Jamun - high density planting and cultivation practices

[dns1807]

@Chandra

Hi agri_lover and airfoil,

There is hardly any information on the cultivation of Jamun (neredu), almost none on high density, that I could find on the web. It looks like all the practices information is coming just from one source. So this would be a fair amount of experimentation.

It is being suggested to have a 10m x 10m spacing for seedling trees and 7-8m x 7-8m for budded plants in the available literature.

The plants I have gotten are grafted and the nursery claimed these are the Bahadoli selection from Maharashtra that Naren mentioned. From the information I got from Naren and Swamy (dns1807), it looks like high density is feasible and is being done elsewhere. I am looking to go for a 5m x 5m spacing as in high density mango and to keep the plants pruned and short with some canopy management - this would mean the 200 plants will take about 1.25 acres. Hopefully it would be easier to harvest and will avoid the messiness Yaj was referring to. Not sure if Jamun will respond the same way as mango though. It is going to be very cumbersome to harvest from a full grown tree - for the labour required and since the branches seem prone to easy breakage. I am told nets are the way for large trees.

I have identified a slightly rough and rocky part of my farm for this and intend to plant in 1m x 1m x 1m pits filled with finer soil and possibly some FYM. Current plan is to keep it organic. There is also some information to withhold manuring and irrigation in specific seasons to improve flowering and fruiting, but that is a while away anyway.

The trees are supposed to yield commercially in 8-10 years (seed) and 5-7 years (budded), but high density is supposed to speed things up - so need to wait and watch. The grafts are about an year old already and costed me Rs. 125 + 40 = 165 inclusive of transport from about 400 km away.

I read the yield could be between 50-100 kg per tree per year. Conservatively - assuming high density and pruned trees give 25 kg per tree, at a Rs. 80 at farm gate (as against a high of Rs. 200 in retail Naren was suggesting), that should mean a gross of Rs. 2,000 per tree. Assuming a net realization of Rs. 1,000 per tree, that would be 2L per 200 plants or 1.6L/acre.

The numbers look good in theory - let us get practical now
The trees need maintained free of pests and diseases, have enough water to sustain through summers, and of course make sure you just don’t grow and let someone else have the yield! There is also the assumption the trees yield on pruning - which if doesn’t work would mean thinning some of the trees.

Dear Chandra,
Having HD is good, if we have other crops along with this may added advantage for bio diversification and increase the yield and get production in different periods. See the experiments done by IIHR for this crop as mono crops in the attached photo.

[sri2012]

Dear Chandra,

The plan sounds good. I wish you happy plantation.

Swami Sir,
You are becoming wiki pedia of our forum. Thank you for your efforts.

[Chandra]

@dns1807

Dear Chandra,
Having HD is good, if we have other crops along with this may added advantage for bio diversification and increase the yield and get production in different periods. See the experiments done by IIHR for this crop as mono crops in the attached photo.

Dear Swamy,

Looking at your chart, mine is probably not even HD at 15ft x 15ft.
Yes, I agree intercropping the Jamun is a good idea, though it is a fairly stony stretch of the farm I have used for the purpose. I will evaluate what fits between the plants as I continue to plan the overall farm; however for now, I have a great amount of weed biodiversity between the plants that I need to address.

[kskarnic]

@Chandra

Hi kskarnic,

I am not sure what you mean. Are you suggesting I should not have Jamun in a part of my land?
As far as I know, cropping itself means growing selected plants; I would be quite interested in your ideas on having commercially sustainable cropping while promoting biodiversity.

Thanks.

Dear Sri Chandra, i just meant that while we are eager to generate more income by adopting newer technologies and selecting the best yielders and grafts we are forgetting that seedling plants contribute much for sustanance of biodiversity and hence seedling plantation should also be promoted along with grafts. it may not in large tracts but should find a place in every orchard we develop so that the genetical base is sustained for ever.

[Chandra]

Dear kskarnic, that is a good point, I agree.

[vamshi1981]

HI Chandra,

I have four Kala Jamum trees (10-12 years old), the trees grow quickly and becomes pretty big… This year planted around 50 plants with 15x15 and one of the wide bund in the farm. This tree grows well in my farm, so just got tempted but the only issue I see is that the harvesting span is short and lots of fruits fall off once ripe … If you have already thought how you plan to sell the harvest, please share. So far did not sell any Jamuns, my diabetic relatives literally feast on them

Thanks,
Vamshi

[Chandra]

Hi Vamshi,

I have no specific plans on marketing yet, since that is several years away.
However, I was hoping carrying the fruit back each week to Hyderabad and finding a suitable retailer would be feasible.

If that is not an option for you, I am sure there will be local buyers who will take care of harvesting and selling.

[kskarnic]

@Chandra

Dear kskarnic, that is a good point, I agree.

Thank U Mr. Chandra. Let us do our bit for rivival of our nature.

[airfoil]

@dns1807

Dear Chandra,
Having HD is good, if we have other crops along with this may added advantage for bio diversification and increase the yield and get production in different periods. See the experiments done by IIHR for this crop as mono crops in the attached photo.

Dear Swamy,

Do you have pictures of the plantation itself? I’d love to see them, assuming the trees are established.

[dns1807]

Hi?
Find HD planted saplings now in the attached photo.

I need Ideas for value auditioning for fruits. Can any one may come up with any idea of doing value addition work or selling them with high profits for farmers?

[abaxi]

I have also planted Bahadoli jamun at Maksi near Indore M.P. Distance I have taken is 4 x 4 mts. Its only 1st year . I will keep posting the results .Its too early at present

[Konrad]

Dear Friends, Dear Chandra, Dear Abaxi,

Good morning.

1. Is it possible please to some friend help me air mailing 200 fresh seeds of Bahadoli jamun variety please?

“Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra has developed a variety called ‘Bahadoli’ which yields large and fleshy fruit with a small seed”

2. I want to plant those in Brazil, state of Espírito Santo. I have planted already 100 trees 6 meters x 6 meters spacing and wish to reach 500 trees.

Jamun seedlings are not commonly available in large quantities here in Brazil. Therefore - realistically, I will need to cultivate my own seedlings to reach 500 planted trees within next one year.

Getting the Bahadoli jamun variety will help me very much and - I believe can assist in the research and propagation of this variety.

If we can manage please to ship straight to Brazil kindly let me know; otherwise, a second and viable option is to ship to a big friend of mine in Andheri (East), Mumbai; than I ask him to get the Bahadoli jamun seeds air mailed to me.

Kindest Regards; I wish to furthermore contribute in our journey. . .

[Konrad]

Dear agri_lover,

Good morning.

1. What is the configuration in which you are planting them.
   . Spacing 6 meters x 6 meters (high density)
   . For the moment intercropping with Okra;
   . project to plant 200 trees in a lowland (arable land, inter. with okra), sided by a river;
   plus 300 trees in a hill (some declivity) 90 meters apart from the river;
   . 110 trees planted in 2013;
   . irrigation in place for the dry season/winter (April - September, Brazil);

2. What is the the pre planting preparations
   . plowing land (leave no major competing vegetation);

After planting, while the trees are very young (small), important to have some ‘ants control’.

Kindest Regards,

[kskarnic]

jamun considered as forest species until recently has now started getting recognition as horticulture plant due the efforts of several research stations coming out with varieties yielding better quality fruits (more pulp than seed), early bearers and so on. soft wood grafting has helped people to get the planting material early. Grafts as its nature do not grow tall or spread far and hence high density planting as in the case of mango is becoming popular. However high density plantings would require careful management of canopy, nutrition and at certain times plant protection. Jamun by nature yields profusely. farmers intending to adopt high density planting using grafts need to be careful about marketing of fruits

[abaxi]

I am sorry not able to send seeds because plants will take another 3-4 years before fruiting

[Viks]

Mr.Chandra,

5 kg of fresh juicy jamuns plz

Vivek
Year 2015

[Viks]

why no keep bees ?

[Chandra]

I just have 50 plants left now. I managed to get fencing done only recently; the rest of the plants were browsed by goats.

[Viks]

i would blame you!
how could you be so careless Mr.Chandra?

jeez! my fresh juicy jamuns
damn u goats!
i dont mind taking the revenge on the goats for you

but seriously, big damage. wont the plant shoot again or something?
new action plan?

[AKfarms]

@Viks

why no keep bees ?

I read somewhere that Jamun flowers help bees and Jamun trees can help reduce the heat and temperature. Does anybody have any information about this whether Jamun trees can be planted around the farm so that it reduces the soaring temperatures in summers.

Can somebody suggest any other trees which do the function of blocking the heat waves and reducing the temperatures.