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Horticulture scientists from Israel are training orchard owners and mango growers in Tamil Nadu's Krishnagiri District to adopt a unique technology to rejuvenate their mango trees for increased and better productivity of the fruits. These agronomists study the trees, which are over three decades old and suggest pruning of certain parts of the trees, sans causing any damage. This system has been named Canopy Management System. A portable pruning machine, a projection of which can be hoisted to a considerable height is used in this system. "Mango is a major fruit crop of Tamil Nadu. Nearly 1, 00,000 hectares of land is under mango cultivation. The average yield of the state is nearly eight to 10 metric tonnes per hectare, whereas the average yield of Israel country is 20 to 25 metric tonnes per hectare. They are getting three times of yield than us. Hence, we are very much interested to adopt the technologies that has (have) been followed in Israel ," said Subbian, Joint Director of Horticulture Department, Krishnagiri. Under the National Horticulture Mission, the Indian government has procured two machines used in the Canopy Management Pruning System Machine. These machines boast of multi functions such as plucking fruits to reduce post harvest losses and spraying insecticides. "We are here to demonstrate the rejuvenation of old gardens, which are about 57 years old, in a gradual way. We will be rejuvenating this orchard; we have four different manners (means), which we will be trying here. This is a test programme between three and seven years, which we will be following up in collaboration with the Department of Horticulture here," said Cliff love, an Israeli horticulture scientist.

Israeli agronomists train Tamil Nadu mango growers