A male tree cultivation method for improving the comprehensive yield of kiwifruit orchard

Abstract

The application discloses a male tree cultivation method for improving comprehensive output value of a kiwi orchard, wherein the male kiwi trees are arranged in a row and column mode, that is, a straight male tree mode, the male kiwi trees are arranged in a mode that a main stem and multiple main vines are arranged on both sides of the main stem, when the branches can be placed on a shelf, the main vines and flowering branches are fixed on steel wires which are parallel to the male tree row and arranged in a longitudinal plane, a one-stem multi-vine wall surface type modeling is formed, and the wall surface is perpendicular to a fruiting horizontal plane of female trees and is distributed above and below the fruiting horizontal plane of the female trees. The method effectively reduces the land occupation of the male trees, widens the fruiting space of the female trees, and compared with traditional female flowers and male flowers in the same horizontal plane, the pollination male trees form a flower wall which is perpendicular to the fruiting horizontal plane of the female trees, so that the natural pollination efficiency of the kiwi is obviously improved, the quality and yield of the kiwi are improved, surplus male flowers are collected to prepare commercial pollen, and the comprehensive output value of the kiwi orchard is further improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of kiwifruit cultivation technology, specifically relating to a method for cultivating male trees to improve the overall output value of kiwifruit orchards. Background Technology

[0002] Kiwifruit is a perennial deciduous vine belonging to the Actinidiaceae family and the Actinidiaceae genus. The genus comprises 54 species, 21 varieties, and 75 taxonomic units. China is the origin of kiwifruit, and the vast majority of kiwifruit species are endemic to the country. Not only are the types of kiwifruit resources abundant, but their natural distribution is also wide, ranging from the cold temperate zone in the north to near the equator in the south. Currently, the species used for commercial cultivation are mainly a few taxonomic units such as *Actinidia chinensis*, *Actinidia deliciosa*, *Actinidia arguta*, and *Actinidia pubescens*. Kiwifruit has a unique flavor and is rich in vitamins, proteins, fats, amino acids, and minerals, especially vitamin C, making it a true "King of Vitamin C." Therefore, in just over a century, kiwifruit has developed from a wild fruit in the mountains of China into a global fruit industry, and China is the world's largest producer and consumer of kiwifruit, with more than 20 provinces developing the kiwifruit industry.

[0003] Kiwifruit is a dioecious plant; only male plants can pollinate female plants to produce fruit. The quantity and quality of the fruit are highly dependent on the efficiency and intensity of pollination. Therefore, in production, it is essential to plant male and female plants in a balanced manner, supplemented by artificial pollination, to achieve good fruit set and ensure yield. Male plants only play a major role during the pollination period, so it is not advisable to plant too many, which would occupy too much fruiting area. The traditional method of planting male and female plants is the "plum blossom" pattern, which uses a female-to-male ratio of (5-8):1, with one male plant as the center and 5-8 female plants surrounding it. This method has low pollination efficiency due to the small number of male plants, often requiring artificial pollination, which is costly. Another method is the "row-and-column" male plant arrangement, with a female-to-male ratio of 1:1 or 2:1, one row of male plants paired with one to two rows of female plants, also known as the "straight male tree" pattern. This pattern improves pollination efficiency but significantly increases the area occupied by male plants, limiting the fruiting area.

[0004] Neither the "plum blossom" nor the "row" male plant pairing model emphasizes the shaping and cultivation of the male plants. Generally, male plants are allowed to grow naturally without tying their branches, or the lateral branches are tied into a feather-like shape, similar to the "one trunk, two vines" style of female plants. In the current model, the male flowers of male plants and the female flowers of female plants are on the same horizontal plane, resulting in poor ventilation and hindering wind and insect pollination. Pollination efficiency is further reduced on cloudy or rainy days. Therefore, developing a method that requires less land and improves kiwifruit pollination efficiency is of paramount importance for enhancing the economic benefits of kiwifruit production.

[0005] To reduce the land area and growing space occupied by male trees in the straight male-female tree model, Tu Meiyan et al. published a male-female tree configuration method for kiwifruit (CN105940909A), which involves planting two rows of male trees on both sides of the production area. Compared with the "plum blossom" male tree layout, this method can improve pollination efficiency and yield per unit area. However, this scheme does not consider the cultivation of tree shape, and this configuration is not as uniform in pollination as the "plum blossom" layout, especially in the central area of ​​the orchard where the pollination rate is low, resulting in inconsistent fruit quality. Pollination efficiency is also greatly reduced in bad weather. On other monoecious fruit trees, the "hedge-shaped" tree shape can improve fruit yield and quality, such as the "comb-shaped hedge" (CN107278786A) and "four-arm hedge" (CN107371855A) tree shapes in pear trees. These inventions affect fruit quality and yield by changing the shape of the fruiting tree. In dioecious fruit trees such as kiwifruit, waxberry, and mulberry, male pollinator trees are required for production. Many inventions related to tree cultivation are aimed at fruit-bearing trees, but there are few reports on innovations that improve natural pollination and promote fruit industry development by cultivating male trees. How to improve the layout and shape of male kiwifruit trees to simultaneously increase yield per unit area and improve fruit quality, while further developing the economic value of male trees, is extremely important for the high-quality development of the kiwifruit industry. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies and provide a method for cultivating male kiwifruit trees to improve the overall output value of kiwifruit orchards. This method involves shaping male kiwifruit trees into a wall-like form with one trunk and multiple vines, with the wall perpendicular to the fruiting plane of the female trees. This method effectively reduces the land area occupied by male trees and expands the fruiting space of female trees. Compared to the traditional method where female and male flowers are on the same horizontal plane, the flower wall formed by pollinating male trees perpendicular to the fruiting plane of female trees significantly improves the natural pollination efficiency of kiwifruit, thereby increasing the quality and yield of kiwifruit. Simultaneously, collecting surplus male flowers to prepare commercial pollen further enhances the overall output value of kiwifruit orchards.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0008] A method for cultivating male kiwifruit trees to improve the overall yield of kiwifruit orchards: The male kiwifruit trees are shaped into a wall-like form with one trunk and multiple vines, and the wall is perpendicular to the fruiting plane of the female trees. The cultivation method for male kiwifruit trees includes the following steps:

[0009] Step 1: Plant male and female trees in a straight male tree pattern, with a male-female row ratio of 1:1 or 2:1.

[0010] Step 2: The male plant forms a main trunk with multiple main vines arranged on both sides of the main trunk. When the branches are ready to be trellised, the main vines and flowering branches are fixed on steel wires that are parallel to the male plant and arranged in parallel in the longitudinal plane, forming a wall-like structure with one trunk and multiple vines. The wall is perpendicular to the fruiting plane of the female plant and is distributed above and below the fruiting plane of the female plant.

[0011] Preferably, the row width for female plants is 4-5 meters, and the row width for male plants is 1-1.5 meters, with a female-to-male row ratio of 1:1, and male and female plants are planted alternately.

[0012] Preferably, the angle between the main male vine and the horizontal steel wire is controlled at 30-45°.

[0013] Preferably, a flowering branch is retained every 30-40 cm on the main vine of the male plant.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0015] 1. The method of this invention is the first to improve the pollination efficiency and effect of the entire orchard by changing the shape of the pollinating male tree in the production of dioecious fruit trees, thereby improving the overall yield and quality of kiwifruit orchards.

[0016] 2. Compared with the traditional "straight male tree" model, the method of this invention shapes the male plant into a "one trunk, multiple vines, wall-like" shape, forming a vertically flat growth space, which greatly reduces the space ratio of the male plant, greatly increases the fruiting area of ​​the female plant, and significantly increases the overall yield.

[0017] 3. In the method of the present invention, the pollinating male plant forms a longitudinal flower wall that is perpendicular to the fruiting plane of the female plant. Compared with the traditional method where the female and male flowers are on the same horizontal plane, the air near the male flower is more circulated, and insects are more likely to identify it, which greatly improves the efficiency of wind pollination and insect pollination and reduces the cost of artificial pollination.

[0018] 4. The "one trunk and multiple vines wall-style" male plant shape described in this invention makes the pollinating male flowers distributed on both the upper and lower sides of the female flowers, which is more three-dimensional and more sufficient than traditional natural pollination, and has a better pollination effect even on cloudy or rainy days.

[0019] 5. This invention can not only improve the natural pollination efficiency of kiwifruit, but also increase the yield of male kiwifruit flowers. Male flowers can be harvested for commercial pollen production without affecting natural pollination, further increasing the overall output value of the orchard. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a male kiwifruit plant with a "one trunk and multiple vines wall-like" design for pollination. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the embodiments, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0022] I. Preparation of support frame and planting distance

[0023] like Figure 1 As shown, the steel frame used is a square steel frame. The height of the steel frame structure for the female plant row is 1.8m, meaning the fruiting level is 1.8m above the ground. The height of the steel frame structure above the ground for the "one trunk, multiple vines, wall-type" male plant row is 3 meters, meaning it is 1.2m above the fruiting level. The first fixing wire is horizontally inserted into the support frame of the "one trunk, multiple vines, wall-type" male plant row at 60cm above the ground. A wire is added every 60cm upwards to form a longitudinal surface. The main height of the entire longitudinal surface is 2.4m, with 1.2m below and 1.2m above the fruiting level.

[0024] The male plant pairing pattern adopts a "row-and-column" approach, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:1, meaning one row of male plants is paired with one row of female plants. The width of the female plant row is 4m, and the width of the male plant row is 1m, meaning that the female plant row is 5m apart from the adjacent female plant row, with one male plant row inserted in between, occupying a space of 1m width. The rest of the orchard establishment work shall be carried out in accordance with the standard "DB4203 / T189-2020".

[0025] II. Seedling Planting and Tree Shaping

[0026] Select robust, virus-free seedlings for planting. For female seedlings, production management should follow the standard "DB4203 / T226-2023". For male seedlings, focus on cultivating the main stem after planting, allowing it to grow rapidly and be trellised. Once the main stem reaches a height of 3m, focus on selecting and cultivating the main vines on both sides, ensuring a distance of 70-80cm between each side. After all the main vines have grown, fix the lateral branches to wires according to a specific spatial arrangement to form a longitudinal lateral branch wall. Then, focus on cultivating the lateral branches (flowering branches). After the flowering branches form, prune and tie them appropriately according to the principle of filling gaps, forming a "one-stem, multi-vine wall" style. Specific cultivation measures are as follows:

[0027] Year 1: Cultivating the Main Stem. From January to February, after planting, prune and retain 2-3 buds for spring sprouting. From March to April, sprouting begins; after the buds have fully expanded their leaves, remove the strongest bud to develop into the main stem. From May to June, the main stem enters a rapid growth period; use bamboo stakes to guide its upward growth and protect it from breakage. From July to September, once the main stem reaches the predetermined height of 3 meters for male plants, prune and weaken apical dominance to ensure robust growth. From October to December, the main stem development is complete, accumulating energy for sprouting in the second year. Note that the plastic film at the grafting point should be completely removed in the first year to avoid restricting branch development; this can usually be removed during planting.

[0028] Year Two: Cultivating the Main Vine. From January to February, prune the main stem slightly and fix it to the longitudinal wire using tying knots. From March to April, buds begin to sprout. After the buds have fully expanded their leaves, starting 60-80cm from the ground, retain strong buds on both sides of the main stem to develop into main vines, with a distance of 70-80cm between each side. From May to June, the main vine enters a rapid growth period. Control the excessive growth of the main vine branches by pinching off the tips, ensuring a length of 1.0-1.5m. From July to September, the main vine develops into a robust vine. Fix the main vine to the wire, controlling the angle between the main vine and the horizontal wire at 30-45°. From October to December, the main vine development is complete, accumulating energy for the sprouting of flowering branches the following year.

[0029] Year Three: Cultivating lateral branches (flowering branches) and entering the mature tree management period. From January to March, maintain the "one trunk, multiple vines" shape. After entering the budding stage, retain only the buds on the main vine, keeping one bud every 20-30cm on the main vine to form flowering branches. Fix the flowering branches to the wire to form a "one trunk, multiple vines, wall-like" shape. From April to May, during the kiwi pollination period, in the early stage of rapid growth after the flower buds unfold and leaves emerge, control the excessive growth of flowering branches by pinching off the tips. This serves two purposes: firstly, to accumulate nutrients for flower development, and secondly, to control the length of flowering branches. When entering the peak flowering and pollination period, form a "one trunk, multiple vines, wall-like" male tree shape. After pollination, manage the tree year-round as a mature pollinated male tree.

[0030] III. Annual Management of Pollinating Male Trees

[0031] 1. Pruning

[0032] In the third year, male plants enter their mature stage. The main pruning time for male plants is 1-2 weeks after flowering. First, the flowering branches should be shortened to the main vine to ensure that the flowering branches will still sprout from near the main vine the following year. Second, in summer and autumn, excess vegetative branches should be removed or their growth weakened. Pruning is generally not done in winter, but slight adjustments can be made according to the tree structure, and diseased branches should be removed. All pruning should be done while disinfecting.

[0033] 2. Fertilizer and water management

[0034] For newly planted saplings, fertilize 20cm away from the main trunk for the first two years, starting before bud break and continuing until the end of September, fertilizing every 20 days to ensure the growth of the main trunk. During the bud break, leaf expansion, and vigorous growth period of new shoots, use nitrogen fertilizer or high-nitrogen compound fertilizer to promote growth. In the later stages, use balanced nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizer or high-potassium compound fertilizer to promote the maturation of branches. Remember to water after each fertilization, or apply fertilizer before a light rain. After the third year, fertilize according to the standards for mature male trees. Male trees require ample fertilizer and water after flowering and before pruning to replenish nutrients and promote rapid branch growth. Reduce or stop fertilization during winter, spring, and before flowering.

[0035] 3. Pest and disease control

[0036] Pest and disease control is carried out throughout the entire growth cycle, regardless of the age of the tree. Fungicides and insecticides are sprayed once before the tree sprouts and once before it flowers. Daily control is mainly based on agricultural and physical methods, supplemented by the use of chemical agents. Scientific control is carried out in real time according to the occurrence of pests and diseases.

[0037] Using the female kiwifruit variety "Wudang No. 1" and the male variety "Wudang Xiong No. 1" as the specific implementation varieties, field measurements were conducted (44m×15m plot). The advantages and disadvantages of the "one trunk and multiple vines wall-style" male tree shape and the traditional "straight male tree" shape, as well as the fruit setting rate, single fruit quality and output value, were compared. The results are shown in Tables 1, 2 and 3.

[0038] Table 1. Comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of the "one trunk, multiple vines, wall-like" male tree style and the traditional "straight male tree" style under a female-to-male ratio of 1:1.

[0039] index Traditional straight male tree shape One stem and multiple vines wall design Change ratio Male plants in a single row occupy a width of 4m 1m -75％ The ratio of male to female trees 1:01 1:01 0 The ratio of male to female trees in terms of area 1:01 4:01 233％ Resulting area <![CDATA[360m 2 ]]> <![CDATA[540m 2 ]]> 50％

[0040] Table 2. Effects of the "One Trunk, Multiple Vines, Wall-like" Male Plant Shaping on Fruit Set Rate and Single Fruit Weight

[0041]

[0042] Table 3 Comparison of Comprehensive Output Value per Mu

[0043]

[0044] Table 1 compares the advantages and disadvantages of the "one-trunk, multi-vine wall-style" male tree styling and the traditional "straight male tree" styling. The traditional "straight male tree" styling requires a single row of male trees with a width of 4m, while the "one-trunk, multi-vine wall-style" male tree styling described in this invention requires only 1m, reducing the required area by 75%. With the same number of male and female trees (rows) and a male-to-female ratio of 1:1, in a 44m wide park, the traditional "straight male tree" model has 11 rows of trees (5 rows of male trees and 6 rows of female trees), resulting in a male-to-female tree area ratio of 6:5. In contrast, the "one-trunk, multi-vine wall-style" male tree styling achieves a male-to-female tree area ratio of 4:1 in the same park, representing a 233% increase. The resulting area increases by 50% year-on-year. Meanwhile, the "one-trunk, multi-vine wall-type" male plant increased the fruit setting rate by 15.85%, the average single fruit weight by 19.71%, and the yield per mu by 79.55%. Soluble solids content, seed quantity, and thousand-seed weight also increased, further enhancing the overall yield of the orchard. Furthermore, the "one-trunk, multi-vine wall-type" male plant model significantly increased the number of male flowers. Besides natural pollination, excess male flowers can be used to produce commercial pollen. Actual measurements show that 0.5 kg of fresh flowers can produce 2.3 g of pure pollen. At a market price of 150 yuan per 10 g, assuming sufficient natural pollination in the orchard, the added value of pollen per mu can exceed 3000 yuan (50 kg of fresh flowers, 230 g of pollen). This significantly increases the overall output value of the kiwifruit orchard, as shown in Table 3, which shows an 88.66% increase in overall output value per mu.

Claims

1. A method for cultivating male kiwifruit trees to increase the overall output value of kiwifruit orchards, characterized in that, To cultivate a male kiwifruit tree into a wall-like shape with one trunk and multiple vines, the following steps are required: Step 1: Plant male and female trees in a straight-lined pattern. The row width of female trees is 4-5 meters, and the row width of male trees is 1-1.5 meters. The rows of male and female trees are planted alternately, with a ratio of 1:

1. Step 2: The male plant forms a main trunk with multiple main vines arranged on both sides of the main trunk. When the branches are ready to be trellised, fix the main vines and flowering branches to steel wires that are parallel to the male plant and arranged in parallel in the longitudinal plane. Retain a flowering branch every 30-40cm on the main vine of the male plant to form a wall-like shape with one trunk and multiple vines. The wall with one trunk and multiple vines is perpendicular to the fruiting level of the female plant, and the distribution is 1.2m below the fruiting level and 1.2m above the fruiting level.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The angle between the main vine of the male plant and the horizontal steel wire is controlled at 30-45°.

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