Latest technical key points for kiwifruit orchard management in summer
July-August is the hottest period of the whole year, and it is also the period when kiwifruit begins its second fruit enlargement and quality formation. This period is the most important for kiwifruit growth and nutrient accumulation. However, summer has high temperatures and abundant rain, and orchard management gradually becomes important. Once you are not careful, it can easily cause pests, diseases and heat damage. So how to properly manage the orchard is very important. Let's take a look below!
1. Prevent sunburn
High temperatures can easily sunburn kiwifruit. During this hottest period, the most important thing is to prevent kiwifruit from being sunburned by direct sunlight. Before this period arrives, plant some cover grass in the orchard. Cover grass can effectively lower the temperature in the orchard. Experiments show that the temperature in an orchard without cover grass can reach above 40 degrees, while the temperature in an orchard with cover grass can be lowered by at least eight degrees. So cover grass is quite effective for preventing sunburn. When removing leaves, do not remove all the old leaves above the fruit, because old leaves can shield the fruit from sunlight and reduce the intensity of direct sunlight.
2. Fertilizer and water management
July is when kiwifruit needs water and fertilizer the most, and it is also an important period for the accumulation of dry matter inside the fruit. It is a critical time for the growth and development of kiwifruit trees. The second enlargement, new shoot growth and so on all require large amounts of water and fertilizer, so in summer the orchard's fertilizer and water supply must be ensured. The main fertilizer is fruit-quality fertilizer. Fruit-quality fertilizer is the last fertilization before harvest, but the amount of nitrogen fertilizer should be controlled, mainly focusing on phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. Moreover, summer can easily make the orchard dry, so at this time attention should be paid to irrigation and drainage in the orchard. Lack of water will make the fruit shrivel, and severe water shortage is harmful, but water should not accumulate in the soil, because water accumulation can easily lead to oxygen deficiency in the soil and affect root respiration.
3. Trellis surface management
At this time, new shoots that were not pinched in the earlier stage should be thinned and tipped to avoid excessive upward vigorous growth of new shoots. Crossing shoots, poorly nourished branches, and some diseased and pest-damaged shoots should be cut off. Vigorous shoots on the main and lateral vines should be thinned in time to inhibit growth, but attention should be paid to the number of buds retained. Those not retained should be budded off immediately to avoid affecting the thickening growth of grafted branches. The main issue is that the probability of heat damage will increase. Remove more of the leaves growing in the inner layer to avoid competing with other normally growing leaves and fruit for nutrients.
4. Prevent and control diseases
The main diseases of kiwifruit include anthracnose, brown spot and other fungal diseases. The best method is prevention in advance and doing a good job of trellis surface management. Ensure the permeability of the trellis surface. For orchards that are relatively prone to disease, rotate medications to control the incidence of disease. Summer is also the season when many pests are active, such as scarab beetles. The main way to prevent pest damage is to reduce the base number of adults. Reduce eggs to reduce the number of adults the following year. Adults can be captured and killed by methods such as light trapping.
The above are the management matters that kiwifruit needs attention to in summer. Sunburn is very common. Last year, high temperature and drought also caused kiwifruit disasters. Be sure to reduce direct sunlight on kiwifruit, water frequently, and keep the tree body in a moist state. Pests and diseases are also very troublesome problems. Do a good job of preventive measures and try to reduce the incidence of all diseases to the lowest possible level.