Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock

Directorate General Agriculture Extension and Development
Directorate Horticulture Development

Training course on canopy management & pruning of fruit

trees

By: Khwaja Mohammad Shafi Seddeqi

15-May-2017

1
content
1. Objectives
2. Introduction
3.Canopy Management
4. Canopy definition
5. Natural resource
6. Canopy management
7. Training pruning system
8. Pruning objective
9. Pruning systems
Introduction

Our farmers have fruit production for better income.

If they use canopy management and pruning

• They can control plant growth
• increasing production with higher quality
What is canopy management ????

• Canopy management of fruit trees deals with the

development and maintenance of their structure in
relation to the size and shape for maximum yield
and quality.
Definition of canopy Management

• Canopy Management in temperate fruit crops for

efficient utilization of natural resources
 Natural resources

• Land
• Water
• Light
• Root stock
• Different varieties
 Why use canopy management?

• For higher density of trees/ unit area

• For proper use of natural resources
• For better manage of agronomical activities
• For good colure of fruits
• Reduction of pests and diseases
• Increase production/unit area
• Annually regular fruit production
Canopy management

Manipulation of the Structure of fruit trees

Mostly for short statured tree
Aim: to capture maximum of sunlight
Result: maximum yield and quality

Stick tree Pyramid Vase Colomn V-shape

Good Canopy management = Correct pruning

Correct pruning

Planting
Material

Incorrect pruning
 Principle of canopy

• When we decrease the tree size

– shaded area decreased,
– leaf area also decreased,
– total leaf area increased
– the tree will receive 30% extra light
– spur and flower initiation take place
– Extra light is good for fruit size and color
 Training is making Tree shapes

• Training for weak stem plants

(Grapes and Kiwi fruits).

• Head stem, knifing, telephone,

bower, taturs trellis etc.
 Training system and tree forms

1 - Columnar

•This plant form is suitable for tree with spur

type branching system like pear

•The columnar plant forms consist of a single

stem with small side branches.

• In this system 10000 trees /ha are reached.

•Trees are shaped like columns with site

uniform branches from button up to top
 2 -Globular

• It is an open centre Canopy. The

most productive part is at the
top of periphery
• large part of the tree remain
unproductive, These trees with
their regular rounded shape.
 3 -Conical shape

• It forms light efficient canopies in

which the top of tree does not
heavily shaded the bottom branches.
• major portion of the bearing is close
to the ground. The open framework
allows sunlight to penetrate into
inner most part of the tree.
 4 - Open-head irregular

• The branching pattern of the

tree is irregular

• Creating open irregular canopy

shape.
 5 - Weeping

• Branches of weeping trees

droop downward and are
converted with graceful
cascading foliage
 6 - Pyramidal

• In this system the button branches are

wider and narrower to the top
• In this system the central leader stem is
narrow and frames are used
• This frame can keep tree with 2m high
• In this system the lights penetrate until 1
m inside the tree
 7 - Vase

• Vase shaped canopies branches grow at sharp upward

angle from the trunk.
• Fruit production of Vase canopy has yield 34 t/ha.

Pear tree
 8 - Vertical Tree Walls
• In the vertical axis system the trees are trained and maintained in a
narrow leader.
• Maximize light penetration with in a tree canopy.
• supported by trellis, consisting of a conduct or a wooden conducting
the tops of the branches
• light penetrates the canopies to a depth of 1 m, hence illumination
from both sides provides adequate light
 9 -Horizontal Canopy

• This provides uniform

light exposure to the
entire bearing surface
from the top.
• Hence effective “
thickness of the canopy
is limited to 1 m.
• This canopy shape has a
potential for mechanical
harvesting of fruit.
 Ways to create dwarf trees

1. Use of Root stocks

2. Use of growth regulators

3. Pruning
 Clone:-

• Suddenly exchange in a plant which has

complete character diversity with the initial
plant and the exchange part propagated as
sexual.
• Apple sapling propagated a sexual by clone as
follows:-
 Trench:-

1- In first spring
maling root stock
planted.
 Continue:-

2- Laying of sapling
and covering with
the soil 3-4 times
,developing roots
during whole grow
season.
 Continue:-

3- In the autumn of
first year after
fallen of the leaves
we have branches
with roots.
 Continuation:-
4- Removal of the soil
from branches with
new roots.
 Continue:-
5-in the spring of second
year new branches with
roots are ready for
planting.
 Continue:-
1- Spring of first year
which maling of root
stock is planted.
 Continue:-
2- Autumn of first year
after fallen of the
leaves.
 Continue:-
3- Spring of the second
year cutting branches of
the upper part before
growth.
 Continue:-
4- Production of new
branches with roots
from root stock during
whole growth season.
 Continue:-
5- Autumn of the second
year malling of the root
stock after fallen leaves.
 Continue:-

6- Spring of the third

year which new
branches with root
growth are ready for
planting.
 Continue:-

7- Spring of the third

year malign root stock
which new branches
are separated.
Stooling life cycle:-
 Ways to create dwarf trees

1-Root stocks

Apple: M-9, M-27, M-26, MM-106 MM-111

 Ways to create dwarf trees

2- Growth Regulators like

pactobutrozol
 Ways to create dwarf trees

3. Pruning the trees with proper pruning

tools
Practical on
pruning tools
Pruning tools & equipments

Pruning shears

Pruning saw

Pruning lopper
Pruning tools & equipments
Pruning tools & equipments

Hedge shears
Pruning tools & equipments

Telescope tree
pruner
Open tree shapes
Open tree shape V shape
Open tree shape V- shape
Open tree shape V- shape
Single in row planting
Zig-Zag planting
Open tree shape V- shape
 Pruning purpose
• Pruning will balance between
– vegetative (growing) phase and
– productive (flower) phase
• Cutting of undesirable branches
• Develop a wanted plant shapes
– with good light distribution,
– small in size
– easy to manage
• Keep trees young for many years
Crossing
branches
Cut thin spurs
Cut inward growing
 Cont……

• Cutting of branch from

the level of trunk
• Covering of the cutting
parts by wax or
painting oil.
 Specification of pruning:

• Age of the tree

• Frame work of the tree
• Growth habit
• Yearly (annually) fruit production
 Pruning system

• open center system

Modified leader system
Central leader system
 Which branches have to be cut

• Branches with less than 40

degree angle
• Branches with more than
80 degree angle
• Braches located to each
other
• Diseased branches
 Cont….

•Braches which are parallel

to each other
•Branches which are vertical
• sucker have to be cut
 cont.....
Bulky branches • Broken branches
 Difference between stone and pome fruit

Stone fruit Pome fruit

Open system Central leader system

Age of fruit bud 8 -10 year Age of fruit bud 8 -10 year

Pruning fter harvesting Time of pruning end of winter

before falling leaves (dormancy)
Use more amount of N for Use less amount of N fertilizer
energy producing to reduce branch growth
 Growth of lateral branches in the row

• Planting of sapling in row

uptake of more light

• Planting of sapling in north

and south direction cause
light penetration from east
and west direction
Thanks for your kind attention