Effect of canopy management on growth and yield of mango cv. Amrapali planted at close spacing

Investigations were undertaken at ICAR Research Complex for Eastern Region, Research Centre, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India (ICAR RCER, RC, R) to standardize canopy architecture of rejuvenated mango plants of cv. Amrapali planted at a closer spacing. Twenty four years old mango trees cv. Amrapali planted at a spacing of 5.0 m x 5.0 m were topped at three different heights: 1.0 m (R1), 1.5 m (R2) and 2.0 m (R3) above ground during December, 2005. Treatments on length of primary shoot [60 cm (P1), 120 cm (P2), no control on length of primary shoot (P3)] and length of secondary shoots [60 cm (S1) and no control on length of secondary shoot (S2)] were imposed after one year of rejuvenation pruning in 18 different combinations. The earliest bud sprouting occurred in R3 and longer in R1 trees. There were significant differences among treatments for tree height during both the years of study and canopy spread and shoot girth after one year of rejuvenation pruning. The treatment R1 resulted in lower plant height as compared to R2 and R3 trees. With respect to girth of primary shoots, R1 resulted in lower values as compared to other treatments after one year of rejuvenation pruning. However, the differences among the values of girth of primary shoot during 2010 were non-significant. Initiation of fruiting began after third year of rejuvenation pruning. Yield greater than 60 kg/tree were recorded in R2 and R3. Pruning at 1.0 m (R1), 60 cm length of primary shoot (P1), and no control on length of secondary shoots (S2) was found to be the best management practice for rejuvenation of unproductive mango orchards of cv. Amrapali planted at close spacing.