Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
Jun.
Jul.
Aug.
Sep.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Sweetsop
Winter pruning
Pruning
Pruning
Flowering and fruiting
Harvest
Summer pruning
Pruning
Flowering and fruiting
Harvest
Atemoya
Leaf drop
Leaf growth
Leaf drop
Flowering
Flower
initiation
Flower
initiation
Fruit set
Fruit growth
Harvest
Fig. 6.7.
Growth and management practices for sweetsop grown in Taiwan (Anon.,
1995) and atemoya (Sanewski, 1991). In Taiwan, normal sweetsop pruning occurs
in January and February, and there are extended periods of pruning of selected trees
in summer. The atemoya cycle has been converted to northern-hemisphere seasons
for comparison purposes.
Pruning
Training of trees should begin in the nursery, and pruning should continue
after transplanting. It is desirable to train the tree to a single trunk up to a
height of about 90 cm and then it should be headed back to produce lateral
branches. The lateral branches should be spaced 15-25 cm above each other
and be allowed to grow in dif erent directions to develop a good scaf old. After
about 2 m, they can be left to natural growth. Pruning is carried out when
the trees are dormant and, in heavy trees, involves removal of lower limbs
touching the ground and branches in the centre that may be rubbing against
each other. The objective is to allow sunlight access to the centre of the tree
(George and Nissen, 1986a).
All lateral buds can have up to two vegetative buds and three fl ower buds.
The lateral buds of atemoya, cherimoya and sweetsop are normally 'buried'
(subpetiolar) in the base of the swollen leaf petiole (Fig. 6.1). Leaf shed must
occur prior to the elongation of 'buried' buds (George and Nissen, 1987a).
Removal of leaves mechanically by stripping or chemically with urea or
