ABSTRACT

An orchard is a demarcated area where fruit trees are planted in a systematic pattern and managed to maximise productivity in a sustainable manner. Orchard management practices (OMPs) begin with the transformation of natural vegetation into an orchard and continues throughout the fruit-bearing phases. An ideal integrated orchard management practice (IOMP) comprises of pit management at the time of planting, annual schedule of integrated nutrient management (INM), management of tree basins and tree canopies, orchard floor management (OFM) and residue recycling. World fruit production has increased many folds over the past few decades and there has been a substantial increase in the area of fruit-tree plantations. Cover crops are those that are grown to cover the ground surface in the field of a regular or main crop without any interference to the growth and development of the regular crop. Type of crops may include vegetable/cereals/pulses/oil seed crops, green manuring crops, fodder crops, or permanent grass sods.