A success story of rejuvenation of mango, guava and aonla taken in Jammu region from 2011 to 2017.

1. Sher-e-Kashmir
University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology, Jammu
Dr. Parshant Bakshi
Head, ACHR, Udheywalla
Rejuvenation of old/senile orchards-
A success story
Expert Lecture in 2 days SAMETI training on 29-11-2017
Presented by

2.  India is a vast country and is gifted with a variety of
soils and climates. Thus, almost all kinds of fruits can be
grown successfully in this country. It is a matter of great
surprise that in spite of provision of adequate resources, the
per capita consumption of fruits here is perhaps one of the
lowest in the world. The existing orchards are not able to
meet the present requirements of the country. Poor selection
of planting material, haphazard plantation and poor
management has made many orchards uneconomic.
 The term ‘Rejuvenation’ means renewal or making
new or young again. As applied to the orchard tree it would
mean restoring the productive capacity of the fruit trees. The
meaning of ‘Rejuvenation’ according to Chamber’s
dictionary is ‘to recover youth character or to grow again’.
Obviously, this would apply to those plants which have
attained a stage where they are no more profitable from the
grower’s point of view.

3. Causes which makes the orchard uneconomic
A survey of uneconomic orchards would reveal following defects:
i. Growth of wild shrubs and grasses
Wild shrubs and grasses continue to grow without any check under the tree and
in between the rows. At a stage they develop into bushes here and there in the
entire plantation.
ii. Overcrowding and unsystematic planting
In some of the orchards no regular or systematic planting is followed. The trees
are also found to be planted so close that they form a dense overhead canopy
which does not allow sufficient light to reach at different parts of the fruit trees
uniformly. The lower branches remain under perpetual shade. As a result of it
the bigger branches remain devoid of small twigs or branchlets and ultimately
this abnormality reduces the fruiting surface.

4. iv. Damage due to adverse weather conditions, rodents and other enemies:-
Trees with damaged trunks, broken limbs and big hollow in the trunks are not
uncommon in such orchards. Some trees may be found standing with only half
their base. Many trees live for hundred years or more and grow to huge
dimensions.
v. Infestation of pests, diseases and parasites:- The orchards which have been
established in neglected localities are seriously attacked by number of pests,
diseases and plant parasites. These enemies are so rampant that even in
orchards otherwise in good condition, the production is very poor.
iii. Inferior varieties:- The poor selection of planting material at the time of
planting will cause a great loss throughout the life of the orchard. In most of
the orchards trees have been raised from seeds and of inferior varieties.

5. Senility is a stage of the plant in which
after a long span of continuous fruiting, the
ability of the branches or limbs and or whole
tree to produce vigorous and efficient twigs
having capacity to bear the fruit is reduced.
What is senility ?

6. What is rejuvenation ?
Rejuvenation is the process of pruning and
after pruning management of the plants to make
them productive by utilizing the existing root
system for support and absorption and existing
limb / branch system to rebuilt the productive
canopy

7. Why rejuvenation of senile plants?
 India is a leading fruit producing country.
 Fruit production in the country is an age old
enterprise.
 A large acreage is under systematic fruit plantation.
 The low average productivity of orchards in India is
attributed to prevalence of senile orchards.
 Hence, rejuvenation is required to improve the
productivity of senile orchards.

8. • Predominance of long unfruitful branches and tip
bearing habit
• Reduction in the ability of a particular branch to
produce vigorous and efficient twigs which can bear
fruits
• Over crowding of branches in the inner part of the
canopy leading to restricted sunlight penetration
• Heavy incidence of pest and disease
• Drastic reduction in fruit yield, size and appearance
Characteristics of senile orchards

9. Principle of rejuvenation
1. Trees have latent buds on their limbs and
branches which are activated to put forth
new sprouts which ultimately form the
canopy and fruiting area of the plant.
2. Improvement in root : shoot ratio

10. Considerations for rejuvenation
 Age of the plant
 Ability of the species to coppice
 Frame of the tree
 Time and severity of rejuvenation
 Post rejuvenation care
 Transformation of rejuvenated juvenile
shoots into productive one
 Top working to change the variety

11. Advantages of rejuvenation
1. Utilization of existing root system
2. Lowering the fruiting area which can be
conveniently managed
3. Creation of extra space for intercropping in the
orchard
4. Availability of large amount of pruned wood which
can provide additional income
5. Enhancing the productivity of plant

13. REJUVENATION OF MANGO ORCHARDS
 About 35-40 per cent orchards in mango growing belt are old and unproductive
; many respond to rejuvenation
 Head back of branches during December to a level of about 3 meters from
ground
 About three to four main branches emerging and having outward growth are
retained; rest are pruned back to their base
 Main branches are allowed to produce shoots and develop into canopy; thinning
of excessive criss-crossing shoots is carried out during May and July to maintain
6-8 shoots per branch
 Trees develop healthy and productive canopy after two years and bearing starts
 Additional income from pruned wood and intercropping with short duration
vegetables and ornamental crops are the other advantages
 Fruit yield increases up to 4-5 times of the initial status with improved size and
quality due to better light penetration into the canopy
 Application of 2.5 kg urea, 3 kg Single super phosphate (SSP) and 1.5 kg
Muriate of potash along with 100 kg FYM is recommended for each pruned tree
 These trees must be irrigated at interval of 15-20 days starting from end of
February till onset of rainy season

14. Convincing the farmers

15. Marking and cutting of the trees

16. Heading Back
&
Selection of
main branches

17. Pasting on cut ends

18. Basin preparation of rejuvenated mango tree

19. New shoot initiation on rejuvenated trees

20. Profuse shooting

21. Thinning of shoots

22. Keeping 8-10 well spaced
shoots per branch
Thinned shoots

23. First flush Second flush
Fully developed canopy

24. Application of Paclobutrazol to restore the
Canopy productivity
Year of application : Third year after pruning
Time of application : September-October
Method of application : Trunk pour method
Canopy drip area method
Uniformly distributed localized
pit method
Doses : 4-6 gram a.i. per tree (16-25 ml P333)

25. What is Paclobutrazol?
Paclobutrazol is a growth retardant which
intercepts the Gibberellins Synthesis path way
and therefore known as Anti-gibberellins.
Application of Paclobutrazol, gibberellins and
auxin balance in the terminal shoots changed
more towards auxin which is responsible for
florigin formation and ultimately the flowering in
the terminal shoots

26. Method of application

27. Rejuvenated plants started flowering
in third year

28. The orchard intercropped with Carrot
and bottle gourd

29. Yield of intercrops in rejuvenated orchard
Crop Area (acre) Yield (q)
Potato 0.50 16.50
Ginger 0.25 9.50
Bottle guard 0.25 16.0
Pigeon pea 0.25 2.75
Mustard 0.25 3.50

31. Guava Rejuvenation

32. REJUVENATION OF OLD AND UNPRODUCTIVE
GUAVA ORCHARDS
 Orchards lose their productivity beyond 25 years due to biotic stresses
 Rejuvenation involves heading back of trees to a level of 1.0-1.5 m from ground
level
 Emerging shoots are allowed to grow (40-50 cm) for 4-5 months after heading
back
 Shoots are further pruned to 50 per cent of their length to allow emergence of
multiple shoots ; these shoots offer fruit bearing surface in the following season ;
healthy and productive canopy develops
 Profuse fruiting and yield increases to about 70-90 per cent over non-rejuvenated
trees is observed in the very first year of operation
 Additional income from pruned wood and intercropping with short duration
vegetables and ornamental crops are the other advantage
 Yield, fruit size and quality increase due to better light penetration into the
canopy

33. A view of guava orchard to be rejuvenated

34. Marking and cutting
of shoots

35. Slant cut with Chain saw

36. Pasting of Copper oxychloride on cut surfaces

37. Heading back of branches of guava tree
Newly emerged shoots on beheaded branches of the
tree
Full growth after five months of heading back
Showing shoot pruning after 5 month of heading back
continued…

38. Rejuvenated guava plants with intercropping

39. Aonla Rejuvenation

40. Stage 1
• Dense old and unproductive trees
Stage 1
• Heading back of branches from 2.5 m to 3.0 m above the ground level
Stage 1• December -January
Stage 2• Profuse emergence of new shoots on beheaded branches
Stage 2
• Thinning of shoots (shoot selection and regular thinning is essential for facilitating
development
Stage 3
• May- June
Stage 3
• Shoot management, selected shoots are pruned up to about 50 % of its total length
Stage 3
• Continue shoot thinning from pruned shoots upto some extent to avoid dense and heavy
bushy
Stage 4
• September-October
Stage 4
• Fruiting starts after second year

47. DEMONSTRATION OF T-BUDDING TECHNIQUE IN AONLA
Heading back of branches of
old/unproductive trees
Emergence of new shoots on beheaded
branches
Thinning and selection of shoots for
canopy development
Canopy development
Top working on rejuvenated plant
Fruiting In rejuvenated aonla plant
Steps involved in Rejuvenation of
Aonla
REJUVENATION TECHNIQUES STANDARDIZED
IN AONLA
Heading back of branches Beheaded branches
showing emergence of
new shoots
Shoot thinning and
selection for canopy
development
Canopy development
after shoot thinning
Top working on rejuvenated tree Fruiting on rejuvenated tree

48. • Rejuvenation has been found successful in
mango, guava and aonla under Jammu
subtropics .
• It is responding in the trees having strong
shoot renewal and coppicing capacity
• Efforts should be made to improve
productivity of other fruit and plantation
crops having similar growth habit.
• In crops where young shoots have economic
importance, rejuvenation practice should also
be tried to improve their productivity
Conclusion

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52. A basket of ripe fruit is
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Never go to a doctor
whose office plants have
died
Save Horticulture
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