**2.17 Nutrition**

Prunus

square system is followed.

**2.14 Training and pruning**

**2.15 Open-centre system**

branches are removed.

be properly cleared off. It is advisable to plough the plantation area. In hilly area, terraces should be kept inwards to facilitate soil conservation. The orchard area should be properly laid out about 2 months before planting. In sloppy land, layout of an orchard should be done with contour or terrace system, while in a flat land,

Plums are generally trained on the open-centre system or to modified central leader system depending upon the varietal growth habits. The varieties with spreading habits of growth as in Japanese plum should be trained to open-centre system. In HP open-centre system is followed irrespective of variety. However, in the plains, where plenty of sunlight is available, trees should be trained in the form of modified

After planting, the plant is cut back to 40–60 cm above the ground level. During the growing season, about three to six laterals, in addition to the central leader, are produced on the tree. In the first winter pruning, three to five scaffold branches which are well spaced and have wide angle should be selected, and the remaining

The central leader is also completely removed. The planting distance varies according to the varieties, rootstocks and fertility of soils. Plums are generally planted at a distance of 6 m × 6 m. In high-density plantation, the plum plants raised on semi-dwarfing clonal rootstocks should be planted at 4 m × 4m in distance. Pits of 1 m × 1 m × 1 m size are dug in October–November. Pits should be filled with fertile top soils mixed with 40 kg of well-rotten FYM and 1 kg of single super phosphate. To avoid any damage from insects, the pits are drenched with 10 litres of chlorpyrifos (4 ml/L) solution. The graft union should be kept 10–15 cm above the ground level at the time of planting to avoid any scion rooting. Young plants should

be watered regularly, and basin area is mulched with 15-cm-thick dry grass.

The selected branches are headed back to ¼ of the growth. During the second dormant pruning, two to three secondary branches are selected on the primary branches. The major consideration in selecting secondary branches should be their location so that after pruning, the tips of primary and secondary leaders are about 30–40 cm apart from each other. The height of secondary branches is staggered in different years by pruning all branch leaders more severely. The vertical ones are pruned more severely. This will produce branch leaders at different heights and prevent overcrowding when the tree is mature. In the following years, the head should be fully formed, and selection of secondary branches is completed.

In plums, thinning and heading back of shoots are two basic components of pruning. Most of the plum varieties bear on spurs on 2-year-old woods. The life span of these spurs is 5–6 years. It is necessary to prune for some spur renewal each season. The extent of pruning is done such a way to induce an annual shoot growth of 25–50 cm. In bearing plum trees, 25–30% thinning of shoots and 50–75% heading back of shoots are suggested for proper fruiting. At the time of

pruning, dead, diseased and broken branches should be pruned off.

central leader system with four to five scaffold branches.

**92**

**2.16 Pruning**

Plum requires adequate amount of nutrients for better growth and quality fruits. Application of manures and fertilisers depends upon soil fertility, type of soil, topography, age of tree, cultural practices and crop load. The requirement of fertilisers varies from region to region. The farmyard manure along with full dose of P and K should be applied during December and January. Half dose of N is applied in spring before flowering and the remaining half a month later.
