Temprate Fruits (1+1)

EXERCISE 11

EXERCISE 11: Training and pruning of stone fruits

Objectives : To learn and practice different systems of training and pruning in stone fruits.

Materials : Secateure, pruning saw, branch spreader, Bordeaux paint or Chaubattia paste and ladder.

Procedure :
Training

• The stone fruits are mostly trained to open centre system of training, however, under high density plantation tatura system is adopted.

Open Centre System

• After planting, the plant is cut back to 40-60 cm above the ground level.
• During the growing season, about 3 to 6 laterals, in addition to the central leader are produced on the tree.
• In the first winter pruning, 3 to 4 scaffold branches which are well located and have wide angle should be selected and remaining unwanted branches are removed.
• The central leader is also completely removed. The selected branches are headed back to ¼ to ½ of the growth.
• During the second dormant pruning, 2-3 secondary branches are selected on the primary branches.
• The major consideration in selecting secondary branches should be their location so that after pruning, the tips of primary and secondary leaders are about 30-40 cm apart from each other.
• The height of secondary branches is staggered in different years by pruning all branch leader more severely. The vertical ones are pruned more severely. This will produce branch leaders at different heights and prevent overcrowding when the tree is mature. In the following years, the head should be fully formed and selection of secondary branches are completed.

Tatura trellis system

• In high density planting, this system of training of plants is very popular being very yield efficient. Trees are planted at a spacing of 5x1m or 6x1m.
• At the time of planting, one year old plant is headed back to 20 cm above the ground level.
• In next growing season two limbs or branches are selected in opposite directions and these branches are trained across the inter row space at an angle of 60 degree from the horizontal, forming V-shaped canopy.
• The canopy is supported by a permanent trellis constructed of high tensile galvanized steel fence posts.
• The secondary branches are developed along each primary branches forming fruiting canopy.