Key Technical Points and Latest Methods Tutorial for Citrus Management in April
Citrus is distributed over a very wide area in China and is also a very popular fruit. There are many varieties of citrus, such as sugar mandarin, ugly orange, and others, and their markets are all very large. Now April is also an important period for citrus growth. So how should we manage it? Below, the editor brings you the key technical points for citrus management in April. Let's take a look!
1. Flowering period management
April is the flowering period of citrus trees, and during this period we need to do a good job of pruning. When citrus flower buds are growing, if there is a lack of nutrients, the tree vigor of the citrus tree will be reduced. Too much flowering leads to insufficient nutrients, and April temperatures are unstable. If affected by low temperatures, flowering will be seriously affected, reducing the fruit-setting rate and fruit quality. Therefore, when the amount of flowering reaches about 75%, pruning should be done well according to the amount of flowering, quality, and so on. For vigorous citrus trees, remove flower branches without leaves and flower buds at the top and bottom. Then, for trees with few flowers, keep all branches and thin out an appropriate amount of vegetative branches to increase the amount of flowering.
2. Supplementing nutrients
When citrus is flowering, sufficient nutrients must be ensured to meet the needs of flowering. If a large number of deformed flowers appear, it indicates that the citrus tree is malnourished, and it will also consume excessive nutrients, causing flower and fruit drop in citrus and reducing yield. Therefore, we should reasonably spray regulators in the early flowering stage of citrus to prevent the formation of deformed flowers. Then, when the flowering rate reaches about 1/3, use agents such as flower and fruit energy to carry out measures to protect flowers and fruits. Finally, after the flowers fall, reasonably spray foliar fertilizer to enhance the growth capacity of the leaves.
3. Spraying fruit-preserving agents
Citrus trees will have a period of physiological fruit drop, but to ensure yield, within one week after flowering ends, we should appropriately spray fruit-preserving agents. The timing should be reasonably adjusted according to tree vigor, amount of flowering, and so on. For some trees of moderate vigor, it can be done when about 80% of the flowers have fallen and the new shoots gradually turn green. For trees with a large number of flowers and weak vigor, it can be done after all the flowers have fallen. To prevent fruits from competing with each other for nutrients, note also that fruit-preserving agents should be prepared and used immediately, and the spraying target should mainly be leaves and fruits. If it rains after spraying, then spray once more, and pay attention to the dosage to prevent excessive spraying and causing phytotoxicity.
4. Girdling branches
Girdling is mainly a management task carried out for trees with few flowers, insufficient fruit set, and strong vigor. The main purpose of girdling is to retain nutrients and concentrate them in the aboveground part. It is generally carried out after the leaves turn green, so as to ensure that nutrients go to the fruits and increase yield. The girdling position must not be the same every year, and it is generally carried out at a position about 20 cm from the ground. Before girdling, pay attention to doing a good job of disinfection. It must not be done on cloudy and rainy days to prevent infection and cause pests and diseases. Then cut through the cortex to the xylem, and disinfect the wound.
The above is a brief introduction to the key technical points for citrus management in April. The management of citrus trees is very important, especially during the flowering and fruiting period. If management is poor, the impact on yield is very great. So everyone must pay close attention. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and I hope it can help everyone!