Canopy management is essential for enhancing the productivity and quality of agricultural crops, as unmanaged canopies can reduce light penetration and negatively affect crop yields. Techniques such as pollarding, partial crown removal, and lopping can optimize light access to understorey crops. Effective management ensures a leaf area index that promotes better sunlight penetration and improves overall agricultural outcomes.

1. CANOPY MANAGEMENT
ANAND CHARVIN.G

2. WHAT IS CANOPY?
 Canopy is the above ground portion of a plant community or crop,
formed by the collection of individual plant crowns.

3. WHY CANOPY MANAGEMENT?
Unmanaged tree canopy not only reduces the productivity of
agricultural crops, but nevertheless deteriorates the quality of produce
as well.
1. Canopy size decides the transmission of photosynthetically active
radiation to the understorey crops.
2. Canopy management practices like pollarding and partial crown
removal not only affects foliage and branch but also modifies
physiological parameters and resource utilization pattern.

4. CANOPY MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
POLLARDING
Pollarding is a method of
pruning that keeps trees
and shrubs smaller than
they would naturally grow.
It is normally started once
a tree or shrub reaches a
certain height, and annual
pollarding will restrict the
plant to that height.
PARTIAL CROWN REMOVAL
Partial crown removal refers
to the direct alteration of
tree crown. It ensures
proper light penetration to
the crops on the lower
layers. Light penetration is
an important factor and
Partial crown removal helps
to maintain the level.

5. LOPPING
Tree lopping is the process
of trimming various
sections of a tree.
Lopping may involve
clearing away branches
or limbs, or even
shortening trunks.
THINNING
A felling made in an
immature stand for the
purpose of improving the
growth and form of trees
that remain, without
permanently breaking the
canopy.
CANOPY MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

6. LIGHT AND SHADE
 Light is one of the main climatic
factors, which drives
production.
 The quantity as well as quality
of solar radiation transmitted
by tree canopy decides
growth and productivity
potential of the field crops.
 amount of solar radiation
intercepted by the tree
canopy is responsible for
production of foliage and
branch wood biomass.
 Major agricultural crops grown
under agroforestry trees are
shade sensitive. so are bound
to be adversely affected on
account of shading.
 Shade intensity and duration
both will have strong negative
effects on the performance of
understorey crops.
 Many studies have concluded
that shading caused due to
the presence of tree canopies
is a major factor causing crop
yield reduction.

7. EMERGENT LAYER
CANOPY LAYER
UNDERSTORY LAYER
FOREST FLOOR
FOREST CANOPY LAYERS
100 % 10 %
79 %
7 %
2 %2 %
LIGHT

8. EMERGENT LAYER
Consists of giant emergent
trees that tower above the
surrounding canopy.
The air is much drier and
moderately strong winds
blow through their
branches.
CANOPY LAYERS
CANOPY LAYER
Found directly beneath the
over story layer (emergent
layer).
The primary life sustaining
layer with an abundance of
food and forms a natural
roof over the remaining two
layers beneath.

9. UNDERSTORY LAYER
Directly underneath the
canopy layer and on top
of the forest floor.
This layer is a dark,
sometimes almost
impenetrable natural
habitat like vines, shrub
and broadleaf trees.
CANOPY LAYERS
FOREST FLOOR
The Forest Floor is the
ground layer.
Only around 2% of the total
light reaches down this
layer
Quality of the soil is
extremely poor and very
few plants are found
growing in this area.

10. CONCLUSION
 Any agroforestry system consisting trees having leaf area index (LAI)
between 4 and 6 may render it less productive and/ or
uneconomical due to developing canopies.
 On the expected lines, unmanaged tree canopy not only reduces
the productivity of agricultural crops, but nevertheless deteriorates
the quality of produce as well.
 Good Canopy management results in good sun light penetration
and good yield.

11. THANK YOU