Principles and Practices for Sustainable Fruit Production Presented By

Manohar Lal MeghwalPh.D I year

DEPT. OF POMOLOGY & FLORICULTUREKERALA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY

IntroductionObjectives of Sustainable Agriculture Components of Sustainable DevelopmentAim of Sustainable Fruit ProductionBenefits of Sustainable FarmingSustainability Issues in Fruit ProductionPrinciples and Recommended Practices Important Practices for Sustainable Fruit Production Conclusion

Contents of seminar

Sustainability means living within the resources of the planet without damaging the environment now or in the future.

Objectives of Sustainable Agriculture• Make best use of the resources available • Protect the health and safety of farm workers local and society

• Protect and enhance the environment and natural resources

• Protect the economic viability of farming operations

• Produce sufficient high-quality and safe food

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Three Components of Sustainable Development

Aim of Sustainable Fruit Production1. To ensure the safety and quality of products to satisfy the

highest expectations of the food industry and consumers.

2. On-farm practices should ensure that arable and vegetable crops are produced under sustainable economic, social and environmental conditions.

Sustainable Fruit Production is Based on

The principle of Health

The principle of Ecology

The principle of Fairness

The principle of Care

To reduce the soil erosion and also helpful in keeping the environment pollution free.

It is cost saving technology and save the expense at the large extent.

It is also helpful in keeping the land fertile and ready for the future farming.

Benefits of Sustainable Farming

Sustainability Issues in Fruit Production1. Protect and enhance existing native vegetation for greater biodiversity

and security of the rural environment at large.

2. Manage the use of scarce water resources to ensure greatest efficiency, productivity and protection of surrounding catchments and waterways from salt, soil, fertilizers and chemicals carried in run-off water.

3. Manage for healthy soils through protection from degradation and loss by erosion, organic matter depletion and unbalanced and inappropriate fertilizer usage.

4. Manage the impact of pest and diseases while minimizing the usage of chemicals and maximizing profitability over the short and long term.

Principles and Recommended

Practices

A) Sustainable Farming System

Principles Recommended Practices

2.Production sites should be

checked for any contaminant or pollution risk.

3. risk assessment shall be undertaken for new agricultural sites,

1. Site selection 1. Planning and managing the farm activities. be aware of the site history

Principles Recommended Practices

1.Varieties or rootstock adapted to local conditions.

-resistant or tolerant to commercially important pests and diseases.

2. Plant spacing- Optimize fruit quality and

homogeneity.3. Fruit that originates from

genetically modified plants, rootstock, or grafting material must be identified, traced and segregated.

2. Planting material

A) Sustainable Farming System

A) Sustainable Farming System

Principles Recommended Practices

1. Cultivation practices -Use specific cultivation techniques to

maintain or improve the physical and biological characteristics of the soil

2. Nutrient management -Balance fertilization in order to provide the appropriate nutrients to the crops.

3. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) systems -Protect crops against pest, diseases and weed.

3. Integrated Crop Management

B) Economic Sustainability

Principles Recommended Practices

1. Safety, quality and transparency Ensure the safety, quality and

transparency of the products throughout the production methods and storage facilities.

Principles Recommended Practices

3. Market 2. Seek to get organized and to select efficient trading channels in order to optimize benefits.

B) Economic Sustainability

2. Financial stability 1. Seek to achieve long-term stability of the farm income for proper investments and workforce payment.

C) Social SustainabilityPrinciples Recommended Practices

• Support the training of farm employees and workers on all aspects of sustainable agricultural practices.

1. Working Conditions • Provide a cordial and pleasant working environment, free of disciplinary practices.

2. Training

D) Environmental SustainabilityPrinciples Recommended Practices

1. Soil 1. Maintain good soil fertility and

prevent damage to the environment, soil erosion and pollution.

2. Soil erosion shall be prevented by biological as well as mechanical control methods.

D) Environmental SustainabilityPrinciples Recommended Practices

2. Water 1. Irrigation shall be adjusted to take into account predicted rainfall and evaporation.

2. The most efficient and commercially practical water delivery system shall be used e.g. Drip irrigation

Principles Recommended Practices

D) Environmental Sustainability

3. Bio-diversity 1. Maintain or enhance biological diversity on the farm.

2. The objective is to create biodiversity habitats which can host a variety of flora and fauna playing a significant role in the prevention and defense against pests and diseases.

D) Environmental SustainabilityPrinciples Recommended Practices

4. Waste 1. Use crop by-products as much as possible on the farm.

2. The farm shall continuously reduce, reuse and recycle the quantity of waste and by-products of the harvest and processing that it generates.

Important Practices for Sustainable Fruit Production

• CANOPY MANAGEMENT

• MULCHING

• BAGGING

•HARVESTING

Training refers to giving shape/ architecture of plant.

Pruning refers to removal of parts of a tree, especially shoots, roots, limbs, buds of the terminal parts.

Pruning is done to make a tree more productive and bear quality fruits.

Pruning make it into more manageable shape and to get maximum returns from the orchard.

CANOPY MANAGEMENT

Composted mulch can be used to increase productivity and sustainability of viticulture production.

Composted mulch can reduce evaporation from the soil surface, maintain soil moisture levels, reduce crop stress and stimulate vine growth.

It reduces irrigation water requirements, weeds and reduces erosion.

USE OF MULCH

WEED MANAGEMENT AND MULCHING

USE OF MULCH

Without composted mulch With composted mulch

Bagging and Wrapping of fruits: Fruits can be easily protected against fruit flies by bagging them in newspaper bags.

The bag provides a physical protection to the fruit by preventing adult female flies laying eggs.

Bagging is inexpensive and easy to apply and guarantees nearly complete protection from fruit flies.

HARVESTING PRACTICES FOR PEST CONTROL

Remove fruits with dimples and oozing clear sap. This method is more effective although laborious than picking rotten fruits from the ground as the maggots may have left the fruits to pupate.

Harvest crops early when mature green. This is the stage of maturity when crops are not susceptible to fruit fly attack.

Pick overripe fruits. These are good breeding sites for fruit flies.

• Sustainable fruit production system is a need of an era for environmental safety and quality fruit production.

• It protects biological flora, reduce soil erosion and include ecofriendly management system.

• It comprise integrated pest and disease management system.

• Sustainable fruit production system is helpful to achieve holistic approach of farming system through appropriate planning and applying best management practices.

Conclusion

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