Role of Canopy management in

Mango and Guava

Awadh Kishor Sah

M.Sc. Horticulture(F & FT)
M/Hort./101/BAC/2013-14

Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour

Introduction What is
It is the aerial portion of the tree,
Canopy
which is the organisation of the
shoots, leaves and fruit of the
plant.
 Canopy
Management

A series of operations on the

above ground portion of the
plant, aiming towards
maximized production of
quality fruits per unit canopy
area.
 Manipulation of tree canopies to optimize the
production of quality fruits.
 Tree training and pruning affects the quantity of
sunlight intercepted by trees and the tree shape
determines the exposure of leaf area to incoming
radiation.
 An ideal training strategy centres around the
arrangement of plant parts to develop a better plant
architecture that optimizes the utilization of sunlight
and promotes productivity.
 Canopy Architecture

Designing the plant as per need,

using inherent plant characteristics in
accordance with given set of conditions
and resources to perform the plant to its
maximum.
Inherent plant characteristics
• Growth behavior
• Flushing pattern
• Dormancy pattern
• Bearing behavior
Set of conditions and resources
• Planting system
•Solar radiation
• Wind velocity
• Rainfall pattern
• Light distribution
 Some of the basic principles in canopy
management
Maximum utilization of light.
Avoidance of built-up microclimate congenial for
diseases and pest infestation.
Convenience in carrying out the cultural
practices.
Maximizing productivity with quality fruit
production.
Economy in obtaining the required canopy
architecture.
Continued…

• Light is critical factor for growth and development

of trees and their fruits.
• Penetration of light in tree canopy improves tree
growth, productivity, yield and fruit quality.
• Density and orientation of planting also impact light
penetration in an orchard.
• Strong bearing branches tend to produce larger
fruits.
• The problem of a fruit grower is initially to build up a
strong and balanced framework of the trees, then
equip them with appropriate fruiting.
• Pruning in the early years has to be of a training type
to provide strong and stocky framework with well
spaced limbs or any other desired shape.
Canopy management in
Mango
•Mango trees generally start commercial production in 3-4 years
after planting and continue to produce progressively increasing
yields as canopies enlarge.

•Lower branches supporting previous years productive stems

become unproductive due to shading by branches locating
higher.

•Flowering & fruit production in mango occur on stem terminals

therefore as canopy size increases, more production moves to
the top as compare to lower branches.
 Heading back of plants when they attain the age of one year
60-70 cm from the ground (sharp secateurs during October-December)

Emergence of new shoots during March - April (spring season)

Thinning of excessive shoots is done during May by retaining 4 well distributed

shoots in all directions.

These shoots develop as primary branches

second cutting of primary branches is done in October-November. Again,

thinning of excessive shoots should be done to ensure 2-3 shoots per primary branch.

These shoots develop as secondary branches.

This initial training results in open and spreading canopy of trees
Identify uprightly growing branches in each tree

Thin them for increasing the productivity

Remove 1 or 2 uprightly growing branches from center of tree

Cutting during October - December

Not more than 25% biomass should be removed

 Rejuvenation of Senile Orchards
Identify senile orchards

Mark the branches which are to be removed (height of 2.0 – 2.5 m from the ground )

Heading back in November – December (avoid the bark splitting)

Wood should be removed from orchard after heading back

Profuse emergence of new shoots starts April onwards

Thinning should done in June

Pruning in mango can be done at 2
stages
(1) After harvest
(2) Pre flowering stage

First pruning after harvest-

This should be done immediately after harvest
Types of pruning at this time include-
Skirting
Removal of low hanging branches which could hinder orchard operations
such as fertilizer application and spraying .
Opening up
Removal of branches inside the tree which cross over the center of the
tree restricting the penetration of sprays.
Hygiene
Removal of diseased or dead branches in the tree, which could be a
source of infection.
 Second pruning at pre floral stage -
 This pruning takes place before flowering and if the timing is
right, it is followed by a floral rather than a vegetative flush.

 The time span of this pruning is limited to a quite short period

about two to four weeks.
Skirting
Removal of low hanging branches.

Opening up
Removal of twigs and branches cross over the inside of the tree, as
well as opening up the top.
 Tip Pruning
 This is particularly useful when the trees have a vegetative flush just
prior to flowering.
 The young flushes are cut back to mature wood; the resulting flush
should be floral.

Fine example of synchronized

flowering and tree shape and
size management of a block of
mangoes through the use of tip
pruning

 This has an added advantage in that it can also be used to

reduce tree size, by cutting back two or even more flushes
 Effect of pruning intensity on time of panicle emergence, number of panicles, days
taken to flowering , Sex ratio &fruit yield in three mango cultivars planted under high
density
Treatment Days to panicle No. of panicles Days taken to Sex ratio Fruit yield
emergence per branch 50% flowering ( M& H) (kg/ tree)
V1 190.93 6.61 219.80 4.11 11.85
V2 190.36 5.67 214.49 9.12 8.14
V3 186.87 2.25 211.08 8.76 4.01
C.D 0.05 02.44 0.450 1.29 0.449 0.32

I0 192.47 3.85 220.66 8.39 6.45

I1 182.65 5.40 214.92 7.10 8.59

I2 189.32 5.66 212.12 6.85 8.53

I3 188.11 4.37 212.78 6.90 8.43

C D 0.05 2.81 0.32 1.48 0.318 0.37

Singh et.al 2010

 Effect of pruning severities on vegetative growth parameters
in mango

Treatment Tree height(m) Canopy spread Shoot girth(cm) Flowering(%)

(m)
EW NS

T-1 4.60 3.70 3.70 17.30 46.62

T-2 4.90 3.85 3.70 19.50 58.40

T-3 6.78 3.40 3.60 13.50 44.78

Control 6.90 3.90 3.40 13.60 36.14

CD at 5% 0.89 NS NS 2.80 3.16

Lal et.al., 2007

Effect of Pruning on Morpho-Physiological Parameters under high density

Cultivar Spacing No. of Shoot Canopy Trunk Girth

sprouted length(cm) Volume(M3)
shoot/
branch

Amrapali 2.5 m x 2.5 2.58 1.80 46.22 64.33

m
Mallika 4.0 m x 3.0 1.99 2.25 65.51 66.87
m
Dashehari 3.0 x 2.0 m 2.56 2.03 71.97 73.73

Kumar et.al. (2009)

 Pruning response on emergence time shoots number and biomass percentage
Observation Variable

Pruning Shoots emergence Shoots number Biomass

treatments time (day) (shoots) percentage
. (%)
Rootstock 7.47 ns 15.36 ns 27.8 ns
(control)
Grafting seedling 7.26 ns 12.74 ns 26.17 ns

Pruning response on leaf length and leaf width

Pruning Variable treatments
treatments
Leaf length (cm) Leaf width (cm)
Rootstock 13.21 ns 4.25 ns
(control)
Grafting seedling 12.34 ns 4.39 ns

Kuswandi et al., 2013

Growth parameters of rejuvenated Dashehari mango trees
Pruning severity Length of retained Girth of retained shoots
shoots (m) (cm )

First order 2.10a 22.21a

Second order 2.05a 20.90a

Third order 1.90a 19.00ab

Fourth order 1.60a 15.81b

Fifth order 1.53a 16.10b

control 0.62b 10.79c

Lal et al 2000
Canopy management in Guava

{
 Canopy management in Guava
Necessity-
Untrained or unpruned guava trees become huge and unmanageable after a
few years of growth. The bearing area is reduced and the interior of plants
become entirely without fruits.

Poor yield and low fruit quality is largely due to poor distribution of light
resulting in reduce photosynthetic efficiency.

Guava tree normally have a higher proportion of shade to sun leaves and their
leaves were found photosynthetically inactive under deeper shade and act as
unproductive sink.

Manipulation of canopy size and shape by means of training & pruning for its
better yield performance. (Singh et. al., 2005)
High density Meadow orchard Rejuvenation
Managing canopy under High density planting
Field planting (3.0 x 1.5 m, After 1-2 months top the tree at
3.0 x 3.0m, 6.0 x 3.0m.) 60-70cm. from the ground

New shoots emerges below Retain 3-4 healthy shoots

the cut points (equally spaced)

Prune them after 3-4

New shoots emerge below the
months of shoot emergence
cut points
(cut back 50% of length)

Further prune after 3-4

Continue shoot pruning 2nd year
month (cut back 50% of
for desire shape
total length)

After 2nd year pruning is done

Jan.-Fab. (Rainy season) May- June (winter season)

Continue shoot pruning (50%) every year to maintain shape & size
Field planting (2.0 x 1.0 After 1-2 months top the tree
m) at 30-40cm. from the ground

New shoots emerges Retain 3-4 healthy shoots (in

below the cut points all direction)

Prune them after 3-4 months

New shoots emerge below
of shoot emergence (cut
back 50% of length) the cut points

Further prune after 3-4

Continue shoot pruning
month (cut back 50% of
every year (50%)
total length)

New shoots emerge from cut end

may-June Sept-Oct Jan- Feb

Fruiting(Dec- Fruiting(Mar Fruiting(July-
Jan) ch-April) Sept)

Continue shoot pruning (50%) every year to maintain shape &

size(4-5)
 Heading back May- Allow new shoots grow up to
June/Dec-Feb (1.0 x 1.5 m) length of 40-50cm. (4-5 months)

Retain 6 newly shoots in each Gained 30-40cm new shoots ,

cut & all prune inner side prune 50% to total length

Multiple shoots developed in Shoots pruning 50% in

2nd pruning , produce rainy
May(check the rainy crop)
season bud &flower

New shoots emerge after

Continue shoot pruning
May pruning (high fruiting
potential in winter crop)
every year (May-June)

Fruiting start on 2nd year after rejuvenation

Effect of pruning on total Root weight of >3mm diameter root of Guava cv.
Allahabad Safeda under ultra high density planting

Mehta et al 2012
Effect of pruning on yield of guava (kg/plant) under ultra high
density orcharding

Mehta et al 2012
Response of pruning on fruit yield of guava cultivar Allahabad Safeda &
Sardar
Treatment Fruit yield (kg/tree)

Topping (m)
Allahabad Safeda Sardar

Un-pruned 30.5 30.13

1.0 30.5 36.25

1.5 37.5 34.71

2.0 46.63 38.40

2.5 40.10 38.40

C.D. at 5% 3.78 4.10

Singh et al 2007
 Effect of planting systems and pruning on annual increase in vegetative growth
attributes of guava cv. Sardar

Treatment Tree height (m) Tree spread (m) Trunk diameter (cm)
(Planting system)
P0 P1 P0 P1 P0 P1
S1 0.95 0.79 2.04 1.92 12.4 12.5

S2 1.30 1.71 1.39 1.25 9.45 9.43

S3 1.96 1.75 1.21 1.15 9.12 8.88

S4 1.45 1.31 1.79 1.59 11.2 10.9

S5 1.70 1.58 1.40 1.30 10.0 10.0

C D at 5% P= 0.06 S= 0.17 0.004 0.006 0.004 0.006

Pratibha at.el 2013

 Conclusio
n
The world population will grow by around 2.5 billion people by 2050, and 80 percent of
the population will inhabit urban areas, fulfilling the food requirement from limited
land resources under the changing climate scenario, is challenging

High density orcharding appears to be the most appropriate answer to overcome low
productivity and long gestation period for early returns and export of Mango & Guava

To meet the challenge of high productivity, optimization of growth parameters and

minimization of the unproductive components of trees without sacrificing the overall
health of the tree and quality of the product are required

The control of excessive vegetative growth in the tree for increased productivity is the
major principle of high density orcharding

Therefore, controlling tree size by canopy management strategies in high density

orchards of Mango & Guava is one of the methods of increasing production
Thank you…