Orchard Layout Systems

Orchard layout systems
The marking of position of the plant in the field is called “layout”. Or The arrangement of plants
in the orchard is known as layout. The following points need to be considered before choosing a
system of planting.
 It should accommodate maximum number of plants per unit area.

 It should provide adequate space for the development of each tree.
 It enables equal distribution of area under each tree.
 Intercultural operations such as ploughing or operations like spraying etc. are easily
carried out.
 It makes supervision more easy and effective.
The orchard is laid out as per the following systems of planting
Planting Systems
Square system
It is the most commonly used method and easy to layout in the field. In this system, plant to plant
and row to row distance is the same. The plants are at the right angle to each other, every unit of
four plants forming a square. This system facilitates the interculture in two directions after the
orchard is planted.
Advantages
1. Most easy and popular one. Simplest of all and easy to layout.
2. In this row to row and plant to plant distance is kept similar.
3. Plants are exactly at right angle to each other.
4. Interculture operations can be done in both the directions.
5. Adequate space for inter-cultivation of remunerative crops like vegetables.
Disadvantage
 The major disadvantage of this system is that a lot of space in the centre of each
square is wasted.
Rectangular system
In this system, the plot is divided into rectangles instead of squares and trees are planted at the
four corners of the rectangle in straight rows running at right angles. Like square system, this
system also facilitates the interculture in two directions. The only difference is that in this system
more plants can be accommodated in the row keeping more space between the rows.
Advantages
1. Lay out in rectangular shape.
2. More space between row to row.
3. Inter-cultural operations can be done in both the ways.
4. Plants get proper space and sunlight.
5. It has almost all the advantage of square system but cultivation is some what difficult
especially when the trees have fully grown.
Hexagonal system
In hexagonal system, the trees are planted in the corners of equilateral triangles. Six trees thus
form a hexagon with another tree at its centre then it is called Septule system. This system,
though a little difficult for execution but accommodates 15 percent more plants. Cultivation of
land between the tree rows is possible in three directions with this system. This system is
generally followed where the land is costly and very fertile with ample provision of irrigation
water. This system differs from square system in which the distance between the rows is less than
the distance between the trees in a row, but distance from tree to in six directions remains the
same.
Advantages
1. Accommodates 15 % more plants than the square system.

2. Plants are planted at the corner of equilateral triangle.
3. Six trees are planted making a hexagon.
4. The seventh tree is planted in the centre and called septule.
5. This system is usually employed where land is expensive and is very fertile with good
availability of water.
Disadvantage
1. Lay out is difficult and cumbersome.
Quincunx system
This system is exactly like the square system but one additional tree is planted in the centre of
each square. The number of plants per acre by this system is almost doubled than the square
system. Fruit trees like papaya, kinnow, phalsa, guava, peach, plum etc. can be planted as fillers
in the permanent trees provides an additional income to the grower in the early life of the
orchard. The filler trees are uprooted when the main orchard trees start commercial fruiting
 This is also known as filler or diagonal system

 This is the modification of the square system of layout distinguished to make use of
the empty space in the center of the each square by planting another plant is called
filler tree. Generally the filler tree will be precocious and shorter duration and not be
of same kind as those planted on the corner of the square. Guava, Phalsa, Plum,
Papaya, Peaches, Kinnow are important fillers. They yield some crop before the
permanent trees come into bearing. The main advantage of this system is that the
plant population is double than the square system
 The greatest disadvantage of this system is that, it is difficult to carry out intercultural
operations on account of the filer tree.
Triangular system
In this system, trees are planted as in the square system but the plants in the 2nd, 4th, 6th and
such other alternate rows are planted midway between the 1st, 3rd, 5th and such other alternative
rows. Or the trees are planted as in the squre system but the difference being that those in the
even numbered rows are midway between those in the odd rows instead of opposite to them.
Triangular system is based on the principle of isolateral triangle. The distance between any two
adjacent trees in a row is equal to the perpendicular distance between any two adjacent rows.
However, the vertical distance between immediate two trees in the adjacent rows, is equal to the
product of 1.118xdistance between two trees in a row)
This system provides more open space for the trees and for intercrop.
Merits and demerits
 This system is not much of practical importance.

 Plants are not placed at equal distance from all sides.
 When compared to square system,each tree occupies more area and hence it accommodates
few trees per ha than the square system. All the above systems are possible when the land is
flat, plain or level, but not on uneven lands and submountain areas(hilly areas) . On undulating
lands and hill slopes different types of planting systems are followed, viz contour and terracing.
Contour system
It is generally followed on the hills where the plants are planted along the counter across th
slope.
 This system particularly suits to land with undulated topography, where there is greater
danger of erosion and irrigation of the orchard is difficult.
 The main purpose of the system is to minimize land erosion and to conserve soil moisture
so as to make the slope fit for growing fruits and plantation crops.
 The counter line is so designed and graded in such a way that the flow of water in the
irrigation channel becomes slow and thus finds time to penetrate into the soil without
causing erosion.
 Terrace system on the other hand refers to planting in the flat stripof land formed across a
sloping side of a hill, lying level along the contours.
 Terraced fields rise in steps one above the other and help to bring more area into
productive use and also to prevent soil erosion.
 The width of the contour terrace varies according to the nature of the slope. If the slope
becomes stiff, the width of terrace is narrower and vice-versa.
 The planting distance between under the counter system may not be uniform.
 When the slope is less than 10% contour bunding is practiced and if the slope is > 10%
contour terracing is practiced.
 In this system the trees are planted along the contour line at right angles.
 Cultivation and irrigation can be practiced along the tree rows only.
Merits and demerits

 The trees may not be set at equidistance. The number of plants per unit area will be
generally less than other system.
Calculation of number of plants in different systems of planting
1. Square and rectangular system
Area
No. of plants= -----------------
Spacing
2. Quincunx system =Area/spacing (Main tree) + Area/spacing (Filler tree)
Area of filler tree= (L-X) X (B-X) ; Where, L= length of the field; B= Breadth of the field and
X= spacing of the filler tree.
Or Additional plants planted in centre of the squares= (No.of rows lengthwise-1)X(No.of rows
widthwise-1)
3. Hexagonal System= Area/ Spacing X115/100

Orchard Layout Systems

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Orchard layout systems

 It should accommodate maximum number of plants per unit area.

The orchard is laid out as per the following systems of planting

1. Accommodates 15 % more plants than the square system.

1. Lay out is difficult and cumbersome.

 This is also known as filler or diagonal system

 This system is not much of practical importance.

Merits and demerits

Calculation of number of plants in different systems of planting

1. Square and rectangular system

2. Quincunx system =Area/spacing (Main tree) + Area/spacing (Filler tree)

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