Bangmod Tangerine Orchards

Suitable Surroundings

Preparing the mound

1. Low land areas. The trees should be planted on a mound which is generally 6 m. wide. The channels of water between the mounds should be 1.5 wide and 1 m. deep. The bottom of these channels should be 0.7 m. wide. The length of the beds can be unlimited depending on each piece of land, but the rows should be oriented in a north-south direction to ensure maximum sunlight. Once the beds are prepared, the soil should be left to dry and settle for about 1-2 months. The space between the trees should be 3.5 m. Thus, a piece of land of 2/5 acres can accommodate about 60 trees.
2. High land areas. Before growing the trees the area should be adapted for growth by ploughing at least twice. This is done to even out the land and to make the soil more friable. For high land areas, the space between the trees should be about 5.5-6 m. Here, a piece of land of 2/5 acres can accommodate 45-50 trees.

Planting

1. The best time for planting is at the beginning of rainy season
2. The planting hole itself should be 50X50 cm.
3. Add a mixture of soil, farmyard manure, and phosphorus fertilizer to cover about 2/3 of the planting holes.
4. Place the bag which carries the nursery plant in the planting hole. Make sure that the level of soil in the bag is slightly higher than the soil at the opening of the planting hole.
5. Use a sharp knife to cut the bag on both sides, starting from the bottom.
6. Carefully remove the plastic bag. Make sure the soil does not crumble.
7. Fill the planting hole with the remaining soil.
8. Compress the soil around the base of the nursery tree.
9. Right next to the nursery tree, push a stake into the ground and tie a rope around the tree and the stake. This is done to prevent the tree from being damaged by strong wind.
10. Cover the area (soil) around the base of the tree with hay or dried grass.
11. Thoroughly water the mound. (soil around the plant)
12. Protect the tree from direct sunlight by providing some kind of shade.

Looking after the trees

Crop Fertilization

• During the first year, about 10 kg. of manure per tree should be added to the base of the tree. After one month of planting, a tablespoon or 30 g. of urea fertilizer should be added. If you are using a chemical fertilizer, the appropriate formula is 15-15-15, and it should be given once every three months, i.e. 100 g. per tree. On the other hand, if you are using manure, it should be given once every four months, at around 10-15 kg. Per tree.
• During the second and third year, manure should be given once every four months, at around 10-15 kg. Per tree. 300-500 g. of chemical fertilizer (formula 15-15-15) should also be given to each tree about once every three months.
• During the third year, when the tree might also be yielding fruit, formula 13-13-21 should be given, so that the quality of the fruit can be enhanced. How to add fertilizer. Fertilizer should be added around the skirt of the tree.

Common Diseases

• Foot rot
  Symptoms: This is caused by fungi and can be observed on the base of the tree right next to the ground. There will be spots on the bark which will turn brown and will eventually rot. Gummosis can be observed from rotting bark. The leaves will turn pale and start falling. The stems will become dry and eventually die.
  Prevention and treatment: Eliminate the weed at the base of the tree. Prune the branches so that the base receives enough sunlight. Never allow the area to be flooded for a long time and always plant the trees on a mound. Do not add too much fertilizer containing nitrogen. When there are signs of this disease, apply fungi killing chemicals, such as Aleate (100-120 g. per 1 liter of water), to the infected base.
• Greening
  Symptoms: Black froghoppers and brown planthoppers are carriers of this disease. The leaves will become yellow to pale yellow and they will remain small. Besides discoloration of the leaves, the fruit will be small and start falling before it becomes mature.
  Prevention and treatment: Make sure that the selected rootstock is disease-free or use a froghopper/planthopper insecticide spray such as Dimethoate (30 cc. Per 20 liters of water).
• Canker
  Symptoms: This disease is caused by bacteria. It will cause serious blemishes on the leaves. There will be brown spots on both sides of the leaves. On young leaves, there will be yellow blemishes. Sometimes gummosis can also be detected. There may be blemishes on the bark, as well.
  Prevention and treatment: The rootstock has to be disease-free. Never plant lime in the same area because lime is often infected with the disease. Get rid of infected branches by burning them so prevent them by spraying insecticide when the tree starts budding, blossoming, and yielding fruit. Leaf miners can make the leaves susceptible to the disease. /li>

Common Pests

• Leaf miners
  
  The leaf miner will destroy the surface of the leaf on both sides. It can be detected by winding white trails on the leaves. The leaves will not be able to become bigger and the tree will not grow nor yield fruit. This kind of pest can be found all year round, but will damage the tree mostly during the budding period.
  
  Prevention and treatment: Eliminate infected young shoots by burning them. Eradicate weeds in the orchard. During the budding period, apply chemicals such as carbosulphane and syfluthine.
  

  Leaf-eating caterpillars
  

  A leaf-eating caterpillar will destroy young leaves. Once the eggs become young larvae, they will start destroying the leaves. When the larvae is 5-6 days old, the destruction will become rapid, and the damage will be severe, especially for nursing trees, which may die.

  Prevention and treatment:Eliminate the eggs and the caterpillars. If they are widely spread, spray the trees with metamidophos.
  

  Rust mites
  

  A rust mite destroys the trees by sucking nutrients from the leaves on both sides and from the fruit. The destroyed fruit will change from green to rust brown. The fruit will look unpleasant and cannot be exported.

  Prevention and treatment: ΛΑΡθΉAlways check the orchard, especially when the weather is dry. Once detected, spray propagite or use a silicon powder.

  Thrips
  

  A thrip is a very small insect. Both the larvae and the mature thrip destroy the trees by sucking nutrients from young shoots, young leaves, and the fruit. Destroyed fruit will have grey blemishes around the core or grey lines along the fruit.

  Prevention and treatment: Eliminate irregular-sized fruit and damaged fruit. Use chemicals such as carbosulphane and emicacolpid.

  Aphids
  

  Both the young larvae and the mature aphids can destroy tangerines by sucking nutrients from young shoots and young leaves, causing the leaves to be crooked.

  Prevention and treatment: If only a small amount is found, the problem can be controlled by spraying the trees with water. If widespread damage is found, chemicals such as carbaril and malathion must be used.

  Purple scales
  

  A purple scale is a sucking insect. A mature purple scale is covered with some kind of sticky, hard substance that looks like a shield. The insect looks as if it is covered by a thick wax. Purple scale destroys trees by sucking nutrients from leaves, stems, flowers, and fruit. Destroyed areas will be bruised. If a large amount is found on the branches, the tree may die.
  

  Prevention and treatment: If the sun is not too strong or if the temperature is not too high, spraying trees with white oil or oil emulsion will help retard the spread of this insect. Prune and eliminate damaged branches by burning them. Afterwards, use chemicals such as malathion or dimethoate.
  

Harvesting marketing and grading

Related Resources

• Department of Agricultural Extension (Original this source)
• Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives
• Department of Agriculture