Propagation and Layout 75
5.6 Land Preparation
First of all, the field should be levelled and then proper harrowing should be done
with manuring and fertiliser incorporation. In a virgin field, the land is ploughed and
harrowed twice, and then layout is done. An elevated plot along the row is made by
ploughing on barring with two passes on each side. This will insure proper irrigation
and drainage (Rex and Rivera 2005).
5.7 Layout of Orchards
The producer often has to consider non-profitable male trees as part of the overall
layout of an orchard. A growing demand for agricultural land, increasing land prices
and production costs, all put pressure on the producer to increase the per hectare
yield as well as the quality of the crop. There are various planting systems, namely
square (Figure 5.5), rectangular, hexagonal, quincunx and paired row planting sys-
tems. Among them square and rectangular systems are very popular due to ease in
layout with cultural practices. These can be adapted according to the spacing of the
trees in the row. With these systems, adjacent trees within the row are not expected
to touch one another even when they are fully grown and also allow for adequate
space between rows for orchard implements. Pits of 50 cm × 50 cm × 50 cm size are
dug about 2 month before planting. The first 15 cm of top soil should be kept aside
and organic matter is added to improve the soil structure. The lower 15 cm of soil
is discarded. Papaya plant needs heavy doses of manures and fertilisers. The pits
are filled with top soil along with farmyard manure (20 kg), neem cake (1 kg), bone
meal (1 kg) and carbofuran (50 g). Apart from the basal dose of manures applied
in the pits, 200–250 g each of N, P 2 O 5 and K 2 O are recommended for getting high
yield. Application of 200 g N is optimum for fruit yield, but papain yield increases
FIGURE 5.5 Layout and pit filling.