This document provides information about litchi cultivation. It discusses the botanical description of litchi, including its origin in South China. It details litchi production in India, with Bihar being the largest producer. The document outlines optimal climate and soil conditions for litchi growth. It also describes propagation methods, cultivation practices like planting, irrigation, fertilization and pest management. Maturity indices, harvesting, yield and storage of litchi are summarized. Finally, the document lists some future directions to improve litchi cultivation.

1. Assignment
On
Course code:-PGS-502
Course title:-communication skill and technical
writing
Credit hour:-1(0+1)
College of agriculture,OUAT
BBSR

2. Litchi (queen of subtropical fruits/fruit of high
commerce.)
 Litchi is famous for its excellent quality, pleasant aroma juicy pulp(aril) with
attractive red colour.
 Although litchi is likely very much as table purpose, dried and canned litchi are also
popular.
 Litchi is rich source of vitamin-c(40-90mg/100gm) and Ca(0.21%).
 Rich in anthocyanin(red colour skin)
 Organic acid:-Mallic acid(80%)
 The fruit consist of 60%(juice), 8%(rag), 19%(seed), 13%(skin).

3. Botanical description
 Litchi is most important subtropical, evergreen
luscious fruit tree.
 B.N-Litchi chinensis
 Related species-rambhutan and longan.
 Family-sapindaceae
 2n-(2X)-30
 Origin place:-south china

4. Longan fruit
Rambhutan litchi
3 fruits having same family

5. Area and production of litchi
 Fruit reach in india in 17th century.
 Largest producer(in world)-china(1st), India(2nd)
 In India:-Bihar(area, production, productivity),W.B,Assam
 Production-92000tonn.
 Export-2000tonn.

6. Data collected from NHB,2011-12

7. Different parts of litchi
Litchi plant
Roots of litchi Seed of litchi
Fruit of
litchi
Flower of litchi
leaves

8. Climate
Grows well in moist atmosphere
 TEMPERETURE
a) For growth-30 degree Celsius
b) During flowering and fruit dev-21 degree Celsius.
c) Wet spring, dry summer, light winter is desirable.

9. soil
 Fairly deep, well drained,loam soil rich in organic matter-
best soil
 Soil type-sandy loam or clay loam
 pH-5.5-7
 Soil testing should be done first(pH and nutrient analysis).
 High lime require for good litchi cultivation

10. propagation
 Seed propagated-7-12 years for bearing
 Vegetatively propagation-Air layering(common and
easiest) on 1 year old shoot.
 Root stock-Litchi philippiensis.
 Appropriate time for propagation-july to October.
 IBA@200ppm is used –effective rooting in air layering.
 Other method of propagation-Stooling, apical grafting,
approach grafting, and shield budding.

11. Process of air layer in litchi

12. cultivation
 Pit size-1mx1mx1m.
 Planting system- squre system
 Spacing -10x10m(normal)
7.5x7.5m(need protection against frost and wind)
 Mixture of FYM(20-25kg),boan meal(2kg), sulphate and potash(400gm)
recommended during planting
 Note:-new plants should be inoculated with mycorhizal fungi.

13. Inter-cultural operation
Tree’s age
N (g) P (g) K (g/tree)
(Years)
1 75 25 75
2 100 25 100
3 150 50 150
4 250 75 250
5 250 75 250
6 years & above 600 200 250
Fertilizer application in litchi

14. Irrigation:-drippers or micro sprinklers.
a) from flowering to completion of the post-harvest flush.
b) duration-7 to 10 day intervals from panicle emergence to fruit
harvest or until the post-harvest flush appears.
 Weed control:-be controlled by mulching, chipping and spot-spraying
with herbicides
 (Use glyphosate at 5 to 10 ml/litre or paraquat at 1 to 6 ml@/litre plus a
wetter at 1,25 ml@ per litre to control grasses and broadleaf weeds.)
 -Others:-mulching, mixed cropping, inter-cropping,etc.

15.  Training: making a good shape and strong frame work by
removing dead and diseased branch and shoot.
 Prunning:-improve the yield and quality of fruits.
 Girdling: The Indian farmer may girdle the branches or trunk of
his lychee trees in September to enhance flowering and fruiting.
Note:-In India pruning occurs indirectly when a part of the shoot
bearing the cluster of fruit is removed during harvesting.

16. Activities
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Soil sampling
Soil preparation
Planting
Fertilisation
Irrigation
Pest control
Disease control

17. Maturity index
 Maturity index:-colour change to deep red
flattened of tubercles
smoothening of epicarp
Stages of maturity

18. Harvesting
 Harvesting time:-May-june.
 Maturation time:-50-60 days
 Litchi is non climatric fruit.
Harvesting style:-bunch along with a portion of the branch
and a few leaf.

19. Yield and storage
 80-150 kg fruits/tree.
 Storage temp:-0-1 degree celcious with 80-85%RH.
 Stogae life:-3-4 weeks.
 Grade used in litchi:-extra class, grade-I,grade-ii.

20. Pest of litchi
s.r no Disease name Causal organism symptom management
1 Fruit fly Bactocera dorsalis 5 gm. trichloroform
with 10 ltrs of
water
2 Fruit borer Cryptophlebia
illepida
fenvolarate @
0.01%
3 Eriophide mite Acaria litchi Pruning and apply
spinosyn.
4 Bark eating
caterpillar
Inderbella tetragonis Plugging the hole
with formalin
5 Red rust algae Sulphur spray 3
times in autumn
and spring.

21. Physiological disorder of litchi
s.R no Disorder name Causing by symptom management
1 Little leaf Zn deficiency Aplly ZnSo4
2 Fruit crack Excess water with high
temperature
Irrigate properly
3 Chicken tongue Embryo abortion Properly pollinate
the plant
4 Sun burn Direct exposure of sun light Practice of sod
culture

22. Uses of litchi fruit

23. Future thrust
 Hybrid should be developed against different pest and
physiological disorder
 Tissue culture should be adopt for commercial plant
production
 HDP should be adopted for getting more yield per unit
area
 Subsidy should be provided for cultivation
 Cold storage facility require for keeping the produce
 Easy market and export market should be develop for this
unique crop