PAKISTAN CITRUS MANAGEMENT CALENDAR

Australia‐Pakistan Agriculture Sector Linkages Program

GROWTH STAGE ACTION
Dormancy Pruning: The main cause of fruit blemish is wind injury. Removing deadwood and thinning out branches will reduce wind blemish. It will also encourage new branch
growth to produce good quality fruit.
(Dec‐Jan) Disease: Apply a Bordeaux paste (1.5 kg Lime + 50g Mancozeb® +50g copper Oxy chloride in 10L of water) to the trunk of affected trees to reduce the impact of
Phytophthora.
Soil improvement: After harvest apply composted farm yard manure (FYM) 5 trolley/acre. Apply the FYM under the tree canopy and not close to the trunk.
Management: After harvest cultivate between the trees to remove weeds and prepare for next seasons intercropping program. Do not tractor cultivate under tree
canopy as it will disturb tree roots, use light hand hoeing instead. .
Soil improvement: Apply composted farm yard manure (FYM) after harvest @ 5 trolley/acre. Apply the FYM under the tree canopy and not close to the trunk.
Bud Break, Nutrition: Total annual nutrition should be about 1 kg N, 0.4 kg P2O5, 1kg K2O per tree in three split doses, however these rates should be adjusted to site conditions
(i.e. soil type, fruit rind quality, leaf analysis and crop load). First application should be about N 0.5 kg and P2O5 0.4 kg per tree. Apply a zinc and manganese
leaf micronutrient foliar spray on young leaves when about 2/3 expanded (about 3-5 cm long). Micronutrient sprays are generally applied just before flowering. Pre mixed
expansion commercial micronutrient mixtures are available or a custom mixture can be made by mixing 250g of zinc sulphate, 250g of manganese sulphate and 250g of low biuret
and urea (biuret lower than 0.5%) per 100L of water. The urea in the mixture improves the uptake of the micronutrients.
Disease: If scab pressure is high, apply a strobilurin fungicide at 1/4 quarter leaf expansion in affected regions and varieties. At petal fall apply copper fungicide to
flowering protect against Melanose and Scab. Spray phosphonic acid (e.g. K-Guard/ Aliette ®) on Phytophthora affected trees. This can be mixed with the foliar micronutrient
(Feb‐ April) spray. Apply to run off to make sure the foliage is wet; use a sufficient volume of water to ensure good coverage.
Insects: Only apply insecticides when insect pests are present at damaging or high levels. Aphids: If aphids attack more than 20% of young growth (2 out of every 10
shoots) apply Actara @ 4g/10 L of water. Leaf Miner: If the block has persistent leaf miner attack or young trees apply Confidor ® @ 35ml/10 L of water or Match® @
20ml/10 L of water when leaves are emerging (about 5mm). Lemon Butterfly: Apply Timer® @ 40ml/10 L of water or spray Deptrix @ 30g/10 L of water.
Fruit set Nutrition: Apply the second dose of fertilizer 0.25 kg N and 1kg K2O before monsoon rains in late May/ Early June.
Disease: Apply a strobilurin fungicide (e.g. Amistar Top®) three weeks after the petal fall to control scab in affected regions and varieties. Apply a copper spray when
(May ‐ fruit is about 8-12 mm in diameter to reduce canker infection. Apply copper when maximum temperature is below 35oC.
June) Insects: Thrips - Monitor the calyx of young fruit for the presence of Thrip nymphs. If present at excessive levels apply Confidor®. Mites - Monitor during the hot
summer period, if at high levels spray a miticide such as Nissorun® @ 300g/100 L of water + Pyridabin® @ 300ml/100 L of water or summer oil at 750ml/100 L of water.
Summer oil (e.g. Golden pest oil®) mainly kills young mites only (not very effective on adult mites). It also kills other insects such as scale and it is not harmful to
beneficial insects. It must only be applied soon after an irrigation (trees must have adequate water available in the soil) and when temperatures are below 360C. Good
coverage is critical because oil kills the insect by smothering it; apply the spray so all target areas (e.g. fruit and/or branches) are completely dripping.
Caterpillars - Monitor for caterpillars and apply a spray of Timer® @ 400ml/100L of water if more than 5-10% of fruit are affected.
Citrus Psylla- If significant numbers are seen (more than one per tree) spray Chlorpyrifos @ 450ml/100L of water.
Fruit Nutrition: Apply the last dose of fertilizer 0.25 kg N per tree in July prior to rain fall. When summer flush is present and micronutrient deficiency is a problem apply a
micronutrient foliar spray hat includes zinc and manganese on young leaves when about 2/3 expanded (See bud break section).
Growth Diseases: Phytophthora - Spray phosphonic acid (e.g. K-Guard® 35ml/100 L) on affected trees (See bud break section).
(July– Nov) Insects: Mites - See fruit set section. Leaf miner – see bud break section.
Disorders: Apply GA3 at late July to mid-June to reduce the incidence of albedo breakdown. Use a mixture of 10ppm if incidence is mild and 20ppm for severe
problems. Rind maturity delay: Apply GA3 when the fruit colour changes from dark green to light green (colour break; Sept-Oct) to delay rind development so the fruit
can be harvested 2-3 weeks later than usual and remain in good condition.
Pre‐release version
Crop load: Check the number of fruit in early July with a counting frame and hand thin if crop load is excessive.

Always read the label: Users of agricultural or veterinary chemical products must always read the label and any permit, before using the product, and strictly comply with the directions By Wajid Ali (ASLPII), Steven Falivene (NSW DPI), Dr
on the label and the conditions of any permit. Users are not absolved from compliance with the directions on the label or the conditions of the permit by reason of any statement made or
Nerida Donovan (NSW DPI), Tauseef Tahir (ASLPII)
not made in this publication. Recognising that some of the information in this document is provided by third parties, the State of New South Wales, the author and the publisher take no
responsibility for the accuracy, currency, reliability and correctness of any information included in the document provided by third parties. and Dr Tahir Khurshid (NSW DPI): Sept 2015