Orange is a popular citrus fruit in India. It accounts for nearly half of all citrus cultivation land. Moreover, Mandarin and Sweet Orange commercially grown citrus species in India. The production of Mandarin oranges grows year after year in the country’s central and western regions. After bananas and mangoes, India ranks third in orange production. In India, oranges grown in Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh.
Orange Farming Methods and Tricks
When we talk about orange farming, we should think about some tips, which are:
Climate Requirement
10°C – 30°C temperature is suitable for orange farming. And the rainfall must be 500-600 mm. Also, you can harvest the field at a temperature of 30°-34°C.
Soil Requirement
We can grow orange in a wide range of soil types. It grows best in medium-light loam soils with a pH of 6.0-8.0. After this, you have to prepare the soil with excellent tractor models like New Holland Excel 4710 and others.
Popular Varieties
Khasi: Also known as Sikkim in the region. The Indian states of Assam and Meghalaya are the commercial producers of orange. Trees of medium to large size with dense foliage and thorns. Fruits range in colour from orange-yellow to bright orange and have a smooth surface. Fruits are orange in colour and contain 9-25 seeds.
Kinnow: It is a cross between King and Willow leaf. Plants are large, symmetrical, and have dense foliage and broad leaves. Fruits are medium-sized, deep orange-yellow when ripe, and adherent and juicy, with 12-24 seeds. Fruit ripens between January and February. When it was first introduced into Punjab, this variety performed exceptionally well and quickly gained commercial significance.
Coorg: Trees are upright, vigorous, and have dense foliage. Fruits are bright orange in colour, medium to large in size, and have 9-11 easily peeled segments. The variety has a lot of juice and 15-25 seeds. The type reaches maturity in the months of February and March.
Nagpur, also known as Ponkan, is a city in India. Plant growth is vigorous, and the foliage is compact. Fruits are medium in size, with loosely adherent segments 10-12 and an abundance of juice with 7-8 seeds. It is the world’s most popular and most acceptable orange variety. It reaches maturity in the months of January and February.
Other State Varieties
- Shrinagar
- Mudkhed
- Dancy
- Butwal
- Kara (Abohar)
- Sumithra
- Darjeeling
- Seedless 182
Land Preparation
We must adequately prepare land for seedling growth. Ploughing, cross ploughing, and levelling of the land are all necessary. On hills, terrace planting is done. In hilly areas, dense planting is possible. Use a good tractor, which comes at a reasonable price like New holland tractor 3630 to prepare land in minimum time. New holland tractor 3630 price is quite affordable for farmers.
Sowing
Planting takes place in Punjab during the spring season (February to March) and the monsoon season (June to August) (15 August to October end). Also, for sweet oranges, a 5mx5m spacing is recommended. Dig a 1mx1mx1m pit and leave it open in the sun for a few days. Add 15-20kg of well-decomposed cow dung per Pit, SSP@500gm. Furthermore, pits 606060cm in diameter should dug for seedling planting. Orange can be propagated via seed or budding. Fruits from healthy plants with a high density are chosen for seed extraction. We should mix seeds with ash and dry them in the shade. They should be sown immediately at a distance of 3-4cm to prevent seed viability.
Pruning and Training
Pruning of young trees is critical which gives them the right shape and size. Training is carried out to produce a single stem with 6-7 branches. Lowermost branches should not be allowed to grow lower than 50-60cm from the ground. The main goal of pruning is to increase yields while maintaining fruit quality. Pruning also entails removing diseased, dead, or weak branches.
Weed Control
Weed can be controlled by hand-hoeing as well as chemically, using glyphosate at 1.6 litres per 150 litres of water. Glyphosate should only used on weeds, not crop plants.
Irrigation
Orange has a high irrigation requirement due to its evergreen nature throughout the year. The type of soil also determines the amount of irrigation required. We should provide irrigation during flowering, fruit set, and fruit development. Moreover, waterlogging should be avoided at all costs. Irrigation water should be salt-free.
Harvesting
Kinnow fruits are ready for harvest when they reach the proper size, shape, and attractive colour, with a TSS to the Acid ratio of 12:1. Depending on the variety, fruits are generally ready for harvesting from mid-January to mid-February. Harvest the crop at the proper time, as harvesting too early or too late will result in poor quality.
Post Harvesting
After harvesting, wash the fruits with clean water before dipping them in chlorinated water at a rate of 2.5 ml per litre. Then they were partially dried. Do Citrashine wax coating along with foam to improve the appearance and maintain quality. The fruits are then dried in the shade before being packed. Fruit is packaged in boxes.
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