Mango tree Information

Mango tree Information 

Mango cultivation in India is a good long-term agribusiness. If you want to start a mango farm and make it profitable then you must learn how to plant mango tree and take care of it. Here is the complete mango tree information and plantation guide.

It is always a pleasure to see ripe, yellow, aromatic mangoes heaped in the market amid the sweltering heat. The sweet mangoes down the parched throats feel refreshing and cooling. Mango cultivation is a bankable project because it may take 5-8 years to start bearing fruits but would do so for the next few centuries or till the tree is cut- whichever is earlier.

Mango Tree Information

Mango tree with fruits

Mango, or Mangifera indica is a tree native to India. It grows from seeds and the trees can grow upto 10-40 meters in height. Mango trees are evergreen with rounded canopy. The roots are long and unbranched and measure upto 8 meter in length. The leaves have a set of interesting features to notice. Color of young leaves vary between varieties. They are generally tan-red, yellowish brown or pink in color when young. They undergo a series of different shades as they grow and finally are dark green when mature. The fruits are fleshy, fibrous, and have a characteristic ‘beak’ which is a small conical projection- special feature of mangoes. The prominence of the projection varies between varieties.

Ideal Conditions for Mango Cultivation

Mango is a subtropical fruit and grows at 600 meter above sea level. The two factors that play the most important role in mango cultivation are climate and soil. These two dominate the quality of mango fruits and the future of a mango farm.

Climate for Mango Cultivation

Flowering in mango tree cultivation

Although mangoes can grow in a wide variety of climates, it can grow best in tropical and subtropical climatic conditions. They need a good amount of rain during their growth period and a dry spell during the flowering period. In other words, it needs a good amount of rainfall from June to October and dry spell from November. Rainfall, high level of humidity or frost during flowering period may hinder the flower formation process.

Season for Mango Tree Plantation

Usually, the timing for planting mango seeds vary although it depends on the amount of rainfall the particular area receives. They are planted at the end of the rainy season in places where there is ample rainfall. Planting is done during the months of February and March in irrigated areas. Lastly, in rain-fed area, the planting is done in July- August period.

Soil for Mango Tree Cultivation

Mangoes grow well in all types of soils. However, the primary soil requirement is that they must be well-drained and deep. Red, loamy soil is the most ideal for mango cultivation. However, in India, they can grow in alluvial, clayey or laterite soil. The soil must have rich organic content and must have a good water retaining capacity. Soils that do not have good draining facility are not ideal for mango plantation. They grow on plains rather than hills. Cultivation in hilly areas can lead to very low yields as the drainage and climatic conditions are not best suited for mango cultivation. Soils with good amount of iron peroxide and 5-10% lime are ideal for producing the best quality mango fruits. Fruits produced in such soil conditions have a bright red tinge.

pH Required for Mango Cultivation

Mangoes cannot tolerate alkalinity while it can grow in light acidic soil. Hence, a pH between 4.5 and 7.0 is preferred for mango cultivation. The soil is sometimes mixed with peat moss a year before mango tree plantation to improve the acidity of the soils.

Water for Mango Cultivation

The irrigation requirement of mango plant depends on the climate and soil of the area of cultivation. Soil with good water retention capacity needs lesser irrigation while clayey soils need no irrigation at all. Mango saplings need frequent watering till they establish themselves properly. This also helps promote vigorous plant growth. Once established which is after a period of 6 months, they are irrigated once in every 10-15 days. It must be increased in case of soil with good drainage capacity. Irrigation should also be followed during winter to avoid the saplings from getting affected by frost. It is generally stopped 2-3 months before flowering because it might promote vegetative growth during the flowering period indirectly affecting the yield of the fruits.

Intercropping in Mango Farm

Mango farm follows intercropping system in which short-duration crops like vegetables, legumes, groundnut etc. are grown. This is typically one during the pre-bearing age. Fruits and vegetable crops local to the area of cultivation are generally grown. Some farmers also practice apiculture or beekeeping in mango orchards.

Mango Tree Planting Material

Mangoes can be grown from seed or propagated by the vegetative method using various grafting technique.

Seed Propagation

This is perhaps the easiest method of mango planting. The seeds or mango stones are collected from the market places, local trees and sometimes even at domestic level during mango season. They are then sown in nursery beds specially raised for this purpose (1 X 5 meter). This sowing is done in July. The seeds germinate after 20 days of sowing. The leaves are initially coppery red. When their color changes to green, the seedlings are transplanted to the permanent beds.

Vegetative Propagation

Mangoes raised from seeds are inferior in quality when they hit the market. Therefore, asexual methods of propagation such as layering, grafting, cutting, etc. are practiced. This ensures better fruit yield and higher quality of mangoes that have a good market value. In addition, they are also suitable for export.

Varieties of Mangoes

There are almost thousand varieties of mangoes in India of which only twenty are grown on a commercial scale. Here is a brief table explaining varieties, their characteristics, areas of growth etc.:

Variety	Common Name	Characteristics	Season	Areas of Cultivation
Alphonso	Badami, Gundu, Happus, Appas, Khader, Kagdi Happus	Choicest variety of mango Medium-sized Ovate to oblique in shape Orange to yellow in color Excellent fruit quality Good keeping Suited for canning purposes Export quality	Mid-season variety	Gujarat Karnataka Maharashtra Madhya Pradesh Tamil Nadu
Bangalora	Totapuri, Kallamai, Thevadiyamuthi, Collector, Sundersha, Burmodilla, Killi Mukku and Gilli Mukku	Medium to large fruits Oblong shape with a necked base Golden yellow color Poor fruit quality Good keeping quality	Mid-season Variety	Andhra Pradesh Karnataka Tamil Nadu
Banganapalli	Chapta, Safeda, Baneshan and Chapai	Large fruits Obliquely oval in shape Golden yellow color Good fruit quality and keeping quality Suitable for canning	Mid-Season	Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu
Bombay Green	Malda	Medium- sized fruits Ovate to oblong in shape Spinach green color Good fruit quality Medium keeping quality	Early season	Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh
Bombai	Malda	Medium sized fruits Ovate to obliquein shape Yellow color fruits Medium fruit quality and keeping quality	Early Season	Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal
Dashehari	Derives its name from Dashehari village of Lucknow where it is cultivated	Small to medium sized fruits Oblong or oblique in shape Yellow colored fruits Excellent fruits quality Suited for table purposes	Mid-season	Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan
Fajri		Very large fruits Obliquely oval in shape Light chrome color fruits Medium fruit quality and keeping quality	Late season	Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal
Fernandin		Medium to large size Oval to obliquely oval shape Yellow color fruits with a blush of red on shoulders Medium fruit quality and keeping quality Suitable for table purposes	Late Season	Goa
Himsagar		Medium sized fruits Ovate to ovate oblique in shape Yellow colored fruits Good fruit quality and keeping quality	Early season	West Bengal, Jharkhand
Kesar		Has a red blush on the shoulders Medium- sized fruits Oblong shape Good keeping quality	Early Season	Gujarat, Maharashtra
Kishen Bhog		Medium-sized fruits Oval oblique shape Yellow color Good fruit quality and keeping quality	Mid-season	West Bengal, Bihar
Langra		Medium sized fruits Ovate shape Lettuce green color Good fruit quality but medium keeping quality	Mid-season	Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Punjab, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh
Mankurad		Medium sized fruits Ovate shape Yellow color Good fruit quality but poor keeping quality Develops black spots during rainy season.	Mid-season	Goa, Maharashtra
Mulgoa		Large sized fruits Round to oblique in shape Yellow colored High fruit quality with good keeping quality Popular among mango lovers	Late season	Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu
Neelum		Medium-sized fruits Ovate to oblique in shape Saffron yellow color Good fruit quality with very good keeping quality Ideal for transport	Late season variety	Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Tamil Nadu
Samarbeheist Chausa		Large sized, ovate to oblique shaped fruits Light yellow color Good fruit quality but medium keeping quality Popular due to its characteristic taste and flavor	Late season variety	Jharkhand, Punjab, Rajasthan
Suvarnarekha	Sundari, Lal Sundari and Chinna Suvernarekha.	Medium sized, ovate oblong fruits Light cadmium with a blush of jasper red color on the fruits Medium fruit quality is medium with good keeping quality	Early season	Andhra Pradesh
Vanraj		Medium sized, ovate oblong fruits Deep chrome color with a dash of jasper red on shoulders Good fruits quality and keeping quality Fetches good returns	Mid-season	Gujarat
Zardalu		Medium sized fruits with oblong to obliquely oblong shape Golden yellow color Very good fruit quality but medium keeping quality	Mid-season	Bihar, Jharkhand

The above are classic mango varieties. Some of the hybrid varieties grown by crossing two varieties are:

Name of the Variety	Cross Varieties
Amrapali	Dashehari and Neelum
Mallika	Neelum and Dashehari
Arka Aruna	Banganapalli and Alphonso
Arka Puneet	Alphonso and Banganapalli
Arka Anmol	Alphonso and Janardhan Pasand
Arka Neelkiran	Alphonso and Neelum
Ratna	Neelum and Alphonso
Sindhu	Ratna and Alphonso
Ambika	Amrapali and Janardhan Pasand
Au Rumani	Rumani and Mulgoa
Manjeera	Rumani and Neelum
PKM1	Chinnasuvernarekha and Neelum

Land Preparation for Mango Cultivation

The fields are ploughed to remove the crop debris, weeds and rocks. The heavy clods are broken down to loose soil. This step is important to provide good tilth for the healthy development of the younger roots. The land is then levelled with adequate sloping. The slopes are necessary to facilitate the drainage of excess water and in irrigation. In case of soils that do not let water drain off quickly, trenches are made to prevent water from being stagnated. After preparing the field, the orchard layout is designed. This is an important step which must be decided as per the needs of the orchard. There are different systems of field layout such as square, contour, rectangle, hexagonal and quincunx.

How to Plant Mango Tree

Pre-grown nursery mango saplings are transplanted into the fields once their leaves turn green in color. An intercrop distance of 8 meters is maintained as the saplings need space to grow and become trees. Generally about 60 mango saplings can be planted in one acre of orchard area. But, this number differs in ultra-high density mango tree plantation where the distance between mango trees are very short.

A clean mango farm

While planting hybrids, the following procedure is followed:

• Plant the graft at the center of the pit along with soil.
• Graft union is made 15 cm above ground level
• They are irrigated immediately after planting
• Support is provided with stakes to make them grow straight

The grafts used for plantation must be a year old and obtained from certified centers.

Manuring and Fertilizers

Fertilizer application for mango cultivation depends on the age of the plants. The dosage varies during the nursery period, establishment period, non-bearing period and fruit bearing period. Here is a table of the dosage depending on the age of the plant:

Plant Age(in years)	Fertilizer applied
1	100g N 50g P2O5 100g K2O
10	1kg N 500g P2O5, 1kg K2O
11	1kg N 500g P2O5, 1kg K2O

The dosage applied in the first year should be increased in multiples of the dose every year for the next ten years.

Generally, fertilizers are applied in two doses. One half is applied immediately after harvesting the fruits- during the months of June and July. The other half is applied in October. This is done for both old trees and young saplings. Irrigation follows if there are no rains. Before flowering 3% urea is applied in case of sandy soils.

Diseases and Plant Protection in Mango Cultivation

Mango trees suffer from diseases and infections of different kinds. Here is a brief description of the diseases and how to take care of the plant:

Acahetomiella Rot

Causative Agent

Achaetomiella species

Symptoms

• Black, round spots develop on the fruit.
• Pulp and rind start rotting

Anthracnose

Causative Agent

Colletotrichum gloesporiodes

Symptoms

• The disease affects young leaves, stem, inflorescence and fruits.
• Leaves have oval, irregular, greyish-brown spots that coalesce
• Young stems develop grey-brown spots which enlarge and cause girdling and drying
• The ripening fruits show typical anthracnose.
• Black spots appearing on skin of the affected fruits gradually become sunken and coalesce.

Control

• Destroy the infected plant-parts
• Sprays with fungicides such as Burgundy mixture, Bordeaux mixture, etc.
• Hot water treatment (550 C for 5 minutes) controls anthracnose for three weeks

Powdery Mildew

Causative Agent

Oidium mangiferae Berth

Symptoms

• The disease appears in the form of whitish or greyish powdery areas on tender foliage and inflorescence.
• Infection spreads from tip of inflorescence and covers the floral axis, young leaves and stem
• Mildew also affect flowers and fruits in early stages

Control

• The disease may be controlled by spraying 5-5-50 Bordeaux mixture, cosan, karathane WD and benomyl.
• Although dusting sulphur at 10-15 days interval is effective.

Dieback

Causative Agent

Diplodia natalensis, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

Symptoms

• Discoloration and darkening of the bark from the tip
• Darkening advances and green twigs start withering from base
• Affected leaves turn brown with margin rolling upwards

Control

Selecting scion from healthy trees and exposure to sunlight has been found to be effective control measures.

Ganoderma Root Rot

Symptoms

• The leaves of affected tree appear sparse and lustreless.
• Diseased tree wilts and dies.
• Infected roots are very light in weight and get easily crumbled and powdered with fingers.
• The fruiting bodies of the fungus (brackets) appear at the base of the tree in rainy season.

Control

• Collection of brackets and destroying them is effective.
• Also exposing the roots and drenching them with dinocap 2ml/litre effectively reduce disease.

Sooty Mould

Causative Agent

Tripospermum acernum

Symptoms

Black colored molds develop on the leaves, flowers and fruit surface. This progress to form a thin film of black color.

Control

The fungal growth can be checked by spraying with 0.2 per cent wettable sulphur.

Blight

Causative Agent

Macrophoma mangiferae

Symptoms

• Symptoms are observed mainly on the leaves and rarely on the stem
• Yellowish, pin-head-like spots appear on leaves and twigs which gradually enlarge.

Control

Destroying the infected plant parts is the best way to check infection

Red Rust

Causative Agent

Cephaleuros virescens Kunze (Algal variety)

Symptoms

• The disease can be easily recognized by the rusty-red spots mainly on leaves and sometimes on petioles and young twigs.
• The spots are at first greenish-grey in colour and velvety in texture.
• Later they turn reddish-brown.
• The roughly circular and slightly elevated spots sometimes coalesce to form a larger, irregular spot.
• The upper surface of the spot consists of numerous, unbranched filaments which project through the cuticle.
• Some of the filaments represent sterile hairs while others the fertile ones.
• The latter bear cluster of spores at the apes.
• Cells of both the types of hairs and mature spores are brown-coloured.
• After shedding of spores and hairs, a creamy white mark of the algae remains at the original rust spot.

Control

Spraying bordeaux mixture controls the infection.

Necrosis

Symptoms

• Development of a small, etiolated area at the distal end of the fruit that spreads and covers the tip is the first symptom.
• Isolated, greyish spots appear
• Tip turns dirty green.
• The spots enlarge, turn dark brown and coalesce into a continuous necrotic area.
• Tissues decay and necrotic portion collapses.

Control

The disease can be reduced by one to two sprayings with borax (2.7-3.6 kg per 100 gal water).

Harvesting Mangoes

Harvest from mango cultivation

Mango trees start bearing fruits from the 5th year of planting. The yield however varies depending on the variety and climatic conditions. The first year yields are generally low (3-5 Kg per tree) increasing gradually in subsequent years. Some trees at the age of 30-40 years can bear upto 600 Kg of fruits a year.

Since mangoes continue to ripe even after they are plucked from the trees, they are commonly harvested at the premature stage. This is done to capture them early in the market. The plucked fruits are graded based on their color, size and stage of maturity. The smaller ones are separated from larger ones so as to attain uniform ripening. Fruits that are diseased, damaged or overripe are discarded at this stage. Ripening of the fruits is done by dipping them in 1.8 mL of ethrel in one litre hot water for 5 minutes. In case of mature fruits, lower dose of ethrel dipping is done for uniform color formation.

The mature fruits are stored for 4-10 days at room temperature. However, this depends on the variety.

Packing and Transportation

The fruits are generally packed in bamboo baskets, wooden crates or cardboard boxes of rectangular shape. Normally one box can accommodate about 5-6 Kg of fruits. They are then transported to different places via road.

Conclusion

Mango cultivation is a long term investment unlike many other crops. However, following the practice of ‘intercropping’ by planting turmeric, groundnut, various legumes and apiculture would generate income for the farmer till returns form the fruits can be generated.

Check soil health before use of fertilisers

Check soil health before use of fertilisers

A deficient monsoon and a global slump in commodity prices have taken a toll on Indian farmers, who have spent heavily to save standing crops,

but will have to sell their produce at depressed prices. The situation is worse in dry and arid regions of Vidarbha in
Maharashtra and Telangana, with regular reports of farmer suicides. In an interview, Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh comments on these issues. Edited excerpts: The recently released ‘Key Indicators of Situation of Agricultural Households in India’ shows that the lot of Indian farmers has not changed in the past decade. How will you remedy this situation? Being a farmer, I admit this is the reality. The country might have progressed, but a village and a farmer’s life have not improved. There is no doubt we are self-sufficient in foodgrains production, but we have not addressed problems of low productivity, rising costs of cultivation, lack of irrigation and giving farmers improved varieties. No schemes were taken up in mission mode to solve these issues.
India has 145 million farm holdings. Farmers are not aware of soil health and they blindly use fertilizers. The result is a drop in productivity. Our government has initiated programmes on mission mode to give every farmer a soil health card. We will spend Rs 568 crore in the next three years towards this.
Our other focus is to bring irrigation facilities to small and marginal farmers. Sixty-five per cent of cultivable land still does not have irrigation facilities. Even such facilities are limited to states like Punjab and Haryana, and for large farmers. Crores have been spent to provide irrigation in (dry and arid) Vidarbha and Bundelkhand (by the previous governments), but the facilities never reached the fields. We are bringing various departments—rural development, agriculture and water resources—in an integrated way to increase access to irrigation. We are following the example set by Gujarat to provide every farmer with a soil health card and irrigation facilities. Our other focus is to strengthen the existing Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) to take the lab—scientific research and improved varieties—to the land. Further, we are planning to connect the entire country through an e-marketing network. Most of these schemes have not taken off. Why this delay? These schemes are planned from state and district levels. It will take three years to give soil health cards to every farmer. We have already spent Rs 86 crore on soil health laboratories in six months compared with Rs 112 crore spent between 2007 and 2012. The irrigation scheme is being implemented by four ministries—on 29 December, the Prime Minister reviewed it and gave his suggestions. We are in the final stages and will launch the scheme soon. Funding is not a problem. Several state governments haven’t been able to spend the money allotted to them in past fiscal years.
Nabard (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) is in charge of implementing the credit scheme for landless farmers. I don’t know the
New thrust: exact numbers, but the finance minister has said the scheme is well on target. A farmer knows that you cannot harvest the day you sow the seeds. Results of our initiatives will show in a few years. Last year in Vidarbha and Telangana, more than 1,000 farmer suicides were reported. Your ministry is yet to act. Only 9% of farmer suicides are linked to agrarian distress. Of nearly 500 farmer suicides last year, 411 were in Maharashtra. Final numbers are yet to arrive. In Maharashtra, I have personally seen that (past) irrigation schemes were not executed. In the coming weeks I will meet MPs (members of Parliament) from Marathwada and Vidarbha regions, and the Maharashtra chief minister to fast-track agricultural schemes. All suicides are regrettable, but the crisis in farming has been perpetuated by lack of implementation and focus. In Telangana, farmers grow cotton in unsuitable soil without irrigation. Deficit monsoon and slump in prices have aggravated the misery. What did the government do? As far as cotton is concerned, the textiles ministry has done record procurement this year. Globally, prices have crashed after China stopped imports. We started procurement with Andhra Pradesh and Telangana as the cotton crop is harvested there earlier than states like Gujarat. The government has acted promptly to ensure farmers do not sell below minimum support prices.
Rest of the problems—lack of irrigation and information on soils—are past sins. There is also a failure of extension services— lack of manpower and no coordination between KVKs and district agriculture officials. We formed a committee to probe the problem with KVKs—the report shows lack of infrastructure and scientists. Based on the report, we will take up strengthening of KVKs. We have already increased the number of agricultural extension officers from 18,000 to 26,000.
Agriculture is a state subject. Extension officers belong to state governments, while we have the scientists (with KVKs under ICAR, or Indian Council of Agricultural Research). We will issue guidelines for regular interaction between KVK scientists and agriculture and extension officers. Be it dissemination of new technology or knowledge, we have to take it through state governments. We will speak to all state governments, it does not matter if they are run by other political partie

             Kiwi Fruit Farming About Kiwi Fruit Farming Guide

                  

   Kiwifruit, also known as “Chinese gooseberry” is one of the deciduous vine fruit crops which is widely grown all around the world. Basically, this crop is mainly cultivated in China, New Zealand, Italy, Japan, Australia, United States of America, United States, France, Chile and Spain. 

In New Zealand, this fruit matches to the popular bird “Kiwi” and that is why is known as Kiwi Fruit. Nowadays, this fruit is becoming more and more popular throughout the world because of its excellent medicinal advantages. This fruit can be eaten as a fresh or combined with other fruit, in the salads and some deserts.

Nowadays, the commercial Kiwi fruit farming is being increased more and more because apart from being eaten as a fresh and combined with other fruits as salads and desserts, this fruit is also used for preparing squashes and flavored wine. Economically, these fruits are highly praised for its medicinal value and nutritious value. One can easily earn a sharp income via following commercial kiwi fruit farming, in a very short time period with minimum care and management with low investment.

Kiwifruit has great market potential. Apart from being consumed as fresh and in salads, these fruits are also used in the preparation of squashes and flavored wines. These fruits are an excellent source of Vitamin B and Vitamin C and other minerals such as potassium, Phosphorus, and calcium. So, there are lots of health benefits of eating Kiwi Fruits regularly.

Kiwi Fruit | Scientific Name or Botanical Name

The scientific name or botanical name of this fruit, kiwi fruit is Actinidia deliciosa and is belong to the Actinidiaceae family.

Top 10 Kiwi Producer

Here below is a list of top 10 countries, who tops the list of kiwifruit production, all over the world.

1. China
2. Italy
3. New Zealand
4. Chile
5. Greece
6. France
7. Turkey
8. Iran
9. Japan
10. The United States of America.

Apart from the above list, this fruit farming is also followed in India, Spain and many other countries throughout the world.

Health Benefits of Kiwi

Here below is a list of some health benefits of eating kiwi fruits…

1. Kiwi fruits are Unbelievable Source of Antioxidant, because of Vitamin C and Vitamin E.
2. Kiwi fruits are also a good anti-aging agent and are also helpful in improving the skin health.
3. Kiwi fruits are also helpful in improving the respiratory system of our body.
4. This amazing fruit is also beneficial for eye health and keeps safer from numbers of eye diseases.
5. Consuming kiwifruit is also beneficial in improving the digestive system of our body. An improper digestive system invites numbers of disease to our body and makes us unhealthy.
6. Consuming kiwifruit is also helpful in Improving the Cardiovascular System
7. Kiwifruit contains vitamin K which is beneficial for strengthening of bone and also keep us away from bone related problems.
8. The Serotonin present in the kiwifruit is beneficial for the sleep disorders. Consuming kiwi is also helpful in getting happy sleep.
9. This citrus fruit also has Antibacterial and Antifungal Capabilities
10. Both, the fruit & roots of this fruits have inhibitory results in human liver, lung, colon cancer cell growth etc.

How awesome all these are, so let’s add this awesome fruit to your diet and take the advantages.

Kiwi Fruit | Nutrition Facts

Kiwifruit is a treasure trove of nutrients. The following is a table showing the nutrients value present in an average size kiwi fruit.

Element	Quantity
Calorie	48 mg
Protein	10 grams
Fat	4 grams
Filament	2.1 grams
Vitamin C	64 mg
Vitamin A	3 microgram
Iron	2 mg
Potassium	252 milligrams
Foxtail	17 μgogram

In addition to the above-mentioned nutrition values, kiwi fruit also full of other nutrition such as copper, vitamin K, vitamin E, magnesium, colline, and phosphorus such as

• 15 grams carbohydrates
• 2.9 grams fiber
• 0.8 gm fat
• 82.4 milligrams vitamin C
• 35.7 micrograms vitamin K
• 1.4 milligrams vitamin E
• 285 milligrams potassium
• 0.2 mg copper
• 23.7 micrograms folate

Where Do Kiwis Grow

Kiwifruit farming can be done throughout the world. But, to obtain maximum profit from it requires growing on suitable climate conditions and soil.

Kiwi Fruit Tree | Climate

Kiwis are able to grow in almost all types of climate condition and soils however they can thrive their best in a warmer and a humid climate condition. Growing kiwis on 600 m.s.l to 1500 m.s.l are considered as the best suitable for producing the most. This commercial crop also requires a good annual rainfall ranging between 130 cm to 210 cm during its growing period for good plant growth and proper fruiting.

For growing kiwi fruit tree, there is also need of a fair moisture content throughout the year for the healthy growth of this crop.

Note: Avoid planting kiwis, where strong winds along with frost conditions observed because, during the flowering stage, strong wind and frost are injurious to this commercial crop. Also, note that this crop is also damaged by sunburn.

Kiwi Fruit Tree | Temperature

The ideal temp for growing kiwis is below 38 °C. Also, note that temp. more than 38 °C may cause sunburn in this crop. So, avoid farming in such region where the normal temp is more than 38 °C.

Soil Requirement for Kiwi Farming

A loamy and sandy soil which is deep, yellow and brown in color, full of organic matter content is supposed to be the best soil for growing kiwi fruit tree crop. It should also have well drainage capacity.

For growing kiwis, there is need of regular nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus during its vining stages during its vegetative growth.

For healthy growth rate of kiwis, the best soil pH is 6.3  to 7.3 for maximum production of this fruit crop.

How To Grow Kiwi Plant

Select a Suitable Kiwi Variety or Cultivar

For starting kiwi fruit farming, there are many varieties of kiwi fruits are available, which are suitable for growing in the different region, throughout the world. Of which, some varieties are very popular all over the world.

However, here below is a list of some most popular kiwi varieties:

• Fuzzy kiwifruit
• Chinese egg gooseberry
• Golden kiwifruit
• Baby kiwifruit
• Red kiwifruit
• Arctic kiwifruit
• Silvervine kiwifruit &
• Purple kiwifruit

In addition to above list, the Abbott kiwifruit, Bruno kiwifruit, Hayward kiwifruit, Allison kiwifruit, Monty kiwifruit & Tomuri kiwifruit varieties of kiwi fruit are also grown by the people, in various region of the world.

Land Preparation for Kiwi Fruit Farming

For preparing land for growing kiwis, prepare a steep land having rows oriented from north to south direction so that they can get maximum sunlight. A good establishment of kiwis vineyards, a thorough land preparation is required.

The soil should be brought in fine tilth form by giving about 2 to 4 normal ploughings followed by 2 harrowing. For successful kiwi farming, it is essential that the soil should be free from all types of weed.

For preparing pits for planting kiwis, fill the pit by with a good mixture of farmyard manure and upper soil for good establishment of kiwis vineyards.

How to Plant Kiwi Fruit Plant?

For commercial kiwi plantation, it is essential to growing these Viney plants at proper distance with a suitable method of propagation by keeping ideal depth.

Propagation in Kiwi Farming

This commercial crop is mainly propagated through grafting method and by planting vegetative cuttings.

Best Season of Kiwi Plantation

Growing this commercial crop during the month from December to late of January is supposed to be the best season for kiwi plantation. Plant these fruit plant at some depth for good establishment of the crop.

Spacing in Kiwi Farming

Growing this crop at suitable planting distance is helpful in attaining maximum fruit production. However, the planting distance for commercial kiwi farming varies according to the cultivars to cultivars and also on the method of propagation.

Generally, for commercial kiwi plantation, T-bar training system and Pergola Training System are mostly followed. For planting with T-bar training system, the row to row spacing is 3.5 m whereas the plant to plant spacing is about 6 m. And for planting with Pergola Training System, the row to row planting should be 6 m whereas, the plant to plant distance should be 5 to 6 m.

For good pollination in this commercial crop, male plants should be planted in the orchard with the ratio, one male plant to 6 to 8 female plants.

However, for marketable kiwi fruits, pollination should be done with the help of insects.

How to Grow Kiwifruit From Seed?

Growing kiwifruit plant from a seed is not a hardworking job. Here below is a procedure about how to harvest seeds and prepare them for growing kiwifruit plant?

• First of all, obtain the seeds from available kiwi fruit
• Place these collected kiwi seeds along with water in a small blender so that the gooey membrane separates from seeds.
• Wash these kiwi seeds by using the colander in the sink.
• Smoothly place the seeds on a damp paper towel. Then, insert them into a plastic ziplock and place them in a warmer container.
• When there appeared sprouted seedling, split the paper towel into minute pieces and transplant these seedlings in the well-prepared pit, stuck to the small pot.

This is how, how to grow kiwifruit from seeds? This procedure is also applicable for growing kiwi fruit in pots and containers.

Protection From Wind and Frost

As this commercial crop is grown mostly in the colder areas such as New Zealand, Spain, Australia, USA, France, Chile, Japan, China, etc. It is essential to provide protection to this vine crop from the frost conditions and heavy winds. Because, if protection is not provided, then there may be chances of less production of fruits in this crop.

In the cold season, the kiwifruit plant vines do not have any leaves on them and are dormant, which are able to withstand temp. up to – 12 °C. But, it requires protection from such a low temp. during the flowering stage and also during the fruit setting period because at this stage, heavy frost conditions and winds may lead to complete destruction of the crop.

Also, heavy winds are also responsible for low production in this crop because heavy winds may lead to fallen down of the leaves, new setting fruits and also the flowers, which is directly responsible for the lower production of this fruit crop.

Irrigation in Kiwi Fruit Farming

For good establishment of crop and fruit setting, there is need of timely water supply to any crop. Likewise other commercial crops, this commercial crop also requires frequent water supply during its complete growing period. This hardy crop takes about three to four years, for being ready for harvesting, so this crop requires regular water supply up to three years of the plantation on the main field. However, do not over water to this crop because once the crop vine meets the need, the foliage can spread to the soil surface and may lead to mulch in this crop. Mulching in any crop minimizes the water requirement of any crop because mulch saves water from evaporation and also control the weeds in the best way.

Whatever is this, a kiwi crop requires water supply at the regular interval, especially during the hot season and drought conditions. For commercial kiwi farming, irrigating this crop at 10 days to 14 days of the interval is considered as the best and beneficial for optimum production. But, supplying water on the basis of plant requirement is the best way for the optimum fruit production.

Application of Manure And Fertilizers to Kiwi Fruit Plant

Timely application of suitable manure and fertilizers in enough dose multiplies the production amount up to many times. So, for producing maximum, it is the best idea to grow this crop on the soil, which is full of all the essential organic matter such as Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potash and other micro & macronutrients.

So, add about 25 kg of farmyard manure as the basal dose to each plant before planting this crop to the main field. Also, add about 500 gm of the mixture, containing 40 % of Nitrogen, 30 % of potash and phosphorous each, each and every year to the base of the plant up to 5 years of plantation. After five years of the plantation, adding 1 kg of Nitrogen, 0.5 kg of Phosphorous and 1 kg of Potash, every year has excellent results in this fruit production.

Along with all these essential growths enhance, this crop also requires a high amount of Cl because the deficiency of Cl has adverse effects on the plant vegetative growth such as roots and shoots.

Also, this commercial crop is also very sensitive to the excess amount of Boron and Sodium. Excess Boron and Sodium are harmful to this fruit crop. Try to supply Nitrogen in two equal splits, first in January and the remaining on the beginning of summer that is in April.

Note: As this fruit crop is very sensitive to application of manure and fertilizers, go for a soil tests, at least once before starting cultivation so that you can learn the soil fertility and productivity of the soil. Also, try to give this essential manure and fertilizers by mixing well with the soil. Care of the level of Cl, B, and Na. The deficiency of Cl and excess level of Boron and Sodium may causes lower the production up to many times.

Training And Pruning Kiwifruit plants

As this crop has Viney plants, there is need of training and pruning in this crop for obtaining better production of the fruits.

Training in Kiwi Farming

For training these plants, wooden pillars should be fixed on the main field. However, concrete and iron pillars are also used for providing support to these vines. Fix them by keeping a distance of 5 to 6 meters, apart from each other. Construct a structure such as Kniffin system with the healthy of wire fence or a mess like structure to provide the support to the vines. The pillars should have a height of 1.6 m to 2.1 m, above from the ground. A 2 mm thick and tensile wire should be strung on the top of these fixed pillars.

However, one can prepare a mess having different construction for providing support to these vines plants. But, take care that, a proper support is needed during the complete growing period of this fruit crops for the healthy production of fruits.

Pruning Kiwifruit plants

Along with good training in this crop, there is also need of proper pruning for good fruit production. There is a need for timely removal of unwanted and undesired parts should be removed from the plants to enhance the plant growth and also the fruit production in kiwi farming.

• Cut the canes from male plants, just back to the removed flower wood, just after the flowering season starts.
• Also, removed the excessive and vigorously grown wood from the plants along with vertically growing plants.
• Do not harm the growing spur for the future growth of plants and a good next flowering season.
• Also, removed the extra tangles from the plants along with the overgrown tangles.

Kiwi Tree | Male And Female | Pollination

This fruit plants are not self-pollinating plants, so there is a need for good pollination for fruit setting on the plants. There is a need for artificial pollination. In the early season of summer, the flowering season starts in this crop. These flowers should be pollinated and also thinned a well. For good pollination in this commercial fruit crops, plants about one male plants per 6 to 8 female kiwi plants.

Unlike other fruit crops, the kiwi plant requires a high level of pollination for good fruit production. It requires more than 10,000 pollen grains per stigma for healthy pollination.

Whatever is this, for healthy pollination in this fruit crop, it is the best idea to place some honeybee hives at some distance apart in the orchard. However, it is also possible to pollinate the flowers artificially.

For More Info

1.) Honey Bee Farming Guide: Click Here

Kiwifruit Plant | Pests, and Diseases

Pests

The following are the common pests and insects, that are found on this fruit plant.

• Armored Scales
• Boxelder Bug
• Leafrollers
• Armored Scales
• Leaf-roller caterpillars
• Boxelder bug &
• Root-Knott nematode

For controlling measure, consult your nearby horticulture department.

Diseases

The following is the list of some diseases, that are commonly found in this commercial crop. Learn the symptoms and treat them as sooner as they observed in your orchards.

• Armillaria Root Rot
• Bleeding Canker
• Bacterial Blight
• Botrytis Fruit Rot
• Juice Blotch
• Crown Gall
• Water Staining
• Sooty Mold of Fruit
• Phytophthora Root and
• Crown Rot

Learn the symptoms for controlling measure of all the above-mentioned diseases. Since the presence of any of the above may lower down the fruit production up to many times.

Kiwi | Harvesting, And Yield

All the varieties of kiwis start fruiting at four to five of plant age. However, for a healthy fruit production, we have to wait for about two to three years more after the plant starts bearing fruits. However, these fruit crops become mature for harvesting earlier at the lower heights following by the higher heights because of temp. variation at the different elevation.

When to Harvest? is a common question of many growers. So, for picking fruits from the plants, pick the large size fruit firstly by leaving the smaller size fruit for later harvesting to attain market shape and size. Friends, this fruit contains stiff hairs on their surface, so after collecting them from the orchard, rub them with a rough cloth to discard the stiff hairs.

Yield of Kiwi Farming

The yield of this crop depends on numbers of factors such as the tree age, variety or cultivar, method of irrigation, the soil type and climate conditions along with farm management skills, practices in the cultivation. Averagely, it is possible to collect or harvest about 100 kgs of fruits and even more per vine or fruit plant, per each harvesting season.

After the good establishment of the orchard, that is after 7 or 8 years, one can easily harvest 30 tonnes of kiwifruit and even more per unit hectare land, every kiwi harvesting season.

Post-Harvesting Task in Kiwi Farming

To obtain an excellent market rate of this delicious fruits, there is need of some post harvesting task should be performed after collecting them from the orchards.

Grading of Fruits

Short out the fruits on the basis of their size and weight. Fruits weighing more than 75 gm should be graded as “A” Grade fruits and that weighing between 50 gm to 75 gm should be graded as ‘B’ grade fruits.

Storage of Fruits 

Keep these harvested fruits in a cool place without any refrigeration for about two months. So, that they can attain excellent conformity quality

Packing of Fruits

For packing kiwifruits, make use of polythene liners, because are very effective in managing high humidity level and also keeps the fruits for a long time in edible condition.

Marketing of Fruits

There is no need of worrying about marketing the kiwifruits because they are in demand for all the time during the whole year. Mostly, all kiwi growers sell their fruits through the trade agent or commission agent in the market.

Have a Grand success Kiwi Farming