Mekong Delta's Off-Season Durian Care Procedure

There are two durian seasons in the Mekong Delta provinces: the main season and the off-season. During the rainy season, which runs from the fourth to the eighth month of the lunar calendar, the off-season durian usually starts blossoming. Thus, producers require expertise and experience in growing to produce aromatic and high-yielding durians. Recognizing this, Baconco always supports growers by locating workable solutions for durian maintenance throughout the off-season.

Characteristics of off-season durian

Features of off-season durian benefits

• Excessive economic value: Owing to limited availability, off-season durian typically fetches a greater price than main-season durian, which benefits growers.
• Delectable quality: Properly stored off-season durian tastes just like its main-season counterpart.
• Short harvest cycle: Farmers can harvest off-season durian earlier since it grows and develops more quickly.

Out-of-season durian is quite valuable financially

Negative aspects

• Technical difficulties: To ensure that durian trees are able to adjust to changing weather, expert planting and maintenance methods must be used.
• High-risk situations: Off-season durian has poor yields and erratic fruit quality because to pests and storms brought on by unpredictability in the weather.
• High needs for investment: Compared to durian grown during the main season, growing durian during the off-season necessitates greater investment expenses for irrigation infrastructure, fertilizers, and pesticides.

Treatment of durian in off-season

Stage of nurturing for new shoots

To avoid illnesses, clean the durian garden after harvesting and apply 300 g of Mancoz fungicide every 200-liter barrel. Apply 3-5 kg of organic fertilizer (Anima or Organiconco) per tree to start the new sprout nurturing stage. Apply NPK fertilizers, such as Con Co 20-10-10+6S+0.045B Baseo or Con Co 20-15-10+4.2Ca+3S, at 0.5–1.2 kg per tree after around 5 days to supply nutrients and encourage the growth of new shoots. To make sure the trees are healthy and yield more blooms and fruits the following season, try to initiate two to three new flushes of shoots.

Base treatment stage in the off-season (for trees older than five years)

Select one of the subsequent techniques:

• When the new leaves are dark green and the shoots are vigorous, apply 3 kg of powdered phosphorus (P:16%) per tree. To dissolve the fertilizer, water three or four times. Apply 1.2 kg of NPK Con Co 15-15-15+9S+0.05B per tree after around 5 days. To encourage bud production, spray 200 ml of Cofoli PK500 and 200 ml of Cofoli K300 every 200-liter barrel.
• Alternatively, use 1.1–1.2 kg of DAP and dilute it with water. Apply 1 kg of NPK Con Co 15-15-15+9S+0.05B ten days later. One week later, treat each tree with 0.3 kg of potassium sulfate and use the same amount of Cofoli PK500 and Cofoli K300 spray.

Cover the soil with plastic mulch after fertilizer. Spray Co-Paclo 15WP at a rate of 1 kilogram per 200-liter barrel onto the trunk and leaves of the tree after allowing the soil to dry for three days. Prune a week later to encourage the growth of flower buds (flowers will emerge 20–45 days following mulching in favorable conditions). To encourage flowering, apply Cofoli PK500 and Cofoli K300 at the same dosage when mulching after a lot of rain.

Spread some plastic mulch over the durians

Stage of cultivating young fruit

After the durian buds become evident, remove the mulch, irrigate the trees as usual, and fill the ditches with water. For each 200-liter barrel, apply 200 cc of Cofoli Amino and The Rice Star to promote blooming and ward off anthracnose. To prevent infections during bad weather, spray frequently at a rate of 200 g per 200-liter barrel of Super Amor and The Rice Star alternately.

Apply 3-5 kg of organic fertilizer (Anima or Organiconco) per tree to encourage consistent flowering. For simultaneous flowering and new shoot growth, apply 1.2 kg of NPK Con Co 15-15-15+9S+0.05B per tree after 5 days.

Pick four to five clusters of flowers per branch, 50 centimeters from the main trunk, for Ri6 durian. Choose five to seven flower clusters for the Monthong variety, then give potassium to suppress shoots. Apply 150–200 g of Super Amor per 200-liter barrel ten days prior to blossoming.

• Use either NPK Con Co 15-15-15+9S+0.05B or NPK Con Co 12-11-18+1.4Ca+5S+0.1Zn+0.1B, 0.5–1 kg per tree, for Ri6 durian. To encourage fruit setting, use 200 g of KaliBo per tree or 200 ml of Cofoli Bor and Cofoli Amino each 200-liter barrel.
• Use 0.5–1 kg of NPK Con Co 7-7-14+12S+7Ca+0.045B or NPK Con Co 12-11-18+1.4Ca+5S+0.1Zn+0.1B per tree for Monthong durian. To encourage fruit setting, spray Cofoli Bor and Cofoli Amino or add 200 g of KaliBo per tree.

To promote fruit setting and avoid anthracnose, spray Paclobutrazol 25SC 30cc and The Rice Star 200ml every 200-liter barrel after blooming.

Durians in the early stages of fruiting

Huge stage of fruit breastfeeding

Apply 3–4 kg of organic fertilizer (Anima or Organiconco) per tree when the durian fruit reaches wrist size. Apply NPK fertilizers in accordance with the variety after five days:

• Use 0.6 kg of NPK Con Co 16-16-8+13S+0.1Zn+0.05B, 15-15-15+9S+0.05B, or 12-11-18+1.4Ca+5S+0.1Zn+0.1B on Ri6 durians.
• Use 0.6 kg of NPK Conco 12-12-17+5S+0.05B, NPK Conco 7-7-14+12S+7Ca+0.045B, or NPK Conco 12-11-18+1.4Ca+5S+0.1Zn+0.1B for monthong durians.

As the fruit expands, up the amount of NPK fertilizer and apply it in numerous applications (every 10–15 days) for maximum nutrient absorption.

• Initial use: 0.6 kilogram
• Second usage: 0.7 kilogram
• Third usage: 0.8 kilogram
• Fourth use: 0.9 kilogram
• Fifth use: one kilogram
• Sixth application (fruit ripe 75–80 days): To bring out the yellow color of the durian flesh, use 1 kg of NPK Con Co 15-15-15+9S+0.05B, NPK Con Co 15-9-20+0.15Zn+0.1B2O2, or NPK Con Co 7-7-14+12S+7Ca+0.045B. Spray Cofoli K300 as well to enhance the color and quality of the fruit's flesh.

When mature, Durians

Extra advice for treating durian during the off-season

Determine the ideal harvest period

Observe the tree's growth stages to determine the best time to harvest it, especially while the weather is changing:

• Keep an eye on the durian tree's progress.
• Inspect buds, leaves, and branches for indications of the emergence of new shoots.
• Check weather forecasts often to make necessary modifications.

Observe correct technological protocols

Following the technical guidelines and using the right fertilizer are essential for a good durian season. In addition to providing vital nutrients, proper fertilization lowers the risk of disease and increases fruit yield and quality.

Weather-related variables

The weather has a big impact on durian output in the off-season. Fruit setting and flowering depend on accurate weather forecasting. Cool early mornings, breezes, and the absence of night rains during bud emergence are all ideal for flowering. Even though the weather during the off-season can be adverse, there are occasionally brief and unforeseen spells of ideal weather. When growing shoots and inducing flowers, precise timing and attention are essential.

Managing too much rain

In addition to promoting bacterial and fungal infections, night rain can cause blackening of buds and alter fruit setting. Predict the ideal weather for blossoming and make arrangements for disease control in order to combat this. If rain falls during the night when flowers are blooming, cover the flower branches with plastic bags and remove the water from the garden ditches.

Durian branches break in heavy rain

Handling fruit drips

After bud emergence, promote new shoot growth to deal with heavy fruit drops. Keep strong, healthy blooms without thinning them throughout flowering and fruit setting if the tree isn't producing new branches. If needed, thin any extra fruit after it has set.

Durian care during the off-season is a multi-step process that takes time and patience. In order to maximize profits and prevent overproduction, farmers must choose the ideal harvest season. To guarantee maximum yield, they should also create an appropriate procedure for off-season flower induction.