For over coming the problem of unproductive and uneconomic orchards existing in abundance, large scale uprooting and replacement with new plantations (rehabilitation) will be a long term and expensive strategy. Therefore research efforts were initiated to standardise a technology for restoring the production potential of existing plantations by a technique called Rejuvenation.

1. Division of Fruit Science
Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology- Jammu

2. It is common to see that every living organism after some period of time
(that may vary from species to species) looses its efficiency to perform
various functions. Likewise in fruit plants also, there is a decline both in
quality and quantity of produce after some period of time. As a result of
which orcharding becomes economically non-viable and non-remunerative. In
the recent past declining productivity of old and dense orchards existing in
abundance has become a matter of serious concern for the orchardists,
traders as well as scientists. In India 30-35 per cent area under fruit
crops is occupied by old, dense and diseased orchards and in our state of
J&K about 13,500 ha area is under senile orchards.
For over coming the problem of unproductive and uneconomic
orchards existing in abundance, large scale uprooting and replacement with
new plantations (rehabilitation) will be a long term and expensive strategy.
Therefore research efforts were initiated at CISH, Lucknow during the
early 1990s to standardize a technology for restoring the production
potential of existing plantations by a technique called Rejuvenation.

3. ➢ The rejuvenation technology involves the heading back of
exhausted trees showing marked decline in annual
production and quality of produce to the extent of 1.0 to
1.5 meter height above the ground level during May-June
or December-February with the objective of facilitating
production of new shoots from below the cut point and
allow the development of fresh canopy of healthy shoots.
➢ The newly emerging shoots are allowed to grow up to 40-
50 cm length and then further pruned for emergence of
multiple shoots below the pruning point to modify the tree
structure and maintain canopy size.

4. The old fruit orchards need to be rejuvenated as
they show decline in yield and quality of produce
which may be attributed to any one of the
following factors:
▪ Reduction in the photosynthetic surface area.
▪ Non availability of productive shoots.
▪ Increased incidence of insect pests and
diseases.
▪ Less penetration of sunlight due to over
crowding of branches as a result of which the
fruits on the interior areas of the tree do not
develop proper colour.

5. ➢ Identification of old orchards.
➢ Top and Frame Working by Power Pruning Saw.
➢ Procurement of bud wood and scion from genuine
source.
➢ Frame working with latest available varieties.
➢ Operations under expert guidance.

6. ➢ Guava occupies 5th place in area (0.15 Mha) and 4th place in
fruit production (1.80 Mt) in India. (Mitra et al., 2008)
➢ Like many other fruit crops, guava trees also witness decline
in productivity after 15-20 years, hence need to be
rejuvenated and respond excellently. (Chanana, 2005)
➢ Boosting up the present productivity of 7 to 11 tonnes per
hectare has become a challenging task for researchers due
to declining production potential of old and crowded orchards
existing in abundance. (Kalloo et al., 2005)
➢ The commonly occurring senile orchards, is one of the
prominent factors relating to the declining trends in
production and productivity of guava. (Singh et al., 2005)

7. Old, dense and unproductive guava orchards
Heading back of branches from 1.0 to 1.5m height above the ground level
May/June December/February
New shoot emerge on beheaded branches
Management of shoots, Pruning of newly sprouted shoots below the cut point of parent
stump
May / JuneOctober / November
Fruiting (Winter season)Fruiting (Rainy season)
Continue shoot pruning (50%) on the tree every year in May-June to maintain tree shape
and size and for getting higher production with better fruit quality during winter.
[source: Singh, 2005]

8. 0LD AND CROWDED GUAVA ORCHARD

9. HEADING BACK OF GUAVA TREES

10. NEWLY EMERGING SHOOTS ON BEHEADED BRANCHES

11. NEW DEVELOPING CANOPY AFTER ONE
YEAR AS A RESULT OF HEADING BACK
AND SHOOT PRUNING
HEAVY FRUITING ON REJUVENATED
GUAVA TREE

12. Treatment Fruit yield
after
rejuvenation
(kg/tree)
Fruit quality
1st
year
2nd
year
3rd
year
Weight
(g)
TSS
(0 brix)
Total
sugar
(%)
Rejuvenated 40.0 82.0 138.0 230.0 13.0 11.16
Un-
rejuvenated
28.0 41.0 56.0 119.0 9.0 7.97
[Singh et al.,2005]

13. Branches Height of
pruning
(m)
Stomatal
conductance
(µmol. m -2 s-1)
R.H
(%)
Temperature
(0C)
Flowering Control 0.059 31.60 40.10
1.5 0.644 29.65 43.25
2.0 0.934 20.06 43.77
2.5 0.498 25.00 41.50
Non-
flowering
Control 0.035 32.85 40.20
1.5 0.499 30.50 42.50
2.0 0.634 29.29 42.61
2.5 0.427 24.50 40.50
[Source: Singh and Singh, 2007]

14. [Source: Singh and Singh, 2007]
Treatment
(Topping and hedging
intensity)
Fruit yield
(kg/tree)
Allahabad
Safeda
Sardar
Un-pruned 30.5 30.13
1.0 - 36.25
1.5 37.5 34.71
2.0 46.63 38.40
2.5 40.10 -
C.D(p=0.5) 3.78 4.10

15. ➢ Among the 63 countries engaged in mango cultivation, India
is the largest producer with the acreage of 1.23 million
hectares and about 109.99 MT annual production. However
productivity as well as quality are the matter of concern.
➢ In WTO era, for attaining the export competitiveness,
promotion of commercial cultivation and quality production
is the need of the hour. To achieve the task, adoption of
three proned strategy as described below should be
encouraged:
 Short term (1-3 years) strategy: adoption of practices
like IPM, INM and IPHM.
 Medium term (3-10 years) strategy: Rejuvenation of old,
dense and un-productive orchards.
 Long term (10-25 years) strategy: modernization of
nursery and development of superior genotypes through
conventional and biotechnological approaches.

Cont………

16. ➢With the technology for rejuvenation standardized at
CISH Lucknow, after concerted efforts for over a
decade, old, dense and unproductive orchards of mango
can be given a new productive life for another 20-30
years and their productivity can be restored.
➢To promote the rejuvenation technology of mango,
presently NATP sponsored project is operational at
CISH along with cooperating centers at IIHR Bangalore
and Agroforestry Research Programme, Ranchi and
Bidhan Chand Krishi Vishwa Vidalaya, Mohanpur (W.B).
[Lal and Padaria, 2001]

17. OLD, DENSE AND UN-PRUNED ORCHARD OF MANGO

18. PRUNING WITH POWER OPERATED SAW DURING DECEMBER

19. PRUNED TREES

20. APPLICATION OF COPPER OXYCHLORIDE PASTE ON CUT SURFACES

21. GOOD BEARING OF QUALITY FRUITS IN REJUVENATED TREES

22. Pruning severity Length of retained
shoots (m)
Girth of retained
shoots (cm)
First order 2.10a 22.21a
Second order 2.05a 20.90a
Third order 1.90a 19.00ab
Fourth order 1.60a 15.81b
Fifth order 1.53a 16.10b
control 0.62b 10.79c
Values with different subscripts are significantly different
[ Lal et al., 2002 ]

23. Pruning
severity
fruit yield/tree (Kg)
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
Cumulative
yield (Kg)
First
order
- - 27.50 35.70 37.80 33.68 134.68
Second
order
- - 43.90 37.48 47.42 42.63 171.41
Third
order
29.00 39.00 52.00 42.50 46.30 44.49 253.29
Fourth
order
37.50 42.30 75.00 82.00 57.84 46.28 330.92
Fifth
order
40.60 46.70 59.50 79.50 53.80 41.25 321.35
control 20.16 24.74 17.32 27.90 23.40 18.29 131.81
C.D 5.30 6.79 7.14 5.6 7.01 6.16 -
[ Lal and Dushyant, 2007 ]

25. Dense, old and unproductive seedling tree
Heading back of branches from to 2.5 to 3.0m above the ground level
December - January
Emergence of new shoots on beheaded branches
Flowering of newly emerged shoots
After shoot thinning, top-working by budding
May- June
After sprouting of buds, removal of top portion above budding point
Fruiting after two years

26. Aonla rejuvenation technology for
rejuvenating senile orchardsOld and crowded Aonla orchard
Tree growth after 5 months of heading back Headed back tree with plastic mulching

27. Fruiting on rejuvenated aonla treeDevelopment of better canopy as a result
of shoot pruning

28. Cultivar
Fruit yield (kg/tree)
Dec 2001 Dec 2002 Dec 2003 Dec 2004
NA-6 - - 1.41 30.25
NA-7 - - 8.38 78.40
NA-10 - - 5.35 32.66
Kanchan - - 2.50 14.66
Krishna - - 3.23 39.00
Chakaiya - - 0.50 0.50
Control 38.11 25.30 35.20 38.44
CD at 5 % - - 7.21 12.52
[Source: Mishra et al., 2007]

29. Cultivar Fruit length
(cm)
Fruit breadth
(cm)
Fruit weight
(g)
TSS
(0 brix)
Vitamin C
(mg/100g)
NA-6 3.06 3.24 20.15 7.8 461.3
NA-7 3.48 3.74 26.80 7.5 448.8
NA-10 3.28 3.76 27.80 8.1 453.3
Kanchan 3.07 3.25 21.50 9.5 493.5
krishna 3.60 3.80 30.14 9.0 470.8
Chakaiya 3.04 3.52 22.50 9.0 400.0
seedling 1.90 2.11 10.80 10.2 440.6
CD at 5 % 0.81 0.55 5.23 NS NS
[Source: Mishra et al., 2007]

30. Since the orchard establishment is a long term process
and cannot be done in days but once the yield is reduced
to such an extent that orcharding becomes non-
economical, rejuvenation is said to be essential as it:
➢ Helps in restoring the production potential of old
unproductive and diseased orchards in shortest
possible duration than any other technique.
➢ Helps in restoring the production potential, as well as
in maintaining the manageable tree height with open
architecture.
➢ Sustaining the life of farmer without affecting his
economy to a great extent.