Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has established a 1.5 acre demonstration plot for Ultra High Density Planting (UHDP) of mango in the College Orchard of Horticultural College &Research Institute here.

This plot was inaugurated by Banwarilal Purohit, Governor of Tamil Nadu this morning.

The Governor planted the first mango graft (Banganapalli variety), followed by planting of grafts of varieties such as Salem Bangalora, Imam Pasand, Banganapalli and Bangalora by the students and staff members.

Spacing is closer (4 metre spacing between rows and 2 m spacing between two plants) under UHDP technique compared to 10 x10 m spacing under conventional planting methods, resulting in accommodation of 500 plants/acre under former as against 40 under conventional planting methods.

The benefits under UHDP include two to three-fold increase in productivity, optimal use of vertical and horizontal space, increased water-use and fertilizer-use efficiency, possibility of using the space between plants for inter-cropping during early years of planting besides making orchard crops profitable as other cash crops.

UHDP combined with micro irrigation, fertigation, canopy management and pruning can play an important role in achieving quick, high, stable and sustainable yields in mango orchards, a University release said.

Mango is cultivated in an area of 1.6 lakh hectares in the State with production and productivity at 11.56 lakh tonnes and 8.7 tonnes per hectare respectively. Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Salem, Vellore, Theni, Tirunelveli and Tiruvallur are some of the major mango growing districts.

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