**14. Training and pruning**

The plant should be trained by pruning back long shoots and pinching shoot tips to induce a compact growth and the production of the fruit clusters near the centre of the tree. Seedling trees are pruned back the first year after planting to a height of 0.9–1.2 m to encourage branching. Annual pruning thereafter is advisable to eliminate branches that have already fruited and induce ample new shoots close to the main

branches since branches that have already carried fruits will produce smaller fruits with lower quality the next time. Annual pruning is also must otherwise, the tree will develop a broad top with fruits only on the outer fringe and wide-spreading branches are also subjected to wind damage. Pruning also facilitates harvesting and if done timely and appropriately can extend the total fruiting period. Light pruning facilitates the production of medium sized fruits and heavy pruning to large sized fruits. Under protected cultivation pruning can be helpful to prevent the excessive vegetative growth. Early spring pruning of in some trees brings about early maturity and fall pruning of other trees delays fruit maturity to the following fall. It is best to cut the roots on one side of the tree and lean it to the other when it is between one and one and half metres tall (in the direction of the midday sun at about 30–45 degrees). As a result, fruiting branches can develop along the entire trunk as opposed to simply at the top.
