High-density orchards a boon for apple economy

Tribune News Service

Ambika Sharma

Solan, January 3

A multifold increase in the yield of apples has been registered in the high-density plantation trials conducted by the scientists of Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni. As against the average productivity of approximately six to eight metric tons per hectare (MTPH) obtained by the orchardists in Himachal, trials have registered a yield of 40-60 MTPH.

Better than conventional planting

• High-density planting refers to the planting of more plants per unit area than the conventional system of plantings for producting higher yield of good quality fruits
• Conventionally, standard apple plants raised on seedling rootstocks are planted at a spacing of 7.5x7.5 m with a planting density of 178/hectare
• In high-density plantations, seedling rootstocks are being planted at a spacing of 5x5 m with a planting density of 400/hectare

Keeping in view the importance of high-density plantations in fruit crops in general and apple in particular, a World Bank-funded project ‘Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Development Project’ was kick-started in the state in 2016 through the Department of Horticulture, said Dr Sanjeev Chauhan, university’s Director Research.

Apple economy in the state is worth about Rs 5,000 crore and has a sizable contribution to the state’s gross domestic product.

The trials were conducted in different agro-climatic conditions at various research stations of the university, including the main campus at Nauni. This helped the scientists to identify suitable combinations of varieties and rootstocks, ideal plant spacing and canopy management techniques to obtain optimum results.

A density of 4,000 to 6,000 plants per hectare has been adopted by the university scientists to increase the production per unit area and improve the quality of the produce.

The Department of Fruit Science, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, has also developed ‘packages of practices’ after successful trials. Buoyed by the results, some orchardists in Shimla and Kullu districts have switched over to the high-density plantations. They are hopeful of yielding optimal results in the coming years, said Chauhan.

He added the tall spindle proved to be the most suitable training system based on light interception in the canopy, fruit yield and quality characteristics. The highest productivity of 61.24 MTPH has been recorded in Jeromine on M.9 rootstock under mid-hill conditions of Nauni.

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