Giri Dhari Subedi1 , Padma Nath Atreya2 , Chut Raj Gurung3 , Raj Kumar Giri4 , Yuba Raj Gurung3
1 National Potato Research Program, Khumaltar, Lalitpur
2 Warm Temperate Horticulture Centre, Kirtipur, Kathmandu
3 Agro-Manang Private Limited, Bhartang, Manang
4 Horticulture Research Station, Rajikot, Jumla
Corresponding author's e-mail: girisubedi2003@yahoo.com
Abstract
Apple, citrus, mango, banana, guava and papaya are the major fruits cultivated in different agro ecological zone of Nepal. The productivity of fruit crops remains almost constant since last 20 years. Orchard establishment in un-irrigated marginal lands, neglected management practices together with traditional cultivation technology has resulted low productivity. Continuing decline in the availability of cultivable land, depleting natural resources, impact of climate change, rising energy and land costs together with increasing demand have given thrust to concept of high density planting (HDP). HDP is one of the recent novel methods of increasing productivity of both short duration and perennial fruit crops. High yield with better fruit quality can be achieved when the orchard has good light distribution throughout the tree canopy and there is a balance between vegetative growth and fruiting. The underlying principle is to make the best use of vertical and horizontal space per unit time and per unit area to exploit maximum possible return per unit of inputs and resources. Planting density is one of the most important factors which determine the yield of an orchard. Research results showed that productivity of fruits could be improved if HDP techniques are followed properly. The use of dwarf scion varieties, dwarfing rootstocks and inter-stocks, efficient training and pruning, use of plant growth regulators and suitable crop management practices are the basic components of HDP. this paper. Until and unless commercial production is linked with market it will not get success. A holistic approach with packhouse and cold-chain facility is the utmost need of nation.
Keywords: Canopy management, Dwarfing rootstock, High density, Precocity, Spur type