Tag: climate-requirements

• Sapota (Manilkara achras) is a tropical fruit introduced from Central America, widely cultivated in India.
• Commonly known as sapodilla or chiku, it belongs to the family Sapotaceae.
• Fruits are recommended for patients with tuberculosis and children with primary complex due to their nutritional value.
• Offers high economic returns, even under marginal land and low-input conditions.

• Grows well from sea level up to 1200 m altitude, preferring warm, moist climates.
• Optimal temperature range: 11°C to 34°C; annual rainfall: 1250–2500 mm.
• Best suited to coastal climates but adaptable to both dry and humid regions.
• Prefers deep, well-drained, porous soils such as alluvium, sandy loams, red laterites, and medium black soils.
• Tolerates moderate soil and irrigation water salinity.

• Propagation is mainly through grafting onto Manilkara hexandra (Pala) rootstock.
• Planting season: June to December; recommended spacing: 8 x 8 m (standard), 8 x 4 m (high density).
• Pits of 1 m³ are prepared and filled with topsoil, 10 kg FYM, 1 kg neem cake, and 100 g lindane (1.3%).
• Grafts are planted with the graft union at least 15 cm above ground and staked for support.

• Immediate and regular irrigation is crucial after planting; water copiously post-planting, then every 10 days until establishment.
• Annual application of FYM and NPK fertilizers, increasing with tree age; mature trees (6th year onwards) require 50 kg FYM, 1 kg N, 1 kg P, and 1.5 kg K per tree.
• Fertilizers should be applied in September–October, 45 cm from the trunk, and incorporated into the soil up to the leaf drip line.

• Regular removal of rootstock sprouts, water shoots, criss-cross, and lower branches is essential for healthy growth.
• Legumes and short-duration vegetable crops can be intercropped during the pre-bearing stage to improve soil fertility and income.

• Leaf webber: Controlled by spraying phosalone at 2 ml/liter.
• Hairy caterpillars: Managed with endosulfan at 2 ml/liter (note: endosulfan use is restricted in many countries; safer alternatives are recommended).
• Budworm: Controlled by phosalone spray at 2 ml/liter.
• Sooty mould: Treated by spraying a 5% solution of boiled maida or starch (1 kg in 20 liters water).

• Fruits are ready for harvest when dull brown and the skin beneath is lighter in color; mature fruits lose brown scaly material and have reduced latex.
• Harvesting is done by hand picking; main seasons are February–June and September–October.
• Ripening is accelerated by placing fruits in airtight chambers with 5000 ppm Ethrel and 10 g NaOH pellets.
• Yield starts from the third year, reaching 20–25 t/ha/year in mature orchards.

• Grapes belong to the family Vitaceae; scientific name: Vitis vinifera.
• Originated near the Caspian Sea (Armenia region).
• Viticulture refers to grape cultivation.
• Over 10,000 grape varieties exist worldwide.
• Grapes contribute significantly to global fruit production.

• Prefer semi-arid, subtropical regions with warm, dry summers and cool winters.
• Require long, dry summers for proper fruit maturity and ripening.
• High humidity and summer rains increase fungal disease risk.
• Rest period (dormancy) occurs in winter in temperate regions.
• In tropical regions, vines may have two growth cycles per year.

• Best grown in well-drained, deep loamy soils (minimum 1 m depth).
• Optimal soil pH: 6.5–7.0.
• Soils should be fertile and rich in organic matter.
• Poor drainage or waterlogging adversely affects vine health.

• Primarily propagated by hardwood cuttings from one-year-old healthy canes.
• Cuttings: 25–30 cm long, lower cut below a bud, upper cut above a bud.
• Callusing in moist sand before nursery planting improves rooting.
• Grafting and budding used for specific rootstock requirements (e.g., disease resistance).

• Phylloxera resistance: Vitis riparia, V. rupestris
• Nematode resistance: Dogridge, Salt Creek
• Salinity tolerance: Solonis, 1616

• Trenches (0.6 m width/depth) or pits (1 m3) prepared for planting.
• Apply well-decomposed FYM, compost, or green manure before planting.
• Spacing: 3 × 2 m (Muscat), 4 × 3 m (other varieties).
• Plant rooted cuttings during June–July.

• Irrigate immediately after planting, then weekly.
• Withhold irrigation 15 days before pruning and harvest.
• Drip irrigation is preferred for efficient water use.

• Apply FYM and green manure before planting and after pruning.
• Fertilizer doses vary by variety and vine age (see table below).
• Apply half the potassium dose after pruning, remainder after 60 days.
• Foliar spray: 0.1% boric acid + 0.2% ZnSO4 + 1% urea before flowering and 10 days later.

Example Fertilizer Schedule (kg/vine/year):

• Tipping shoots and tying clusters after fruit set.
• Remove tendrils and nip axillary/terminal buds at 12–15 buds.
• Thin compact bunches by removing ~20% berries at pea stage.
• Dip clusters in 0.5 ppm brassinosteroid + 25 ppm GA3 solution 10–12 days after fruit set.

• Grapes require specific soil, climate, and management for optimal yield and quality.
• Proper propagation, nutrient, and water management are essential.
• Special cultural practices improve fruit quality and market value.

• Banana (Musa spp.) is a major fruit crop and staple food in tropical regions.
• Origin: South East Asia; called ‘Apple of Paradise’.
• Main producing states: Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar.
• Edible bananas are mostly hybrids of M. acuminata and M. balbisiana.
• Fruits develop by parthenocarpy (without fertilization).

• Deep, well-drained soils rich in organic matter are ideal.
• Optimum soil pH: 5.5–8.0.
• Soil depth: At least 1 meter.

Climate:

• Prefers humid tropical climate.
• Temperature range: 10°C to 40°C (optimum ~23°C).
• Altitude: Up to 1500 m above mean sea level.
• Rainfall: Minimum 100 mm/month is beneficial.
• High wind velocity (>80 m/hr) can damage plants.

• Wet land: Feb–Apr (Poovan, Rasthali, Monthan), Apr–May (Nendran, Robusta).
• Garden land: Jan–Feb, Nov–Dec.
• Padugai land: Jan–Feb, Aug–Sep.
• Hill banana: Apr–May (lower Palani hills), Jun–Aug (Sirumalai).

Propagation Methods:

• By suckers: Sword suckers (vigorous, early bearing) and water suckers (less vigorous).
• Average sucker weight: 1.5–2 kg.
• Micropropagation (tissue culture) for rapid multiplication.

• Trim roots and decayed corm portions; cut pseudostem to 20 cm above corm.
• For wilt-prone varieties, dip corm in 0.1% carbendazim for 5 min.
• Pralinage: Dip corm in clay slurry and sprinkle with 40 g carbofuran 3G per sucker to control nematodes.
• Alternative: Dip in 0.75% monocrotophos, shade dry 24 hours before planting.

Field Preparation:

• Deep ploughing and leveling of land.
• Dig pits (45 cm x 45 cm x 45 cm); refill with topsoil, 10 kg FYM, 250 g neem cake, 50 g lindane 1.3%.

• Garden land: 1.8 x 1.8 m (3086 plants/ha) or 1.5 x 1.5 m (4444 plants/ha).
• Wet land: 2.1 x 2.1 m (2267 plants/ha).
• Hill: 3.6 x 3.6 m (750 plants/ha).
• High density: 3 suckers/pit at 1.8 x 3.6 m (4600 plants/ha).

• Immediate irrigation after planting; life irrigation on 4th day.
• Subsequent irrigation: Weekly (garden land), every 10–15 days (wetland).
• Drip irrigation: 15 L/plant/day (planting–4th month), 20 L/plant/day (5th month–shooting), 25 L/plant/day (shooting–15 days before harvest).

• Apply N, P, K as per land type and variety (see table below).
• Use neem-coated urea for N application.
• Apply N & K in 3 splits (3rd, 5th, 7th month); P at 3rd month.
• For tissue culture plants, apply 50% extra fertilizer at 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th month.
• Biofertilizers: Azospirillum and Phosphobacteria (20 g each at planting and 5th month).

• Apply 25 L water/plant/day with 200:30:300 g N:P2O5:K2O/plant using water-soluble fertilizers.
• For cost-saving, use 30% recommended N & K via fertigation; full P as basal at 2nd month.

Micronutrients:

• Spray ZnSO4 (0.5%), FeSO4 (0.2%), CuSO4 (0.2%), H3BO3 (0.1%) at 3, 5, 7 months after planting.

• Bi-monthly digging and earthing-up.
• Desuckering: Remove side suckers monthly.
• Remove and burn dry/dead leaves.
• Remove male flower a week after last hand opens.
• Propping: Support bunches with bamboo or casuarina poles to prevent wind damage.

• Spray 2,4-D at 25 ppm after last hand opens to improve bunch grade and reduce seediness (Poovan).
• Spray CCC (1000 ppm) at 4th and 6th month to enhance yield.
• Spray plantozyme (2 ml/L) at 6th and 8th month for higher yield.
• Cover bunches with transparent polyethylene sleeves (2–4% ventilation) after last hand opens.

• Suitable intercrops: Leguminous vegetables, beetroot, elephant foot yam, sunhemp.
• Incorporate sunhemp at 45 days to reduce nematode build-up.
• Avoid cucurbitaceous vegetables as intercrops.

• Fruits are classified based on their temperature and climatic requirements.
• Main categories: temperate, subtropical, and tropical fruits.
• Some fruits can adapt to more than one climatic zone (e.g., mango, grape).
• Agroclimatic zones help determine suitable crops and cultivars for each region.

• Vegetative and flower buds enter dormancy in late summer or autumn.
• Require substantial winter chilling for bud break and growth.
• Frost-hardy; tolerant to snowfall and ice.
• Soils are usually shallow, acidic, and rainfall is adequate.
• Found at high elevations in India (e.g., Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh).

• Intermediate temperatures; brief chilling periods may occur.
• Fruits have no distinct rest period; light frost possible.
• Rainfall varies from low to high; soils are generally neutral and sandy loam/alluvial.
• Soil fertility is often low; photoperiodic requirement is not marked.
• Regions: Punjab, Haryana, parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam.

• Chilling temperatures are absent; high temperatures prevail year-round.
• Narrow day-night temperature variation; insignificant photoperiodic requirement.
• Rainfall and soil types vary widely (clay loam, alluvial, saline, sandy, laterite).
• Major fruit crops: mango, banana, papaya, guava.
• Regions: Central, Southern, and Coastal India.

• Low and erratic rainfall (100–500 mm annually); high evapotranspiration.
• High solar radiation and wind velocity; soils are sandy with low organic matter.
• Poor water holding capacity and saline groundwater in many areas.
• Major regions: Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Ladakh (cold arid).

• ICAR recognizes eight major agroclimatic zones for land use planning.
• Zones include: Western/Eastern Himalayas, Bengal-Assam, Sutlej-Ganga Plains, Eastern/Southern Islands, Arid Western Plains, Semi-arid Plateaus, Western Ghats.
• Each zone is characterized by unique climate, soil, and crop suitability.

• Fifteen broad agroclimatic zones based on physiography and climate.
• Examples: Western/Eastern Himalayan, Gangetic Plains, Plateau and Hills, Coastal Plains, Western Dry Region, Island Region.
• Used for effective agricultural planning and resource allocation.

• India divided into 21 agroecological regions based on physiography, soils, bioclimate, and growing period (GP).
• Growing period: Arid (<90 days), Semi-arid (90–150 days), Subarid (150–210 days), Humid (>210 days).
• Supports precise crop and land use planning.

• Tamil Nadu has seven climatic zones based on rainfall, altitude, and irrigation sources.
• Zones: North-eastern, North-western, Western, Cauvery Delta, Southern, High Rainfall, Hilly.
• Each zone has distinct rainfall patterns, soil types, and major crops.