canopy management in fruit crops - Department of Agriculture & Co ...

•
•
•
•
•
•
•
50
Pruning in kiwi should be carried out in such a way that fruiting areas are available
every year, requiring the wood to be young. This is achieved by following a 3-4 year
lateral replacement system which becomes a pruning cycle.
In the beginning, a lateral arising from main rod is cut back in winter to provide
enough space for 4-5 fruiting shoots at 4-5 bud interval between 2 such shoots.
The strong uprights or shoots arising at undesirable points are pruned in spring season
when they have not grown too long. This is more applicable to Hayward variety, in
which shoots of only medium vigour bear fruits.
In others, vigorous shoots can be pulled back to horizontal position to convert them
into fruiting wood. Thus, summer pruning constitutes in shortening back of fruiting
arms, thinning out of criss cross and shading shoots.
The secret of successful summer pruning is in the selection and encouragement of
correct laterals to bear fruits in the next year and expose vine to sunlight.
In dormant pruning, the fruiting lateral is cut back to 2 vegetative buds beyond the last
fruit. In second year, these vegetative buds produce fruiting shoots which are pruned
again.
The arms on the lateral shoots are allowed to fruit during third or fourth year. After
this, the laterals are removed from the main branches, while other laterals are selected
and pruned accordingly, so that the balance between vegetative and reproductive
growth is maintained for continuity in fruit production.
Canopy Management in Fruit Crops