Detailed Explanation of Key Techniques for Summer Management of Citrus

Summer is a critical period for citrus management. Citrus is in the fruit expansion stage and has a relatively high fertilizer demand, and it is also the plum rain season with high temperature and high humidity, which is the peak period for citrus pests and diseases. To ensure high quality, increased yield and increased income of citrus, strengthening the management of citrus orchards in summer is very important. The specific measures are:

1. Remove summer shoots in time, apply topdressing well, and promote stable fruit retention and fruit enlargement: Bearing citrus trees will successively sprout summer shoots from May to June, causing a conflict between shoots and fruit and intensifying physiological fruit drop. When the successively sprouted summer shoots grow to 3 cm-5 cm, they should be removed from the base, once every 5-7 days, and water fertilizer should be applied once every 2-3 removals to supplement the nutrients consumed by the sprouting summer shoots and the nutrients needed for fruit growth. Generally, apply 10-20 kg of biogas slurry fertilizer (or bran manure water) per plant, plus 0.1-0.3 kg of compound fertilizer. At the same time, thin out overly dense branches, diseased and pest-infested branches, and overly weak fruiting branches. For plants bearing too much fruit, carry out manual fruit thinning, retain strong and large fruits, and remove small fruits, deformed fruits, and diseased and pest-infested fruits.

2. Spray foliar fertilizer to retain and strengthen fruit: In the rainy and high-temperature season, it is beneficial to vegetative growth but not conducive to the growth of young fruit, so foliar fertilizer must be sprayed in time to retain and strengthen fruit. Choose high-quality foliar fertilizers with high organic matter content. Such as amino acid types, Lvwang types, and phosphorus-potassium types, while supplementing various trace elements such as boron, magnesium, zinc, and molybdenum. For bearing trees with overly vigorous growth, (especially Shatangju) carry out girdling on the main trunk to retain fruit.

3. Prevent and control pests and diseases in time. Summer is the peak period for the occurrence of citrus red spiders, scale insects, whiteflies, aphids and other larvae. Use 1.8% abamectin plus pyridaben or Haoniandong, imidacloprid, beta-cypermethrin, acetamiprid, and 25% buprofezin for control; and also prevent and control canker, sooty mold, and anthracnose. Agricultural streptomycin, prochloraz, mancozeb, 50% Chuangtanyanmeiling, 10% difenoconazole, and 70% thiophanate-methyl and other agents can be selected for control. Thoroughly cut down huanglongbing-diseased trees; cut down every tree found.

4. Do a good job in orchard drainage and irrigation. In the “plum rain” season from May to July, for low-lying waterlogged plots in citrus orchards, dredge ditches and drain water in time to lower the groundwater level, so as to facilitate the normal growth of fruit tree roots; during drought periods, store water for drought resistance to ensure normal root growth, and if conditions permit, it is best to use straw or weeds to cover the tree basins, preserve soil moisture and humidity, and promote high yield and increased income.