Litchi : Preventive Practices and Curative Measures

Contents: 1. Introduction. 2. Understand the Growth and behaviour of litchi plant. 3. Cultivate the litchi where soil and climate. 4. Produce and use the quality planting. 5. Select the suitable variety. 6. Adopt scientific orchard establishment practices. 7. Care and rear the developing plants. 8. Avoid moisture stress and weed excess. 9. Maximize land output through high density planting and orchard floor management. 10. Feed the plant as per need and schedule. 11. Manage the canopy and rejuvenate the old trees. 12. Ensure regular production in bearing orchard. 13. Adopt a schedule to keep orchard healthy and productive. 14. Learn the role of pest management in litchi orchard. 15. Identify the pests and manage them to avoid direct loss. 16. Prevent the diseases to avoid direct loss. 17. Manage the psychological disorder. 18. Specific problems and their remedy. 19. Reduce harvest, handling and marketing losses. 20. Reduce post harvest losses and convert into value added products. 21. References. 22. Colour Photographs.

Commercial Litchi farming so far is done by large farmers who are capable of sustaining long gestation period and failure of crops. When the tree is full of vigour, the dominance of vegetative phase prevails over reproductive phase in some varieties and at some locations which adversely affects flowering, fruit set and fruit growth, and some times fruit drop due to high competition for photosynthates also become limiting factor to litchi production. Besides, there are many pests, diseases and disorders which affect the economic cultivation of litchi. It has been observed that orchardists owner or contractors are active in their orchards only when flowers or fruits are present on the trees for rest of the period, the take little care of their orchards. To maintain vigour, growth and productivity, is necessary to perform proper operations throughout the year. The main reason behind poor productivity and low profitability of litchi is the poor knowledge of farming community.

In litchi, some problems arise due to growers’ negligence and other s are brought about by pests, disease, disorders, plant physiology and climate. Growers’ negligence/mistakes may occur in setting up an orchard, drainage, irrigation systems, selecting varieties, planting fertilizing, shaping the plant, weed control, mulching, pruning and canopy management, use of growth regulators, harvesting, packing, marketing and quality management. Other problems such as pest, disease and fruit disorders may occur by their own or may aggravate due to negligence of farmers. Many books and information bulletin on litchi are available however most of them are of facts oriented which often lack in operational guidelines. This book has been prepared in problem solving mode in such a way as readers can easily understand and adopt the litchi technology which have been developed by different knowledge groups for betterment of the litchi industry. We hope that this book would serve the purpose of farmers and those who are engaged in litchi industry.