Tropical and subtropical fruits (2+1)

Types of Training

The different training systems are described hereunder.
Single-stake System

• A single shoot is allowed to develop from the vine of rooted cuttings and is trained vertically by staking to a support.
  
• When this shoot reaches a height of 120 cm. it is tipped and allowed to produce 4 to 5 secondary branches or canes, which are pruned after every bearing season.
  
• The main stem and the primary laterals are supported by a bamboo post planted nearby.
The Four-arm Kniffin System

• In this method, the vine is allowed to put forth a single shoot which is trained erect and tipped at a height of about 45 cm from the ground level.
  
• Only three shoots are allowed to grow from this point, all others being removed.
  
• Two of the retained shoots are trained horizontally and the remaining is trained vertically to a height of another 60 cm.
  
• When it is tipped to a height of another 60 cm. When it is tipped again to produce two more shoots, which are trained horizontally.
  
• All the four horizontal arms are supported by bamboo poles or wire tied horizontally to posts fixed at regular intervals of 3 metres.
  
• Primary laterals are allowed to develop from these four main arms at fairly regular intervals and these are pruned to produce the crop every season.
  
• For every fruiting cane, a renewal spur of 2 to3 buds is left. Normally only four canes are allowed in the 4-cane kniffin system and 6 canes in the 6-cane system.
  
• Under tropical conditions it is possible to have doubled the number.
Wire Trellis System

• In this system two or three wires are strung in rows from vertical posts. A single stem in between the posts is trained as far as the top of the wire 2.1 m. and two arms are allowed to develop along the wire on either side. Each arm will meet the arm from the adjacent vine and will have two arms with six tertilaries. The spurs on the fruit bearing shoots growing on these canes are seasonally pruned for fruit every year.
• Because of its resemblance to the telephone pole with its flat topped mast bearing the supporting wires, this is called as Telephone Trellis system. In this system there is large flat-topped T-Trellis above ground level. The horizontal cross is 120 to 150 cm wide with wires strung on the top 30 to 45 cm apart. The vines are trained along the wire in the direction of the row. Steel angle iron or waste structural steel is used when available and the cross arm is welded to the upright. In a few vineyards the flat top is modified by bending each half of the mast upwards about 30° so that a trough shaped or 'H' shaped form is obtained. The disadvantage in this system is that there are no cross-supports to the rows to withstand strong winds. Cultivation and movement is limited tone direction. But they are provided with better exposure to light.