Frame-free crown shaping cultivation method for late-maturing Katt mango trees

Abstract

The invention discloses a trellis-free crown shaping cultivation method for late-maturing Katt mango trees, and belongs to the technical field of plant cultivation. Aiming at the problems of low fruit setting rate, easiness in prematurity, low quality, low commodity rate and the like of the existing Katt mangoes, the invention provides the trellis-free crown shaping cultivation method for the late-maturing Katt mango trees, which comprises the following steps of: performing trellis-free crown shaping on the Katt mango trees in January to April of the fruit production year of the Katt mango trees without building any bracket or upright post in the whole process; the method comprises the following steps: winding lateral branches around a tree crown, forming an umbrella-shaped crown breadth with the diameter of 1.2-3.6 m by utilizing the toughness of the branches, controlling the plant spacing of the umbrella-shaped crown breadth to be 0.3-1.2 m and the row spacing of the umbrella-shaped crown breadth to be 0.5-1.8 m, pulling down the branches protruding out of the top of the umbrella-shaped crown breadth, and tying the branches on the umbrella-shaped crown breadth formed by the lateral branches. According to the method, the fruit setting rate, the yield and the quality of mangoes can be remarkably improved, the defects such as the incidence rate and the watermark spot defect rate of mangoes are reduced, the cultivation cost is reduced, and the operation efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of plant cultivation technology, specifically relating to a method for trellis-less canopy shaping cultivation of late-maturing Kate mango trees. Background Technology

[0002] Kiett is a mango variety originating in the United States. Known for its high yield and quality, it is one of the major cultivated varieties in the US and Taiwan. It was introduced to the South China Tropical Crops College from the US in 1991. Kiett mango trees grafted in the US bear fruit in two years, with individual trees reaching 10 kg or more, demonstrating good productivity. The fruit is oval or obovate, with small seeds accounting for only 7.5-8% of the fruit weight. This variety is late-maturing, typically ripening from August to mid-September. Kiett mango trees are vigorous, grow rapidly, bear fruit late, and have high and stable yields. The fruit is highly sought after by consumers and can be processed into juice, jam, fruit powder, and preserves, meeting diverse consumer needs and possessing high economic value. With proper cultivation, it is a good tree species for fruit farmers to prosper.

[0003] Traditional cultivation techniques primarily focus on improving aspects such as seedling placement, soil improvement, fertilization, and irrigation to increase mango yield and quality. For mature trees, pruning is the main method of shaping. However, pruning damages the trees and can lead to problems such as low fruit set, large fruit size, easy fruit drop, and premature ripening. These methods severely restrict the improvement of mango yield and quality.

[0004] CN 112913556 A discloses a fruit tree cultivation method that facilitates pest and disease control and improves the efficiency of fruit tree resource preservation, including the following steps: Step 1, flattening the central trunk of the fruit tree so that the upright fruiting lateral branches form a 2D hedge-like structure to facilitate pest and disease control; Step 2, using a highly resistant rootstock resource, grafting the fruit tree resource to be preserved onto the 2D hedge-like lateral branches formed by the back branches of the flattened central trunk. However, mangoes are relatively heavy, and this shaping method is not suitable for mango growth, and it is difficult to predict whether it can achieve the goal of late ripening.

[0005] CN114793745A discloses a four-fixed cultivation method for persimmon trees in a tea-persimmon intercropping composite model. The method includes persimmon tree preparation, persimmon tree height determination, persimmon tree orientation, persimmon tree location determination, and persimmon tree quantity determination. By determining the trunk, orientation, location, and quantity of persimmon trees, the method ensures that the persimmon trees in the tea garden have a neat shape and uniform canopy. By using the four-fixed technique for shaping and pruning the persimmon trees, the method ensures that the canopy structure of the persimmon trees is reasonable, the canopy is well-ventilated and light-permeable, and the spatial layout of the three-level branching is clearly layered.

[0006] CN106912346A discloses a method for cultivating high-yield and efficient late-maturing mangoes in hot and dry valley areas, including the following steps: Step (1), selection of mango planting site; Step (2), preparation before planting; Step (3), planting: planting is carried out in spring, from March to April; the gel obtained in step (2) is mixed with fine soil at a ratio of 0.35-0.4 liters / plant and placed at the bottom of the planting hole to form a water-retaining layer with a thickness of 15-25 cm; then a 2-4 cm thick layer of fine soil is covered, and then planting is carried out at a plant spacing of 3-3.5 m and a row spacing of 4-4.5 m. When planting, use 25-30 kg of well-rotted farmyard manure and 0.6-0.75 kg of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer per hole, mix them with the topsoil, and backfill the soil to a height of 15-20 cm above the original ground level. Step (4), pruning and shaping: when the seedlings are 60-70 cm tall, top them and retain 3-5 strong branches as primary branches. After the primary branches grow and produce branches, retain 2-3 strong branches on each primary branch as secondary branches. In mid-to-late October, remove overly dense branches, weak branches, diseased and insect-infested branches, crossing branches, overlapping branches, and overly vigorous branches. Step (5), field management.

[0007] CN117136777A discloses a high-yield and high-quality cultivation technique for honey plum using dwarf rootstock, including the following steps: S1: seedling selection; S2: planting, with a spacing of 2*4 meters (Y-shaped) or 3*5 meters (four-stemmed open-center shape), planting 44-83 plants per mu; S3: after planting, prune the new branches to a height of 30-40cm, select 2 (Y-shaped) to 4 (four-stemmed open-center shape) thicker new branches as main branches for cultivation; start topdressing when the new branches grow to about 10cm, and topdress every 10-15 days. Apply about 50 grams of 18-8-18 compound fertilizer to each tree each time. Spray the main branches with pesticides every 15 days to prevent and control pests and diseases, maintain vigorous apical dominance, and promote growth to the end. Apply another 18-8-18 high-quality compound fertilizer at the end of June, and then stop fertilizing to promote the maturation of branches. Use bamboo poles to tie and straighten the main branches that are growing crookedly at a 70° angle to the ground. Control fertilizer and water after mid-July to promote flower bud differentiation. When the height of the central new shoot exceeds 3.0 meters, pinch off the tip to control the height. S4: Pruning methods and pest and disease control are the same as usual.

[0008] It is evident that most of the methods mentioned above involve pruning and shaping, which cannot overcome the problems of low fruit set rate, large fruit size, easy fruit drop, and premature ripening of Kate mango trees. Summary of the Invention

[0009] This invention addresses the problems of low fruit set rate, large fruit size, easy fruit drop, and premature ripening in existing Kate mango cultivation techniques, which lead to low mango quality and low marketability. It proposes a trellis-less canopy-shaping cultivation method for late-maturing Kate mango trees. This method can not only significantly improve the commercial value and fruit set rate, reduce the incidence of defects such as fruit drop and watermark spots, but also reduce cultivation costs and improve operational efficiency.

[0010] This invention provides a method for trellis-less canopy shaping and cultivation of late-maturing Keitt mango trees, which includes the following steps: During the fruiting years of Kate mango trees, from January to April, the trees are trained using a frameless canopy shaping method. No supports or pillars are erected throughout the process. The lateral branches are simply wound around the canopy, using their flexibility to form an umbrella-shaped canopy with a diameter of 1.2m to 3.6m. The spacing between trees in the umbrella-shaped canopy is controlled at 0.3m to 1.2m and the row spacing at 0.5m to 1.8m. The branches protruding from the top of the umbrella-shaped canopy are pulled down and tied to the umbrella-shaped canopy formed by the lateral branches.

[0011] In this invention, the diameter of the aforementioned umbrella-shaped crown is 1.2m to 3.6m, including 1.2m, 1.3m, 1.4m, 1.5m, 1.6m, 1.7m, 1.8m, 1.9m, 2.0m, 2.1m, 2.2m, 2.3m, 2.4m, 2.5m, 2.6m, 2.7m, 2.8m, 2.9m, 3.0m, 3.1m, 3.2m, 3.3m, 3.4m, 3.5m, and 3.6m.

[0012] In this invention, the plant spacing of the umbrella-shaped crown is 0.3m to 1.2m, including 0.3m, 0.4m, 0.5m, 0.6m, 0.7m, 0.8m, 0.9m, 1.0m, 1.1m, 1.2m, etc.

[0013] In this invention, the row spacing of the umbrella-shaped crown is 0.5m to 1.8m, including 0.5m, 0.6m, 0.7m, 0.8m, 0.9m, 1.0m, 1.1m, 1.2m, 1.3m, 1.4m, 1.5m, 1.6m, 1.7m, 1.8m, etc.

[0014] Preferably, in the above-mentioned shaping and cultivation method, an umbrella-shaped crown with a diameter of 2.4m to 3.2m is formed.

[0015] In this invention, the diameter of the umbrella-shaped crown is 2.4m to 3.2m, including 2.4m, 2.5m, 2.6m, 2.7m, 2.8m, 2.9m, 3.0m, 3.1m, 3.2m, etc.

[0016] Preferably, in the above-mentioned shaping and cultivation method, the plant spacing for controlling the umbrella-shaped crown width is 0.4m~1.0m and the row spacing is 0.8m~1.6m.

[0017] In this invention, the spacing between plants in the umbrella-shaped crown is 0.4m to 1.0m, including 0.4m, 0.5m, 0.6m, 0.7m, 0.8m, 0.9m, 1.0m, etc.

[0018] In this invention, the row spacing of the umbrella-shaped crown is 0.8m to 1.6m, including 0.8m, 0.9m, 1.0m, 1.1m, 1.2m, 1.3m, 1.4m, 1.5m, 1.6m, etc.

[0019] Preferably, in the above-mentioned shaping and cultivation method, the Kate mango trees are shaped without a trellis in March or April of the fruiting year. The shaping time is related to the mango ripening time; if shaping is done from January to April, the mangoes generally ripen from September to December. In order to achieve the goal of late ripening as much as possible, this invention prefers shaping in March or April, which can control the mangoes to ripen in December and significantly improve their value.

[0020] In the aforementioned shaping and cultivation method, the tree height after shaping is 1.0m to 2.0m. This invention, by coiling lateral branches and pulling branches downwards, can significantly reduce tree height. Some younger or weaker trees may only reach about 1m after shaping, while older or stronger trees may reach about 2m. However, generally speaking, the tree height after shaping is mostly 1.2m to 1.8m. Furthermore, this invention ensures that all mangoes grow at a suitable height, greatly reducing the difficulty of bagging and harvesting, improving efficiency, and avoiding dangerous work such as climbing trees.

[0021] In this invention, the tree height is 1.0m to 2.0m, including 1.0m, 1.1m, 1.2m, 1.3m, 1.4m, 1.5m, 1.6m, 1.7m, 1.8m, 1.9m, and 2.0m. In this invention, the tree height is 1.2m to 1.8m, including 1.2m, 1.3m, 1.4m, 1.5m, 1.6m, 1.7m, and 1.8m.

[0022] It should be noted that since the tree of this invention is 1.0m to 2.0m tall and produces a large number of mangoes, there may be instances where individual mangoes on individual branches touch the ground. In such cases, a simple support frame can be erected to prevent the mangoes from directly touching the ground and spoiling. However, in most cases, a support frame is not necessary.

[0023] In the above-mentioned shaping and cultivation method, the initial planting density of Kate mango trees is 2.0m~4.0m between trees and 3.0m~5.0m between rows (i.e., the trunk spacing and row spacing of Kate mango trees).

[0024] In this invention, the initial planting density of the aforementioned Kate mango trees is a spacing of 2.0m to 4.0m, including 2.0m, 2.1m, 2.2m, 2.3m, 2.4m, 2.5m, 2.6m, 2.7m, 2.8m, 2.9m, 3.0m, 3.1m, 3.2m, 3.3m, 3.4m, 3.5m, 3.6m, 3.7m, 3.8m, 3.9m, and 4.0m.

[0025] In this invention, the initial planting density of the aforementioned Kate mango trees is a row spacing of 3.0m to 5.0m, including 3.0m, 3.1m, 3.2m, 3.3m, 3.4m, 3.5m, 3.6m, 3.7m, 3.8m, 3.9m, 4.0m, 4.1m, 4.2m, 4.3m, 4.4m, 4.5m, 4.6m, 4.7m, 4.8m, 4.9m, and 5.0m.

[0026] In the above-mentioned shaping and cultivation method, the initial planting density of Kate mango trees is 2.8m~3.6m between plants and 3.2m~4.5m between rows.

[0027] In this invention, the initial planting density of the aforementioned Kate mango trees is a spacing of 2.8m to 3.6m, including 2.8m, 2.9m, 3.0m, 3.1m, 3.2m, 3.3m, 3.4m, 3.5m, and 3.6m.

[0028] In this invention, the initial planting density of the aforementioned Kate mango trees is a row spacing of 3.2m to 4.5m, including 3.2m, 3.3m, 3.4m, 3.5m, 3.6m, 3.7m, 3.8m, 3.9m, 4.0m, 4.1m, 4.2m, 4.3m, 4.4m, and 4.5m.

[0029] The ideal initial planting density for Kate mango trees is 2.8m-3.6m between trees and 3.2m-4.5m between rows. However, due to orchard area limitations, planting densities may be too high, such as 2.0m between trees and 3.0m between rows. In such cases, conventional pruning methods are insufficient to improve the fruit yield and quality of Kate mangoes, while replanting is too costly. This invention addresses this by using the method described in this paper to train lateral branches into an umbrella-shaped canopy and pull down excessively tall branches. This significantly improves daily light exposure, average wind speed, and air circulation, thereby increasing pollination rates and ultimately improving mango yield and quality. Therefore, this invention is particularly suitable for orchards with existing excessively high planting densities.

[0030] In this invention, the purpose of shaping is to maintain sufficient spacing between adjacent mango trees and between rows. However, planting density varies in orchards, and the growth of each mango tree may differ. Therefore, the diameter of the umbrella-shaped crown, the spacing between trees and rows within the umbrella-shaped crown, and the initial planting density of the Kate mango trees should be coordinated and controlled according to the actual situation. For example, if the planting density is too high, the diameter of the umbrella-shaped crown can be appropriately reduced to ensure sufficient spacing between trees and rows. Similarly, for large mango trees, the diameter of their umbrella-shaped crown can be appropriately increased, while for small mango trees, the diameter can be appropriately reduced.

[0031] In this invention, examples are given of the diameter of the umbrella-shaped crown, the spacing between plants and rows of the umbrella-shaped crown, and the initial planting density of the Kate mango tree. For example, in the embodiment, the initial spacing between plants is 3.0m and the row spacing is 3.5m. After shaping, the diameter of the umbrella-shaped crown of a certain mango tree is 2.4m, the diameter of the umbrella-shaped crown of the mango tree adjacent to it is 2.6m, the diameter of the umbrella-shaped crown of the mango tree adjacent to it in the row is 2.6m, and the spacing between plants and rows of this mango tree is 0.5m.

[0032] In the aforementioned pruning cultivation method, during pruning, newly sprouted buds and flower buds on each top branch are removed. At the time of pruning, mango trees generally already have new buds and flower buds, leading to early ripening of the mangoes. Furthermore, due to uneven growth, the mangoes exhibit inconsistent growth patterns, hindering unified orchard management. Therefore, this invention prunes each top branch by removing newly sprouted buds and flower buds, typically removing 4-8 cm long new shoots from each branch, causing them to bloom uniformly again, thus achieving uniform late ripening.

[0033] Among them, the above-mentioned shaping cultivation method is applied to Kate mango trees with a canopy spacing of ≤0.1 meters or a canopy row spacing of ≤0.1 meters.

[0034] Among the above-mentioned shaping and cultivation methods, the age of the Kate mango tree must be ≥3 years.

[0035] Preferably, in the above-mentioned shaping and cultivation method, the age of the Kate mango tree is ≥5 years.

[0036] The method of this invention is applicable to Kate mango trees of all ages, including younger Kate mango trees such as those that are 3 or 4 years old. At the same time, Kate mango trees that are ≥5 years old have already grown quite lush lateral branches, so it is easy for the distance between the tree crowns and / or the distance between the rows of the tree crowns to be too close, and even for the lateral branches of adjacent mango trees to cross each other. In this case, Kate mango trees that are ≥5 years old are particularly suitable for shaping using the method of this invention.

[0037] The method of this invention is highly suitable for improving the spacing between tree canopies or between rows of tree canopies, and for Kettering mango trees that are ≥3 years old (or ≥5 years old), but it is not limited to these applications. For mango trees with a certain distance between tree canopies or between rows of tree canopies, or for mango trees that are relatively young, as long as they bear fruit this year, the method of this invention can be used to significantly improve the yield and quality of the fruit.

[0038] Among the above-mentioned shaping and cultivation methods, common tools such as cloth strips, ropes, or buckles are used to tie the coiled lateral branches.

[0039] Among the above-mentioned shaping and cultivation methods, common tools such as cloth strips, ropes, or clips are used to tie the pulled-down branches.

[0040] In the above-mentioned pruning cultivation method, after pruning, the orchard's water and fertilizer management is maintained, and natural pollination occurs during the flowering period. The fruit is harvested after ripening from September to December. The fertilization and watering techniques, green pest control methods, and field management after pruning can be implemented using existing technologies.

[0041] Preferably, in the above-mentioned pruning cultivation method, after pruning, the orchard water and fertilizer management is maintained, and natural pollination is carried out during the flowering period. The fruit is harvested after ripening in December.

[0042] As described above, the present invention can control the ripening time of mangoes by adjusting the shaping time. If the shaping is carried out from January to April, the mangoes will generally ripen from September to December. If the shaping is carried out from March to April, the mangoes will generally ripen in December. In particular, the present invention can achieve the ripening of mangoes in late December, which further significantly improves their value.

[0043] The method of this invention is applicable not only to Kate mango trees planted on a large scale in orchards, but also to Kate mango trees planted individually. For Kate mango trees planted individually, there is no need to control the spacing between trees and rows; the method of this invention is sufficient to simply coil the lateral branches and pull the branches downwards.

[0044] In this invention, because the late-maturing Kate mango tree is a biennial fruit-bearing type, the invention adopts biennial pruning based on the fruit-bearing year of the Kate mango tree. For example, when the tree is five years old, it is pruned once from January to April (or March to April). When the tree is six years old, the rounded crown and top branches can be left to grow naturally. Then, when the tree is seven years old, it is pruned again from January to April (or March to April); and so on. Of course, for large-scale orchards, the Kate mango trees can be divided into two parts, and pruning and fruiting can be carried out separately in different years, so that mangoes can be produced every year.

[0045] The beneficial effects of this invention are: After shaping using the method of this invention, the spacing between the canopies of the trees in the orchard reaches 0.3m~1.2m and the row spacing reaches 0.5m~1.8m, which significantly enhances the average daily light exposure and air circulation. For example, in the embodiment, the average daily light exposure increased from 35% to 75%, and the average wind speed at a height of 1.5m in the orchard increased from 0.3m / s to 0.8m / s, thus enhancing air circulation.

[0046] After shaping using the method of this invention, the distance between the tree canopy and the row spacing is increased, the density of branches and inflorescences is reduced, ventilation and light penetration are improved, the pollination rate of Kate mangoes during the flowering period is increased, the average daily light intensity and average wind speed are significantly improved, and the air circulation is enhanced. The number of mangoes per branch increases from 1-2 to several mangoes per inflorescence and dozens of mangoes per branch. The fruit setting rate increases from the initial 65% to over 95%, which is more than 30% higher than the traditional cultivation method.

[0047] The shaping method of this invention eliminates the need for steel pipes, bamboo, or other supports / pillars, saving 100% of material costs. The total cost of shaping per acre is only about 300 yuan (compared to 1100 yuan per acre for the traditional steel pipe / bamboo scaffolding method, saving 800 yuan). Each plant takes 20 minutes, reducing labor time by more than 60%. The rate of head, face, and body collision injuries to employees is reduced to 0%. Field operation efficiency is increased by 50%, specifically in fertilization, watering, harvesting, and fruit transportation, and the smoothness of passage within the orchard is improved by 70%.

[0048] After shaping using the method of this invention, the problem of low mango value caused by overcapacity and concentrated market supply in China has been solved. The incidence of fruit blemishes in Kate mangoes has decreased from 10% to 0.8%, the watermark defect rate has decreased from 20% to 0.6%, the marketable fruit rate has increased from 65% to 96.2%, and the income per unit area has increased by more than 700%. Moreover, this technology has been stably applied for 3 years. Attached Figure Description

[0049] Figure 1 This is a picture of a Kate mango tree with a traditional bamboo trellis canopy shaping method.

[0050] Figure 2 This is a diagram of a Kate mango tree for the frameless canopy shaping method of this invention.

[0051] Figure 3 This is a comparison image of a Kate mango tree before and after the frameless canopy shaping method of this invention.

[0052] Figure 4 Comparison of traditional trellis-based and the trellisless canopy-shaping method of this invention for Kate mango trees.

[0053] Figure 5 Illustration of a Kate mango tree with traditional iron ring and iron frame canopy shaping. Detailed Implementation

[0054] The present invention will be further described in detail below through embodiments, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0055] Example 1 (including 3 years of application validation) This embodiment uses a 7-year-old late-maturing Kate mango orchard as the test object. The initial plant spacing is 3.0m and the row spacing is 3.5m, with 63 trees per mu. The technology of this invention was first applied in 2023 and continuously applied for 3 years from 2023 to 2025. The Kate mango trees were divided into two batches: one batch was shaped in 2023 and 2025, and the other batch was shaped in 2024.

[0056] 1. Annual plastic surgery: Traditional bamboo scaffolding technique: From March to April each year, 4-6 bamboo stakes are erected around each mango tree, and a bamboo scaffold is built above and between these stakes. Figure 1 As shown. After the mangoes grow, support piles are erected. These piles are removed after the mangoes are harvested each year (in this technique, some branches are controlled to bear fruit in the first year but not in the second year, while others do not bear fruit in the first year but do in the second year, so it is actually a biennial fruit production).

[0057] The shaping technique of this invention involves manually shaping each Kate mango tree without a support frame, from March to April each year. This process does not rely on steel pipes, bamboo, or other support materials. Instead, lateral branches are wound around the canopy, utilizing the branches' flexibility. Cloth strips are used to secure the branches, forming an umbrella-shaped canopy with a diameter of 2.4m to 2.6m. The spacing between trees within the umbrella-shaped canopy is 0.4m to 0.6m, and the row spacing is 0.9m to 1.1m. (It should be noted that the growth of mango trees in the orchard varies; therefore, the canopy diameter, tree spacing, and row spacing described here represent the shaping method for most mango trees in the orchard. A small number of trees may have smaller or larger canopies; for example, some younger trees with shorter growth may have canopies with a diameter of only about 1.2m.) Branches protruding from the top of the umbrella-shaped canopy are pulled down and secured to the canopy with cloth strips. After shaping, the tree height is 1.2m to 1.8m (some trees are around 1m or 2m tall). Figure 2 As shown. During shaping, prune 4-8cm long new shoots and flower buds from the top of each branch (the exact amount depends on the growth of the new shoots). Each tree takes 20 minutes to shape, and the total cost per acre is only 300 yuan (compared to 1100 yuan per acre for traditional steel pipe / bamboo trellis methods), saving 800 yuan. After shaping, maintain regular water and fertilizer management in the orchard, allowing natural pollination during the flowering period, and harvesting the mangoes after they ripen.

[0058] 2. Three years of data verification: This invention features the following characteristics: High pollination rate (90%-92% during flowering, stable during the flowering period) from 2023-2025; high fruit set rate (increasing from an initial 65% to 95%, 96%, and 95.5% annually); abundant fruit production (at least 80-90 fruits per tree, with most reaching around 150, and some exceeding 200; if excessive fruit production occurs, manual thinning is necessary, generally leaving 3-5 mangoes per branch to ensure fruit production with very few empty bags); and a high proportion of small to medium-sized fruits (mangoes typically weigh around 1.5 catties each after ripening). This method produces late-maturing mangoes that are marketed at off-peak times. The mangoes mature in late December, significantly later than with traditional methods, and the price can reach about three times that of normally mature Kate mangoes (e.g., the price was over 9 yuan per kilogram in 2023, over 5 yuan per kilogram in 2024, and is expected to be around 8 yuan per kilogram in 2025). The mangoes are less likely to fall or ripen prematurely. After shaping, the height and weight of the mangoes are moderate, and they grow vertically downwards or slightly inwards, avoiding collisions between them and minimizing the risk of them falling. This results in high yield and a high marketability rate, with a single tree producing 120-150 kilograms (80-100 mangoes) and a marketability rate of approximately 96.2%.

[0059] Traditional techniques result in low fruit set rate, generally around 65% as mentioned above; high yield and large fruit size, with a single tree typically producing only 30-40 fruits, occasionally a dozen or so, but rarely exceeding 50, and each mango weighing over 2 jin (some even over 5 jin); easy to drop, prone to early ripening, with many empty bags, and the mangoes tend to be tall and heavy, growing outwards, leading to easy drop; generally ripening in October or November with soft flesh; low price per jin (e.g., over 3 yuan per jin in 2023, over 2 yuan per jin in 2024, and 1-2 yuan per jin in 2025); low yield and low marketability, with a single tree producing only about 40-50 jin (20-25 fruits), and only about 65% of the harvestable marketable fruit.

[0060] The 7-year-old Kate mango tree has developed quite vigorous lateral branches. Before bearing fruit, the branches of adjacent mango trees easily intertwine, leading to flower rubbing and poor pollination and light penetration, resulting in few or no fruits. After fruiting, the limited number of mangoes means nutrients are primarily allocated to a small number of them, causing the mangoes to grow excessively large, mature rapidly, and ripen early, typically around November when the flesh softens. Even with bamboo stakes, these problems are difficult to solve. The stakes are unstable and easily swayed by the wind, causing the mangoes to rub and collide. Furthermore, the stakes need to be erected and dismantled annually, resulting in high costs.

[0061] It should be noted that the implementation example was applied in an orchard, and the growth of each fruit tree is different, as are the growth of each branch and each mango. The statistical data in this example are based on most mango trees, and a few special cases were not included in the statistics. For example, some young trees with short growth have an umbrella-shaped crown diameter of only about 1.2m, some mango trees are about 1m tall after pruning, some branches retain only 1-2 mangoes after pruning, and some mangoes will weigh about 2 jin (1 catties) after ripening, etc.

[0062] Figure 1 This is a picture of a Kate mango tree with a traditional bamboo trellis canopy (taken before harvest). It can be seen that after the shaping, adjacent mango trees still touch each other, which is not conducive to pollination, field work, and fruit production per branch. The mangoes are too tall, too heavy when ripe, and prone to premature ripening and falling off, resulting in poor mango yield and quality.

[0063] Figure 2 The image shows a Kate mango tree with a frameless canopy shaping system according to the present invention. It can be seen that the spacing between mango trees is sufficient for staff and equipment to pass through. The yield of a single branch is a dozen to several dozen fruits. The lighting and ventilation between and inside the trees are good. The weight of the mature mangoes on a single tree is moderate and the number of fruits is large (after bagging, the mangoes block each other, and the inside of the tree was not photographed, so not all the mangoes were photographed).

[0064] Figure 3 The image shows a comparison of Kate mango trees before and after the frameless canopy shaping method of this invention. It can be seen that before shaping, the mango tree was in a natural growth state with branches growing in a scattered manner; after shaping, the canopy became umbrella-shaped, effectively controlling the spacing between trees and rows, and the shaping also reduced the height of the fruit tree and the height of the mangoes.

[0065] Figure 4 The image shows a comparison of a Kate mango tree with a traditional trellis (similar to a traditional bamboo trellis) and the trellisless canopy shaping method of this invention. It can be seen that the traditional trellis method results in early ripening, while the mangoes remain unripe after shaping using the method of this invention, thus achieving the goal of late ripening.

[0066] Figure 5 The image shows a Kate mango tree with a traditional iron ring and iron frame (similar to a traditional bamboo frame) canopy. As can be seen, similar to the traditional bamboo frame canopy, adjacent mangoes still grow in an overlapping manner. Moreover, the iron ring and iron frame canopy training is complicated, and generally only one mature mango is harvested from each branch.

[0067] 3. Environment and Safety: The invention technology has achieved stable daily average lighting and ventilation data (75%, 0.8m / s) over three years from 2023 to 2025. Because it does not require steel pipes or bamboo supports, there have been zero employee injury records, and it reduces the potential collision risk by 12 compared to the scaffolding method.

[0068] 4. Work efficiency: This invention significantly improves the efficiency of fertilization, watering, harvesting and fruit transportation, increases traffic flow within the orchard by 70%, and maintains stable operational efficiency advantages for 3 years. 5. Marketability and profitability: The incidence of fruit blemishes in Kate mangoes has decreased from 10% to 0.8%, and the watermark defect rate has decreased from 20% to 0.6%. The marketable fruit rate has remained above 96% for three consecutive years. Relying on the development dividends of standardized prevention and control of disasters in the mango industry, the income per unit area has increased by more than 700% annually. The technical stability has reached 100%, and the trend of quality improvement and profit growth is consistent.

Claims

1. A method for trellis-less canopy shaping and cultivation of late-maturing Keitt mango trees, characterized by: Includes the following steps: During the fruiting years of Kate mango trees, from January to April, the trees are trained using a frameless canopy shaping method. No supports or pillars are erected throughout the process. The lateral branches are simply wound around the canopy to form an umbrella-shaped canopy with a diameter of 1.2m to 3.6m, utilizing the flexibility of the branches. The spacing between trees in the umbrella-shaped canopy is controlled at 0.3m to 1.2m and the row spacing at 0.5m to 1.8m. The branches protruding from the top of the umbrella-shaped canopy are pulled down and tied to the umbrella-shaped canopy formed by the lateral branches.

2. The method for trellis-less canopy shaping and cultivation of late-maturing Keitt mango trees according to claim 1, characterized in that: To form an umbrella-shaped crown with a diameter of 2.4m to 3.2m, the plant spacing and row spacing of the umbrella-shaped crown should be controlled at 0.4m to 1.0m.

3. The method for trellis-less canopy shaping and cultivation of late-maturing Keitt mango trees according to claim 1, characterized in that: During March and April of a fruit-bearing year, the Kate mango trees are trained to undergo trellis-less canopy shaping.

4. The method for trellis-less canopy shaping and cultivation of late-maturing Keitt mango trees according to claim 1, characterized in that: After pruning, the tree height is 1.0m to 2.0m.

5. The method for trellis-less canopy shaping and cultivation of late-maturing Keitt mango trees according to claim 1, characterized in that: The initial planting density of Kate mango trees is 2.0m~4.0m between trees and 3.0m~5.0m between rows; preferably, the initial planting density of Kate mango trees is 2.8m~3.6m between trees and 3.2m~4.5m between rows.

6. The method for trellis-less canopy shaping and cultivation of late-maturing Keitt mango trees according to claim 1, characterized in that: When shaping, remove new shoots and stamens from the top of each branch.

7. The method for trellis-less canopy shaping and cultivation of late-maturing Keitt mango trees according to claim 1, characterized in that: The target trees for shaping are Kate mango trees with a canopy spacing of ≤0.1m or a canopy row spacing of ≤0.1m.

8. The method for trellis-less canopy shaping and cultivation of late-maturing Keitt mango trees according to claim 1, characterized in that: The Kate mango tree must be at least 3 years old; preferably, the Kate mango tree must be at least 5 years old.

9. The method for trellis-less canopy shaping and cultivation of late-maturing Keitt mango trees according to claim 1, characterized in that: Use cloth strips, ropes, or clips to tie the coiled side branches, and use cloth strips, ropes, or clips to tie the pulled branches.

10. The method for trellis-less canopy shaping and cultivation of late-maturing Keitt mango trees according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: After pruning, maintain orchard water and fertilizer management, wait for natural pollination during the flowering period, and harvest the fruit after it matures from September to December; December is the preferred month.

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