Department of Fruit Science
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Research Project  : Niche Area of Excellence - Technology for sustainable apple production

 Section wise research and development activities

Plant propagation and nursery management

• Production of quality nursery plants

• Establishment of budwood orchards of fruit crops

• Mass multiplication of clonal rootstocks of temperate fruits

• Standardization of propagation techniques for fruit crops

Orchard management and irrigation

• Development of high density planting systems in different fruit crops

• Standardization of training and pruning techniques for fruit crops

• Standardization of water requirements and water use efficiency in fruit crops

• Standardization of rejuvenation and top working techniques for old and senile orchards

Fruit tree nutrition

• Working out fertilizer use efficiency of fruit crops

• Standardization of integrated nutrient management systems for fruit crops

• Standardization of organic fruit production modules

• Survey to judge the nutrient status of the orchards

• To standardize nutritional doses for nurseries

Crop regulation

• Regulation of fruit set, crop load and fruit quality

• Control of unfruitfulness and erratic bearing in fruit crops

• Improvement in the size and quality of Kiwifruit

• Determination of maturity indices

Research Achievements

Varieties/cultivars for commercial cultivation

• Apple          : Scarlet Gala, Red Fuji, Red Chief, Oregon Spur-II, Super Chief, Scarlet Spur, Red Delicious, Coe Red Fuji, Vance Delicious, Golden Spur and Top Red

• Nectarine    : May Fire, Snow Queen, Silver King.

• Walnut         : Kn-5, Kn-12, Sh-23, Sh-24, Sr-11, Sarvari, Bajaura Selection.

• Persimmon : Kandaghat pink (pollinizer)

• Kiwifruit       : Allision, Hayward

Rootstocks

• Apple        :    Clonal rootstocks M-7 and MM-106 for irrigated conditions. MM-111 for drought conditions and M-793 for replantation.

• Plum           :     Myrobalan and wild apricot

• Cherry       :    Colt rootstock for high hills and F12/1 for mid hills

• Olive          :    Olea europea var. Arbequina.

Propagation and nursery management

Chip budding

• Apple                   :  End of February- Mid March

• Plum & Almond  :  February-March

• Apricot                :   February and first week of September

• Walnut                :   Mid of May to first week of June

• Kiwifruit              :   February

• Persimmon        :   February to Early March

• Wrenching of young seedlings at 3-4 leaf stage resulted in the development of extensive root system in walnut, pecan nut and persimmon for better survival.

• Hard wood and semi hard wood leafy cuttings of kiwifruit treated with 5000 ppm IBA and planted in growing media consisting of oak forest soil (1:1:1) give higher rooting success with better root growth.

Orchard management

    High density planting

• Peach planting at a spacing of 5 x 1 m under Tatura Trellis system of training gave 3 times more yield of better quality fruits in comparison to traditional system of planting.

• A yield as high as 76 t/ha has been obtained with a planting density of 2222 trees/ha in Vance Delicious apple on MM 106 rootstock.

Training and Pruning

• Spindle bush system of training was better for Starking Delicious on M-7 rootstock.

• In July Elberta peach, pruning by retaining 40 fruiting shoots (600 nodes) per tree and heading back them to 15 nodes is recommended for higher production of quality fruits.

• Two and three stem system of training in pomegranate proved to be the best with respect to yield and quality of fruits.

• A practice of 25-30 per cent thinning and 1/3 or 1/2 heading back of shoots in Santa Rosa plum and 25-30 per cent thinning and 1/3 heading back of shoots in apricot should be adopted to get optimum yield of better quality fruits.

• In kiwifruit, a bud load of 75 canes with 6 nodes/cane should be maintained to to get higher production of 'A' grade fruits.

• In kiwifruit wine, the flower bud thinning to retain 4-6 flower buds per shoot produced better size fruit and with higher benefits.

• A technique has been developed to top work seedling walnut trees with chip budding on one year forced shoots developed after dehorning

Irrigation and moisture conservation

• In high hills, drip irrigation at 80 per cent ETc and in mid hills at 100% ETc at weekly interval from March to September produced higher yield of better quality fruits in apple.

• Irrigation at 20 per cent soil moisture depletion enhanced yield, size and quality of kiwifruit.

• New Castle apricot trees grow better when irrigated at 80 per cent field capacity.

• Under rainfed conditions, V-ditch planting methods ensure better moisture conservation resulting growth of olive plants whereas, adoption of crescent bund methods of soil with open catchment pit maximized moisture conservation in pomegranate cultivar Ganesh.

Weed Control

• In apple orchards, application of pre emergence herbicides Goal @ 2.2 kg/ha with post emergence herbicides Glyphosate at 1% or 0.5% Paraquat (Gramaxone) plus 0.1%MSMA (Ansar 529) during April controlled weed growth for 3-4 months.

        Application of Glyphosate @ 0.8 L/ha effectively controlled common weeds in plum and almond orchards.

Fruit Tree Nutrition

• A survey of the bearing apple orchards in the state has indicated widespread deficiencies of N, P, K, Ca, Zn, and B. Foliar samplings techniques to asses the nutrient needs of the temperate fruits were developed.

• Pre-bloom foliar application of N, B and Zn (0.5% urea + 1.0% boric acid + 2.5% Zinc sulphate) at the bud swell stage improved fruit set and yield of apple.

• In Starking Delicious apple , the amount of N and P can be reduced by 20 to 25 per cent and that of K of 40 per cent during the off year as the NPK requirements of bearing trees were estimated to be 78,78 and 61 per cent during off year.

• Highest yield in peach,  plum and apricot was recorded with 600g, 800g and 500g N, respectively in conjunction with 250 and 600 g P2O5   and K2O respectively Higher doses of 700 g K2O/ tree gave higher response in plum and peach.

• Integrated nutrient management in apricot, with G. fasciculatum and A. chroococcum and 2/3rd dose of FYM and green manure + 1/2 of N and P2O5   of recommended dose produced higher yield of better quality fruits.

• In  Santa Rosa plum, application of Azotobacter chroococcum in combination with half the recommended dose of N (250g) per tree was effective in improving yield and quality parameters, thus saving 50 per cent inorganic nitrogen.

• In apple application of 2/3rd recommended dose of NPK in 10 equal parts at weekly intervals through drip irrigation from March to April resulted in enhanced yield and good quality.

• Application of 2/3rd dose of NPK through drip irrigation resulted in 25% saving of fertilizer and gave 9% more yield in kiwifruit.

Crop Regulation

• Spraying of ethephon at 1000-1200 ppm in combination with 10 ppm NAA (1.0 ml Planofix in 4.5 ml/L of water) 3 weeks before harvest improves red colour development and induces uniform fruit maturity in apple.

• Application of 10 ppm NAA (1.0 ml Planofix in 4.5 ml/L of water), 7 to 15 days after petal fall, thinned young fruit lets in apple

• Dormex at 3 per cent along with 1% Horticultural Mineral Oil applied 40-60 days before bud burst, enhanced flowering and improved fruit set in marginal apple growing areas.

• In apples, Miraculan at 0.75 ml/L or Paras at 0.6 ml/L water sprayed twice at bud swell and petal fall stages improve fruit set in marginal areas.

• Spraying 10 ppm NAA, three weeks before harvest or 7-10 days before actual drop, checks the pre-harvest fruit drop and improve fruit size in Delicious apple.

• Dipping of kiwifruit in 5 ppm CPPU 2 weeks after petal fall proved to be most effective in enhancing the fruit size and quality.

• In Kinnow mandarin, application of 300 ppm ethrel during 'on' year reduces the tendency of alternate bearing. The fruit produced are better in most quality parameters.

• Premature fruit drop in Kinnow can be controlled by pre harvest spray of 20 ppm 2, 4-D.

Extension Activities

    Farm Advisory Services

• The scientists have been actively involved in providing consultancy to the fruit growers to redress their problems related to fruit production. The department also organized exhibitions in various Kisan Melas as well as State/District level fairs, conducted visits of VIPs and orchardists to the experimental orchards.

• The scientists of the department were associated with the Lab to Land, T&E programmes, short term training courses and fruit days.

 State Level Workshops

• Scientists participate in State Level Workshops organized in the University from time to time to finalize package of practices for fruit crops.

Radio and Doordarshan

• The faculty of the Department is actively involved in the transfer of technology related to the cultivation of various fruit through All India Radio, Shimla and Doordarshan programmes.

Lectures in Advance Trainings

• Scientists of the Department participated as resource persons in various advance training programmes on specific field/problems related with the temperate fruit production.

Video Films

• The Department has developed a video film on training and pruning of apple for the benefit of orchardists.

Distribution of quality planting material

• The Department is producing about one lakh quality nursery plants of temperate fruits annually for the distribution among the orchardists of the state and neighbouring countries.

On Going Research Projects

Completed Research Projects

Niche Area of Excellence - Technology for sustainable apple production

Name of the Project                                        : Niche Area of Excellence - Technology for sustainable apple production

Name of Institute                                            : Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan

Date of start                                                    : 27.6.2006

Duration of the project                                    :  Plan Scheme

Locations of the projects

i) Regional Horticultural Research Station, Mashorba           

ii) Regional Horticultural Research Station, Bajaura               

iii) Department of Fruit Science

Goal of projects:-                                            : Scientific transformation of apple cultivation in Himachal Pradesh

Objectives :

    1. To develop compact production systems for increased yield, improve fruit quality, establishment of bud wood bank and 

       nursery production.

    2. To study the effect of changing climatic conditions.

    3. To develop efficient nutrient and water management techniques for sustainable production of apple.

    4. To overcome biotic and abiotic stresses through advanced technologies.

    5.  To update knowledge and skills of orchardist.

    Keeping in view for the above mentioned objectives the following trials were laid out at RHRS, Mashobra and Bajaura

   Highlights of the projects

1. The bud-wood bank of various apple cultivars viz. Gale Gala, Gibson Golden, Golden Delicious, Red Chief, Granny Smith, Early Red One, Oregon Spur-II, Scarlet Spur-II, Coe Red Fuji and Red Gravenstein has been established in Department of Fruit Science, Regional Horticultural Research Station Mashobra (Shimla), Regional Horticultural Research Station Bajaura (Kullu). The elite planting material is being produced each year for distribution to the orchardist of apple growing states of India.

2. Stionic combinations of cultivar Scarlet Gala on EMLA-7 rootstock and Red Fuji on EMLA-111 performed better ion fruit set and yield.

           Vance Delicious worked on M-4, M-7, MM-106 and MM-111 reveled highest plant height on MM-106 and fruit set on M-4 rootstock.

            3.  Impact of increase in temperature

                    In Mashobra (Shimla) area the impact of changing climate in the present scenario was studied with respect to bloom dates of Delicious apple trees over a period of last 23 years i.e. 1985-2008. It was observed that days taken from 1st January to full bloom showed decline trend (Y=-0.8844X+115.87) with respect to reference year. The slope of regression equations was 54.50 per cent indicating high sensitivity days taken from 1st January to full bloom stage with respect to increase in reference years. Thus, it indicates that the bloom dates advanced significantly over the period of time.

    Further, the study was carried out to determine the projected impact of unit increase (0.6^oC) Over the mean temperature 7.63 ^oC on chill hours and chill unit accumulations (Table 1).

Table 1: Projected impact of increase in mean temperature (7.63^oC-DJF) on chill unit accumulation.

    It was determined that increase in temperature by one unit (0.6^oC), there would be 923 hours (0-7.2^oC), 1020 hours (<7.2^oC) 1142 chill unit accumulation. However the increase in base temperature by 5 units i.e. mean temperature of 10.63^oC during DJF months will contributed only 715 hours (0-7.2^oC), 792 (<7.2^oC) and 884 chill units leading to lack of chilling requirement under such projected temperature.

    In Kullu and Mandi and locations the winters were warm and dry. The chilling requirement was not completed. Highly erratic flowering was recorded in apple. In most of the apple growing areas pollinizers Golden Delicious, Red Gold, Tydman's Early Worcester and Gala flowered well before flowering of Delicious group of apple. After discussing with farmers it was observed only Black-Ben Davis flowerd simultaneously with Delicious apples. In Delicious apples highly uneven flowering was recorded. Some buds remained dormant and other showed full blossom. Poor fruit set was observed. Many of the apple belts were also damaged by hail storms.

4. Evaluation of low chilling cultivar of apple for sub-temperate zone

    Low chilling varieties of apple Viz. Mollie's Delicious and Anna grafted on M-9 rootstock have been planted at Dhaban (Balh valley) located at an elevation of 950 m above mean sea level Mollie's Delicious on M-9 gave 15 Kg fruit per tree during 2008. Heavy fruit set has been observed during 2009 and thinning has been done to improve fruit size in Mollie's Delicious. Fruit set in Anna is normal.

5. Integrated nutrient management system for sustainable apple production

•     Studies on the development of integrated nutrient management in apple were conducted during 2008 with different combination of inorganic fertilizers (CAN, SSP and MOP), manures and fertilizers. The results obtained from the study revealed the maximum vegetative growth and fruit yield were obtained from the application of 80% of the recommended dose of NPK supplemented with 25 kg of vermicompost (Ujjawal Ujala) and 60 gm of VAM per tree.

• The maximum plant nutrient content mainly NPK were also observed with the application of 80% of the recommended dose of NPK which were also supplemented with 25 kg of vermicompost (Ujjwal Ujala) and 60 gm of VAM per tree. Soil properties Viz., soil pH, organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium also showed similar trends as in the case of plant nutrients.

            So, the initial field investigation concluded that the substitution of inorganic sources of NP and K can be possible up to the extent of 20 per cent with vermicompost and biofertiliozer to ensure the continuous supply of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content to the soil. Further the dose of 80 % NPK supplemented with 25 kg of vermicompost and 60 gm of VAM per tree was found beneficial for increasing the productivity of apple crop.

            Drip irrigation at 80 Etc and the 2/3rd of the recommended dose of NPK in fertigation in Red Fuji and Scarlet Gala cultivars resulted as best treatment with respect to vegetative growth, yield, quality, fertilizer and water use efficiency.

6. Pest management

• Effect of weather parameters on population dynamics of European Red Mite, Panonychus ulmi was correlated with mean temperature, relative humidity and cumulative rain fall. Data indicated that winter eggs hatched by the end of March coinciding with pink bud stage (12^oC, 48 %) and summer eggs were observed in the 2nd week of April. Peak population was recorded by the end of August when mean temperature was 18^oC and relative humidity was 73 per cent and cumulative rainfall was 40.8 mm. Mite population indicated positive correlation with temperature and humidity, while it was negative with rainfall.

• Effect of different concentration of HMO (0.75%, 1% and 1.5%, 0) ie. Rilso, Orchol-13, Mak all season, HP summer oil were evaluated against eggs (both summer and winter), immature and adult stages of European Red mite. It was recorded that HMOs were more effective at 1.5 per cent level. Among various oils Rilso was more effective followed by Mak all season, Orchol-13, HP summer oil after 21 days of application.

• A trial was conducted at two different sites at Regional Horticultural Reseach Station, Mashobra to study their effect of new product Bio-prahar and effect was compared with other insecticides i.e. Marshal, Metasystox. Mortality data was recorded after the interval of 10 days. Data showed 100 per cent mortality where marshal was applied followed by Metasystox (98%), while Bio-prahar shoed least mortality (50-60%)  after 30 days of application.

• New thripicide calypso and marshal was evaluated against apple blossom thrips and compared with already recommended chlorophryphos (0.02%). Results indicated that maximum kill of thrips was observed with Calypso (95-98%) followed by durmet (80-85%). Marshal did not prove effective and provided 60-65 % control of apple blossom thrips.

7. Development of techniques to overcome delayed and erratic bud break

                To develop the techniques for the supplementation of chilling requirement of apple, a trial was conducted to study the effect of Dormex (1%) and Horticultural Mineral Oil (HMO @ 2% & 4%).Three apple cultivars Viz. Starking Delicious, Golden Delicious and Red Gold were taken for study. The spurs of these cultivars were collected at at the accumulation of 300, 600, 900 and 1200 chill unit under the field conditions.

                It was observed that the treated spurs at 300 CU were early to sprout followed by 600 CU 900 CU accumulations the study further revels that there was response of the treatment. It clearly shows that the treatment 1.0% Dormex + 2.0 % HMO treatment should be made to the apple trees in the localities where accumulations of required chill unit is a problem.

8. Effect of herbozyme spray on fruit set, fruit yield and fruit size in apple

                         i) The herbozyme sprayed at 20 ml/L at pink bud and petal fall stages was observed better as compared to other treatments.

                    II) When herbozyme is applied at pink bud and petal fall and pea size stage, the dose of 2.0 ml/L was observed better in comparison

                         to rest of the treatments.

9. Spray of 'Sitofex (Forchlorfenuron) for enhancing the apple production

                 The 7 ml dose of Sitofex per litre of water was observed superior in increasing fruit set, yield and other physico-chemical parameters of Vance Delicious over control.

10. To update knowledge and skills of orchardist

        Regional Horticutural Research Station, Bajaura, (Kullu)

        1. One day field camp        :    5

        2. Three day field camp      :    3

       Regional Horticutural Research Station, Mashobra (Shimla)

        1. Five day field camp        : 1