Question

What is recommended crop geometry for plum ?

• A. 4 m $\times$ 4 m
• B. 5 m $\times$ 4 m
• C. 6 m $\times$ 6 m
• D. 7 m $\times$ 7 m

Hint:

Standard Orchard Spacing Guide: - Peach Plum Almond: $6\text{ m} \times 6\text{ m}$ ($277\text{ trees/ha}$). - Apple (Standard): $8\text{ m} \times 8\text{ m} - 10\text{ m} \times 10\text{ m}$. - Guava Citrus: $6\text{ m} \times 6\text{ m}$. - Mango (Standard): $10\text{ m} \times 10\text{ m}$.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks for the standard planting distance (crop geometry) recommended for commercial plum (Prunus salici Prunus domestica) orchards.

Step 2: Key Concepts in Orchard Spacing:

• Plum Growth Habit: Plum trees possess a moderately spreading canopy requiring sufficient room for branch development, air circulation, and light penetration.
• Standard Spacing: $6\text{ m} \times 6\text{ m}$ under square system of planting on standard rootstocks (e.g., Wild Peach, Myrobalan).
• Plant Density Calculation: \[ \text{Number of plants/ha} = \frac{10000\text{ m}^2}{\text{Spacing (m} \times \text{m)}} \] \[ \text{Plant Density} = \frac{10000}{6 \times 6} = \frac{10000}{36} \approx 277\text{ trees/ha} \]

Step 3: Detailed Explation:

• Spacing rrower than $6\text{ m} \times 6\text{ m}$ (such as $4\text{ m} \times 4\text{ m}$) under non-dwarfing standard rootstocks causes inter-canopy crowding, reduced spur formation, and severe pest issues.
• Spacing wider than $6\text{ m} \times 6\text{ m}$ (such as $7\text{ m} \times 7\text{ m}$) leads to sub-optimal land utilization in plum orchards.
• Hence, $6\text{ m} \times 6\text{ m}$ is the globally established geometry for standard plum orchards.

Step 4: Fil Answer:
The recommended crop geometry for plum is $6\text{ m} \times 6\text{ m}$. Therefore, option (C) is the correct answer.