China
A semi-dwarf table litchi of the Muzaffarpur area. NHB: ripens from the third week of May, 80–100 kg a tree, medium-large globose fruit in red and orange. Leaf mite attack is severe on it.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Litchi
- Type
- Air-layer (clonal variety)
- Season
- All seasons
- Starts bearing
- Ripens from the third week of May (NHB, Muzaffarpur)
- Expected yield
- 80–100 kg/tree/year at full bearing
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Disease resistance
- Eriophyid (leaf) mite attack is severe on China (NHB)
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
China is a table litchi grown commercially around Muzaffarpur in Bihar. NHB calls the tree semi-dwarf. Fruits ripen from the third week of May. They are medium-large and globose, with a mix of red and orange colour. A full-grown tree averages 80–100 kg. NHB gives no TSS figure for China. It also warns that the eriophyid mite attack is severe on China, Bombai and Kasba.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose China if you farm near Muzaffarpur and want a semi-dwarf tree giving 80–100 kg, with globose red-orange fruit. Do not plant it to stretch your season: NHB gives China almost the same start as Shahi, the third week of May. Plant it only if you will check for leaf mite every year, since NHB says the attack is severe on China. Pick Shahi (90–100 kg) if you want the higher yield and the GI name. Pick Calcuttia if you want a late June crop instead.
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timePlant in August–September, after the monsoon has set in (NHB).
- Spacing8 × 8 m square. Keep 10 m apart where the tree spread is large (NHB).
- Sowing methodPlant an air-layered (gootee) plant, 6–9 months old, in a 1 m³ pit filled with top-soil, 20–25 kg FYM, 2 kg bone-meal and 400 g sulphate of potash. Water straight after planting (NHB).
- IrrigationWater young plants often, in a basin. Stop irrigation four months before flowering. The critical period is the end of January to the start of the monsoon, while the fruit grows. Missing it causes fruit drop and cracking (NHB).
- FertilizerPer tree (NHB): FYM 10–20 kg in the planting year, adding 4 kg every year up to 60 kg on a mature tree. A mature tree also gets 2.2 kg ammonium sulphate, 1.2 kg superphosphate and 1.2 kg potassium sulphate. Give FYM, superphosphate and potash in September, and the nitrogen in two parts: mid-February and after harvest.
- HarvestingPick fully ripe fruit: red colour, at least 25 mm across, tubercles flattened and the shell smooth. Cut whole bunches with a piece of twig and a few leaves. For a distant market, pick slightly early, when the colour has just started to turn (NHB).
Soil & climate
Soil
- Suitable soil
- Deep, well-drained loam rich in organic matter. Sandy loam and clayey loam also suit (NHB).
- pH
- 5.5–7
- Irrigation
- Water table at least 1.5–2 m below the surface (NHB).
Climate
- Temperature
- About 21°C (February) to 38°C (June) maximum in litchi tracts
- Rainfall
- >125 cm, well spread through the year
- Climate
- Winter frost and dry summer heat damage the plant and crack the fruit. Constant rain at flowering interferes with pollination. Litchi grows up to 800 m, but does best at lower elevations (NHB).
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Semi-dwarf tree (NHB)
- 80–100 kg a tree at full bearing
- Grown commercially in the Muzaffarpur area (NHB)
Things to consider
- NHB says the eriophyid mite attack is severe on China. Check the young leaves every season.
- It starts ripening in the same week as Shahi (third week of May), so it does not stretch the picking season.
- NHB gives no TSS figure for China, so you cannot compare its sweetness on paper.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Bihar
A mite check every season
NHB names China, Bombai and Kasba as the litchi varieties where the eriophyid mite attack is severe. So the check is part of growing China, not a one-time repair.
Walk the orchard after each new flush of leaves. Look for hairy, blister-like galls on the upper side of young leaves, and for thick, wrinkled, twisted leaves. Turn a few leaves over: the small white mites sit on the underside. Also look at the flower panicles, which can be deformed.
NHB's first step is to prune and destroy the affected parts. It also lists chemical sprays, but pesticide approvals change. Ask your KVK or state agriculture university which spray is allowed now, and at what dose, before you buy one.
Where the planting material comes from
This variety is raised by layering: a branch is made to root while still attached to the tree, then cut away and planted. Seed out of its fruit will not give the variety back. Take layers from a known mother tree of this variety, or buy plants from a registered nursery or a government farm.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Litchi variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Starts bearing | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bombai | An early West Bengal table litchi for fresh sale in the first half of May | Early, ripens first to second week of May (NHB) | 80–90 kg/tree/year at full bearing | West Bengal |
| Calcuttia | A late, very sweet table litchi for hotter northern areas, if you can give wind protection and water | Late, ripens in the last week of June (NHB) | 80–100 kg/tree/year at full bearing | Northern India, Hotter areas with wind protection and irrigation |
| Chinathis page | A semi-dwarf litchi for Muzaffarpur-belt orchards where a yearly mite check is part of the routine | Ripens from the third week of May (NHB, Muzaffarpur) | 80–100 kg/tree/year at full bearing | Bihar |
| Dehradun | A late, rose-pink litchi for farmers who can keep soil moisture steady through fruit growth | Late, ripens from the third week of June (NHB) | 80–90 kg/tree/year at full bearing | Uttar Pradesh, Punjab |
| Early Bedana (Early Seedless) | The earliest litchi for table sale or processing, when a regular crop matters more than the biggest crop | The earliest variety (NHB gives no date) | 50–60 kg/tree/year at full bearing | Uttar Pradesh, Punjab |
| Rose Scented | A sweet, rose-scented table litchi to grow beside Shahi for buyers who ask for aroma | Mid-season, starts ripening in the first week of June (NHB) | 80–90 kg/tree/year at full bearing | Bihar (Muzaffarpur belt) |
| Shahi | A heavy-bearing Muzaffarpur-belt table litchi, sold under the 2018 GI name 'Shahi Litchi of Bihar' | Ripens from the third week of May (NHB, Muzaffarpur) | 90–100 kg/tree/year at full bearing | Bihar (Muzaffarpur belt) |
Tools for this crop
The numbers you need next: how much seed to buy, whether the lot germinates, what the fertilizer bill looks like and what Litchi is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Litchi plot needs, corrected for the germination of the lot you bought.
- Seed Variety FinderFilter every Litchi variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Litchi into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Litchi rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Litchi seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
Does China ripen after Shahi?
On NHB's dates, no. It gives both varieties the same start, the third week of May. Some other notes put China a little later. Dates move with the year and the place, so keep your own record for two or three seasons before you plan labour around it.
What do mite-damaged China leaves look like?
Young leaves get hairy, blister-like galls on the upper side. The leaves thicken, wrinkle and bend out of shape, and may fall. The tiny white mites live under the leaf. They can also deform the flower panicles. NHB says pruning and destroying the affected parts helps, and it lists sprays too. Check with your KVK for the sprays approved today.
How far apart should I plant China?
NHB's standard for litchi is 8 × 8 m square, and 10 m where the tree spread is large. NHB calls China semi-dwarf but gives no spread figure for it. Bombai spreads 7–8 m and Calcuttia 6 m. Start from 8 × 8 m and measure how wide your trees actually grow.
What can I grow between young China trees?
NHB suggests legumes, pulses, berseem and vegetables in the early years. Quick-growing fruit plants such as papaya, banana and drumstick also fit, and papaya and banana suit best because they stand upright and live only 2–3 years. Keep the intercrop rows away from the litchi tree, and never at its cost.
Can I grow China from seed?
Not if you want fruit like the mother tree. Litchi is multiplied by air-layering (gootee), which NHB calls the commonest method in India. Stooling is spreading too, because 81–82% of its shoots survive against 40–50% for air-layers. Buy rooted layers with a bill that names the variety.
Sourced from: Varieties — NHB, Litchi, Planting — NHB, Litchi, Soil and climate — NHB, Litchi, Irrigation — NHB, Litchi, Manuring and fertilization — NHB, Litchi, Harvesting — NHB, Litchi. editorial policy.