PEAR

Taxonomy of PearDivision AngiospermaeClass DicotyledonsSub. Class Polypetalae Series Calyciflorae Order RosalesFamily: RosaceaeGenus PyrusSpecies: pyrifolia, communis, pashia, serotina etc.

Area & Production In India, Pear occupy third place among temperate fruits both in area and production. In India pear is cultivated in an area of 14668 hectare with an annual production of 187,328

tonnes. It is mainly grown in temperate and sub-tropical regions of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal

Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Assam and South India. In Punjab pear is grown in 2257 ha with an annual production of 45140 metric tones. It is doing very well in districts of Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Jallandher, Hoshiarpur and Patiala.

Origin & History European and West Asian (Occidental group) are native to Eastern Europe and South Western

Asia and North Asian species are native to China, Japan and Manchuria. Pyrus pyrifolia originated in China, where its culture dates back to 2500-3000 years. It was

introduced in India during the time of Lord Kanishka (120-170 AD).

Climate Pear can be grown in mid-hill upto an election of 1200 to 1800 meter above sea level. Annual rainfall of 100-125 cm is considered adequate. Patharnakh pear is very hardy tree and can be grown in the sub-tropical climate prevailing in

Punjab. The absence of rains during flowering period is one of the pre-requisites for successful

cultivation of pear. Excessive hot winds during summer have adverse affect on fruit and foliage.

Soil Pear can be grown on vide variety of soils provided these are well drained. Pear trees are hardy and can flourish even on rather inferior lands with relatively less care. It can tolerate water stagnation for short duration. The most suitable soil for pear is one which is of medium texture, deep, well drained and has a

water table below 200 cm around the year. It can be grown in soils having pH upto 8.7 and having electrical conductivity below

0.5mmhos/cm.

Recommended varietiesPatharnakh It is a variety of Pyrus pyrifolia. It is most popular variety because of heavy bearing and good keeping quality. The fruit is tough and can with stand transportation very well for long distances without any

spoilage. The flesh is gritty, crisp and juicy. It ripens in last week of July. Average yield per tree is 150 kg.

Punjab Beauty The trees are upright, medium in vigour and regular in bearing. The fruit is medium yellow with

red blush. The flesh is white, which is more juicy and sweet than LeConte and Baggugosha. Fruits mature in third week of July.

The average yield is 80 kg/plant.

Baggugosha It is a variety of Pyrus communis Trees are upright and vigorous and has irregular bearing habit. Fruits are small, greenish yellow with tapered stem end. The flesh is sweet and somewhat gritty. It ripens in August. Average yield is 60-80 kg per tree.

LeConte It is a hybrid between Pyrus communis x Pyrus pyrifolia. LeConte is a variety having low chilling requirement. Tree medium in growth and upright, which becomes spreading when fully mature. Fruits small to medium in size with alternate greenish yellow colour.

It ripens by the end of July and yields about 60-80 kg fruit per tree.

Kieffer Kieffer is a hybrid between Pyrus communis x Pyrus pyrifolia. It require longer chilling hours than LeConte and Patharnakh. Fruits are medium to large pointed at the ends. Fruits are brownish red colour and are gritty. It ripens in August-September Average yield 100 kg per tree.

Propagation Techniques The Patharnakh pear plants are raised both by budding and grafting on pear suckers and Kainth

seedlings. Tongue and cleft grafting are the most common methods of pear propagation and are performed

during January-February when plants are still dormant. Among budding methods, T-budding is most commonly employed and is practiced from June to

August.

Raising rootstock from Kainth seed. Fully mature fruits of Kainth are collected in September. Fruits are dumped for softening and easy extraction of seed. Soon after extraction the seed are sown. The six inch tall seedlings are transplanted Distance from seedling to seedling and row to row is kept 15 cm and 30 cm, respectively. These seedlings become buddable during August-September and graftable in December-

January.

Raising of rootstock from pear suckers The root suckers (Batankan) are collected from underneath of old pear trees during October-

December. These are headed back leaving 2 to 3 buds from the ground level and planted at 15 cm in rows

30 cm apart, leaving 60 cm after every 2-3 rows. One healthy shoot is retained out of newly emerging shoots which become buddable in August-

September . Shoots which do not become buddable in August-September are grafted in the following

December- January. The pear suckers which have well developed root system can be bench-grafted and are directly

planted in the nursery.

Raising of plants through cuttings Pear plants can be raised through hardwood cuttings. Cuttings are prepared in December and are kept for callusing for about a month. Callused cuttings are planted in nursery 10 cm apart in rows 30 cm apart. Treating the cuttings with 100 ppm IBA for 24 hours prior to callusing gives better rooting

success.

Nursery is kept moist with frequent light irrigation.

Planting and after care Best time for planting pear trees is from mid-January to first fortnight of February, before the

start of new growth. One year old healthy and vigorous plants should be used for planting. Older plants of 2-3 years

of age can also be planted with good success. The plants are planted 7.5 meters apart, which accommodates 180 plants in one hectare by

square system and 207 plants by hexagonal system.

Training and PruningPear trees are trained according to “Modified leader system”.

Training in the first year In low headed trees, the plants are cut 90 cm above ground level and the lowest branch is

allowed to develop 60 cm above ground level. The high headed trees are headed back at a height of 1.2 to 1.5 meters.

Training in second year The largest shoot in the centre is left as leader but is cut back where immature

portion starts. Three to five laterals, spaced at a distance of 15 to 22 cm and evenly distributed

around the stem are retained.

Training in three to four year old trees The secondary scaffold framework is developed by retaining 1 or 2 branches arising on

primary scaffold branches.

Training in five year old trees The leader should be cut to a well placed outward growing lateral.

Pruning of young bearing trees Pear trees bear fruit on shoots of limited growth called spurs. These spurs grow by few millimeters each year and remain productive for 12-15 years. So only corrective pruning is done for first 12-15 years, so as to avoid loss of fruiting spurs.

Pruning of order trees In older trees, fruit bearing get reduced due to damage to spurs over the years and limited

new growth is made by these trees. In old trees entire scaffold branches are headed back leaving 30-40 cm long stumps. From these stumps new shoots arise which become productive in 3-4 years

Irrigation Water is needed in summer months, when trees and fruits are actively growing. Shortages of water in April, May & June restricts tree growth and leads to the formation of hard

and small fruits of poor quality. During summer months pear should be irrigated at an interval of 5-7 days and 15 days interval

in August-September. Under extreme water deficiency conditions fruits lack colour crispiness and become tough. Excessive water cause loss of attractiveness of fruits and keeping quality deteriorates.

Manuring and FertilizationAge (years) FYM (kg/tree) CAN (25%N) Superphosphate

(16%P2O5)Muriate of Potash (60% K2O).

g/tree1-3 10-20 100-300 200-600 150-4504-6 25-35 400-600 800-1200 600-9007-9 40-50 700-900 1400-1800 1050-135010 & above 50 1000 2000 1500

The entire dose of farmyard manure, super phosphate and muriates of potash should be added in December.

Half of CAN should be added in early February before flowering and the other half in April after fruit set.

Zinc deficiency Zinc deficiency appears on young leaves. Symptoms are interveinal chlorosis, reduction in leaf size and lead margins tend to curl upward. Spray 3kg zinc sulphate and 1.5 kg unstaked lime in 500 liters of water.

Iron deficiency Iron deficiency appear on young leaves. Symptoms are: dark green vains on pale green background. To correct iron deficiency spray 0.3 per cent ferrous sulphate.

Intercropping In young and rejuvenated orchards intercrops can be grown. Mong, mash and toria can be grown during Kharif season. Wheat, peas, grams and senji can be grown during Rubi season. Barseen should not be grown as intercrop in pear, because of its high demand for irrigation in

winter season when pear plants are dormant.

Weed Control Spray Hexuron 80 WP (Diuron) @ 4.0 kg/hectare as pre-emergence herbicide after

thorough cultivation in first fortnight of March . Spray Glycel 41 SL (glyphosate) @ 3 lt/hectare or gramoxone 24 WSC (paraguat) at 3

lt/hectare as post emergence herbicides when the weeds are 15-20 cm high. Dissolve all weedicides in 500 lt. water. Spray glycel/gramoxone at above mentioned dose in case there is re-emergence of weeds

during or after rainy season.

Crop regulation Pear trees tend to overbear, resulting in smaller fruits. Tne fruit per cluster may be retained after thinning. In most of commercial varieties 30-40 leaves per fruit are essential for the proper growth and

development of one pear fruit.

Harvesting and Handling of fruits

Harvesting Criteria for judging maturity of pear fruits are change in external fruit colour, decrease in

firmness of fruit flesh change in external fruit colour and increase in total soluble solids. Fruits of Patharnakh pear reach harvest maturity 145 days and of Baggugosha 135 days after

fruit set. Colour of fruits changes to light yellow at final stage of harvest. The optimum harvesting time of Patharnakh , in Punjab is from end July to mid August. Care should be exercised during picking so that fruit being spurs do not get damaged. Harvest the fruits with stalk to avoid fruit rot in storage. For distant markets fruits should be picked when in hard ripe stage.

Packing Fruits are packed in wooden boxes for distant markets. The fruits are packed in layers and are

padded with thick layers of dried grass. For transportation to markets at short distances, baskets are generally employed for packing.

Shelf life The fruits of Patharnakh and Baggugosha pear can be stored for 90 days and 45-50 days,

respectively, at 0-33 oC temperature with 85-90 per cent relative humidity after packing them in polyethylene bags.

The Patharnakh pear fruits can be successfully stored for 125 days by pre-harvest treatment with calcium nitrate @ 1.0 and 1.5 per cent one week before harvest.

Problems in pear cultivation

Insect-PestsLeaf –hoppers and aphids -Attack start soon after leaf sprouting in March-April -Cause serious damage by sucking the cell-sap from the leaves and tender fruits. -To control spray 1 kg Sevin/Hexavin 50 WP (Cataryl) or 800 ml Rogor 30 EC

(Dimethoate) in 500 litres of water.

Hairy Caterpillar The gregarious caterpillars feed on the epidermis of leaves and fruits. The eaten surface of

leaves dry up and turn brown & fruits turns black and become hard. Collect and destroy gregariously feeding young caterpillars. Spray 700 ml of Thiodan 45 EC in 500 liters of water.

Bark-eating caterpillar/Inderbela Its caterpillars bore hole into the stem and branches. They feed on bark under the cover of its webbing containing its excreta. To control of dissolve 100 g BHC 50 WP in 10 liters of water Apply this suspension with wash bottle into the holes during September-October and again in January-February

Mites Mites attack in April-May As a result of mite attack brownish spots appear on the leaves. If the incidence is high, the whole of the leaf becomes pale To control spray 500 ml Rogor 30EC (diamethoate) or 1000 ml Kalthane 18.5 EC (dicopal) or

500 ml Fosmite 50 EC (ethion) in 500 litres of water.

DiseasesPear scab Infection appear on young shoots Olive dark mouldy spots appear on the underside of leaves later these spots turn grey and

necrotic.

Similar olive spots appear on pedicel, calyx and petals. The affected blosooms and petals usually drop. Dark brown spots are produced on the fruits, which join together become corky and crack.Control To control this disease, apply bulky organic manures to trees. Spray 0.2 per cent Captan at pre-bloom stage on dormant trees and again after petal fall. Collect and burnior on plough carefully the fallen leaves and other debris. Prune the tree to promote good acration.

Shoot-fruit blight and bark canker Small elliptical brown spots appear on leaves. As these spots enlarge their centres become sunken with edges raised above the surrounding

healthy bark. The fungus perpetuates on the tree in bark cankers.Control Remove the cankers on the trunk and in the crotches. Decorticate the dead bark alongwith 2 cm of healthy bark. Destroy all the dead wood and pruning wood. Apply disinfectant solution on the wounds. After this apply Bordeaux paste and cover it with Bordeaux paint after one week. Spray the trees with 2:2:250 Bordeaux mixture or 0.3% copper oxychloride. Repeat the spray in March, June and January.

Root-rot and Sap-wood rot Gummosis of main trunk, limbs and secondary branches occur. The bark and wood of roots rot with white mycelial mat in the crevices. Tree show wilting, early leaf-fall and increase in fruit set before collapsing. Rotting of roots lead to toppling of trees.Control To full grown trees apply 10g Bavistin 50 WP + 5 g Vitavax 25 WP in 10 lt water along the trunk

and around the drip area twice. Once before monsoon (April-May) and second after monsoon (September-October). Apply light

irrigation immediately after treatment. Avoid deep hoeing so that root injury do not occur. Do not pile soil around the tree trunk. Avoid growing intercrops which require heavy irrigation in winters

Baggugosha

Pahtarnakh