A Detailed Guide to Jujube Tree Planting Techniques and Cultivation Management Key Points

Jujube, also known as Chinese date, da zao, ci zao, guan zao, etc., is a deciduous small tree of the genus Ziziphus in the buckthorn family (Rhamnaceae), native to China and now commonly cultivated in Asia, Europe and the Americas. It is rich in vitamin C and vitamin P. Besides being eaten fresh, it can often be made into preserved fruits and candied fruits such as candied jujube, red jujube, smoked jujube, black jujube, wine jujube and ya zao, and can also be made into jujube paste, jujube flour, jujube wine, jujube vinegar, etc., giving it high cultivation value.

Jujube Tree Growth Habits

Jujube trees grow in mountainous areas, hills or plains below 1700 m in altitude. They are a warmth-loving fruit tree, with an average annual temperature of around 15°C in producing areas. The temperature needed during bud break is 13-15°C, during shoot growth and leaf expansion it is 17°C, during flowering and fruit setting it is 22-25°C, and during fruit ripening it must be 18-22°C. Jujube trees are fairly drought-tolerant and waterlogging-tolerant, but during flowering they require relatively high air humidity, otherwise pollination and fruit setting are adversely affected. In addition, jujube has a strong light requirement and is quite sensitive to light; it is highly adaptable to soil and tolerant of poor soil and salinity-alkalinity. However, it is afraid of wind, so wind gaps should be avoided when establishing an orchard.

Jujube Tree Propagation Methods

1. Grafting: The main grafting methods are woody bud grafting and scion grafting. The key points of grafting technique can be summarized in six words. "Fresh": keep the scion fresh without water loss. "Flat": the cut surface of the scion must be flat. "Accurate": the cambium of the scion and the rootstock must be aligned. "Tight": after grafting, wrap tightly and securely. "Fast": operate quickly. "Moist": after grafting, bury in soil or cover with plastic bags to maintain humidity. At the same time, 5-7 days before grafting, irrigate the rootstock nursery to make the bark easier to separate.

2. Root cutting: Select own-rooted plants of superior varieties. Before bud break, dig a trench around the outer edge of the canopy that is 30-40 cm wide or less and about 50 cm deep, cut off roots with a diameter of 2 cm or less, apply organic fertilizer in the root-cutting trench, and backfill immediately. Root suckers can be produced during the growing season. In the following spring, dig out the root suckers, treat them with ABT rooting powder or other hormones, and replant them in the nursery to cultivate strong seedlings.

3. Root cuttings: In late autumn, in conjunction with autumn plowing, collect roots from vigorous jujube trees, cut them into root segments 20-30 cm long and 1-4 cm in diameter, and store them in sand in a cellar. In the following spring, open furrows for raising seedlings, insert the root segments into the furrows at a 45-degree angle, with 2 cm exposed above the ground, and water immediately after insertion. Treating the root segments with rooting hormones and covering with plastic film gives even better results.

4. Cuttings: Before cutting, first moisten the sand bed. The standard of moisture is that after holes are punched in the sand bed, the holes do not collapse. When cutting, use a small wooden stick to punch holes in the sand bed while dipping the cuttings in slurry and inserting them. The diameter of the small holes must be larger than the diameter of the slurry-dipped cuttings, so that the liquid is not squeezed off by the walls of the holes and its effectiveness reduced. The cutting depth is about 3 cm; too deep easily causes basal rot, while too shallow causes the cuttings to tip over and the roots to be exposed after rooting. After cutting, press the holes firmly so that the river sand and the cuttings are in close contact.

Jujube Tree Planting Techniques

1. Orchard site selection: Jujube trees are relatively adaptable and not strict about soil conditions, so wasteland and saline-alkali land can be fully used for cultivation in various places. However, in order to achieve relatively high economic benefits and produce high-quality, pollution-free products, it is best to choose orchard sites where the air, water sources, soil and other environmental conditions are not polluted, the terrain is flat and open, drainage conditions are good, the soil has strong permeability and good aeration, the groundwater level is relatively high, and the soil is fertile. When planting jujube trees in mountainous and hilly areas, sunny slopes with deep soil layers should be chosen; shady slopes are not suitable for planting.

2. Planting varieties: There are many jujube varieties. A high-quality variety must have good tree vigor, strong resistance to pests and diseases, crack-resistant fruit, good fruit shape, good fruit color, high nutrient content and good taste. At present, excellent varieties used for drying include Jinsifeng, Jinsimi, Wuhehong, Wuhe No. 1, Wuhe No. 3, Zanhuang dazao, etc. Among early-maturing varieties, excellent varieties for fresh eating include Zaocuiwang, Jingwei xianzao, early-maturing pear jujube, etc., and excellent varieties for processing include pear jujube, Zanhuang dazao, etc. Late-maturing varieties are mainly used for fresh eating, and high-quality varieties include Jingwei daxuezao, Dongzao, etc. New and special varieties include those with unusual fruit shapes such as Mopanzao and Huludao, and those with unusual tree shapes such as Tailihong and Longxudao.

3. Cultivation patterns: The first is dwarf, high-density cultivation, mainly suitable for varieties that bear early and have small tree forms, with a spacing of 2 m × 3 m or 3 m × 2 m. The second is intercropping cultivation, mainly suitable for varieties with medium or larger tree forms that bear relatively late, with a row spacing of 8-10 m and a plant spacing of 3-5 m. Other crops can be interplanted between the trees in the early stage.

4. Cultivation time: Jujube trees can be planted throughout the entire dormant period from leaf fall to the time before bud break the following year, and this is divided into spring planting and autumn planting. According to many years of cultivation experience, when planting 2-year-old and older root-sucker seedlings, spring-planted trees that are immediately given a thorough watering easily achieve a survival rate of more than 90%, whereas autumn-planted trees find it difficult to reach more than 90% even if watered after planting. However, autumn-planted trees can still achieve a survival rate of more than 70% even without watering after planting, while spring-planted trees without watering have a survival rate clearly inferior to that of autumn planting.

Jujube Tree Pruning Techniques

1. Jujube tree pruning is suitable in winter. In winter, jujube trees are in a dormant state, and there are many dead branches on the tree that should not remain. If they are not cut off in time, it is very unfavorable to the growth of the jujube tree the following year. When pruning jujube trees in winter, because the tree responds relatively slowly, pruning activities will not have too great an impact on it, and at the same time they can stimulate the growth of the jujube tree the following year. Secondly, jujube tree pruning can also be carried out in summer. In summer, jujube branches grow very vigorously. In order to avoid nutrient consumption caused by excessive branch growth, excessively growing jujube branches must be cut off. Only in this way can high yields of jujube trees be ensured.

2. Jujube tree pruning techniques need to follow some basic choices, such as the principle of "promote early, control later; block upward growth and release downward growth." Specifically, this roughly means that in the early stage of jujube tree growth, that is, during the first 1-2 years, try not to prune it, but once the canopy has reached the height we want, we must carry out pruning control, that is, blocking the upward growth of the jujube tree and appropriately guiding it to develop in a horizontal direction.

3. There are many pruning methods for jujube trees, and different pruning goals require different methods. Common jujube tree pruning methods include branch propping, branch pulling, girdling, bundling, bud removal, pinching, bending, and shoot twisting, etc. Each method or measure is intended to achieve a certain goal. Jujube tree pruning technique is a relatively specialized skill. It is not enough for us to know only some theory; we must also have some practical experience. The specific situation of each jujube tree differs somewhat, and the methods we use are different. To learn jujube tree pruning techniques, we must fully combine the theoretical knowledge from books with our own practical operations.

Jujube Tree Planting Management

1. Fertilizer and water management: According to rainfall conditions, water once each in mid-May, early June and late June, so that even if the weather is dry the seedlings are not dry. After passing the seedling establishment stage in late July, apply 150 g of urea in holes per plant. In addition, after the seedlings sprout and unfold leaves, spray fertilizer on the leaves every 10-15 days with 0.4% urea plus 0.3% potassium dihydrogen phosphate.

2. Pest and disease control: That is, in late May and early to mid-June, spray once each with 2000 times monocrotophos or a mixture of 50% clofentezine (Apollo) plus 50% methamidophos, which can effectively control pests such as red spider mites, mirid bugs and jujube leaf gall mites.

3. Inspection and replanting: After the seedlings sprout and unfold leaves, investigate the survival of the seedlings. According to the situation of dead and missing plants, replant seedlings with soil in autumn or before bud break the following year. In addition, in the same year the jujube seedlings are planted, a false-death phenomenon of not sprouting sometimes occurs. The branches of falsely dead plants are soft, and the bark color is green and glossy. For falsely dead seedlings, watering and intertillage should be carried out promptly to promote sprouting and growth as soon as possible.

4. Flower and fruit preservation: To make jujube trees bear fruit early and bear more fruit, first, pinch off the growing tips during the flowering period of the jujube tree to reduce nutrient consumption. Second, during the flowering period, spray 10-15 mg/kg gibberellin or Zaohuabao solution. Each time, 4-5 weeks before the fruit is fully ripe (the white-ripe stage), carefully spray 2-3 times with 50 mg/kg naphthaleneacetic acid or 10-20 mg/kg fruit-setting hormone solution, spraying once every 10-15 days.

Jujube Tree Pest and Disease Control

1. Jujube witches' broom

[Damage] Jujube witches' broom is a destructive disease of jujube trees. After infection, the entire tree shows abnormal growth, mainly manifesting as flowers turning into leaves, clustered branches and leaves, yellowing and curling of young leaves into a spoon shape, and clustered root suckers, etc. Young trees die within 1-2 years of infection, while large trees gradually wither and die 3-6 years after infection. The disease is mainly transmitted through grafting or by sap-sucking leafhopper pests in the field.

[Control] ① Eradicate diseased plants and diseased root suckers to eliminate the source of infection. ② Use disease-free scions to propagate seedlings by grafting. ③ Choose varieties with strong disease resistance, strengthen cultivation management, and promote vigorous tree growth. ④ Control the vector pests that transmit the disease by spraying 20% fenvalerate 3000 times solution or 10% imidacloprid 3000 times solution.

2. Jujube geometrid

[Damage] The larvae damage young buds, leaves and flower buds. It occurs 1 generation per year and overwinters as pupae in soil 10-15 cm deep around the canopy. The following year, in late March, they emerge as adults. From mid-to-late April to mid-May, the larvae hatch and climb up the trees to cause damage. From late May to mid-June, they begin to enter the soil to pupate, overwintering through summer and then winter.

[Control] ① In winter, in conjunction with deep plowing of the soil, pick out and kill overwintering pupae. ② In early March, tie a film about 10 cm wide around the base of the trunk at 20-25 cm above the ground to prevent female adults from climbing the tree to lay eggs. Manually capture and kill adults under the tree every morning and evening, or spray pyrethroid pesticides around the trunk to kill newly hatched larvae. ③ Spray 25% chlorbenzuron 2000 times solution on the tree for control.

3. Jujube leaf roller

[Damage] The larvae damage leaves, flowers and fruits. The larvae often bind leaves into rolls and bore into the fruit from the fruit stalk to feed on the flesh. This pest occurs 3 generations a year and overwinters as pupae in cocoons under old scaly bark and in crevices. The following year, adult emergence begins in late March. The peak occurrence of the first-generation larvae is in early May, the second-generation larvae peak from late June to early July, and the third generation in early to mid-August.

[Control] ① Focus on controlling the first-generation larvae, that is, when the young shoots of the jujube tree have grown to about 3 cm, alternately use 90% trichlorfon 1000 times solution and 20% fenvalerate 3000 times solution, which gives good results; spray 25% chlorbenzuron No. 3 1500-2000 times solution for control; during the flowering and fruiting period, spray biological pesticides such as Bacillus thuringiensis and Serratia marcescens at 100-200 times solution. ② From early September, tie grass bundles on the trunk to attract larvae to pupate, and collect and burn them in winter. ③ In winter, scrape off old scaly bark to reduce overwintering sources of the pest. ④ During the adult occurrence period, use black light lamps to trap and kill adults.

Jujube Tree Planting Time

With the expansion of the jujube market, jujube cultivation is increasingly rising. However, fruit tree planting is not an easy matter and requires a great deal of specialized technology and knowledge. So, what should be noted when planting jujube trees? What time is suitable for planting? Let's study together below.

Jujube Tree Planting Time

In fact, planting jujube trees in autumn gives the best survival rate.

The planting period for jujube trees can be divided into autumn planting and spring planting. Autumn planting can be carried out from after leaf fall in autumn until before the soil freezes.

The earlier the autumn planting time, the better. If the seedlings do not need long-distance transport, planting with leaves can be carried out in late September, which can increase the survival rate (it is best to remove 1/2-2/3 of the seedling leaves). For planting the following spring, it can be done somewhat later. If it is not large-scale planting, planting when the jujube buds have just begun to sprout gives a relatively high survival rate. Theoretically, autumn planting of jujube trees should give a higher survival rate than spring planting the following year, such as when autumn-planted soil has good moisture and low salt return (in saline-alkali land), and the following year root activity precedes aboveground growth. However, practical results show that late spring planting gives a high survival rate, mainly because of seedling water loss. This is because half a year passes from autumn planting to jujube bud break the following year, and in winter the north is affected by cold low temperatures, dry air and strong winds, causing seedling water loss.

In addition, jujube is a warmth-loving tree species, and the soil temperature required for root activity and growth to begin is higher than that of other northern deciduous tree species. After leaf fall in autumn, the soil temperature is already lower than the soil temperature needed for root growth and activity, and the roots no longer have the function of absorbing water, making it difficult to replenish the water needed by the aboveground part and causing seedling death.

Advantages of Autumn-Planted Jujube Seedlings

1. The autumn planting period for jujube trees is long. Planting can be carried out from the start of late October to within late November, and it also allows the planted jujube trees to heal root wounds over a long period before the ground freezes, giving them good growth in spring.

2. The temperature is more suitable. In autumn, because air temperature shows a gradual downward trend, water transpiration after planting jujube trees gradually weakens, which is more favorable for seedling survival. Also, because soil temperature drops more slowly than air temperature, even with late-autumn planting, the physiological activity of the root system can continue, and new roots can grow that same year to restore vitality.

3. Seedling quality is reliable. Autumn-planted jujube seedlings are all seedlings still growing in the nursery, fresh and full of vitality. Generally, the situation does not occur in which spring-planted seedlings must be lifted early for heeling-in because of the next round of seedling propagation, or are lifted and then wait for sale. Selling jujube seedlings effectively avoids the situation in which poor long-term storage reduces seedling viability or even causes death.

4. Saves labor and time. In autumn, because soil moisture is high, soil moisture conditions are good, air temperature is low, water evaporation is small, and water demand is low, the number of waterings can be reduced.

When to Transplant Jujube Trees

Although planting can be done in both spring and autumn, because jujube seedlings require relatively high temperatures for rooting and sprouting, and jujube seedlings sprout late, autumn planting is not advocated in actual production, and spring planting is the main practice. Under the same conditions, transplanting during the spring bud-break period can give a survival rate as high as more than 90%. In northern regions, this is about late February to early May (air temperature above 18°C), because at this time the sap is already flowing, the jujube seedlings begin to grow, injured roots recover and regenerate easily, and underground nutrients can be transported to the aboveground part in time, making survival easy. If planted too early in spring, jujube seedlings lose too much water, the root system finds it difficult to replenish it, and survival is affected.

Notes on Planting Jujube Trees in Autumn

1. Key points for lifting seedlings

When lifting seedlings, try to avoid damage to the root system. To make planting easier, the main root can be trimmed slightly after lifting to help the seedlings absorb water and increase the survival rate. When lifting and transporting seedlings, 50-100 should be tied into a bundle, wrapped well with plastic film, tied firmly, and then transported.

2. Key points for digging holes

Dig tree holes 50-60 cm square so that the seedling roots can spread out fully in the hole. When digging the hole, place topsoil and subsoil separately, and then fill the surface soil into the bottom of the hole.

3. Key points for fertilizing

After digging the tree hole, apply 5 kg of high-quality organic fertilizer at the bottom layer, or mix the subsoil dug out with 20 kg of organic fertilizer and fill it into the hole when planting the seedling.

4. Key points for soaking roots

Before planting the seedling, soak the root system in a solution of phosphate fertilizer plus rooting powder for 20 minutes, or dip it in phosphate fertilizer solution and plant immediately. This not only heals wounded roots quickly but also makes rooting easy.

5. Key points for planting seedlings

The seedling should be planted in the center of the tree hole. When filling soil, put fertile topsoil near the roots and subsoil in the upper layer. The soil should be filled in layers, tamping each layer as it is filled. The burial depth should be 3-5 cm deeper than the original soil mark when the seedling was growing in the nursery. When planting, shake the seedling while filling soil so that the root system spreads fully and fits closely with the soil.

6. Key points for watering

After the seedling roots are fixed, water heavily, then shape the tree basin and build it into a round mound to help prevent wind and preserve soil moisture.

7. Key points for mulching

Covering the tree basin of the planted jujube tree with plastic film can preserve soil moisture, help the seedling overwinter safely, and give a high survival rate for jujube seedlings.

8. Key points for cold protection

Jujube seedlings have thin bark and low water content, and water evaporates easily. Methods such as mulching and wrapping can be used for cold protection, and burying in soil can also be used for cold protection to increase the survival rate of jujube seedlings. First build a 30 cm high soil mound at the base of the seedling to fix it, then build soil 25 cm high in the direction in which the seedling is to be bent over. After the base of the seedling softens, gently bend it over onto the soil mound, then cover the branches with 20 cm of moist fine soil to prevent a "dead bend." In spring, jujube trees begin to sprout only when the air temperature reaches 13-15°C, so the time for removing the cold-protection soil should be somewhat later, shortening as much as possible the time the seedling is exposed before sprouting, and the soil should be removed only after the seedling sprouts.

After reading the above article, we know that jujube trees are divided into spring planting and autumn planting, and autumn planting is the best time, suitable for jujube cultivation. By following correct planting methods and planting jujube trees reasonably and scientifically, you can certainly cultivate healthy jujube trees and obtain relatively large returns.

Early High-Yield Cultivation Techniques for Dongzao

Dongzao, also called Dong jujube, is also called apple jujube. It belongs to the genus Ziziphus in the buckthorn family (Rhamnaceae). It is an excellent late-maturing fresh-eating variety of thornless jujube trees. It is mainly distributed in Hebei, Shandong and other places, with Zhanhua Dongzao having the best quality. Zhanhua Dongzao has large fruit, thin skin, a small pit, abundant juice, and tender, crisp flesh. The fruit is round or oblate, reddish-brown, with an average single-fruit weight of 17.5 g and a maximum single-fruit weight of 35 g. The pit is spindle-shaped. Fresh jujube contains 34% sugar, 0.47% acid, and 303 mg/100 g vitamin C. Dongzao trees sprout in early April and ripen from late October to early November. The market potential is huge. With the adjustment of the rural agricultural industrial structure, actively developing the Dongzao industry has become an important measure for many farmers to escape poverty and become wealthy. This article is a summary of scientific research and production practice on Dongzao in our station's dense-planting high-yield demonstration orchard. It introduces simple and easy key points of early high-yield cultivation techniques for reference. I. Select strong seedlings, dig high-yield trenches, and plant carefully

When establishing the orchard, priority must be given to strong first-grade Dongzao seedlings about 1.5 m tall with a basal diameter above 1.2 cm and relatively many lateral roots, ensuring a complete root system and planting immediately after lifting. Before planting, first repair wounded roots, keep a root spread of 30-40 cm, then soak them in 50×10-6 ABT rooting powder solution for 1-1.5 hours, then dip the roots in mud slurry and plant. The plant and row spacing should preferably be 2-2.5 m × 3-3.5 m, with 76-100 plants per mu. According to the planting row spacing, dig high-yield trenches 60 cm wide and 80 cm deep, pile topsoil and subsoil separately, first spread a 5 cm layer of wheat straw at the bottom of the trench, then mix farmyard manure with topsoil, backfill evenly into the trench, and finally irrigate to settle it. Generally, apply 500 kg of organic fertilizer per mu. After planting Dongzao, irrigate thoroughly, then cover with soil to preserve moisture. II. Mulch to increase temperature and preserve moisture, promoting vigorous rooting and growth

One main reason jujube trees are slow to sprout and difficult to regain vigor is lack of water and too-low soil temperature. Mulching is an effective measure to increase temperature, preserve moisture, and promote vigorous rooting and growth. After planting jujube seedlings, water thoroughly. After the water infiltrates, loosen the soil and mulch to preserve moisture. Plastic film can be used to cover the tree basin, which has a good effect on increasing temperature and preserving moisture and promoting vigorous root growth of Dongzao. III. Pruning characteristics

Through experiments, the best tree form for early high yield is pruning by the pull-and-notch method, that is, the planted Dongzao seedlings are not headed back. Instead, before bud break, the plant is pulled with rope along the row direction to be nearly parallel to the ground, to slow the apical growth advantage of the trunk and enhance nutrient accumulation in the middle and lower parts. Then, on the back of the bent and slanted trunk, about 40 cm above the ground, select a secondary branch with suitable orientation and vigorous growth, leave a stub and cut it back short, and notch 1 cm above the bud, deep to the xylem, or make an eye notch, temporarily hindering the upward transport of nutrients and cytokinins, and at the same time hindering the downward transport of endogenous gibberellin from the branch tip, thereby promoting the main bud below the wound to sprout into a jujube head. The following year, at a certain distance above, pull the new jujube head in the opposite direction and notch it again. Training the tree form in this way by pulling and notching aims both to retain jujube head branches and transform them into main branches and fruiting branch groups, and to promote the production of jujube head branches, increasing the amount of branches and leaves so that they bear fruit early. This method, applied in our station's dense-planting high-yield Dongzao demonstration orchard, resulted in Dongzao seedlings planted in the same year bearing fruit in the second year. In a 20-mu Dongzao orchard with a spacing of 2 m × 3 m, the average yield per plant was 2.78 kg of Dongzao, and the output value per mu was more than 6000 yuan. IV. Strengthen soil, fertilizer and water management

Soil, fertilizer and water management is the foundation. The branch and leaf growth of Dongzao proceeds simultaneously with flower bud differentiation, flowering and fruiting, and the flower quantity is large and the flowering period is long, requiring more nutrients, so strengthening soil, fertilizer and water management is particularly important.

1. Intertillage and weed control, loosening soil to preserve moisture

Jujube trees planted in high-yield trenches have relatively shallow root systems. Weeds compete with jujube trees for nutrients and water, so the jujube orchard should adopt a clean cultivation system, with multiple intertillages, weedings and soil loosenings each year. The intertillage depth is 6-10 cm. Timely remove root suckers sprouting under the trees to save nutrients, strengthen tree vigor, keep the jujube orchard clean, and keep the soil loose with good permeability, while also reducing the occurrence of pests and diseases.

2. Autumn application of base fertilizer

Autumn application of base fertilizer should be carried out from September to November. During this period, the earlier the better, because with early application the soil temperature is relatively high, which is favorable for fertilizer decomposition and breakdown, and the root system is in an active period, so wounded roots heal easily and new roots form. For 2-4-year-old trees, apply 30-50 kg of farmyard manure per plant; for 5-7-year-old trees, apply 50-70 kg per plant; for trees 8 years and older in full fruit stage, apply 70-150 kg of farmyard manure per plant.

3. Topdressing

Topdressing is carried out during the growth and development of Dongzao trees, mainly with chemical fertilizers. According to the fertilizer requirements of jujube trees at different phenological stages, it is generally carried out 3 times a year. The first time is before bud break (early April), the second time is before flowering (mid-to-late May), and the third time is during the young fruit swelling stage (late June to July). For young trees, nitrogen fertilizer is the main topdressing, with a nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium mixing ratio of 1:0.5:0.6.

4. Foliar fertilizer spraying

To supplement nutrients, spray foliar fertilizer 3-4 times each year. You can spray 0.3%-0.5% urea solution or potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution, or spray a mixed solution of Tianjin-produced fertilizer essence plus 0.3% urea, or rare earth fertilizer and micronutrient fertilizers, etc.

5. Irrigation

Generally, water 3 times a year, namely before bud break, during the young fruit swelling stage, and before the soil freezes. By no means should seawater be used for irrigation during the full flowering period, as this will cause a large amount of flower drop and a marked decrease in fruit-setting rate. V. Use three effective methods to increase the fruit-setting rate

Dongzao itself has a relatively low fruit-setting rate, which to a certain extent restricts the development of the Dongzao industry. In order to increase the fruit-setting rate of Dongzao, the author conducted various experiments. Three relatively effective methods are briefly introduced below:

1. Spray gibberellin during the flowering period. Through experimental comparison, spraying 25×10-6 gibberellin during the full flowering period in early June can minimize flower drop and significantly increase the fruit-setting rate.

2. Spray 0.5% borax. Adding 0.5% borax when spraying gibberellin can promote pollen tube germination and increase the pollination and fertilization rate.

3. Girdling. During the full flowering period, carry out ring barking on the main branches or trunk of Dongzao. The bark removal width is about 0.5 cm, removing a ring of bark down to the xylem. For young trees and weak trees, the cut should be narrower, 0.2-0.3 cm wide; for vigorous trees and large trees, it can be slightly wider, preferably between 0.3-0.6 cm. Each year the girdling position alternates from bottom to top and is staggered. Through girdling, the downward transport of nutrients from the upper part of the canopy can be blocked, and nutrient accumulation in the canopy can promote jujube fruit development and increase the fruit-setting rate. By applying the above three measures at the same time, in our station's high-yield demonstration orchard, 4-year-old Dongzao trees yielded 1080 kg of Dongzao per mu, with high and stable yields. VI. Strengthen pest and disease control

The main pests and diseases harming Dongzao include peach fruit borer, jujube gall midge, hawthorn red spider mite, and jujube leaf scorch disease, etc. During the growing period, spray 1500 times 50% methamidophos or 50% parathion to control peach fruit borer, spray chlorbenzuron No. 3 to control jujube gall midge, and spray dicofol to control red spider mites. Starting in early June, spray 500 times Kangkuening or 500 times Yekujing once every half month, for 3-4 consecutive sprays, which can effectively control jujube leaf scorch disease. VII. Reasonable intercropping

In Dongzao orchards, intercropping should not involve tall-stem crops, vine crops, or crops requiring large amounts of fertilizer and water or prone to serious pests and diseases, so as not to affect the growth and development of Dongzao trees. To resolve the contradiction between long-term benefits and short-term benefits, our station explored the intercropping model of "trees above, peanuts below," that is, with the jujube trunk as the center, establishing a 1 m protection belt, and outside the protection belt planting the dwarf high-yield peanut variety Luhua No. 9, with very good results. This intercropping model not only ensures short-term benefits but also achieves the goal of early high yield of Dongzao.