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

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Pruning in bearing trees, a certain amount of thinning out and heading back of outward
growing laterals are considered adequate.
A balance is required to be maintained between fruit production and vegetative growth.
Pruning intensity varies with the bearing habit of a cultivar and vigour of a tree.
Pear trees bear fruits on spurs on 2 year old wood and a spur continues to bear for
more than 6 years. The limbs with spurs over 6-8 years old need to be removed in a
phased manner.
The branches and new shoots are headed back to induce new growths, while old fruiting
branches and spurs are thinned out to maintain the vigour of retained ones.
Vigorous growth is more susceptible to fire blight. Therefore, in areas of heavy blight
infection, pruning should be carried out in such a way that the trees make a thrifty growth.
Light pruning reduces cork spot and increases yield of desirable fruit size.
In hills, dormant season, when the danger of heavy snowfall is over, is the best time
of pruning. Early pruning may result in severe cold injury.
Canopy Management in Fruit Crops