Rejuvenation of Old Almond Orchard

 Salient features

• Pruning of second order branches and application of Chaubattia paste on the cut pruned surface are done in February.
• New sprouts are top-worked with elite genotypes through tongue grafting during February–March and through chip budding during July–August.
• Successfully rejuvenated plants are supplemented with 50 kg FYM + NPK 500:250:700 g/tree, full dose of P and K and half dose of N in January and the remaining half dose of N during fruit set.
• Caustic soda (1%) is sprayed during dormancy for control of lichens.
• Application of Sevin (0.1%) once in growing season (May) and fungicides (Carbendazim as well as Bayleton) twice in May and June.
• Rainwater harvesting is done in tree basins by soil working and creating 1–1.5 m radius circular (“full moon”) water harvesting structure during lean period of December.
• Additionally, basins may be covered with black polymulch or locally available grasses/farm waste as mulch.

Performance
• Rejuvenated trees start bearing in the second year itself with 0.5 kg nuts yield/tree and attain full bearing (2–3 kg nuts/tree in different varieties) two years after top-working as against 8–10 years in seedling plantations.

Cost
• Cost of rejuvenation is ₹80,000/ha.

Impact and benefits
• This technology has successfully been demonstrated at farmers’ fields in Srinagar, Budgam and Pulwama districts of Jammu and Kashmir. The technology is being adopted widely by almond growers of Jammu and Kashmir.