The ICAR- Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Anjaw successfully organized a “Two Days Vocational Training Programme on Training and Pruning of Kiwi Fruits” programme from 21st to 22nd January, 2026 at Rittiliang and Danglat village. The training programme was conducted keeping in mind the mandated action plan under PMDDKY with the aimed to obtain better shape and size of plants and high yield and quality fruits and to manage excessive vegetative growth and promote scientific cultivation practices of Kiwi fruit crops.
A total of 25 participants, including farmers, farm women, and rural youth, participated in the programme. Mr. Satveer Yadav (SMS, Horticulture) delivered a lecture on the training and pruning of kiwi fruit plants. He explained the important role of training and pruning in kiwi cultivation. Different training structures like Kniffin, T-bar trellis and Pergola systems are used for training a vine, but T- bar trellis system are more popular. In a T-bar trellis system, the pillars of iron or concrete of about 1.8 m height above the grounded level are erected at a distance of 6 m from each other in a row in straight line. A cross arm (1.5 m) is fixed on each pole which carries 5 outrigger wires. The vine is trained up to the wire as single stem, than two leaders in opposite direction along the Centre wire are selected. From these permanent leaders, temporary fruiting arms 25-30 cm apart is developed at right angle along both sides of each leader.
The main objective of pruning is to obtain high yield and quality fruits and to manage excessive vegetative growth. The following principles are kept in mind while pruning:-
- The kiwifruit sets fruit on the current season growth that originates from 1 year old wood.
- Only the basal buds of nodes 4-12 on the current season growth are productive.
- Vines grow 2-3 m every year, which can become overcrowded if not controlled by summer and winter pruning.
The pruning operation in kiwifruit is carried out in two seasons: winter (Jan. – Feb.) and summer (June-July) pruning. In dormant pruning, the fruiting lateral is cut back to 2 vegetative buds beyond the last fruit. In the second year, these vegetative buds produce the fruiting shoots, each is pruned again. The arm on lateral shoots is pruned and allowed to fruit for 3 to 4 years. After this, the lateral is removed from the main branch and other laterals are selected and pruned accordingly so that the balance between vegetative and reproductive growth is maintained for continuity in fruit production.
Dr. Debasis Sasmal (Sr. Scientist & Head) highlighted that the climatic condition of Anjaw district are well suited for kiwi fruit cultivation, making it a potential fruit crop of the district. He urged the farmers to adopt scientific methods of training and pruning of kiwi plants to enhance their production and productivity.
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