Articles
Canopy management, nodal pruning and planting density in Indian jujube (ber)
Article number
1116_17
Pages
99 – 104
Language
English
Abstract
Canopy management is the most important plant management practice which needs special attention in ber crop.
The commercial cultivars of ber are spreading in nature, therefore, staking is absolutely essential during the first two years to train the tree properly.
The ber trees are best trained according to modified leader system.
Light annual pruning i.e., heading back of one-fourth of the previous year’s growth is desirable to obtain heavy yield, good fruit size and better quality.
The cultivar ‘Umran’ pruned on May 9 by retaining 6 buds yielded superior quality fruits.
Pruning of ‘Sanaur-2’ cultivar by heading back at 8 buds during the third week of April at dormant condition proved beneficial.
The selective pruning of late flowering branches (21 October to 5 November) has improved fruit size, weight and palatability rating of fruits in ‘Umran’. Ber trees needs to be rejuvenated after the age of about 25-30 years.
The main limbs of the trees were headed back to about 30 cm during second fortnight of May.
The first thinning of shoots was done during fourth week of August by retaining 12-18 shoots depending upon the vigor of the plant.
The second thinning of shoots was done during second fortnight of September (before flowering) to retain 8-12 branches tree-1. Trees start giving commercial crop of excellent fruit quality during the third fruiting season.
Ber plants are best planted 7.5 m apart in square system.
Under rainfed conditions, ber plantation can be made at 6×6 m distance. ‘Umran’ plants budded on Zizyphus mauritiana (Coimbatore) remain semi-vigorous in nature, thus, is suitable for close spacing of 6×6 m.
In semi-arid regions of India, ber plants are spaced at 7-8×7-8 m, 7.2-9.6×7.2-9.6 m and 11-12×11-12 m.
In North India, budded ber plants are planted in February-March and August-September.
Bare-rooted planting of ber plants is recommended during mid-January to mid-February with equal success.
The commercial cultivars of ber are spreading in nature, therefore, staking is absolutely essential during the first two years to train the tree properly.
The ber trees are best trained according to modified leader system.
Light annual pruning i.e., heading back of one-fourth of the previous year’s growth is desirable to obtain heavy yield, good fruit size and better quality.
The cultivar ‘Umran’ pruned on May 9 by retaining 6 buds yielded superior quality fruits.
Pruning of ‘Sanaur-2’ cultivar by heading back at 8 buds during the third week of April at dormant condition proved beneficial.
The selective pruning of late flowering branches (21 October to 5 November) has improved fruit size, weight and palatability rating of fruits in ‘Umran’. Ber trees needs to be rejuvenated after the age of about 25-30 years.
The main limbs of the trees were headed back to about 30 cm during second fortnight of May.
The first thinning of shoots was done during fourth week of August by retaining 12-18 shoots depending upon the vigor of the plant.
The second thinning of shoots was done during second fortnight of September (before flowering) to retain 8-12 branches tree-1. Trees start giving commercial crop of excellent fruit quality during the third fruiting season.
Ber plants are best planted 7.5 m apart in square system.
Under rainfed conditions, ber plantation can be made at 6×6 m distance. ‘Umran’ plants budded on Zizyphus mauritiana (Coimbatore) remain semi-vigorous in nature, thus, is suitable for close spacing of 6×6 m.
In semi-arid regions of India, ber plants are spaced at 7-8×7-8 m, 7.2-9.6×7.2-9.6 m and 11-12×11-12 m.
In North India, budded ber plants are planted in February-March and August-September.
Bare-rooted planting of ber plants is recommended during mid-January to mid-February with equal success.
Authors
J.S. Bal, K.S. Gill
Keywords
Indian jujube, canopy, nodal pruning, time of pruning, planting density
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