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Essay on Plum
Essay Contents:
- Essay on the Introduction to Plum
- Essay on the Origin and History of Plum
- Essay on the Area and Production of Plum
- Essay on the Importance and Uses of Plum
- Essay on the Choice of Varieties of Plum
- Essay on the Insect-Pests of Plum
- Essay on the Diseases of Plum
Essay # 1. Introduction to Plum:
Plum is temperate in nature and is a strong growing small tree. It is major fruit crop of hills but considered as important minor crop in north Indian plains. This fruit has found favour with the orchardists because of their phenomenal yield potential and high economic returns.
The low chilling early ripening varieties of Japanese plum come into the market when the other fruits are scarce and thus had little competition in the market at that time.
Being relatively a hardier tree, the establishing of plum orchard is little easier than the certain other fruit tree. In orchards of mango, litchi and pear, which come into bearing rather late, plum may be planted as filler tree. The Japanese plum (Prunus salicina Lindl.) is grown in temperate and sub-tropical climate of India.
Essay # 2. Origin and History of Plum:
The Japanese plum is native to China where it was cultivated for thousands of years. Varieties of it were taken to Japan probably not earlier than 1500 A.D. Yet that are known in America as Japanese plums. The fruit tree of this species in America, the Kelsey variety was brought from Japan in 1870. Some of the salicina cultivars were later introduced into Europe from America. The plum first introduced in India by Mr. Alexander Coutts in his orchard at Mashobra (Shimla Hills).
The European settlers and missionaries started its cultivation in about 1870 in Kulu Valley and the Shimla hills (HP), in Kumaon hills and Kashmir. Later on, number of varieties were imported from California, France and Italy on the advice of Prof. R.W. Hedgson and planted by Maharaja of Patiala at Kandaghat (H.P.).
In Jammu and Kashmir many varieties of plum were introduced during 1910-20 by Mr. M. Pychard, a Frenchman. The Punjab Agricultural Department imported about 150 varieties of the temperate zone fruits including plum, in early thirties to lay out trials at Palampur.
Presently, plum is grown in all temperate climate countries in the world.
Essay # 3. Area and Production of Plum:
The major plum producing countries are China, Serbia, Romania, Chile, Iran, USA, Turkey, Spain, India and Italy. China is the world’s largest producer of plum.
In India plums are grown on a commercial scale in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. They are also grown to some extent in the Nilgiri hills of South India. Low chilling Japanese plum is cultivated in Punjab, Haryana and some parts
of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Plum in India occupies an area of 26000 ha with a total production of 72000 mt.
The total area under Japanese plum in Punjab is 204 hectares which produce 3611 tonnes fruit annually. The districts of Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Amritsar and Patiala are known for plum cultivation. The area under plum in Himachal Pradesh is 8530 hectares with annual production of 9842 mt.
Essay # 4. Importance and Uses of Plum:
Besides being palatable and delicious, it has high nutritive value. It is one of the richest source of vitamin B1 (Thiamine). Plum fruit is also rich in vitamin A and riboflavin. It is a good source of sugars, proteins, carbohydrates and minerals like calcium, phosphorus and iron.
The plum fruit is known for its cooling effect and is considered best to overcome the effect of jaundice. Plum is delicious fruit and generally taken fresh. The pleasantly blended pulp and juice of this fruit leaves a refreshing taste in the mouth. The plum fruit can be utilized profitably for the preparation of various kinds of products like jam, jelly and chutney. The Plum fruit is used extensively for the preparation of juice and squash. The firm and ripe fruit can be canned in sugar syrup. Certain varieties of plums are consumed dried to make prunes.
Non-alcoholic naturally carbonated beverage can be prepared from Satluj Purple and Kala Amritsari plum at small and large scale. It has three months shelf life and retains its original nutrients.
Essay # 5. Choice of Varieties of Plum:
Plum varieties cultivated in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Punjab are given below on the basis of their fruit maturity.
Some of the important Japanese plum cultivars are briefly described here:
i. Santa Rosa:
Trees are upright. The fruit is large purplish crimson in colour. The flesh is amber with red near the skin. It is self-fruitful and prolific bearer cultivar. The fruit is very juicy and gives characteristic flavour, it ripens in July.
ii. Mariposa:
An upright growing tree that requires cross-pollination for adequate fruit set. The fruit is heart shaped with greenish yellow fruit skin mottled with red. The flesh is red in colour of fair quality. The shelf life is also good.
iii. Red Beaut:
Trees are spreading. It can be grown even in low hills as its chilling requirement is 250 hours. Fruits medium sized with 80-90 per cent red and rest yellow in colour. The flesh is yellow with a mild sweet flavour. Pollens are sterile and require a pollenzier which also has to be early flowering. It is an early maturing variety.
iv. Frontier:
Trees are vigorous, upright and high yielding. The variety is partially self-unfruitful and bear good crop only if there is a provision of cross pollination. Fruits larger in size with external colour red purple. The flesh is red and firm, sweet and nice flavoured. It ripens 10-12 days after Santa Rosa. The yield of this variety will improve if Santa Rosa is planted as pollenizer.
v. Satluj Purple:
It is cross between Open Pollinated Seedlings from cross of Prunus salicina from Tiwan x Methyley and 4 other plum cultivars grown in USA. The fruit of this variety is significantly superior to Kala Amritsar in terms of fruit weight and size. Its average yield is 40 kg per plant. It ripens a week earlier (around 10th May) than other sub-tropical plum varieties and takes 81 days to mature.
The colour of fruit at maturity is bright crimson. It is sweet in taste and covered with white bloom. The fruit is medium large with average weight of 25-30 g and roundish in shape. Fruits are thick skinned with yellow orange firm flesh. TSS is 13-14% with 0.6-0.7% acidity and is suitable for table purpose. It is self-unfruitful variety and requires Kala Amritsari as pollenizer. Satluj Purple and Kala Amritsari plants should be planted in the ratio of 85: 25 in an acre.
vi. Kala-Amritsari:
The most widely grown cultivar in the plains of Punjab, ‘Kala-Amritsari’ is self-fruitful, the yield of which will imporve if pollinated with ‘Titron’. The tree is low spreading but vigorous. The fruit is medium in size, round, oblate in shape, depressed on both ends and has brownish colour which turns into dark-brown at full maturity.
The flesh is yellowish, moderately juicy with sub-acid taste and is excellent for a jam-making. Fruits are somewhat acidic with 15% TSS and 1.2 per acidity. It ripens in the second week of May. Bearing is heavily with an average yield of 40-50 kg fruit per tree.
vii. Titron:
The variety is self-fruitful but the yield will improve if ‘Alucha Early Round’ is planted as a pollenizer. The tree is spreading. Its fruit is small to medium in size, roundish with deep purple colour and thin skin. The flesh is yellow, moderately juicy and sub-acid in taste and is excellent for jam making.
viii. Alu Bokhara:
The tree is upright, tall and vigorous and self-unfruitful. ‘Howe’ is a good pollenizer for this variety. The fruit is large having yellow skin tinted with red colour. Pulp is juicy and sweet. TSS is 15 per cent and acidity 0.7 percent.
Essay # 6. Insect-Pests of Plum:
1. Plum Case Worm (Cramastopsychae Pendula):
It is a serious pest and causes damage by nibbling the bark of tender twigs, branches and stem. This can be controlled by spraying 1 kg Carbaryl (sevin 50 per cent WP) in 500 litres of water.
2. Hairy Caterpillar (Eupcrotis Sp):
It is sporadic pest and feed on the leaves. On hatching, the young caterpillars feed gregariously on leaf lamina, skeletonizing the same completely. Later, the caterpillars segregate and gnaw the leaves. In case of severe infestation, the entire tree may be defoliated. The affected outer coat of the young fruit becomes black and hard. For its control collect and destroy the egg masses and the gregariously feeding young caterpillars. Spray 1 kg Sevin 50 WP (Carbaryl) in 500 litres of water
3. Chaffer and Defoliating Beetles (Adoretus Sp):
Extensive damage is caused by Chaffer and beetles by destroying the foliage and may also damage the developing fruits. To check these beetles, spray in the evening 1 kg of Carbaryl (sevin 50 per cent WP) in 500 litres of water as soon as the damage starts. Repeat the spraying after 5 or 6 days if the damage continues or the insecticidal deposit is washed away by rain.
4. Bark-Eating Caterpillars (Indarbela Quadrinotata):
These are found commonly in old and neglected plum orchards. They cause damage by boring holes into the trunk and branches and by feeding on the bark. For control, apply karosene, after removing webbing, into the holes during September-October and again in January-February.
5. Plum Fruit Moth (Laspeyresia Pomonella):
The attack of this pest has been observed in Shimla and Mandi districts especially on late maturing varieties. The larvae bore into the developing fruit and feed on the pulp. Affected fruits drop and rot. Spray carbaryl 0.1% about a month before the anticipated date of harvest. Collect and destroy the fallen fruits.
Essay # 7. Diseases of Plum:
1. Bacterial Canker and Gummosis:
The causal organism of this disease is Pseudomonas morsprunorum. The main trunk of the tree, branches, shoots, fruit spurs, blossoms, dormant buds, leaves and even fruits are attacked. The attacked bark becomes brown, gummy and sour- smelling. The attacked limbs are girdled when the infection is severe and the death of the limbs above the attacked point occurs occasionally.
The disease can be controlled by applying Mashobra Paste after clearing the wound before the commencement of summer rains. The treatment should be repeated on the new lesions if any, in the following months. 5 kg of mashobra paste contains lanoline – 2.25 g, stearic acid – 425 g, marpholine -150 g, streptocycline – 25 g dissloved in 5.5 litres of water.
2. Shot Hole:
The disease is caused by Stigmina carpophila. Dark-brown scattered lesions appear on leaves which enlarge rapidly. Abscission of the diseased area results in ‘shot holes’. The disease can be controlled by spraying with Captan, Ziram or Thiram (0.2 per cent) at leaf fall or bud swelling stage.