Showing posts with label Fruit. Show all posts
How To Grow And Care For A Peach Tree
Posted by Unknown in Fruit, Orchard, Peach, Peach Tree, Tree on Tuesday, 29 January 2013
Peach
trees will reward a faithful gardener with abundant fruit if they are
given the right growing conditions, fertilizer, and maintenance pruning.
(Essortment.com)
Peach trees are prized for their juicy summer fruit that make into
wonderful pies. The height and texture that these trees add to the
garden is a plus. While peach trees need little care for decorative
purpose, they do need more attention to maximize fruit production.
Selecting the Right Tree
Peaches
have been bred for thousands of years for different climates, tastes
and color. You will want to pick a tree that is right for your climate,
so check with a local nursery or university extension office to see what
cultivars they recommend. Most peach trees do not need another tree to
pollinate its fruit, but be sure to check before you buy the tree.
Once
you have decided on a cultivar, look over the tree before you take it
home. The ideal peach tree is 1 year old and about 3 feet tall with
several branches, since older trees tend not to transplant as well and
have fewer buds and branches. Look over your tree to make sure there are
no signs of disease or damage.
Picking the Right Site
Peach
trees can survive in most areas, but they need full sun and good air
circulation to produce bountiful fruit. Frost damage during the early
spring months is the most common cause of failure for a peach tree to
develop its fruit. A site with full sun during the day will keep the
tree and immature fruit a couple of degrees warmer during the chilly
nights. An added bonus with a full sun site is sweeter tasting peaches.
Air circulation is also important to keep cold area from pocketing
around the tree and freezing the immature fruit.
To
avoid root damage, a peach tree also needs well-draining soil. If a
peach tree stands in water, the tree's roots will die back and effect
the tree's overall growth. The best soil for peach trees is sandy loam
with plenty of organic material. If your soil retains too much water,
make a raised bed over the spot with some topsoil from a nursery.
Preparing the Site
Your
peach tree will be growing in the same spot for years, so prepare the
soil for long term growth. Begin by testing the ph level of the soil to
determine if it is acidic or alkaline. Peach trees do best with a ph
level of 6.5. However, most soils tend to be more acidic than this
level, so sweeten the soil by adding lime. Lime takes years to leach
down into the layers of soil, so you will need to work it into the
ground a couple of feet deep in a 10 foot by 10 foot area. Over the
years, your peach tree's roots will grow this far and will benefit from
the sweetened soil.
Organic
material also encourages the development of fruit by retaining moisture
and releasing micronutrients. You can add manure, peat moss or compost
up to a year before planting your trees. If you are adding lime, work
the organic material in the ground at the same time to eliminate some
extra work.
Planting Your Tree
The
best time to plant your peach tree is when it is completely dormant
during winter and early spring. It is easier to handle the tree at this
stage, and the roots can develop before new foliage appears in the
spring. Once you have picked a spot to plant your tree, dig a hole 3
feet wide and at least 2 feet deep so it is big enough for the tree's
roots to spread out. You do not want to add fertilizer at this time, but
you can add organic material.
Whether
you have purchased a bare root or potted tree, you will want to inspect
the tree's roots for damage or disease and remove them with a clean
knife or pruning shears. Next, stand the tree upright in the hole and
spread the roots out. The roots should be covered by at least 2 inches
of soil. Then, fill the hole halfway and tap the soil down to ensure
there are no air pockets. Fill in the rest of the hole and again tap the
ground down with your foot until the soil is settled and leveled.
Finally, water the tree thoroughly to ensure the roots are in contact
with the soil.
Yearly Maintenance
To
produce the maximum amount of fruit, peach trees need fertilizer twice a
year. During early spring when the buds are just emerging, work one cup
of 10-10-10 water soluble fertilizer around the drip line of the tree.
Water soluble fertilizer is easily absorbed by the tree's roots. Then,
when the last of the fruit has been harvested, apply another cup of the
same 10-10-10 fertilizer.
Peach
trees do not like to compete for water or nutrients, so keep weeds and
other plants 3 feet away from the base of the tree. Also, apply a layer
of mulch to the soil to keep weeds down and retain moisture in the soil.
If
you have a healthy peach tree, it will produce enough peaches that it
will break its own branches. To prevent this and encourage large fruit,
you will need to thin the immature fruit four weeks after your tree
stops blooming. Thin the fruit so that there is only one peach every 6
inches on a branch. To remove immature fruit, with one hand hold the
branch and with the other hand, pluck of the extra fruit. Be careful not
to tear the branch's skin, leaving it vulnerable to disease.
Pruning
You
can prune your peach tree during the early spring and throughout the
growing season. Major pruning should be done during early spring after
extremely cold weather has past but before foliage has appeared.
However, when branches become diseased, damaged or shoot off a sucker
branch, they should be removed immediately.
The
most productive shape for peach trees is a V-shape with growth that is 3
to 5 years old. By allowing light to reach the inner branches of the
tree, fruit can develop in the inner part of the tree. Fruit buds only
develop on mature branches, but will stop once the wood is several years
old.
Begin
your pruning process by removing any dead, damaged or diseased
branches. Next, remove any waterspouts or vertical growing branches
since they rarely produce fruit. Once those branches are removed, prune
your tree so branches angle off each other and have plenty of room. Old
branches can also be removed since they produce less fruit after three
years.
Preventing Damage from Insects and Disease
Peach
trees are prone to many types of insects and diseases. Planting your
trees in a sunny location with good air circulation is one step to
preventing problems with disease. Another step is to apply a dormant
spray in the winter and following up with a combination insecticide and
fungicide spray throughout the growing season.
While
peach trees need a good site to encourage fruit production, they also
need seasonal fertilizing, pruning and pest control. Once you have
managed these tasks, you should have years of fresh peach pies to enjoy.
Papaya: Introducing High-Yield Varieties Key to Healthy Profits
It
is native to southern Mexico and Central America, but has long been
known and cultivated in the home gardens by the people of tropical and
subtropical areas. It is one of the few crops which fruit throughout the
year, offering quick returns.
Over
time, it has grown from the status of a home-garden crop to that of a
commercial crop in many tropical countries as it is one of the highest
producers of fruits by per-hectare.
AREA AND OUTPUT
Over
the last two decades global papaya production has more than tripled to
105 lakh tonnes in 2009 from 31 lakh tonnes in 1989. This growth in
production has been accompanied by an increase in productivity to 25
tonnes a hectare from 14 tonnes a hectare. India is the leading producer
of the fruit and has increased its share in world production to 37 per
cent in 2009 from 11 per cent in 1989.
Other
major producers are Brazil, contributing 17.1 per cent (17.92 lakh
tonnes) of world tonnage, followed by Indonesia at 7.3 per cent (7.66
lakh tonnes), Nigeria at 7.3 per cent (7.63 lakh tonnes) and Mexico at
6.7 per cent (7.07 lakh tonnes).
A
growing population and increasing per-capita incomes have generated
robust demand for fruits in India. Besides, there has been a growing
trend towards healthier food consumption reflected in the growing
interest in the nutritional aspects of tropical fruits.
This
change is borne out by a multi-fold increase in production of papaya
over the last two decades, primarily on domestic demand.
Between
1991-92 and 2009-10, the area under cultivation for papaya more than
doubled to 95.7 thousand hectares from 45.2 thousand hectares in India,
whereas production witnessed an almost five-fold increase to 39.14 lakh
tonnes from 8.05 lakh tonnes. This was due to an increase in
productivity to 41 tonnes a hectare in 2009-10 from 18 tonnes a hectare
in 1991-92.
This
compares well withto the world average of 25 tonnes a hectare but lags
the other key producers like Brazil, Indonesia and Mexico.
Andhra
Pradesh produces a significant proportion of the crop at around 38 per
cent, with an output of 15 lakh tonnes and a yield of 80 tonnes a
hectare.
Gujarat
ranks second with a production of 8.32 lakh tonnes, followed by
Karnataka (4.19 lakh tonnes), West Bengal (3.21 lakh tonnes),
Chhattisgarh (2.12 lakh tonnes), Madhya Pradesh (1.93 lakh tonnes),
Assam (1.19 lakh tonnes), Kerala (0.8 lakh tonnes) and Tamil Nadu (0.74
lakh tonnes). Of these, the top four accounted for 79 per cent of the
total production in 2009-10.
GLOBAL TRADE
In
2008, global exports of papaya were 2,45,937 tonnes and worth about Rs
940 crore. Mexico is the largest exporter of papaya by volume accounting
for 37 per cent of the exports, followed by Brazil and Belize at 12 per
cent.
The
US accounts for over 50 per cent of papaya imports by volume and over
30 per cent by value. Other key importers are Singapore, Canada, the
Netherlands, Germany, the UK, Spain and Portugal.
India
exports less than 1 per cent of its produce primarily to West Asia.
This accounts for 3-6 per cent by volume and a miniscule 1-2 per cent by
value of global papaya exports.
The
ripe fruit is eaten raw or processed into juices, jams, canned cubes,
candied slices, ice-cream flavouring, etc. The unripe fruit is usually
cooked before consuming.
Green
papaya fruit and the tree's latex are rich in an enzyme called papain,
which has uses in medicine and industry. Papain is used as a protein
digestive and in the manufacture of pharmaceutical preparations for
digestive disorders.
It
finds extensive use in the manufacture of proteolysed preparations of
meat, liver and casein. It is also used in tenderising meat, softening
leathers, degumming natural silk and wool fabrics, chewing gums, tooth
paste and cosmetics.
POST-HARVEST
Papaya
is highly perishable with a shelf-life of four to six days after
harvest under tropical conditions and up to three weeks at
low-temperature storage. Post-harvest losses can be significant if
harvesting, packing and handling techniques are inadequate or
inappropriate.
Moreover,
sellers require the fruit at specific stages of ripeness for optimum
sales, which is around 50-70 per cent of yellow colouring. Therefore,
for the fruit to arrive in markets properly ripened, attention has to be
paid when packed, with adequate time buffer built in for transport.
Productivity
has been lower in India as compared to most major producing countries
due to cultivation of local low-yield varieties. Additionally, papaya is
highly susceptible to pests and diseases, which further lower
productivity. On the other hand, lack of information on post-harvest
handling, storage and transport practices leads to losses.
WAY FORWARD
Demand
for papaya in the domestic as well as export markets and its
profitability for farmers requires a deeper look at all opportunities
for its commercial exploitation.
The
Government and the private sector must work towards introduction of
higher yielding varieties and focus on infrastructure, transport and
human-resource development to minimise pre- and post-harvest losses.
Papaya is still primarily consumed raw.
Developing
more processing options and markets for processed products can reduce
post-harvest losses, besides adding value to the produce.
Source: YES Bank
Pakistani Fruits Have Huge Potential in Central Asia
Posted by Unknown in Central Asia, Citrus Fruit, Fruit, Pakistan on Saturday, 26 January 2013
IQBAL MIRZA
The
five Central Asian Republics (CAR)–Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan – with a combined gross domestic
product of $207 billion and a population of 66 million, offer a
sizeable market for Pakistan’s goods, services and investment.
However,
much of the potential for the economic co-operation with the region has
remained untapped, with Afghanistan’s war acting as a major barrier,
according to the CEO of Harvest Trading, Ahmad Jawad.
Talking
to Business Recorder he said that things, it seemed, appeared to be
changing as per the recent amendments in the Pakistan-Afghan transit
trade agreement.
Traditionally, Pakistan has been routing its exports to CAR through Afghanistan, occasionally using air transport.
“This is really a big market for Pakistani fruits.
But
we need a clear strategy, a roadmap, and immediate concrete steps to
build and expand trade ties with these countries in order to get good
push for survival of our horticulture products in future,” he said.
Pakistan
can get into Central Asian markets from three sides, Jawad said, and
identified that “we can take Afghanistan, Iran and China routes to reach
out to these markets”.
He
said that Pakistan’s bilateral trade with CAR would rise immediately if
Chinese would start using Gwadar port for trading with Central Asian
States “and we use our road links with China to reach out to these
countries”.
Pakistan
could also use the Iranian free trade zone of Chabahar to reach Central
Asia while facilitating Iran-Central Asian business through Gwadar he
added.
Ever
since CAR emerged as independent states after breaking away from the
USSR in early 1990s, Pakistan has done little to promote trade with
them, except for signing some agreements.
“We can export a large number of items to Central Asian countries;” he claimed.
Pakistan
has already been exporting cereals, frozen fish, fruits and vegetables,
medicines, medical/dental/surgical instruments, leather and leather
products, carpets, textile fabrics, knitted garments, ceramics/kitchen
wear and bathroom fittings, furniture and confectionery, to Central
Asian States and it has been importing cotton and agricultural machinery
from there.
In 2010, the CAR combined imports stood above $50 million.
“Even
if we manage to get one percent of this business, our export earnings
will increase by half a billion dollars,” Jawad said.
He regretted that “we are already late in tapping trade potential of Central Asian countries.
China is fast becoming the largest trading partner of these states, and India and Iran are increasing their shares gradually”.
He
emphasised that moves to expand trade volumes with Central Asian states
must be supplemented by more frequent people-to-people contacts, trade
shows and using established banking channels.
