Effect of summer shoot tip pruning and early winter de-flushing on flowering, fruit yield and quality of litchi (Litchi chinensis)

RAJESH KUMAR

doi:10.56093/ijas.v85i12.54294

Authors

RAJESH KUMAR Principal Scientist, ICAR-National Research Centre on Litchi, Muzaffarpur, Bihar 842 002

https://doi.org/10.56093/ijas.v85i12.54294

Keywords:

De-flushing, Flushes, Fruit set, Fruit yield, Panicle emergence, Phenological changes, Quality grades, Tip pruning

Abstract

The present study was undertaken at the National Research Centre on Litchi, Muzaffarpur, Bihar for two consecutive years 2011-12 and 2012-13 in the young bearing litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) orchard of cv. Shahi to see the effect of shoot tip pruning and de-flushing on reproductive behaviour and fruit yield in litchi. This study confirmed the treatment of shoot tip pruning in mid June evoked maximum number of panicles (41.8% during 2011, 50.5% during 2012-13), causing maximum phase change under the annual production cycle, leading to maximum flowering (860.8 and 1004.3 nos./panicle) with moderately higher fruit set (2.11 % and 4.22%) and highest fruit yield (19.4 kg/tree and 31.9 kg/tree), the pronounced effect recorded when treatment of flush removal applied during mid November, which bore maximum number of panicles (47.3% during 2011-12, 64.3% during 2012-13), maximum flowering (1110.0 nos and 898.5 nos of flowers /panicle) with moderately higher fruit set (3.17% and 4.14 %) and highest fruit yield (25.5 kg/tree and 27.9 kg/tree) in litchi during both the years. Shoot tip pruning in late summer (mid July and mid August) and flush removal in December had virtually poor crop yield since most of the de-flushed branches did not projected a flush of either type of vegetative or reproductive growth before the normal time of even panicle emergence. The study also showed that the age of the previous flush modifies with the cool-temperatureinduced floral response during winter season, while older stems exhibited a higher percentage of reproductive growth by phase change in the form of panicle emergence. The operation of flush removal in mid October displayed only a higher percentage of a vegetative growth and while de-flushing in December projected no growth or if any only vegetative nature. The treatment having pruning in mid June and practice of uniform size and aged (5-8cm) flush removal in the month of November (mid) exposed to low temperature under the conditions of north Bihar leading to highest fruit yield (37.75 kg/tree) and better quality fruits (38.42 % under extra class) with minimum wastage.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Batten D J and McConchie C A. 1995. Floral induction in growing buds of lychee (Litchi chinensis) and mango (Mangifera indica). Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 22: 783–91. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/PP9950783

Davenport T L. 1986. Avocado flowering. Horticultural Reviews 8: 257–89. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118060810.ch7

Davenport T L. 1990. Citrus flowering. Horticultural Reviews 12: 349–408. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118060858.ch8

Davenport T L. 2006. Pruning strategies to maximize tropical mango production from the time planting to restoration of old orchards. Horticulture Science 41(3): 544–8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI.41.3.544

Davenport T L and R Nuñez-Elisea. 1997.Reproductive physiology. (In) Mango Botany, Production and Use, pp 69– 146. Litz R E (Ed). CAB Intl., Wallingford, Oxon, UK. Flore J A. 1994. Stone fruits. (In) Handbook of Environmental Physiology of Fruit Crops, Vol I: Temperate Crops, pp 230– 70. Skefer B and Anderson P C (Eds). CRC Press, Bokarotan, UK.

Galan-Sauco V and Menini U G. 1989. Lychee cultivation. FAO Plant Production and Protection Paper No. 83, Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations, Rome, p 205.

Hieke S, Menzel C M, Doogan V J and Ludders P.2002. The relationship between yield and assimilate supply in lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.). Journal of Horticultutral Science and Biotechnology 77 (3): 326–32. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14620316.2002.11511501

Kumar R. 2013.Effect of vegetative flushing and shoot maturity on flowering, bearing behaviour and fruit yield in litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.). Current Horticulture 1(1): 30–4.

Kumar R. 2015. Climatic Issues Affecting Sustainable Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.). (In) Climate Dynamics in Horticultural Science – Impact, Adaptation, and Mitigation, Vol 2, pp 95– 110. Choudhary M L, Patel V B, Siddiqui M W and Verma R B (Eds). Apple Academic Press of CRC Press Group.

Menzel C M. 1983. The control of floral initiation in lychee: A review. Scientia Horticulturale 21: 201–15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-4238(83)90093-6

Menzel C M. 1984. The pattern and control of reproductive development in lychee: a review. Scientia Horticulturale 22: 333–45. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-4238(84)80005-9

Menzel C M and Waite G K. 2005. Litchi and Longan, Production Uses. CABI Publication. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1079/9780851996967.0000

Nuñez-Elisea R, Davenport T L and Caldeira M L. 1991. An experimental system to study mango flowering using containerized trees propagated by air-layering. Proceedings of Florida State Horticultural Society 104: 39–41.

Nuñez-Elisea R and Davenport T L. 1991a. Effect of duration of low temperature treatment on flowering of containerized ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango. Proceedings of 18th Annual Meet, Plant Growth Regulators Society of America p 39–41.

Nuñez-Elisea R, Davenport T L and Caldeira M L. 1996. Control of bud morphogenesis in mango (Mangifera indica L.) by girdling, defoliation and temperature modification. Journal of Horticultural Science 71: 25–40. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14620316.1996.11515379

Rai M, Nath Vishal and Dey P. 2001. Litchi. Central Horticultural Experiment Station, Plandu, Ranchi.

Singh B. 2007. Rejuvenation of old orchard. (In) Horticulture at a Glance, pp 43–5. Kalyani Publishers.

Southwick S M and Davenport T L. 1986. Characterization of water stress and low temperature effects on flower induction in citrus. Plant Physiology 81: 26–9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.81.1.26

Southwick S M and Davenport T L. 1987. Modification of the water stress-induced floral response in ‘Tahiti’ lime. Journal of American Society of Horticultural Science 112(2): 231–6. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21273/JASHS.112.2.231

Verheij E W M and Coronel R E (Eds). 1991. Plant Resources of South East Asia No 2. Edible Fruits and Nuts. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden.

Young T W. 1970. Some climatic effects on flowering and fruiting of Brewster lychees. Proceedings of Florida State Horticultural Society 83: 362–7.

Zhang G C, Qing Y W, He Q Z and Tang C L. 1999. Effect of spraying brassinolide on the production and fruit quality of litchi. South China Fruits 28(2): 30–5.