1. Training and pruning are an important activity in fruit crops to have
better frame work and optimum fruiting area. Training refers to giving a desired
shape to the plants by tying or staking or supporting over a structure and or
selective pruning for a good strong frame work. Pruning refers to cutting of
certain portion of plants for maintenance of fruitfulness and quality besides
vigour of the trees or vines. Pruning affects the functions of the plants and
assists in better fruiting and in getting more quality fruits. It is one of the most
crucial operations and require some scientific knowledge regarding bearing
behaviour of the plants.
Objectives of Training
The major objectives of training are
To give a strong frame work to the tree for supporting good cropping.
Provide good exposure of light and air to branches and leaves.
To maintain tree growth in such a way that that various cultural
operations, such as spraying, annual pruning, harvesting etc can be done
at the lowest cost.
To protect the tree from sun burn and damage.
To secure a balanced distribution of fruit bearing parts on the main limbs
of the tree.
Maintain the vitality of trees over a long period of time.
Methods of Training
There are three most commonly used training methods are followed in fruit
crops based on the growth habit of the fruit tree. These are
1. Open Centre In this system of training, the main stem is allowed to grow
only upto a certain height, thereafter it (leader or main stem) is headed
back to encourage lateral branching (scaffold branches). This system is
also known as Vase-shaped system. This system allows better distribution
of sunshine and to reach it to branches of trees and also facilitate cultural
operations like spraying, thinning, harvesting etc.
2. Central Leader In this system of training, main stem ( leader) is not
headed back and is allowed to grow I its natural ways extending from
surface level to the top of the tree. This results in robust close centre and
2. tall tree and branches are more fruitful near the top as compared to lower
branches. This system of training is also known as closed centered one.
3. Modified leader It is intermediate between the open centre and central
leader training system.In this system main stem is allowed to grow
unhampered for the first four or five years, thereafter it is headed back
and lateral branches are allowed to grow as in the open centre system.
Modified leader system produces fairly strong and moderately spreading
trees.
Trees are trained to different forms with or without the support of certain
structures.
Head System It is mostly used for spur bearing grape cultivars. In this
system, vines are trained like a small bush. Vines are allowed to, grow
upto 1.2 meters, and then headed back to produce laterals. Four laterals-
one in each direction is allowed to grow and rest are thinned out. In next
dormant season, these laterals are cut back to 2 buds and further two arms
of 20-30 cm are allowed on each secondary arms. After 3-4 years these
vines will give a dwarf bush like appearance and requires no staking.
Other training systems which requires no staking are Palmette, Spindle
bush, Dwarf pyramid and Head and spread systems.
3. Bower system It is also called as „Pandal‟ or „Arbour‟ or „Pergola‟
system. It is generally practiced in grapes and other cucurbitaceous
vegetables like snake gourd, ribbed gourd, bitter gourd etc. In this system,
the vines are spread over a criss cross net work of wires, usually at 2.1 to
2.4m above ground, supported by concrete or stone pillars or live support
like Commiphera sp. The vine is allowed to grow single shoot till it
reaches the wire net and is usually supported by bamboo sticks tied with
jute thread. When the vine reaches the wires, its growing point is pinched
off to facilitate the production of side shoots.
Cordon and Espalier system Plants are trained to grow flat on trellis or
on horizontal wires by training the branches perpendicularly to the main
stem on both the sides, and trained horizontally on the wires. Plants
trained in this systems are called 'espaliers'. An espalier with one shoot or
two shoots growing in opposite or parallel directions are called a 'cordon'.
4. Kniffin system In this system, two trellis of wire are strongly supported
by vertical posts. The vines such as grape when trained in this system has
four canes one along each wire and the bearing shoot hangs freely with
no tying being necessary.
Overhead trellis or Telephone system This system consists of 3 or 4
wires usually kept at m45-60 cm apart fixed to the cross-angle arms
supported by vertical pillars or posts. Vines are allowed to grow upto a
height of 1.5 to 2.0 m and then trained on this system. Moderately
vigorous cultivars with apical dominance are best trained on such system.
5. Tatura trellis In this system, trees are trained to a multi-layered wire
trellis. The trellis is V-shaped, supported by two long, stout poles
embedded into the soil angles of 60 from the horizontal. Five wires at
60cm intervals are fastened to these poles. This system, is being now
followed for pome fruits, nut fruits and grapes. The trees are grown as
double leader. Trees with each leader inclined at an angle of 60 from the
horizontal.
Apple
For apple, there are two commonly used training systems. The best one to use
depends upon mature tree size. The open centre training system is more
traditional and is used for very large trees. This system controls tree height, but
at the expense of light inside the tree canopy. Full sized open centre trees are
becoming less and less common. The central leader training system is ideal for
semi dwarf trees. The cone shape of this tree allows more light to reach the
6. inside of the canopy. To achieve the cone shape, the upper limbs must be
shorter than the lower limbs. They cause heavy shading of the lower limbs,
when they are too long. Another important aspect of this system is the wide
spacing between the upper and lower limbs. They should be separated by a
space of at least 90 cm.
Pruning correctly improves the fruit quality and increases the value of the crop.
A pruned tree has more apples with a greater degree of red colour and larger
fruit size. Pruned trees are also easier to manage. A pruned tree has a more open
canopy allowing sprays to contact all parts, so better disease control is achieved.
It also reduces tree size and the density of canopy making it easier to reach the
fruit. Apple trees are full sun loving plants as they need a lot of light to form
fruit buds and to set fruits. Semi-dwarf trees, because of their large size, can
have parts of canopy that are heavily shaded. Full shade is bad for fruit
production. Pruning increases flowering and enhances red colour because it
eliminates same in the shade. The un-pruned tree has a greater proportion of
canopy not getting enough light. The un-pruned trees even though larger, are
not more productive than smaller pruned trees.
Peaches:
7. Open centre system of training involves pruning techniques that result in the
development of 3-4 scaffold branches arising near each other on the trunk. All
the scaffold branches should be pruned to encourage equal size in development,
equal spacing around the trunk and where possible scaffold branches arising at
18-24 inches from the ground. All kind of trees can be trained to open centre
system, but this system is especially adaptable to peach trees, however, the steps
can be applied to other fruits as well. In peach and other trees trained to this
system, the primary scaffold branches produce wide angled crotches with the
trunk. These trees possess a high degree of winter hardiness in the framework.
Preferred crotch angles are 60 and 900.
The peach trees bear fruits on the last season‟s growth. If the peach tree is not
pruned the bearing area goes on extending away from the tree centre. The tree
becomes leggy, and the center of the tree becomes barren. The peaches are
therefore pruned a little heavier than pear to renew the bearing wood every year.
Numerous small cuts are made and dormant shoots are removed. This type of
pruning also helps in thinning the crop and allowing more light to penetrate the
tree, thus enhancing the fruit quality. After every 4-5 years, bigger branches
should also be headed back to 1.25 to 2 metres. This would encourage the
formation of new fruiting wood on the tree. Such renewal should be completed
by heading back all the scaffold branches in the dormant season i.e. December-
January. The pruning cuts < 2.5 cm in diameter heal themselves, but there is a
danger of infection in case of bigger cuts. These should be covered with
Bordeaux paste. Pruning should be done when the trees are dormant.
8. Pear
Pear trees in our state are not well trained and are left to themselves with the
result that the trees become unproductive, crowded and unmanageable. The pear
trees should be properly trained for obtaining good yield of better quality fruit
over a long period of time. The training of pear trees start right at the planting
time. The trees should be trained according to the Modified central leader
system. Experience has shown that this is the best system as the trees trained to
this system have strong framework and are comparatively low headed as
compared with those trained by the Central leader system and are easy to
manage. In modified central leader system the tree canopy is managed in such a
way so as to receive maximum light intensity and variation for better growth
and quality of fruit by combining the advantages of central leader and open
centre system.
9. Guava
In guava initial training is necessary for the development of strong framework
and at 60-90 cm from the ground level, the trunk should be cleaned and allowed
for 4-5 scaffold branches spaced at 20-25 cm in different directions. The
flowers and fruits in this fruit are borne on current season shoots, therefore to
encourage new shoots after harvesting, a light pruning give good results for the
next season. In high density planting, regular pruning is required for canopy
management and suppression of shading effect.
Grape
Grape is one fruit which greatly responds to training and pruning. Training of
grapevine is done to develop a strong and permanent framework. The pruning
on the other hand is done to distribute the bearing wood over the vine and to
regulate the crops. To have productive grape vines, that produce quality fruit,
the vines must be trained and pruned to a definite system. Buds on one-year-old
dormant wood produces next year shoots on which fruit clusters or bunches
develop. Each shoot produces 0 to 4 or 5 bunches. There are many training
systems of grapes which have its own advantages and disadvantages. The
choice of training system depends upon the bearing habit and vigour of a
cultivar. Perlette, which is medium vigorous cultivar performed well in Jammu
province and should be trained on Head or Kniffin system. Of all the systems of
10. grape training currently used in Jammu region, Head system is the cheapest and
easiest to maintain. Both the Kniffin and Telephone systems are comparatively
more expensive to establish but Bower is the costliest. The severity of pruning
depends upon the bearing habit of a cultivar. There are two systems of pruning:
Spur pruning and Cane pruning. Those cultivars which bear at the basal portion
of the cane are spur pruned, each spur having four buds, e.g. Perlette, while
those cultivars which away from the basal portion such as Thompson seedless
are cane pruned leaving 8-10 buds.
11. Ber
Trees are trained to develop a strong framework during the first 2-3 years after
planting. During this period, ber trees should be trained to develop a strong
framework. After that old growth is beheaded during March keeping 1-2 nodes
above the graft union to induce vigorous new growth. One upright growing
vigorous shoot is retained to develop into main trunk which is kept clean of
secondary branches up to 30cm height from the ground level. On the main
12. trunk, 3 or 4 well-spaced and favourably located main branches are allowed
above when it is headed back. During the second year, these main branches are
also clipped retaining 3-4 secondary branches on each of them. This process is
continued to develop tertiary branches. Upward growing shoots are retained at
each stage to develop an upright tree stature. Not more than one upright
growing shoot is retained at a node so that narrow crotches are avoided. This
basic frame of the tree is maintained by removing of water sprouts as and when
they emerge. Correction in the framework is done at the time of annual pruning.
Annual pruning in ber is essential to induce maximum number of new healthy
shoots which would bear good quality fruits. It is also essential to remove the
undesirable, weak, intercrossing, diseased and broken branches to avoid
crowding and to encourage healthy growth for maximum fruit bearing. Pruning
is done during the hot and dry season when the tree sheds leaves and enters into
dormancy. In Jammu, pruning should be completed by the last week of May.
Severity of pruning also differs at different locations. In general, light pruning,
at about 25 buds, is the best. However, pruning could be done at 15-20 buds
under more moderate climatic conditions. All the secondary shoots should be
completely removed. To avoid the occurrence of long unfruitful basal portions
of branches as a result of light pruning for several years, half the past season‟s
shoots are pruned to 20 buds and the remaining half to the basal 1 or 2 nodes.
Spraying of 3% thiourea or potassium nitrate once in 2 days before pruning
induces bud sprouting from maximum number of nodes.
