P. VASUDEV NAIK Ph.D (Horticulture)

IRRIGATION, FERTILIZERS SCHEDULING AND TECHINIQUES

IN MANGO AND APPLE

INTRODUCTION

When we talk about…….

Quality

Figure The break down of total plant available waterNote: RAW occurs at approximately 8-40kPa, DAW at 40-200kPa and plant damage at 200-1,500kPa.

Irrigation should be given at 50 per cent field capacity.

Generally, inter crops are grown during the early days of plantation and hence, frequency and method of irrigation has to be adjusted accordingly.

IRRIGATION FREQUENCY

IIHR, Annual report 2013

Water demand monitoring Tensiometer irrigation-scheduling is superior in managing soil water content where the soil clay content exceeds 10%.

Where as….

Irrigation Scheduling based on the data obtained from a Neutron Probe or Class A Pan can be adopted where the soil clay content is less than 10%.

The world wide business formula (2012), Specialty plant nutrient management,(1) 234-245, Geneva.

NEW PLANTING

Trees must be irrigated throughout the year.

Water inputs should be appropriate to tree size.

General up to 100 L/tree/week should be sufficient for the first two years.

Soil…..and climate…..

In fruiting orchards there are three phases during the annual growing cycle. where distinct irrigation management options need to be exercised. Phase One Pre-flowering, from the end of the wet season to the

commencement of flowering (Sept/Oct to Dec).

Phase Two Flowering and fruiting, from visible panicle bud

differentiation to harvest (Nov/Dec to April).

Phase Three Post harvest to the end of the wet season (April to

Aug).

To establish water requirements of mangoes, shows that fruit size increases with increasing amounts of water up to 100% evaporation replacement.

Dry matter development is delayed with increasing water inputs.

The current recommendation of 70% evaporation replacement is a compromise in terms of balancing the requirements for adequate fruit size, fruit quality and time to maturity.

Diczbalis et.al., (2014), Agnote. Crops, Forestry and Horticulture, Darwin * Formerly DPIFM

WATER REQUIREMENTS AND FRUIT DRY MATTER MANIPULATION

The drip irrigation schedule is based on evapo transpiration rates

Sl.No.

Age of plant (yr) Quantity of water(l/plant)

Emitters/plant

1. 2 2-5 1 at 15 cm away from plant

2. 2-4 10-25 2 at 45 cm away from plant

3. 5-10 30-90 4 at 45 cm away from plant

ICAR, NAIP Annual report 2012

METHODS OF FERTILIZER APPLICATION

Fruit crops yield high & mine heavily the nutrients from the soils

Estimate of the nutrient requirement

Nutrient reserves in the trees

Soil nutrient status

Fertilizer recommendation requires leaf analysis

Crop residues

Nutrient requirements of fruit crops

Mineral nutrientsMajor contributor to enhancing crop

production

Enhanced use of fertilizers-adverse effects on the environment

use efficiency

Improved soil management -to increase the productivity of any crop

Balanced fertilization

Needs regular fertilization for maintaining proper growth and heavy yield of crop every year.

Not at all manured or even if it is manured, it is unbalanced.

82 to 88.5% of the active roots -300 cm

Highest activity of roots at 120 cm from the trunk,

Nutritional requirements depends-the type and nutrient status of the soil , age of the tree etc.

Fertigation in mango

Kumar N, Balanced nutrition,2012.,Dept. of Hort & fruit research station, TNAU, Coimbator

FERTIGATION

S.No Stages Percentage of nutrients required

Time of application

N (%) P (%) K (%)

1. Vegetative 60 70 40 Weekly interval

2. Reproductive

40 30 60 Weekly interval

TNAU, NAIP Annual report, 2006

: Study conducted on

Tommy Atkins variety mango plantation:

Promotes growth, improves fruit set, yield and quality.

Foliar spray urea @ 1-2% and Bo, Cu, Zn @ 20-40 ppm is given

immediately after the harvest of the crop.

after flowering

at marble stage to improve fruit set and to reduce fruit drop.

Foliar

application

Serlanen et.al 2012,Acta Horticulture (2)233-340

CISH- Recommendation for mango Stage FYM

(Kg/ tree)

N P2 O5 K2O

Kg/tree

Pre bearing

10 0.2 0.2 0.3

Annual Increase

10 0.2 0.2 0.3

Bearing 50 1.0 1.0 1.5

Studies on the efficacy of Sulphate of Potash (SOP) on yield

and quality of mango under tropical belt of India.

Objectives

To assess the effect of Sulphate of Potash (SOP) on yield and quality of mango.

To integrate SOP as a source of potassium nutrition for mangoRajalakshmi et al., 2011

Effect of SOP soil application on mango

K dose Fruit No/ plant

Yield / plant

T.S.S Carotenoid (mg/100g)

0 % K 33.9 8.2 17.2 5.87

100 % as MOP 40.8 13.2 17.8 6.39

50 % as MOP: SOP 58.9 14.0 16.6 13.05

Rajalakshmi et al., 2011

Effect of soil application of SOP on fruit size in mango cv. Alphonso

Rajalakshmi et al., 2011

Effect of spraying of SOP on yield and quality traits of mango cv. Alphonso

Rajalakshmi et al., 2011

Effect of foliar spray of SOP on pulp colour in mango cv. Alphonso

Rajalakshmi et al., 2011

Effect of fertigation on yield characters in mango cv. Ratna Treatments Number of

fruits tree-1 Mean fruit weight (g)

Fruit yield (kg tree-1)

100% of RDF as soil application

116.5 364.6 40.8

100% N + 100 % P + 50 % K of RDF through fertigation

126.7 340.8 40.2

100% N + 100 % P + 75 % K of RDF through fertigation

142.7 436.3 54.0

100% N + 100 % P + 100 % K of RDF through fertigation

160.0 465.3 59.8

CD(0.05) 6.14 12.50 1.43

RDF: (800:400:800 g NPK/Plant/Year)Kumar N, Balanced nutrition,2012.,

Effect of fertigation on mango flowering

Kumar N, Balanced nutrition,2012.,

Effect of fertigation on fruit size in mango

100% RDF (Soil application) 100% RDF (Fertigation) 50% RDF (Fertigation)

Kumar N, Balanced nutrition,2012.,

Increased Fruit Retention and Yield Resulting From Spray Application of

Potassium Nitrate an increase in fruit retention and tree yield after spraying

floweringIn the varieties Kent and Heidi were included, best results were found when two 2% sprays were made,

whereas in Tommy Atkins, one 4% spray resulted in the greatest increase in fruit retention and yield.

2% KNO3 application at the commencement of anthesis (flower opening), followed by 2% KNO3 application when the trees are in full-bloom, is generally recommended.

Oosthuyse (1993) crop kit Agnote. Crops, Forestry and Horticulture, Darwin .

Tommy Atkins mango trees

Most of apple orchards in India are situated in rain fed sloppy areas where irrigation facilities are inadequate except in flat valley areas.

Apple requires uniform distribution of rainfall throughout the year or needs to be supplemented with irrigation during critical periods.

The most critical period of water requirement in apple is from April to August, the peak requirement being after fruit set.

During summer months, the irrigations can be given at 7-10 days interval and rest at In3-4 weeks interval.

Irrigation

Much of the problem of poor tree growth can be traced to inadequate water supply during the first three years.

A third benefit of irrigation to improve uptake of calcium and other nutrients from the soil. When the soil dries and the trees undergo water stress, uptake of many nutrients is limited since they must be in solution in the soil to be taken up by the plant.

Two-week periods of poor water balance during different periods of the season resulted in more bitter pit with Honeycrisp. The most critical periods were in May during and after bloom and July. Precise management of irrigation could reduce bitter pit by ensuring a steady uptake of soil calcium.

Sergio Lopez &Terence Robinson (2013)

Agricultural Experiment Station Cornell in Geneva, NY.

Ebel, et.al 2013, ‘Deficit irrigation to control vegetative growth in apple and monitoring fruit growth toschedule irrigation’, HortScience, vol. 36, issue 6, pp. 1229-1232.

Boland,et al. 2012, Guide to Best Practice in Water Management: Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Melbourne.

Apple high density orchard

Efects Of Different Organic And Conventional Fertilisers on Flavour Related Quality Attributes of Cv. Golden Delicious ApplesThe effects of the application of different organic and conventional fertilisers on some flavour quality attributes (aroma volatiles, sugars and organic acids) of cv. Golden Delicious apples were investigated by an experimental field trial in two harvest years (2010 and 2012).

Fertilisation treatments significantly affected the level in fruits of several flavour related compounds, such as some aroma volatiles, sugars and organic acids.

The strongest effect being a 45% change in C6-aldehydes level. - Raffo et.al., 2014., Food Science and Technology, Volume 59, Issue 2, Part 1, June 2014, Pages 96-99

FYM: 10-20 kg/tree

N, P and K may be applied in the ratio 70:30:70 g/year

The dose should be stabilized (700:350:700gN: P: K per tree)

Manures and fertilizers

Apple trees prefer N, P and K in the form of Calcium ammonium Nitrate, Super phosphate and muriate of Potash respectively.

In off years the fertilizer dose of NPK may be reduced to 500: 250:400g/plant/yr., respectively.

In bearing trees, FYM along with P and K should be applied during December- January.

Nitrogen is applied during February-March, 2 to 3 weeks before bud break.

The Nitrogen can be applied in two split doses, first dose 2-3 weeks before bud break and the second one, one month after flowering.

Maintain Productivity:

Remove Remove

Unproductive Unproductive WoodWood

Remove weak or thin wood

conclusionThe water use of Mango and Apples can be calculated from climate data, and this is all that is needed to apply the correct amount of water at the correct time.

The water balance-check book method can be used to schedule irrigations for Apples.

Application of fertilizer based only on the crop demand and natural supply from the soil (soil and tissue analysis is prerequisite).