Tropical and subtropical fruits (2+1)

Training, Pruning and Flowering

Training & Pruning

• Modified central leader system of training is followed and pruning is not done in litchi, except removing dried, diseased and criss crossed branches.
Flowering

• The grafted or layered litchi tree comes to bearing in 3-4 years, while the seedlings take 8-12 years to flower.
  
• Flowering starts from Jan-Feb and fruits ripen in April & May.
  
• Temperature has direct relation on flowering, night temperature of 15-16⁰C for 2 months is essential to induce flowering and for vegetative growth the ideal temperature is 30⁰C.
  
• Flowers are terminal and appear on current season wood.
  
• Fruit set is very low and flower drop is also common due to water stress, Fruit drop occurs 4 week s after fruits set which may be due to failure of fertilization, embryo abortion, high temperature and low humidity.
  
• To control fruit drop NAA at 20-30ppm, GA3 at 20-50ppm or 2-4-D-20ppm, to be applied before flower opening.
  
• Apart from this girdling and centering also increases flowering.