APPLE CULTIVATION TECHNIQUES

JANUARY 2019 FIELD SCHOOL ABOUT APPLE CULTIVATION TECHNIQUES

Gram Disha Self Help Group supported by Gram Disha Trust and Kalasan Nursery Farm in developing a model block of apple cultivation techniques with agroecological practices (such as ZBNF and other organic techniques). A Farmer Field School on this was held in January 2019. A report of the techniques is found below.

Background

Apple is the oldest cash crop of Himachal Pradesh. In the last 3 decades or so, it has also turned out to be one of the most difficult crops to grow without agro-chemicals. In recent times the farmers and the state have started co-working on a large system of grassroot change in spreading various paradigms of agroecology, one such example is the implementation of the system known as Zero Budget Natural Farming (recently re-christened to HP-SPNF or Himachal Pradesh Subhash Palekar Natural Farming). However, there still is no reliable information available on recommended systems for apple cultivation without the use of agrochemicals.
Till 2018 – the state department of Horticulture has a recommended spray schedule for apple online for agro-chemical application in almost 8 stages of apple cultivation from flowering, fruit setting to post-harvest.
Per information available online a number of these agrochemicals are classified as highly hazardous. As an example only 2 such compounds are listed for the discussion –

  1. Captan – to be applied during Green Tip formation for control of scab. This compound has been classified as ‘PAN Bad actor’ with high toxicity and possible carcinogen. There is little public information available on the secondary or tertiary metabolites resulting due to its breakdown and their subsequent toxicity in the environment.
  2. Metiram – to be applied in large dosage 55% with 5% Pyraclostrobin. This compound is also classified as a ‘PAN Bad actor’ with high chance of being a possible carcinogen. There is no information on the overall toxicity of both these chemical used together or the effects of their secondary or tertiary half-life metabolites in the environment or mammalian systems.
(click image for redirect to website)

This link also lists those compounds which have been reviewed by the Central Government “Anupam Verma Committee” and a number of similar hazardous compounds have been effectively banned in India as well in 2018. Still a number of these such as Mancozeb, Malathion, Ziram etc are banned in a number of countries across the world and their safety in India is still being debated at large.

The problem above is NOT an issue of the state government recommendation, that by itself is a systemic problem the department has tried to address in disease management solutions over time based on contemporary information available in scientific domains. It is true that today, not many alternatives are available even in the government system to provide reliable methods of non-chemical based cultivation. Thus there is scope of the ‘peoples system’ to experiment on participatory basis and attempt trials to see how a social problem can be solved. It is also true that the dire need of the hour is to switch from chemicals based food system to agroecology and safe food.


There are few, if any, secondary sources for non-chemical based apple cultivation available in the public domain. Most sites are based in North America, New Zealand etc and offer little in terms of organic cultivation of Poma per cultural conditions in India.
All of the above goes to show that this problem is systemic and one of the most challenging puzzles to solve for orchardist – who use little or no protection systems or control mechanisms while applying these pesticides – and a number of the these being systemic in application, no fool proof mechanism to uphold the adage “An apple a day keep the doctor away”!!
Another issue, specifically with apple in India – is that most of the older orchards are on an average lifespan of over 3-5 decades old , with widely varying or dipping yield of fruit. With management costs of conventional apple orchards increasing yearly number of growers are opting for conversion of old orchards. In the recent decade or so, a wider debate has emerged especially in Himachal Pradesh, on the
efficacy of High-Density Apple Cultivation system based on clonal rootstocks versus Seedling variety of trees based on the older method of propagation. There are clear proponents and opponents to both the systems with multivariate dependencies to be addressed from a growers point of view. Issues of initial investment, irrigation sources, soil fertility needs, resilient varieties, reduced pest incidence and overall orchard management costs. This also includes the discussion on the choice of trees and root stocks based on selection method versus those of tissue culture. This is exacerbated by proper knowledge dissemination on suitable choice of Root stock based on climatic and soil conditions (including altitude) i.e. M9 vs M111 vs M126 etc and the choice of compatible scion or bud wood for varieties like Red Kan, Velox, Gala, Granny Smith etc.

Both these issues i.e. alternates to use of agro-chemicals in cultivation and the system of cultivation itself, leads to confusions in the minds of the current grower. For Organic growers who choose to grow crops with higher degree of diversity there is little or no scope of reliable information on either alternate systems nor choice of crop combinations.
This making this a challenge worth addressing in the domain of agroecology.

Premise


Towards attempting to find solutions to this contemporary issues – the farmer members of Gram Disha Jaivik SHG at village Pangna along with Gram Disha Trust and Kalasan Nursery Farm are developing a model field plot with the following elements of observation for smallholder farmers intending to grow
without agrochemicals –

  1. Develop a suitable plot where both systems – High-Density Rootstock and Contemporary Seedling based systems can be observed simultaneously in similar soil and management conditions.
  2. Complete non-use of agrochemicals and experimentation with suitable techniques of agroecology – by using in-situ and ex-situ inputs – for both soil health, plant nutrition and pest control.
  3. Use of in-situ biomass (to all extent possible) recycling of crop and animal residue to enhance soil health

In point 2 there is a deliberate condition that the system must work for small and marginal growers who cannot afford expensive ex-situ organic inputs from the markets especially those which are imported and of unknown organic origin (e.g. compounds like Promalin). Thus any input so used is with the assumption on how collectives of smallholder farmers (e.g. SHGs) can use existing biomass available in vicinity of farmstead and increase potencies of the inputs using suitable ex-situ inputs in shared quantities.

Existing Resources


Three terraces of the Gram Disha Training Center were allocated for dedicated cultivation of apple systems. Approximately 0.25 bigha of plot was allocated in total for the purpose, due to paucity of land bank available at the training center. Existing trees of clonal rootstock M9 with various spur variety (Red Kan, Adam, Superchief etc) and pollinators (Gala, Granny Smith) were present on the farm and to be transplanted. These were provided by Kalasan Nursery Farm (KNF), a well known apple nursery in the vicinity for the purpose of this experiment. KNF also provided expertise in suitable field preparation, placement of trees suitable training and pruning.
Five (5) Seedling based trees from a nearby nursery were bought with three (3) varieties as Oregon Spur 2 and Two (2) pollinators (Gala) to be planted on seperate terrace based on the space available.
A total of 150kg (approx 5 kiltas) of decomposed FYM, Jivamrit, 40 litres, prepared in-situ at the farm for drenching plants on placement was available for soil application and these were mixed with the following ex-situ inputs to create a higher potency (approximate quantities below).

* It is important to note that the above is solely based own our experience of making good quality soil mix for planting and sowing. Farmers group reading this are strongly encouraged to determine their own conditions locally and develop formulations based on experience. It is however good to share the various experiences on a farmer to farmer basis.

  1. High Quality Certified Organic Compost – 6 kg
  2. Green Algae and Seaweed mix – 5 kgs
  3. Phosphorus Solubilizing Bacteria in charcoal inoculation – 1kg
  4. Zinc Solubilizing Bacteria in charcoal inoculation – 1kg
  5. Potash Solubilizing Bacteria in charcoal inoculation – 1kg
  6. Mycorrhiza in charcoal inoculation – 1kg
  7. Neem Oil with Azadirachtin 10000 ppm for pit application – 500ml in 2% solution application – this was done since neem cake was not available at time of planting
  8. Biodynamic CPP and BD 500 in small quantities – 100gms

Soil Condition


For the past 2 days there was rain and snow thus on the third day there was sufficient moisture in the soil and was easy for the group to work with.
For root stock trees the inputs were applied at the rate of about 4 kg per tree and for seedling these were applied at the rate of about 10 kg per tree. The assumption here is that during pit digging, the topsoil was visibly appearing rich in humus and organic matter and the amount of in-situ and ex-situ material available during time of plantation was per above only. Weeds of the past season were cut and used as mulch in the previous season and had also decomposed to provide soil nutrition and the farmers also agreed that the soil nutrition was suitable for the plantation. With passing season, depending on amount of biomass available it will be added to the soil on a per tree basis. This is in keeping with the assumption that the ongoing input management after the plantation will be kept to as in-situ as possible, to keep a measure of control on both the planting systems.
There is hope that with this attempt, over time, a model system may emerge which will help answer some of these most pressing question for growers of the mountains especially those with interest in Apple.

Model Plots on Apple Cultivation Systems

The group first gathered and analyzed the existing system of plantation, the plot geometry and space available to conclude how the trees will be planted, the location of the plots for High-Density and Seedling systems and the number of trees to be planted in each plot.

It was decides, that based on the direction of sunlight on the plot, separation of about 10 feet distance between Seedling trees (space permitting, since they grow large) the topmost terrace will be allocated to the Seedling trees and the bottom two terraces will be used for High-Density root stock system. As a first step the existing trees were uprooted with care to retain maximum soil around the rhizosphere.

Once all the existing root stock trees were uprooted the fields were worked to create raised beds with the following configuration –

  1. Digging a trench approximately 1-1.5 feet deep using demarcation with tied ropes.
  2. Separating Top Soil in a different pile to put back again on the top once the bed is created.
  3. Removal of Stones to keep the soil suitable for root systems.
  4. Drawing a straight line trench based on the terrace geometry

After this Beds were created 9 inches above the ground level with the piled soil, with care taken to ensure that the top soil is added back to the top layer of the beds. Before the beds were raised drenching with the 2% solution of neem oil was done as a preventive measure from borer and root rot attacks.

20 plants of M9 rootstock were placed in shallow pits dug out by hand to about 9 inches in the center of the bed axis. Care was taken to place the grafting point of these trees 3-5 inches above the soil level to ensure avoidance of collar rot issue in the future. It also for these reasons. Since roots from High-Density plantations have a tendency to expand laterally instead of vertically, the trees remain shallow and thus are in need of a support system for management and handling during training and pruning. Also since the trees of M9 are are dwarf in nature, they need support since the girth of the stem remains weak. Whereas in the case of seedling trees they can grow to standard size with large canopies they do not need a support system.
For the seedling trees pits were dug to almost 2-3 feet deep with the configuration of 1 pollinator for every 2 trees and a distance of 8-10 feet between trees. Since spacing was less at the plot, these could not be planted in a straight line and at least 2 trees had to be planted in terraces of height difference of 2-6 feet in adjoining field patches. However care is taken to ensure about 10 feet separation between the High-Density terraces and the seedling plantations.

As before the input application was a follows –

As before the input application was a follows –

  1. Drenching with 2% solution of Neem oil on sides and bottom of the pit
  2. 25% Enhanced FYM added to the bottom of the pit
  3. Filling of the pit upto 80% with extracted soil (but without top soil)
  4. Addition of balance 75% enhanced FYM
  5. Heaping with Topsoil
  6. Digging central hole 1 feet deep with Hand to place the plant – again ensuring roots are spread out but graft point is above soil level
  7. Feet Pressing of soil around stem to create a basin as well as ensuring tree is firmly in place
  8. Making a 2 feet basin around each seedling tree

Both the seedling and High-Density trees were then drenched with a 50% diluted Jivamrit Solution in approximately equal quantity keeping with moisture conditions, rains and snow. The idea is to avoid any air gaps around the root system in place.

Future Work


The High-Density plants still need to have a support system in place. There is a plan to use stakes and wires to clamp the plants with support hopefully before the end of February. All the plants will be managed in adjacent plots, based on availability of in-situ material, however suffice to say that any inputs so applied will be done in proportionate measure to seedling and root stock trees as per requirement and availability of resources (materials and human).
Thus both systems will face almost similar conditions in cultivation.
Based on principles of ZBNF, sod-culture shall be used to mulch basins around the trees since the farm is entirely rain fed at the moment. Any watering during dry spells will be done manually. The plants are yet to be trained and pruned, however given that the trees are relatively young the focus is more on letting them see a growth phase with appropriate training techniques are referred by experts.

In future, other farmers, officials and visitors are also welcome to come and see the performance in both the systems on a diverse farming model based on Organic farming systems and agroecology principles with various techniques including HP-SPNF. This is with hope collectively with assistance and guidance a participatory field trial can emerge which can assist growers address some of the contemporary challenges of the times.

Acknowledgements


The Gram Disha Trust and Gram Disha Jaivik SHG would like to thank Kalasan Nursery Farm for providing suitable planting material, skilled manpower and timely guidance in ensuring that the High-density plot is ready for trial plots. In addition all the farmer members of the SHG assisted with suitable time and manual effort to learn hands on proper techniques on agroecology, transplanting apple trees, proper orchard layout, training and pruning.

For Pdf-Report click here.