Technology for Rejuvenation of Old and Unproductive Almond Orchards in Kashmir Valley

POSTER PRESENTATION

Technology for rejuvenation of old and unproductive almond orchards in Kashmir Valley

AUTHORS:

K.K. Srivastava*, Dinesh Kumar*, Nazeer Ahmed, S.R. Singh*,O.C. Sharma,

andSuneel Kumar Bhat

Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture, Old Air Field, Srinagar, 190 007, Jammu and Kashmir.

*Presently working in Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture, Lucknow, UP

SUMMARY

Almond is one of the most important temperate nut and backbone of valley’s economy. The Jammu Kashmir is leading in terms of area, production and productivity of almond in India. A preliminary survey of almond belts of Kashmir Valley (Pulwama, Budgam, Anantnag and Srinagar Districts) revealed that more than 70% of almond orchards have lived their economic age (40-50 years ). The rejuvenation technique involved pruning of 1st. scaffold branches in December -January there after top grafting with Warisand Pranyaj varietyas pollinizer. The under rejuvenated trees were given 50 kg FYM, 500g Nitrogen, 250g Phosphorus and 700g Potassium. In order to conserve the moisture water harvesting structures were prepared. Overcrowded shoots/crisscross branches were also removed to avoid the shading of the inner canopy. Highest canopy area 2.88 M2 noted in third order pruning with 0kg FYM, 500g N+ 250 g P2O5 and 750g K2O in cup plate water harvesting structure top worked with Waris variety. The highest yield (3.53Kg/ tree) were recorded in First scaffold branches with 50 Kg FYM, 500 g N+ 250 g P2O5 and 750 g K2O in full moon water harvesting structure with Waris variety.

INTRODUCTION

Almond is one of the most important temperate fruit (nut) and backbone of valley’s economy especially some areas of Budgam, Pulwama, Anantnag and Srinagar districts of Kashmir division.In world USA, Spain, Iran and Italy are the largest almond producers. The per hectare productivity in these countries were recorded very high. USA has 4.50tones/ha. productivity which is very high in comparison to India which accounts for 23.81 thousand hectare area with a production of 17.23 thousand tones while, the productivity in India is 0.73 tones/ha as compared to world average 1.5 tones /ha. The Jammu Kashmir state leading in terms of area, production and productivity of almond in India. However, the productivity of almond in Kashmir is very low due to old and senile almond orchards with poor orchard floor and canopy management practices.

Top ten almond producer(s) countries

Production (million tons) / Yield (ton/ha)
2010 / 2011 / 2010 / 2011
USA / 1.41 / 0.73 / 4.85 / 4.50
Spain / 0.22 / 0.21 / 0.40 / 0.40
Iran / 0.16 / 0.17 / 2.97 / 1.91
Italy / 0.11 / 0.10 / 1.26 / 1.39
Morocco / 0.10 / 0.13 / 0.98 / 1.52
Syria / 0.073 / 0.13 / 1.49 / 2.52
Afghanistan / 0.056 / 0.061 / 5.00 / 4.50
Turkey / 0.055 / 0.070 / 3.23 / 3.41
Tunisia / 0.052 / 0.061 / 0.32 / 0.32
Algeria / 0.039 / 0.050 / 1.16 / 1.80
World total / 2.51 / 2.00 / 1.62 / 1.27

Source: National Horticulture Data Base- 2014

A preliminary survey of almond belts of Kashmir valley (Pulwama, Budgam, Anantnag and Srinagar districts) reveled that more than 70% of almond orchards have lived their economic age (40-50 years ). Some of the orchards were 50-60 years old but most of the trees were quite healthy. Further , the varieties were seedling, hard and bitter and non descript type and with no provision of irrigation and pollination management

Since, the orchards are well established with the soil and climatic conditions uprooting may leads socio –economic and ecological problems, further fresh plantations takes 7-10 years to start bearing. In view of the fact Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture, old Air Field,Rangreth, Srinagar made scientific interventions to carry out the rejuvenation of old but healthy almond trees to popularize the technology. The rejuvenation was therefore initiated through participatory mode in almond belts of Kashmir which encouraged the farmers for large scale to adoption of the technology.

Why rejuvenation

Almond tree have strong renewable ability and if rejuvenation technique is done skillfully under careful visionary with scientific approach one can achieve for greater success. Therefore, rejuvenation is done with the following objectives.

• To convert low yielding and inferior quality old trees into superior and high yield trees.
• To increase inter row light interception
• To exploit the plants surviving in the adverse soil and climatic condition.
• To lessen the damaged part and disease load.
• To increase the tree vigor and economic age of old tree.
• To increase orchard income

Methodology

The rejuvenation technique involved pruning of 1st. Order branches in December to January there after top grafting with Waris variety and Pranyaj as pollinizer. Fertilizers and manures @ 50 kg FYM, 500g Nitrogen , 250g Phosphorus and 700g Potassium and cup-plate & full moon type water harvesting structures created and surface covered with black polythene mulch to prevent water loss. Top grafting was done on the water shoots available at severely pruned scaffold branches in February – March. In case of Un-availability of water shoots on pruned scaffold, profuse new shoots emerge after spring on which budding was performed in July – August .Entire dose of FYM, P2O5 and K2O and ½ Nitrogen in May. To avoid infection on cut portions of branch, chaubatia paste was applied. Dormant spray of copper-oxy-chloride at 3g/lit.water was done to prevent leaf curl and other fungal diseases.Top grafting should be performed in Feb-March on the one year old water shoots available on scaffold branch. Three to four shoots per branch are left growing out wards and rest shoots are removed. The newly, emerging shoots are allowed to grow up to a length of 50-70cm, for budding in July –August (5-6 months old shoots after rejuvenation pruning).

Technology for rejuvenating senile orchards

1-Pruning technique

Pruning is a judicious removal of plant parts to bring the balance between vegetative and reproductive growth. It also helps in invigorating the plants and sanitizes the tree from pest and diseases. The rejuvenation pruning involves the heading back of exhausted and uneconomical old almond trees leaving all major scaffold branches in January and February with objectives of facilitating production of new shoots from below the cut portion and allows the development of new canopy. Generally a well developed open canopy of umbrella like frame works are preferred, where 4-5 well developed main branches growing out ward are considered for constituting the basic frame work of the tree canopy development. The first order branches were headed back leaving 70-80 cm from their base, the criss-crossed, intermingling, overcrowding , dried and diseased branches were marked with red worker and are removed during January and February and after this branches are pruned and trained to a particular system. The newly, emerging shoots are allowed to grow up to a length of 50-70 cm for budding in July – August (5-6 months old shoots after rejuvenation pruning).

2-Top working

Top working is a procedure of replacing inferior non descript variety with superior ones. It can be done either by top budding or through top grafting. Some orchards have no pollinizers in such orchards cross compatible, varieties can be budded/grafted on the old trees such, as Non pareil, IXL, Pranyaj and Drake etc, which act as good pollinizer. Combination of varieties can also be grafted on the top of the pruned trees. The top grafting can be performed by whip or tongue method in February – March on the left over shoots, and top budding with ‘T’ or shield budding is done in newly emerged shoots in July-August. Regular de-shooting in budded/grafted portions is very essential to invigorate the scion bud /shoot. Growing scion should be provided support otherwise there is an apprehension of breaking at union by wind or animals.

Variety / Salient features
Non-Pareil / It is the most widely adapted variety. It is considered as the best almond cultivar because of its high kernel quality. It is used as the main variety and yields 3-5 t/ha.
Drake / It is used as a Pollinizer for Non-Pareil and Mission.Suitable for lower altitude and valley areas. It is late maturing variety and yields 3-4 t/ha.
Ne Plus Ultra / It is used as a pollinizer for Non- Pareil It blooms before peerless and ripens after Non- Pareil. It is highly productive, if not damaged by frost or disease. Yield 3-5 t/ha
Mission
(Texas) / It is late maturing variety blooms late and is m. ore likely to escape frost damage. It requires cross pollination and is harvested late. It yields 3-4
t/ha.
Merced / It cross pollinates with Mission and Non-Pareil. Tree growth is upright and vigorous when young, but trees loose vigor as they get older. The variety produces paper shells. It blooms with Non-Pareil and ripens between Non-Pareil and Mission. It yield 3-4 t/ha.
Waris / It is a regular bearer, bloom during 3rd week of March (late bloomer) and ready to harvest after 145 days from the date of full bloom, the nuts are semi- soft yield 3-4t/ha .
Shalimar / It is mid bloomer (2nd week of March) and ready to harvest after 143 days from the date of full bloom. It is regular bearer, semi soft- shelled, suitable for export, average yield 3-4 t/ha.
Makhdoom / Variety is a regular bearer, bloom 1st week of March and harvested 141 days after full bloom. It is semi soft type plump and good ability to renew fruiting wood, It yield 2-3 t/ha.
IXL / It is a regular bearer, blooming occur in the 3rd week of March.The shells are soft that gives a high shelling percentage. It yield 3-4 t/ha.
Pranyaj / Variety is regular bearer, bloom during 3rd week of March. Tree growth habit up right, hence suited for HDP, soft shelled with plumpy with high kernel, shelling percentage It yield 3- t/ha.

After care

Top worked and rejuvenated trees start flowering and fruiting after 2-3 years of rejuvenation. Pruned trees need intensive care and management, for survival and emergence of new shoots and development of ideal canopy. Application of 60-80kg FYM, 850g urea, 325g DAP and 1250g MOP is recommended for each pruned tree, where half dose of Nitrogen, full dose of DAP and MOP is applied in January-February and remaining half dose of nitrogen is applied in the end of May. Mulching is very effective for conservation of soil moisture in the tree basin. Water harvesting structures along with black polythene or straw mulch have been proved very effective. Immediately after pruning a Chaubattia paste or other fungicidal paste prepared by mixing 1 kg Copper oxychloride, 250g castor oil and water as per requirement should be applied on the cut surface to check microbial infection. Fruiting starts one year after top grafting and increases in subsequent years of top grafting.

Inter Cropping

Pruning of trees in alternate rows makes the orchard space open with greater availability of sunlight. The inter-space between can be best utilized by growing saffron, pulse crops or vegetables etc. Inter cropping generates additional income which compensate to great extent the yield lose in almond after severe pruning.

Calendar of activities

December-January /

• Marking of trees and their undesired branches for pruning
• Pruning of marked branches in December.
• Pruning to be followed in alternate row.
• Application of Chaubatia paste on cut surfaces to check microbial infection .
• Ploughing and weeding in orchard
• Preparation of basins and irrigation channels /water harvesting structures.

February- March /

• Application of recommended dose of urea (850g/tree), DAP (325g/tree) and MOP (1250 g/tree) in basins.
• Careful observation for infestation of stem borer insect pest in pruned trees. Upon identification of infestation, placing cotton wick soaked with nuvan in the holes followed by sealing with mud.

April – May /

• Irrigation as per requirement
• Mulching in basins around trees.
• Hoeing and weeding in basins
• Care for new emerging shoots

June-July /

• Thinning out undesired shoots while retaining about 8-10 healthy shoots with outward growth per pruned branch during June.
• Application of FYM (50 kgs/tree) in basins

August – September /

• Thinning out undesired shoots
• Top budding
• Observation for incidence of stem borer insect pest and anthracnose diseases and their management

Oct. – Nov. /

• Cultural operations of ploughing, hoeing, weeding etc.
• Removal of dried and diseased twigs.
• Management of insect pests and diseases
• Marking of trees for pruning

Diseases and pest management

Pests /Diseases / Symptoms / Control
Peach leaf curl / Insect attack on leaves resulting a characteristic curling / Spray of Dimethoate @ 0.03%
(Rogor 30 EC 100 m l/100 lit. (water) 7 to 10 days before
flowering (Pink bud Stage).
Blossom thrips / It is also dangerous pest to almond. / Spray of Dimethoate @ 0.03%
(Rogar 30 EC 100 ml/ 100 lit.
water) 7 to days before flowering
Defoliating and fruit eating
beetles / This is a Phytophagus species, it
appear in June – July and feed on foliage and developing fruits.. / Shaking of non bearing tree on a cloth sheet or polythene is useful in collecting and destroying the beetles in kerosenised water.
Bacterial gummosis / Circular to elongated soaked gumming lesion arise on bark or outer sap wood and fruits / -Apply Mashobra paste after cleaning the weeping wounds -Spray Copper Oxychloride 3g/l. water in dormancy.
Peach leaf curl / Curling, puckering and distortion of young leaves occur / Dormant spray of Copper oxychloride @ 2g/l. water, or Carbendazime 50g/100 l. water or Bitertanol @50g/100l. water.
Bacterial leaf spot and fruit gummosis of almond / Angular leaf spot of brown color surrounded by yellow hole and shot symptom appear on leaves, on fruit brown circular spot of 1-5 cm diameter. / Spray 3-4 times with of streptocycline @ 10g and Copper oxychloride @200g /100 l. water at 15 days interval, or just after apprearing of symptoms.
Shot hole
(Wilso no mycescarpophilus) / Circular purplish spots appear on foliage which enlarge and turn . / Spray Manozeb @ 250 g/100 L. of water or Bitertanol 50g /100 L. water at 15 day interval after symptoms appear
Powdery mildew / White mealy powder appears on the young leaves. / Spray wettablesulphur @ 300g/100
Alternate leaf spot
(Alternaria alternate) / High brew lesions appear on leaves leaves may develop light yellow necrosis which dries / Fungicide application .
.
Bacterial spot
(Kanthomonasarboricolapv. pruni) / Amber colored gum exudes from nuts with reddish lesions on the hull surface.
Leaves becomes spotted, Green twigs (less than a year old) can have visible lesions or cankers / Practice sanitation when moving between orchards
If possible, harvest before fall rains.
After harvest, defoliate trees to reduce inoculums.
Copper plus oil application before winter rain help prevents disease.

After Severe pruning loss compensation to growers

1-During pre-bearing stage, yield loss can be compensated by selling of pruned wood .

2-After severe heading back more space become available, which can be used to cultivate inter –crop like vegetables, saffron and pulses.

3-Canopy volume of rejuvenated trees with top grafted recorded fast growth it recorded after 3 year 2.55-2.85 m2 in top grafted which was estimated 81.42 % over control.

Increase in yield and quality of almond after rejuvenation:

Green nut yield was recorded 500-1000 gm one year after rejuvenation and 4-5 kg after 3-4 year of rejuvenation. The rejuvenated trees leaf area, size, color were higher than un-rejuvenated due to increased photosynthetic efficiency. In rejuvenated trees. Complete canopy develops after 2-3 years.

Cost: Benefit Ratio

Rejuvenation cost for one hectare of almond orchard

Particulars / Unit Cost / Quantity / Total cost (Rs.)
1. / Cost of pruning
a. / Four Prunners / Rs.250.00/day / 6.0 days / 6000.00
b. / Three Labours / Rs.150.00/day / 08 days / 3600.00
2. / Cost of pruning paste + Labour cost / Rs.150.00/kg / 08 kgs / 1200.00
(Chaubattia paste) / Rs.150.00/day / 04 Labour / 600.00
3. / Cost of water harvesting structure making
a. / Five Labours / Rs150.00/day / 08 days / 6000.00
4. / Cost of Sprays
a. / Two Sprays (Copper oxychloride) / Rs.400.00/kg / 12 kgs / 4800.00
b. / Four Labours / Rs.150.00/day / 08 days / 6000.00
5. / Cost of Fertilizers
a. / Urea / Rs.6.00/kg / 312 kgs / 1872.00
b. / DAP / Rs.11.00/kg / 156 kgs / 1716.00
c. / MOP / Rs.5.00/kg / 360 kgs / 1800.00
d. / Four labours / Rs.150/day / 08 days / 4800.00
6. / Mulching cost of black polythene sheet / ------ / ------ / 4984.00
Total
First year
Total expenditure / Rs.38572.0
Total income (From pruned wood and from intercrop) / Rs.43560.00
Net income / Rs.4988.00
Second Year
Total expenditure / Rs.20038.0
Total income (from nuts yield 3.0 kg/tree) / Rs.120000.00
Net income / Rs.99962.00
Third Year
Total expenditure / Rs.23043.70
Total income (from nuts yield 3.5 kg/tree) / Rs.210000.00
Net income / Rs.186956.30
Fifth Year onward
Total expenditure / Rs.26500.15
Total income (from nuts yield 5.0 kg/tree) / Rs.360000.00
Net income / Rs.333500.00

Technique adoption by the farmer’s

The rejuvenation programme was started in participatory mode at the almond belts of Budgam, Pulwama andAnantnag districts of Jammu&Kashmir. The almond rejuvenation technique is widely being adopted and CITH (ICAR) is providing demonstrations and field trainings to the aspirants.

S.No. / Name of farmer / Year of demonstration / Site/ location
1. / JAKLI Center / 2009-10 / Rangreth,Budgam
2. / Mohammad Amine Anim / 2009-10 / Handlebagh,Budgam
3. / Sh. Fayaz Ahmad Dar / 2011-12 / Chadoora, Budgam
4. / Sh. Nisar Ahmad Dar / 2011-12 / Chadoora, Budgam
5. / Sh. Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat / 2011-12 / Chadoora, Budgam
6. / Sh. Tariq Ahmad Shah / 2011-12 / Awantipora,Pulwama
7. / Sh. ArshedHussian / 2012-13 / Newa,Pulwama
8. / Sh. Mushtaq Ahmad Dar / 2012-13 / Gogoo,Budgam
9. / Mohammad Akbar Lone / 2012-13 / Chandhara,Pulwama
10. / Abdul Gani Dar / 2012-13 / Chadoora,Budgam

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