Agriculture for Engineers 4 (3+1)

Lesson 35. Criteria for site selection

35.2 IMPORTANT POINTS FOR PLANNING AN ORCHARD:

35.2.1 Selection of site

It is always better to start an orchard in a predominantly fruit-growing area than in a new locality where few or no orchard exists. This will not only help in sharing experience of local fruit growers but also purchasing of plant materials, orchard equipments, transport, marketing, storage of fruits etc. It would be easier through co-operation with growers. Besides, the site for an orchard should be either as close to a consuming centre/market as possible or on a metal road or connected by rail. Over and above, the orchard site should have favourable climatic and soil conditions and good source of irrigation.

35.2.2 Climate

The climate of the site where fruits are to be grown on commercial scale must be considered carefully. Factors like day and night temperature, rainfall (frequency, amount and intensity), wind, light, atmospheric humidity, hail storm frost occurrence, etc. are very important for selection of fruits to be grown there. Listed below are the fruits suitable for regions with different climatic conditions.

Tropical climate: Fruits like mango, banana, papaya, pineapple, sapota, ber, breadfruit, cashew, coconut, etc. thrive well in this climate.

Subtropical climate: In this climate, guava, grape, litchi, citrus, date, phalsa, pomegranate, peach (requiring low-chilling), pear etc.

Temperate climate: In this climate fruits like apple, pear, peach, plum, blackberry, strawberry, apricot, walnut, almond, etc. grow well.

Hence, while planning the orchard, the fruits suitable to the particular site should be kept in mind and planting of fruit species can be done accordingly taking into consideration the topography also.

35.2.3 Soil

Though most of the fruits may be grown on a wide variety of soil such as clay, sand, sandy loam, clay loam, loam etc., a loam or sandy loam soil is considered to be the best for most fruits. Shallow soils with rocky substrata, soils with very high or low pH, soils having poor drainage and high water table during rainy season should be avoided. The fruit growers must have at least a fair knowledge of soil type, its depth, reaction, water table and fertility status before selecting a definite variety of fruit trees to be grown there. The orchard site should have uniform soil with at least three to four feet top soil on which the fruit trees will grow. Sandy soil may be suitably utilized for growing cashew nut, coconut, etc. gravelly red late rite for cashew nut, mango, jackfruit etc. loamy soil for banana, papaya, litchi, sapota etc. However, the orchard soil of poor fertility can be improved in the course of orchard soil management by green manuring, intercropping, etc.

After selecting the site and before planting fruit tress, it is necessary to prepare the land by carrying out certain preliminary operation such as clearing and leveling of land, making provision for irrigation water, providing of fences, planting of windbreaks, planning of buildings etc.       

35.2.4 Clearing and leveling the land

If the land is already under cultivation, nothing except preliminary preparation is necessary. If uncultivated, it is necessary to put them under deep ploughing and leveling. If the selected site is under forest, the existing trees and bushes should be removed by uprooting. The land then should be thoroughly ploughed, harrowed and leveled. While preparing the land, the subsoil which is usually less fertile than the surface soil, should not be disturbed as far as possible. In these hills, terrace should be made along the contours.

35.2.5 Irrigation source

An orchard flourishes well when put under irrigation particularly during the dry months. So the source of irrigation should be a permanent one assuring supply of requisite quantity of irrigation water throughout the year. Whatever may be the source of irrigation a well, a shallow or a deep tube well, it should be sunk well ahead of planting. In high hills, where the rainfall and snowfall are adequate and evaporation from soil is not very high due to prevailing low temperature, a few tanks may be installed for collection of rain or snow water to tide over the critical periods of the year.

35.2.6 Fencing

To protect the trees of the orchard from frequent visits of wild and stray animals, and to prevent stealing of fruits and other orchard properly, some kind of fence is highly necessary. This may be made by erecting mud walls or high brick walls with tops lined with glass pieces, or barbed wire fencing.

The first one through quite effective against big animals offer very little obstacle to monkeys and thieves. The second one being permanent and very effective from the security point of view is preferred. But it involves a large initial expenditure which is beyond the means of ordinary fruit growers. The third one, the barbed wire fencing which costs moderately, is not only effective against practically all animals and human beings, but it also neither shades nor takes away any plant food from it.

So the orchard boundary may be fenced with pillars and barbed wires. The pillars may be of wood, angle iron, stone-cement concrete etc. this fence may be further strengthened by erecting live hedges which will not only help to stop the entry of animals and human beings but also from a thick live-wall around the orchard for privacy and help to safeguard the produce which cannot be seen from outside. The live hedge must have the following qualities:

(a)  It should be quick growing

(b) Easy to raise by seeds or cuttings of vegetative parts

(c)  Should be drought resistant

(d) Should have dense foliage

(e)  Should preferably be thorny

(f)   Should stand pruning to develop thick and compact growth

The plants suitable for live hedge are Inga dulcis, Parkinsonia aculeate L, Prosopis juliflora, Carissa carandas, Casuarina equisetifolia, Duranta plumeri, Sesbania aegyptiaca, Acacia sp.,Zizyphus sp., Lawsonia alba, Gliricidia, Bahunia sp., Polyalthia longifolia, etc.

To establish a live hedge, the soil along the fence is dug 2 feet wide and 2 feet deep at the commencement of the rainy season. After sowing the seeds or planting the cutting along the boundary of the orchard, the plants are allowed to grow. In the course of time trimming and pruning are done to develop a thick and tall hedge as required.

It has also been found very useful when a cattle driven trench of 3 ft. deep and 4 lt. wide is dug after the live hedge around the border.

35.2.7 Windbreaks

Fruit orchards usually face heavy losses when a strong wind of high velocity passes through the orchard. Damages like uprooting of trees, breaking of branches, destruction of blooms, dropping of immature fruits, erosion of surface soil, etc. are caused very often by wind. Hence, establishment of a tall-growing windbreak is necessary to protect the orchard.

The planting of windbreaks should precede that of the fruit trees by at least two years, if they are to give effective protection to the orchard. A well-established windbreak reduces the velocity of wind; checks evaporation loss of soil moisture prevents cold wind and reduces frost damage to a great extent.

The efficiency of a windbreak depends upon the height of the trees and their compactness. Ordinarily it has maximum effectiveness for a distance about 3-4 times as great as its height. The first row of fruit trees should be about away from the windbreak row. To prevent the roots of the windbreak trees from interfering with the normal growth of the fruit trees, a 3-4 ft. deep trench should be dug at a distance of 10 ft. from the windbreak row.

An ideal windbreak should be upright in growth and occupy as little space as possible. It should be tall, mechanically strong, quick growing and sufficiently dense to offer the maximum resistance to the wind. One to two rows of such trees are planted at a close spacing, usually 12-23 ft. apart for having a tall and close tree-wall which can help to resist the incoming heavy flow of wind. Trees commonly grown as windbreaks are Polyalihia longifolla, Casurina equisdilfolla, Erythrlna indica, Eucalyptus globules, Grevillia robusta, Dalbergia sissoo, Putranjiva roxburghii, Syzygium sp., Mangsfera indica, Averrhoa carambola, Bambusa sp., etc.

35.2.8 Buildings

Any building which is to be constructed in the orchard should be planned before planting, though their construction may be done later on. An orchard provides a very pleasant site for a dwelling. Other buildings such as implement shed, bullock shed and labour quarters may also be constructed.

35.2.9 Roads, Paths, Irrigation and Drainage Channels

Planning of roads, paths, irrigation and drainage channels should be done well in advance. Roads and paths are absolutely necessary for making every portion of the orchard easily approachable and for convenience in operations like manuring, spraying and transportation. The footpaths should be made in between the rows of trees without utilizing any additional space of the orchard. Small non-spreading type of avenue trees may be planted beside the road to enhance the beauty of the orchard.

The permanent irrigation and drainage channels should be dug in straight lines and without interfering the main roads to economize the use of irrigation water by avoiding seepage in the channels during the dry and hot seasons and for efficient drainage of excess water from the individual plot of the orchard during rainy season or flood-affected areas.

Before the actual laying out of the orchard and undertaking the planting work, a detailed plan of the orchard should be drawn showing the boundary, main gate, roads and paths, source of irrigation, drainage and irrigation channels and also the individual plots for the fruit to be grown. This will help to establish the orchard correctly and conveniently.