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Fruits > Citrus>
Intercultural Operations
Weed Control
In citrus orchards weed control is carried out
by 2 or 3 cross ploughing. While resorting to
manual weeding tillage should not be deeper than
10 to 15 cm. Deep tillage once or twice in a year
is more harmful than regular deep tillage.
Diuron at 3 kg/a.i. /ha or Simazine (4kg a. i./ha)
when sprayed during end of May controls dicot
and monocot weeds in the orchard. The application
may be repeated at 120 days for complete control
of the weeds.
Intercropping
The interspaces between the rows can be utilized
in the initial 3 - 4 years for growing short term
crops like Mung, Black gram, groundnut, soybean
and vegetable crops. During the rainy season green
manuring crops are grown and plowed into the soil
before flowering. The choice of intercrop depends
on local condition and climate. However indiscriminate
cultivation of exhaustive intercrop should be
avoided. Intercropping in Nagpur mandarin plantation
should be avoided as it increases pest and disease
incidences and even micronutrient deficiencies.
Training and Pruning
In Citrus pruning is done to develop a strong
framework in the beginning. Branches growing upto
45 cm from the ground are removed leaving a clear
straight stem. 4 or 5 well-spaced branches are
retained forming a thick bushy crown, which protects
the stems and branches from the effects of sunshine.
The bearing trees require support, as due to
heavy bearing the branches tend to break. Usually
the support is given by erecting a bamboo frame
around the plant at a height of 2- 2.5 m and the
branches are tied with the help of rope to the
structure.
Regulation of Flowering (Bahar
Treatment)
Due to the absence of low temperatures in Central
India, The natural flowering of citrus trees is
of very less intensity. Therefore the flowering
is usually forced by withholding irrigation water.
For forcing the trees to flower during February-March
(ambebahar), the water supply to the trees is
withheld for 40 to 60 days, i.e., from 15th November
to end of December until the leaves show symptoms
of temporary wilting.
For mrigbahar (July flowering), about 40 to 50
days water stress (25% leaf drop) during May-June
is sufficient to force the trees to flower.
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