing orchard
Pea : October-March
Soybean : June-September
Spinach (palak) : October-January
Cowpea : June-September
Chillies : March-August
Pea : October-March
Cauliflower : September-January
Cowpea : March-July
Cover Cropping in Mango Orchard
- All the crops mentioned do not fare well under dense shade, which
obtains in an old orchard having large spreading trees.
- Intercropping under such a condition is not advisable.
- However, such orchards should be protected from weed infestation and
soil erosion commonly seen during rainy season.
- For such a situation, in north India cover crops should be grown
in between the tree rows.
- Cowpea variety 'Russian Giant', which is a fodder type with bold and
brown grain, has been found very suitable.
- It is quick-growing, fast-spreading and broad-leaved and covers the
ground effectively, thus smothering the weeds.
- This crop can be turned in under the soil during September-October
as it does not mature before October.
- 'Pusa Barsati' cowpea is also good but not as effective as the former.
Growing Intercrop in an Orchard
- The method of growing intercrop in an orchard is different in the
young and the bearing orchards.
- In the former the entire land is utilized, leaving only the basin
portion of the tree.
- The tree is located in the middle of the bed in which the crop is
grown.
- As the trees grow in age, the size of the basin increases and the
area for intercrops gets reduced gradually.
- When the trees attain good bearing age, the intercrop is grown in
between the tree rows in 1 direction, i.e. on 2 opposite sides of the
trees, leaving the other 2 sides open.
- The tree rows are enclosed by a strong bund on 2 sides running from
one end of the orchard to the- other.
- This facilitates irrigation of trees within the bunded space independently
of the intercrop.
- It also provides space for movement during plant protection and other
operations in the orchard.
- While taking intercrop, a common mistake is to leave the fruit trees
to obtain nutrients from the same fertilizer dose applied to the intercrops.
- This is one of the main causes of orchard decline in most parts of
the country .
- The intercrop and the fruit trees must receive separately their independent
requirements of fertilizer and irrigation.
- Besides, intercropping in orchard promotes infestation of pests and
diseases in greater intensity than under clean cultivation.
- This is due to increase in the humidity and vegetation around the
trees due to intercrops.
- Hence regular plant-protection measures against pests and diseases
of the mango crop are essential.
- Cultural schedule and its importance Factors responsible for the decline
of fruit yield and proper fruiting pattern mostly pertain to management
practices such as nutrition of trees and control of weeds, insect pests
and diseases.
- If the trees do not present a healthy appearance and leaves look somewhat
yellowish, it is obvious that such trees suffer from under-nutrition.
- The amount of nutrients to be applied and its timing have been discussed
under the chapter on Nutrition.
- If the cover crops or intercrops are taken regularly, the weeds will
be automatically suppressed.
- A schedule for this has already been given.
- A constant watch over the diseases and insect pests of mango is necessary
for ensuring quality crop from the trees.
- When the humidity builds up appreciably during the flowering time,
incidence of mango hopper and powdery mildew is very much increased,
and sometimes this may result in no fruit set.
- One of the important schedules in mango orchard management is maintenance
of excellent sanitary conditions in the orchard and regular pruning
of the malformed parts (both vegetative and floral) in the tree, if
any.
- This will ensure reduced incidence of mango malformation.
- Proper irrigation of trees, particularly during summer, is very essential
to get quality crop from the bearing trees and proper growth in young
plants.
- While bearing trees ought to be irrigation at an interval of a fortnight
during summer, younger plants need weekly irrigation.
- Trees must be regularly observed for any setback due to any cause
and steps must be taken immediately to remedy it.
- A proper round-the- year cultural schedule must be drawn up before
hand and operations should be done as per schedule.
- This will ensure production of quality crop from healthy mango trees.
Calender of Operations for Mango Orchards
- It has been observed that orchardists are active in their orchards
only when flowers or fruits are present on the trees.
- For rest of the period, they take little care of their orchards. This
practice is not good.
- To maintain vigour, growth and productivity. it is necessary to perform
proper operations throughout the year.
- In the following text. suggestions /recommendations based on research
work are given regarding various operations required to be carried out
during different months.
January
- Spraying ofo.05% fenitrothion (1 ml insecticide/litre of water) or
0.045% dimethoate (1.5ml. insecticide/litre of water) or 0.04% monocrotophos
(1ml. insecticide/litre of water) may be done to control blossom midge
at the bud burst stage.
- Cleaning of the dust on the polythene band. applied in the month of
December. to prevent ascent of nymphs of mealy bug.
- Normal care of the small plants with particular attention to irrigation.
- Arrangement for the procurement of pesticides for the control of mango
hoppers and powdery mildew.
- In case the inflorescence have elongated to about 3 inches in the
last week of this month. spraying of pesticides is suggested.
- To control the small size hopper (Idioscopus clypealis). spray
of 0.15% carbaryl (3 gm insecticide/litre of water) or 0.04% monocrotophos
(0.5 mi insecticide/litre of water) is suggested.
- In case of big size hoppers (Idioscopus nitidulus or Amritodus
atkinsoni). spray of - 0.075% fenitrothion (1.5 ml insecticide/litre
of water) or 0.06% quinalphos (2ml. insecticide/litre of water) or 0.2%
carbaryl (4 gm Insecticide/litre of water) or 0.04% chlorpyriphos (2ml.
insecticide/litre of water) is suggested.
- In case of mixed population. spraying as suggested for big size hoppers
may be done.
- First spray may be given when the panicle is of 3 inch length.
- Second spray may be given at full length stage of panicles but before
full bloom and third spray after the fruits have attained pea size.
- To minimise the use of pesticidal spray. one spray of neem product
(alcoholic) 0.5% may be done in place of second spray.
- In case the Inflorescence have elongated to about 3 inches in the
last week of the month. spraying to control powdery mildew ( Oidium
mangiferae) is suggested.
- To control this disease. spraying of 0.1 % dinocap (1 ml fungicide/litre
of water) or 0.2% wettable sulphur (2 gm fungicide/litre of water) or
0.1% carbendazim ( I gm fungicide/litre of water) or 0.1% Tridemorph
(1 ml fungicide/litre of water) is suggested.
- These sprayings may be done along with the spraying of the insecticides
as suggested for the control of hoppers.
- This means in all the three sprays. one insecticide and one fungicide
may be mixed and sprayed.
- Mixing of insecticide and fungicide with neem products may be avoided.
Similarly. mixing of insecticides with copper oxychloride be also avoided.
Febraury
- Spraying against mango hoppers and powdery mildew disease to be continued.
- Removal of thatches erected over the young plants for protection against
frost in the last week.
- Care of intercrops and sowing of summer crops like Okra and cucurbetaceous
crops.
March
- If required. spraying against powdery mildew and mango hoppers may
be done.
- When the fruit is of pea size. spray of nepthalene acetic acid 20
ppm (2 ml chemical in 4.5 litres of water) is recommended. This is done
to pre- vent fruit drop.
- To control black tip disorder or internal necrosis, spray of 1% borax
(10 gm chemical/litre of water) may be done when fruits are of pea size.
- Three sprays may be done at 15 days intervals.
- Removal of thatches erected over the young plants for protection against
frost in the first week, if not done earlier.
- Completion of second transplanting of seedling stock in the nursery
.
- Soft wood grafting on the current year stock.
- Irrigation at 15 days interval for 2-3 times when the fruits are of
pea size.
- Pruning and burning of hanging malformed panicles.
April
- Pruning and burning of hanging malformed panicles.
- Proper care of grafted plants.
- Irrigation of fruit bearing orchards.
- Spraying of 0.1% carbendazim to control anthracnose in young plants.
- Harvesting and processing of intercrops.
May
- To control fruit.f1ies. bait spray of 0.2% carbaryl + protein hydrolysate
or molasses.
- Hanging sex attractant traps containing 0.1% methyl euginol + 0.1%
malathion to control fruit.f1ies.
- Arrangement of packing materials for mango fruits.
- Reservation of plants with reliable nurseries for planting new orchards
.
- Proper care of grafted stocks in nursery.
- Layout and digging of pits for planting new orchards.
- Marketing and storage arrangements for the produce of intercrops.
June
- Harvesting of fruits and arragement for its marketing.
- Layout and preparation of pits for new orchards.
- The planting distance may be 12 x 12 meters, but in dry zones where
the growth is less. it can be kept to 10 x 10 meters.
- The size of the pits in shallow and hill soils may be 0.5 x 0.5 meters.
- The pits may be filled with 50 kg of rotten farmyard manure + 250
g. of 5% carbaryl dust.
- The proportion of manure and soil may be kept as 1:3.
- Reservation of plants with reliable nurseries for planting new orchards.
- Preparation of seed beds in the nursery.
- Sowing of mango stones in nursery beds.
- Proper care of grafted stocks in nursery.
- Marketing and storage arrangements for the produce of intercrops.
July
- Harvesting and marketing of fruits to be continued.
- Layout, digging and filling of pits for planting new orchards to
be continued.
- Defoliation of 6 months old shoots for grafting.
- Grafting to be started i.e. stone grafting on new seedlings still
attached
with stones and veneer or soft wood grafting on one year old seedlings.
- This is to be done if rains have started (at the end of July) .
- Lifting of last year's grafts for sale purposes.
- Sowing of mango stones in nursery .
- Hanging fruitflies (Bactrocera spp.) traps containing sex attractants
i.e. methyl euginol + 1% malathion and changing the liquid every third
day.
- In the second fortnight after fruit harvesting, spray of anyone insecticide
at the concentration of 0.04% monocrotophos (1ml. insecticide/litre
of water) or 0.06% dimethoate (2 ml/litre of water) or 0.04% diazinon
(2 ml/litre of water) to control scale insects, leaf and twig gall midges,
shoot borers and leaf cutting weevils. Repeat another insecticide after
15 days interval.
- On completion of harvesting, application of half the dose of 1000
9 each of N, p and K per plant (10 years old and above) on the basis
of soil analysis recommendations be done.
- Sowing of green manuring crops such as sunhemp or diancha or rainy
season intercrops like green gram, black gram, cowpea, etc.
- Lifting and transplanting the new seedlings at 25 x 25 cm distance
in the nursery beds.
- Gap filling in young orchards.
August
- Sowing of mango stones in nursery to be continued.
- Llft1ng and transplanting of new seedlings at 25 x 25 cm. in nursery
for grafting purposes.
- Grafting to be started i.e. stone grafting on new seedlings and veneer
grafting and soft wood grafting on one year old seedlings.
- Lifting and sale of grafts to be continued.
- Harvesting and marketing of fruits to be continued.
- In the Tarai belt of the country .control of shoot gall psylla (Apsylla
cistellata) may be initiated by 15th of August.
- Two sprays are required after 15 days interval.
- The insecticides recommended are: 0.05% quinalphos (2 ml insecticide/litre
of water) or 0.054% monocrotophos (1.5ml. insecticide/litre of water)
or 0.06% dimethoate (2 ml insecticide/litre of water).
- During this month. in certain pockets. serious outbreak of mango leaf
webber (Orthaga euadrusalis) commonly called "tent caterpillar"
occurs.
- To control this pest. spray of 0.05% quinalphos (2 ml insecticide/litre
of water) or 0.04% monocrotophos (1 ml. insecticide/litre of water)
or 0.2% carbaryl (4gms insecticide/ litre of water) is suggested.
- In case both the pests i.e. shoot gall psylla and leaf webber are
present. insecticides which are common to control both may be used.
- If rains continued planting of new orchards and gap filling may be
continued.
September
- Ploughing of green manuring crops.
- Second spray to control shoot gall psylla and leafwebber as suggested
in August month.
- If infestation of shoot borer or leaf cutting weevil is observed.
spraying as suggested in July may be done.
- In the nursery to control anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides).
spraying of 0.1% carbendazim ( I gm fungicide litre of water) is
suggested.
- The second spray may be repeated after 15 days.
- Planting of new orchards and gap filling may be continued.
- Lifting and sale of the grafts to be continued.
- Grafting to be continued.
- Ploughing, cleaning and removal of weeds to be done.
October
- 1. Spraying against leaf webber, if required, may be done. New insecticides
may be used in each spray to avoid possible development of resistance
to insecticides.
2. Spraying of 200 ppm napthelene acetic acid (20 ml chemical/4.5 litres
of water) in the second fortnight may be done to overcome mango malformation
malady.
3. Completion of lifting and sale of grafts.
4. Completion of planting of new orchards.
5. Gap filling in the orchards to be completed.
6. Mixing of 40-50 kg well decomposed farm yard manure/compost in the
basins of each mango plants.
7. To control die back disease (Botryodiplodia theobromae). cut
the affected twigs and burn. Spraying of 0.3% copper oxychloride (3gm
fungicide/litre of water) is suggested. The spraying may be repeated
after 15 days.
8. Ploughing. cleaning and removal of weeds to be continued.
9. Remaining half dose of N. P and K may be applied.
10. In the orchards having small plants, sowing of winter crops such
as gram. French bean, mustard, wheat, barley, pea and red gram and winter
vegetables as intercrops may be done. Avoid sowing of the crops which
require frequent irrigation such as barseem. lucern and paddy. Avoid
tall crops.
11. To control phoma blight (Phoma glomerata), spraying ofo.2%
benomyl (2 gm fungicide/litre of water) or 0.3% copper oxychloride (3gm
fungicide/litre of water) in the second fortnight is suggested.
November
1. Spraying against leaf webber may be done if required.
2. Second spray to control phoma blight.
3. Second spray to control mango die- back.
4. Sowing of intercrops.
5. To protect the young mango grafts against frost arrangement of grass,
bamboo, ropes etc. for making thatches may be done.
6. Deep ploughing, cleaning and removal of weeds may be done.
7. For the control of die-back disease spraying as suggested in October
may be repeated.
December
- Spraying against phoma blight if required.
- Fastening of 25cm. Wide, 400 gauge thick alkathene strips around the
tree trunk about 25 cm above the ground in the third week to stop the
ascent of mealy bug (Drosicha mangiferae) nymphs.
- Dusting of 2% methyl parathion dust or 5% carbaryl dust at the rate
of 250gm per tree towards the end of the month to control nymphs.
- Making of thatches over young plants to protect them from the frost.
- They may be kept open in the east direction.
- Particular attention to be given to irrigations of young orchards
from frost protection.
- Proper care of lntercrops.
- Deblossoming may be done to control malformation.
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