Avocado Cultivation

Common Name- Avocado/Butter Fruit

Country of Origin- Central America (Mexico)

Area of Commercial cultivation in India- Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra.

Scientific Name-Persea americana

Family –Lauraceae

Varieties- Bacon, Fuerte, Pinkerton, Pollock, Purple Hybrid, Hass, Lamb Hass, ,Reed, Zutano.

Commercially Cultivated Varieties in India/Kerala –Fuerte, Purple Hybrid, Pollock

Cultivation Practices

Propagation Materials-Seedling plants from selected mother plants or grafted plants. Yielding time is less in grafted plants where as the fruits/tree will be higher in seedling plants.

Growing geography-Hills and Plains

Soil Type- Fertile, well drained acidic soil with 5 to 7pH.

Planting Time- Before onset of Monsoon April-May

Planting Pit Size- 90x 90cm

Planting Spacing-8-10 Meters

Base Application-5 kilo Organic Manure

Drought Management

Young plants require shading and mulching during summer.

Drip Irrigation can be done.

Upkeep

Pruning is required in case of profusely branching varieties.

Scale Insect and Mealy bug is the common pest found in Avocado. Bio control agents like Verticcillium lecanni can be used.

Fungal and root rot diseases seen in Avocado can be treated with Carbandazim (1gram/Liter)

Yielding Time-4-8 Years

Flowering Time-November/December

Fruit set-April May

Fruits will be edible after 10 -15 days of ripening.

Yield/tree-300-400 Fruits//Year.

Manure Application Schedule

Chemical fertilizers-Two splits during April-May and September-October

If pH is more than 7 Iron deficiency is noted .In such cases 30-35 gram Iron chelate need to be applied

1-3 Years Organic Manure 25 Kg/Tree/Year. Urea 85 Grams Rajphos 100 Grams MOP 60 Grams/Tree/Year.

4-6 Years Organic  Manure 35 Kg/Tree/Year. Urea 160Grams Rajphos 175 Grams MOP 100 Grams/Tree/Year

7-10 Years Organic  Manure 40 Kg/Tree/Year. Urea 320 Grams Rajphos 175 Grams MOP 210 Grams/Tree/Year

Over 10 Years Organic Manure 50 Kg/Tree/Year. Urea 435 Grams Rajphos 225 Grams MOP 275 Grams/Tree/Year

Pruning Avocado trees 

Most avocados don't need a lot of pruning. However, pruning avocado trees can be beneficial in some cases. Pruning these trees is different than pruning other trees, so there are a few things you should know beforehand. In general, avocado trees require an abundance of healthy foliage to assure high yields. In most cases such abundance is best achieved by pruning only when absolutely necessary. 

Since avocado trees grow irregularly and different varieties have different growth habits, pruning methods will vary. Trees which tend to develop spreading canopies do best with a minimum of pruning. Tall, upright varieties, which become veritable "beanpoles" producing fruit high above the ground, can benefit from judicious training (heading cuts), especially during the first years of the tree's life. To prevent the upward growth of the main leader, the terminal buds should be removed. This stimulates the growth of lateral branches forcing the tree to spread out and become more compact.   

Danger of breakage from wind is reduced and the fruit will be borne on limbs closer to the ground where it can be picked more easily. Excessive pruning of young trees will slow their growth since food producing foliage (food is manufactures in the leaves) necessary to the tree is removed. 

The yield of bearing avocado trees is in direct proportion to the amount of healthy wood and foliage on the tree. Heavy pruning does not increase fruit production but reduces it by stimulating new vegetative growth at the expense of fruit production.  

Heading Cut for height regulation.

Preventive Pruning 

The shock of pruning can be lessened by selective removal of growing tips which gets rid of unwanted branches before they are formed. This might be termed "preventive" pruning and results in the loss of a minimum of food producing foliage. 

Since heavy cutting lowers yield and stimulates new growth, a better way to control size may be by frequent light pruning (Thinning cuts) whereby new growing points are pinched or cut out. The frequency and amount of pruning needed will depend on the variety and vigor of the tree and upon the environmental characteristics of different avocado growing areas. 

                             Year 1 - 1st Thinning cuts made        Year 2 – New growth and new Thinning cuts 

Pruning to control the height of avocado trees requires constant follow-up. Regrowth after topping is vigorous and rapid and the trees soon regain their original height unless the new growth is thinned and cut back. In hand pruning, cuts are made as close to lateral branches as possible to reduce new sprouting. Mechanical pruning does not do this and two or three shoots develop from around the end of each cut branch.  

When to Prune Avocados 

Timing plays an important role in pruning avocado trees. Light trimming can be done at any time of the year because avocado trees are evergreen. However, if you want to do heavy trimming on the tree, you should only do it in late winter or early spring. These are the best times to prune the trees heavily. 

Pruning in early spring gives a greater stimulus to vegetative growth than pruning during mid-summer, while pruning in late summer or fall will cause re-growth which may not harden off and is more susceptible to frost injury. 

Again, cutting should be kept to a minimum since the removal of large branches will cause more growth higher on the tree. 

Pruning for Balance 

Balance is one of the most important things you need to know about pruning

avocado trees. Many people buy trees from a nursery that has had the roots cut. You will need to trim the top of the tree since most of the root system has been removed. If you don't trim the top of the tree to restore the balance, the tree may grow weakly.  

Pruning for Sun Exposure 

Avocado trees grow thickly, so it is sometimes necessary to prune the tree (Thinning cuts) to allow sunlight to reach the lower branches. When pruning avocado trees for this reason, you need to make sure you don't create too many open areas in the tree. This will expose major branches to heavy sunlight that could damage them.  

Pruning Twigs 

Many people make the mistake of cutting off terminal twigs when they're pruning avocado trees. However (like mangoes and longans) these trees grow fruit at the end of these branches (terminal fruiting). If you cut these twigs off when pruning avocado trees, a lot of fruit won't be produced when the tree blooms again.