Horticultural journal of Kenya-provides information on vegetable and fruit production, herbs and spices, plant and pest management, prunning, post harvest management of produce, food security and agricultural marketing
Showing posts with label Fruit Production. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fruit Production. Show all posts
Are you searching for high quality mango seedlings that will:
Earn you extra income to supplement your salary?
Give fruits consistently during their lifetime for as long as you live?
Make you rich--as you'll have sufficient money for all your expenses?
Give you loads of cash as they are in great demand by buyers?
Make you smile as you head to the ATM to check your bank balance?
If that describes you, then you are at the right place.
We sell grafted mango seedlings that are hardened for transplanting, certified true to type, and guaranteed to give you handsome returns during you lifetime.
Proper Passionfruit farm management, is vital for passion fruit growing in Kenya. It all starts with the variety you choose to raise. Depending on your farm's locality, you can decide to plant either yellow or purple passion.
When it comes to growing yellow passion fruit, your job is simple and straightforward. All you have to do is germinate the passion fruit seeds in a nursery, transplant the plantlets in polythene tubes filled with soil, let them grow until they attain a height of 15-20 cm before you transplant them to the open field.
However, if you decide to grow purple passion fruit, you MUST first graft purple passionfruit scion on yellow passion—if you hope you have a high yielding passion farm.
Why is grafting purple passion fruit scion on yellow passion fruit a critical factor in managing your passion farm?
Purple passion fruit variety is highly susceptible to a fungal disease called fusarium wilt. This fungal disease can clear a whole farm within days. To minimize the risk of your entire farm dying of fusarium wilt and spending lots of fungicides in controlling the disease, we graft purple passion fruit on yellow rootstock. We do so because yellow passion is resistant to fusarium wilt.
Another reason why we graft purple passion on yellow passion rootstock is that the latter is hardy, drought tolerant, and vigorous. The yellow passionfruit will, therefore, pass these good traits to the purple passion scion.
If you decide to grow yellow passion fruits, you don’t need any grafting because the yellow passion plant is already resistant to drought, fusarium wilt, nematodes, and other diseases.
In brief, whether you grow yellow or purple passion, routine management your passionfruit farm comprises the following through the various growth stages of the plant.
Trellising the plants
Soil fertility
Managing Pests
Keeping the orchard clean
Regular watering
Managing Nutrient deficiencies
Passionfruit fertilizer requirements.
After the choice of seedlings, the next important factor of passion fruit management is soil fertility.
The soil condition must be right to support the plant through its various stages of growth. From a young age—when the plant multiplies, maturity stage which is characterized by reproduction of flowers and fruits, vegetative growth, budding, flowering, ripening, and senescence—the soil condition must be right.
At the time of transplanting, your seedlings should be about 15-20 cm high. At the young vegetative stage, they passion plants need to a healthy root network, put up foliage, multiply, grow a sturdy stem to support future fruits.
Let us first start by discussing how to make your seedlings have an extensive root network.
For your passionfruit plant to have a secure network, you will need to prepare the transplanting hole correctly.
Here is how to do it.
·Dig a hole that is 2feet wide, 2 feet long X 2 feet deep.
·Fill the hole halfway with farmyard manure.
·Use the soil that you've removed, to top up the hole you've just filled halfway with manure until it is three-quarter full.
·Using your hands, or a hand trowel, mix the soil and the manure thoroughly.
·Transplant your seedling.
·Apply 10 grams of DAP fertilizer around the plant ensuring it does not touch the stem of the seedling to prevent fertilizer burn.
·Fill the remaining space with the remaining soil and firming up the soil around the plant.
·Water the passion seedling.
The purpose of the manure is to make the soil well aerated, provide nutrients, provide a room for suitable micro-organisms and room for roots to thrive.
The purpose of the DAP fertilizer is to make the nitrogen nutrients available sooner because manure releases its nutrients slowly but over an extended period compared to DAP that is fast over a short period.
Don’t forget to water the seedling regularly. The passion fruit vine cannot be able to access nutrients it needs for rapid growth if the soil is dry.
Once the seedling is well established and has new growth, you can apply about 5 grams of urea for every passion fruit plant.
In about two months of regular watering, the plant will have moved to young plant/ seedling stage to the vegetative stage.
How To Manage the Passion Plant During the Vegetative Stage.
In this phase, the plant multiplies producing side shoots and vines in preparation of flowering and fruiting. At this stage, various experts discourage the use of fertilizers rich in nitrogen because that will encourage the growth of leaves at the expense of fruits.
Because the plant will be producing many vines, it will need trellising. To maximize on passion fruit production, you ensure that you have one main stem that provides three main branches.
You will also need to apply hormones at 5-6 months to stimulate flowering.
How To Manage of Passion Plant During the Flowering Stage
The flowering stage is the most sensitive stage in a passion fruit plant. Any water and nutrient deficiencies will lead to flower abortion and eventual low yields. Likewise, any pest attack will lead to reduced production.
At this stage, you will need to apply high levels of potassium fertilizer and micronutrient fertilizers to avoid flower abortion. You will also continue to use appropriate fungicides and insecticides to prevent damage to flowers.
The most significant pest to watch at this stage is passion fruit aphid which leads to passion fruit woody virus that results in misshaped fruits.
The plant will need regular watering.
Managing Passion Fruit During The Fruiting Stage
The plant will need regular watering pest management. You will also need to protect your maturing fruits from animals like monkeys, birds, squirrels, and people who are likely to pick your mature fruits and lead to losses.
Let me show you how an investment of 200,000 shillings in growing mango trees today on one hectare of land, will yield you Ksh 3,918,000 in eight years. Show me any pension plan whose returns can beat that! I bet they’re very few, or none. Yet, what I am going to show you is real, and is backed up with fact, and figures from credentialed sources. Don’t you want such an attractive returns from a low risk, high profit investment? Right NOW, I want to show you a Step-By-Step plan on how to achieve that— from the farm you have in your village. You don’t need to worry about having a huge piece of land. You can start growing mangoes on the land you have. This is why... A tree can yield up to 1,000 fruits in a year. If you sell every fruit for 17 shillings, you will earn One tree will earn you Ksh 17,000 in a year. If your land can accommodate 5 trees, you will earn Ksh 85,000 every year for 30 years (30 years is the life expectancy of the tree) stress free! This money may seem little if you only have five trees, but you can increase its value by purchasing a grade cow, chicken, or buying goats that will multiply the money when they give birth. Or you can keep money for your child in a junior savings account for his school fees. The money becomes sweeter if you have 200,300 or even 1,000 trees! Interested? Continue reading... From the desk of Haron Mogeni, Professional horticulturist and Farm manager, Kiambu prison farm. Dear farmer, Getting high returns from your farm is a walk in the park if, you grow the right crop. This is because crops have a way of multiplying an investment by 100%, 200% or even 500% if you do the right thing, and they grow well. Today I want to show you the shortcut to such unimaginable returns by showing you how to WORK SMART with mango trees. But, let us start by examining why growing mangoes can increase your investment by over 517% if given time and managed well. A study conducted by a leading research institution in Kenya confirmed that mangoes are popular very fruits. They found out over 50% of the residents of Nairobi and other towns buy mangoes when they are in season. Furthermore, the research showed mangoes are in high demand in Europe, Middle East and in the Far East. Also, the population of Kenya is growing by 1 million every year. By the time the mangoes you grow today, will be in peak production, the country have 8 million more people who’ll need them. However, let not the occasional glut of mangoes experienced in the market worry you. It is only temporary. This is because the demand for vegetables and fruits is rising faster than supply, while production is stagnant. Just few years ago, we used to have a glut of avocadoes. But, nowadays we don’t have any. The fruit has become a highly sought fruit because of increased demand in Europe and other parts of the world. The knowledge I will show you RIGHT NOW on how to grow mangoes. I will show you who the customers are, and where to find high paying customers. You’ll get the right information that will give you confidence, and the ability to generate massive returns from your mango farming business. Here’s what other experts are saying about mangoes.
Mango is known as a king fruit for a good reason. It has unrivalled nutritive value and offers an opportunity for household wealth creation.
Josephat Mulindo research officer KARI Perkerra
In The Organic Farmer, issue# 85 June 2012
Mango is the second most popular fruit in Kenya followed by passion.
John Muchangi, The star in The most popular fruit and vegetable unveiled 29th April 2012
Over half of Nairobi consumers purchase mangoes in a month.
Tegemeo institute of agriculture and policy analysis,
Working paper # 16
Mango (Mangifera indicaL.) is one of the high potential fruits in Kenya, suitable for different agro-ecological zones ranging from sub-humid to semi-arid. Despite the still growing economic importance of mango in Kenya, its production potential has not yet been fully exploited.
Kehlenbeck et al,
(World Agro forestry Centre ICRAF, Tree Genetic Resources and Domestication, Nairobi, Kenya)in Mango cultivar diversity and its potential for improving mango productivity in Kenya
The mango industry in Kenya has expanded considerably over the years, not only in size but also in geographical location of commercial and homestead plantings. As a result of this expansion, the mango fruit is becoming popular with the local population There is a great diversity of mango fruit type which permits considerable manipulation for various purposes and markets: juice, chutney, pickles, jam/jelly, fresh fruit, canned and/dried fruit etc. Given the multiple products, it is therefore a potential source of foreign exchange for a developing country; it is also a source of employment for a considerable seasonal labor force.
Tony Simons,PhD
Principal Tree scientist
World Agroforestry Center
Prices of fruits are increasing around Kampala due to huge demand. Many traders around city markets are experiencing a shortage of mangoes, oranges, watermelon, pineapples, passion fruit and tangerines. Mangoes are becoming scarce each new day. That has led to importation from Kenya.
Ms. Lillian Tuhaise Fruit dealer, Nakasero Market Kampala.
There are many unexploited opportunities within Africa, which should be tapped. This is not surprising when out of the total remaining global arable land about 60% is in Africa. Population is also growing at a high rate and escalating food demand.
Sammy Kariuki, Tymax Agricultural solutions
The world trade in mangoes is stable and its production is growing. Countries in which production is still growing are Kenya, Egypt, and Vietnam.
The age you plan to retire at, does not matter. What counts is “Do you have sufficient cash for a better lifestyle, or enough cash to sustain the lifestyle you had before retirement.” Prior to retirement, you would be thinking of a source of income that will support you, month after month for years without getting dry. Therefore, you’ll need an investment that will yield you money without fail. There are hundreds or even thousands of ways of investing your money, but today I want to discuss on how growing mangoes can be the best investment ever! But let me make it more juicer. Read the report below…
Kenya Agricultural Research institute (Kari) has brought in five mango varieties from the USA. These varieties include Haden, Tommy Atkins, Van dyke, Sensation and Kent. They yield 1000 to 1200 fruits per tree. The Standard newspaper website, 31st March 2013 Kenyan farmers earn a fortune from mango farming.
Now the market price of one mango fruit is KSh 15. So, if you grow these trees, you expect Ksh 15,000 to 18,000 per tree! Now multiply this by 120, which is the number of trees that you can grow in a hectare. That is a turnover of Ksh 2,948,000 per year.
Qualities of a good retirement plan
Now what are the qualities of a good requirement plan? Any retirement plan should be low to medium risk so that you don’t lose your money. However, you still want to generate enough interest from a retirement investment so that you can beat inflation, and preserve the value of your savings. To do that you need to have a right mix of investments. You can invest in real estate, buy shares, and even join a pension scheme. If you are looking at farming crops as a way of creating value, then I am here to give you the right information and prepare you in every way. The good news about growing crops is that you have 100% control over your investment. In other types of investments, other people make investment choices on your behalf. But, in growing crops in your farm, you decide the level of risk.
If I chose growing mangoes, how to I beat drought caused by climate change?
There is nothing better at tolerating dry weather like trees. They have long taproots, which go deep down into the soil to sip water. Trees are even found (palm trees) in deserts! You are a witness; trees are often the last plants to die during dry weather, but they don’t go down without fighting a very long dry spells. Now, that makes the growing of trees a low risk, high profit investment. So, there are about 3 tree crops that you could grow assure you of an income even during dry periods. These trees include macadamia, avocados and mangoes. However, today let’s talk about the mango tree, whose fruit is regarded as the king fruit. Further, the tree has the ability to resist the driest weather and remain green. For instance, this tree has never failed to produce fruit year after year even in dry weather, for the people of lower eastern Kenya, the coast region and the rift valley; areas that experience frequent drought. In fact, during drought, people in these areas survive on the fruit as they wait for the weather to improve. However, climate change has reduced the range of crops that could be suitable for that. Especially here, in Kenya, climate change has often devasted farmers. But, that should not deter you from investing in farming. The fact that traffic accidents are on the increase does not deter you from driving or travelling. I am sure what you do is to take precaution.
What you need to succeed in mango growing
You need trees that are in production a proper marketing channel, and value addition strategies. So how do you get to having trees that are in production? You need to grow mango seedlings in your farm and care for them until they start producing. But, you just plant any seedlings. To maximize on the returns, reduce risk, there is a need to grow early, medium and late yielding varieties.
Now, let’s discuss the economics of mango production
One hectare accommodates 200 mango trees spaced at 8 M X 6 M. each plant covers an area of 40 M2 one tree can yield up to 1000-1200 fruits. Here’s are some results of a study on appropriate plant spacing conducted in Brazil titled “Tommy Atkins mango trees subjected to high density planting in sub humid tropical in northeastern Brazil”
“Treatments consisted of five spacial arrangements of plants (8x5 M, 6x3 M, 5x2 M, and 4x2 M which resulted in the following planting densities: 250(control), 357, 555, 1000 and 1250 plants per hectare. in general high density planting caused reduction in vegetative and reproductive variables of individual mango trees, but had little influence on fruit quality.
Above 555 plants per hectare, a significant decrease was observed in mango tree growth. furthermore there were decreases in the percentage of flowering, fruit yield per area. However,planting density up to 357 plants per hectare, increases fruit yield per area in comparison to the control (i.e. 250 plants per hectare)” Carlos Antônio et al
The research shows that you can grow up to 357 mango trees per hectare without affecting the quality of fruits. I would however recommend growing 200 trees per hectare so that you can reduce the management costs of the orchard.
The Kenya agricultural institute (KARI) has brought in five of mango varieties from the USA. The varieties include Haden, Tommy Atkins, Van dyke, Sensation and Kent. They yield 1000 to 1200 fruits per tree. The Standard, 31st March 2013 Kenyan farmers earn a fortune from mango farming.
You may be thinking how can a single tree yield between 1000-1200 fruits. A tree normally produces fruit in twice in a year. that means it will produce between 500 to 600 fruits in a season. Here is what a senior researcher is saying on when the mango trees get into production.
In the main production area, the Coast Province, two supply seasons can be differentiated. The first and main season runs from November to February and the second from June to August. In areas of higher altitude such as Murang'a and Mwea (Central Province), the harvest season is 4—6 weeks later than at the coast, with a peak in February and March.
Tony Simons,PhD
Principal Tree scientist
World Agroforestry Center
The characteristics of these varieties (grown for export) are listed below;
Valencia pride
This mid-season variety yields large, elongated fruits with good taste quality and excellent appearance. It is difficult to store and as such must be transported by air. This variety has a niche position on the export market
Keitt
The fruit is oval, longer and flatter lengthwise than Kent. Its weight is highly variable, ranging from 500 grams to 1 kg, which is a shortcoming for the export market. It is a late variety; the fruits are attractive with a variable blush depending on the exposure to sunlight.
Sensation
This variety, of unknown parentage, originates from Florida. The fruit is small to medium-sized (280-340 grams), deep red in color with a few spots of yellow. Its main quality is its relative tolerance to blackspot bacterial disease. This is a mid-season variety adapted to the cooler areas of the sub-tropical zone, e.g. some areas in South Africa.
Kent
The fruits reach maturity in the middle of the season. They are ovate, relatively large and generally weigh between 500 and 900 grams. The flesh is firm and has a pleasant taste. This mango matures very slowly and gradually. Fruits that are harvested close to maturity can be stored for a long time at cool temperatures. The fruit's excellent sensory qualities, the firmness of its flesh and its gradual ripening are all equally attractive features to retailers.
Here are some of the initial costs you are likely to incur when you decide to grow mangoes on one Hectare of land
Seedlings @ Ksh 200 x 200=
40,000
Plowing
12,000
Harrowing
9,000
2nd Harrowing (if was virgin land)
6,000
Irrigation
40,000
Making 200 planting holes and actual planting @ Ksh 100
20,000
Miscellaneous
40,000
Manure 2 lorries @ Ksh 4,000
8,000
Total
Ksh 172,000/=
Year
Number of expected fruits per plant
Income each fruit @Ksh15 a hectare has 200 plants
Cost of labor and other inputs like fungicides, weeding, pruning
Net income
Cumulative income
1
0
0
112,000
-112,000
-112,000
2
0
0
30,000
-30,000
-142,000
3
0
0
30,000
-30,000
-172,000
4
50
100,000
30,000
70,000
-102,000
5
200
400,000
100,000
300,000
198,000
6
300
900,000
100,000
800,000
998,000
7
400
1,200,000
200,000
1,000,000
1,998,000
8
700
2,100,000
230,000
1,920,000
3,918,000
Transplanting of seedlings
The seedlings flower 5-6 months after transplanting. Remove flowers for the seedlings are too weak and young to support fruit. Mango production starts in year 3. The break-even point comes in the 5th year, but it could come earlier if the mango orchard is inter-cropped with maize or other crops.
Is my area suitable for growing mangoes?
Well, it depends on the altitude of your area, and the amount of rainfall received. Mangoes prefer areas of moderate rainfall coupled with a dry season. A period of drought is necessary to stimulate flowering. Here is what experts say about suitable areas of growing mangoes. Suitable altitudes for growing mango is between 100-1000 meters above sea level
The mango tree’s phenological cycle is strongly influenced by weather conditions. For mango trees to flower there must be a marked halt in growth. This occurs when there’s of a drop in average temperatures and/or a marked dry period.
Mango seedlings cost Ksh 200 each, but don’t worry of the price of the seedlings. A seedling has the potential to develop into a tree and yield you Ksh 18,000 year after year starting from the fifth year after transplanting for 30 years! I have a number of seedlings in my nursery, but i can’t promise to have them beyond August 10TH. This is because the seedlings are in high demand, and and the timeliness of your response matters so much!
How to order for seedlings
First you call me, and inform me where you intend to grow the mango seedlings. This is really important because mangoes can grow well in specific areas. This info will help me determine if your agro-ecological zone is suitable for growing mangoes. If your area is suitable, and you’re ready to place an order, we meet, and discuss mode of payment, the details of delivery and any other terms we agree on.
Here is what you will get if you buy seedlings from me
Free technical advice on how to transplant mango seedlings to your field
Free technical advice on how to maintain the tree
Guidance on how to control pests and diseases of mango trees
Show you how to time your production for the market so that your mangoes reach the market when their demand high
Ps. Try growing mangoes today. Don’t let your farm lie idle yet it can mint you money. If you are able to sell the mangoes at 2 shillings more, you will see huge profits. Do the math for yourself.
How many times have you chosen to buy a banana during lunch hours that costs between 5 to 10 shillings instead of buying fries?
You are not alone-workers in most cities and towns in Kenya buy bananas at lunchtime to save on cost of buying fast foods or to avoid fast food for health reasons.
This peculiar habit of Kenyans has propelled banana to be the most popular fruit in the country and opened avenues for farmers to profit big.
A research conducted in 2008 indicated that 60 percent of stalls in fresh market centers, villages and towns selling fresh produce stock bananas.
We can conclude that farmers who venture into banana farming are likely to earn more compared to other fruit farming since banana production is year round.
KENYA’S PRODUCTIVITY OF BANANAS
It is estimated that the country produces over 1 million tones of the crop valued at 7 billion shillings.
Unfortunately, over 40% of production the countries production is lost due to poor harvesting and handling techniques, inadequate market banana market and due to fungal diseases like panama and pests like banana weevil.
These diseases and pests make the harvested crop to be of poor quality thus diminishing the returns to farmers.
Because of the aforesaid reasons, we country is losing its local market to imports from Uganda, a country that produces 10 million tones valued at 1.7 billion dollars of fruit making it the second largest producer of bananas in the world after India.
The average yield per hectare of banana in Kenya has been established to be 15 tones.
AREAS IN KENYA WHERE BANANAS ARE GROWN
The Abagusii community found in Kisii County are famed producers of the crop. It’s often joked that they can eat ugali with [a meal made from maize flour] ripe bananas instead of vegetables.
Bananas are also produced in Meru, Kiambu, Kirinyaga, and Maragua, Mbooni under irrigation.
The average weight of one bunch of bananas is 15-20 kg which fetches 200-300 shillings at the farm gate.
TYPE BANANAS PREFERRED BY CUSTOMERS
There are many banana varieties, that can classified in two distinct groups according to the way they are consumed: those suitable for cooking and those suitable for ripening.
Ripened bananas are more popular of the two; a fact attributed to the hectic Kenyan life, their affordability and the fact that a ripe banana is ready to eat.
Customers look for uniformly ripened bananas that are yellow in color and do not have black patches caused by rough handling during harvesting.
In most fast food outlets the cost of one plate of chips is between 60 to 200 shillings on the other hand, a single banana will cost between 5 to 10 shillings and 3 of them are sufficient to cool hunger pangs.
Ripened bananas are preferred because they give the body immediate energy supply because they have sufficient amounts of sugar and glucose.
OTHER USES OF BANANA PLANT
Besides yielding of banana fruit, pseudo stems of the banana plant are used in the production of fiber and as a reliable source of forage feed for many livestock farmers.
Banana beer is brewed in Rwanda is called Rugwanda it is served warm and tastes as if it’s sprinkled with charcoal. Guys there actually have it for lunch.
PESTS AFFECTING BANANA PLANT
Nematodes are the most damaging pest causing over 70% loss of the crop. Control is by nematicides e.g. carbofuran but it is becoming infective at the recommended lethal doses.
Treating the soil with farmyard manure, poultry manure and extracts fromtagetes minuta have the same capabilities of controlling nematodes like carbofuran. They are thus preferred since Nematicides damage the environment
WHERE TO FIND SUITABLE DISEASE FREE SUCKERS
Tissue culture banana seedlings are available at Jomo Kenyatta University of agriculture and technology in Juja and at the National Horticulture Research Centre, Thika or the nearest Kari research centre.
WHY GROWING BANANAS IN A GREENHOUSE IS NOT PRACTICAL
The cost of constructing One hectare of greenhouse is estimated to be $100,000-$200,000 meaning only high value crops are suitable for greenhouse production.
When we consider the production and value of one hectare of bananas; one hectare yields 14-20 tones of bananas valued at $ 3,220 to $ 4600 after waiting for 2-3 years!
Secondly the surface area occupied by one stool of banana plant that consists of the mother [the crop bearing bunch] the daughter and the child is about 4M2.
This limits the number of plants that can be grown bin the greenhouse thus lowers the number of bunches that can be harvested.
This is disadvantageous for those who sell to the market in form of bunches.
Finally a banana plant can grow to a height of 8 meters. This means if several of them are grown in a greenhouse they can outgrow the greenhouse and probably destroy it.
RIPENING BANANAS
There are three ways to do so
1. Natural ripening
Unripe, green, fully mature bananas are placed together with avocadoes or ripening passion fruit in an air tight paper bag.
During ripening there is the production and accumulation of ethylene gas that hastens ripening.
2. Ethylene generators
Artificial ethylene generators produce ethylene that induces the ripening of bananas for industrial scale bananas.
Disadvantage of artificially ripened bananas is they lack the characteristic flavor and aroma of naturally ripened fruit.
3. Dipping bananas in water containing carbide
It has been said that when bananas are dipped in water containing carbide their ripening is enhanced.
However it said that industrial grade carbide may contain traces of arsenic and phosphorus hence the use of calcium carbide in most countries is illegal.
BANANA PROCESSING COMPANIES IN KENYA
Stawi foods and Fruits Company enters into contracts with organized farmer groups where they buy bananas from them. They process them into banana flour and package them ready for the market.
Processed banana is packaged as StawiNatural Banana Flour and is commonly used to make baby food pasta, food fortification and pizza base.
Banana plant can yield up to 14 tones per hectare.
NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF BANANAS
They contain potassium, an electrolyte that helps to maintain the body’s fluid balance, keep muscles from cramping and prevent high blood pressure.
One banana is enough to replace what is lost during one or two hours of hard exercise.
One banana contains approximately 9 grams of fiber which is a third of our daily requirement.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE INFLORESCENCE INTO A BANANA BUNCH
A banana plant takes one to two years to attain maturity.
The maturity stage is characterized by the production of an inflorescence that later develops into a banana bunch containing several fingers that grow into bananas.
The size of the inflorescence determines the final size of a banana bunch and bananas.
For banana plants to produce bigger inflorescences the soil should be supplied with sufficient manure, be well draining and
The plant should be should be free of pests like banana weevil, thrips and diseases.
For instance the above plant will produce a small banana bunch and small bananas when fully mature because the inflorescence is small that is 40 cm long.
For the plant to develop a big bunch the inflorescence should be about 60-70 cm long. Once the inflorescence is produced, bananas will be formed in 3 to 5 months.
To establish a grape orchard, you need the right planting material. Grapes happen to be propagated vegetatively; this means, parts of the plant are cut, rooted and used to generate other plants. The most common method used in the vegetative production of grapes is stem cuttings.
If you are growing grapes for the first time you can obtain the cuttings from other grape farmers in Kenya or the Kenya Agricultural research institute (KARI). But if you already grow some grape vines in your farm in Kenya all you need to expand your farm is the vegetative propagation of the vines. Other grape vegetative propagation methods include; layering, budding, grafting and tissue culture. Layering is used in cultivars that are difficult to root while budding is used to rejuvenate old vines On the other hand, grafting is done on rootstocks resistant to the grape louse, nematodes and other soil conditions like drought and low PH. When you need clean planting materials in large quantities such that it is impossible sufficient grape stem cuttings, Tissue culture becomes handy. Grapes can also be grown from seeds; this method is mainly use by plant breeders to grow grapes with the intention of creating new varieties or improving the existing ones.
How To Obtain Suitable Grape Cuttings For Propagation.
The best time to get cuttings from grapes for propagation is when the plant is dormant. You harvest cuttings from the dormant annual fruiting vines or canes. Hardwood cuttings of 30 cm long, each with 3-4 buds are selected from the mother-plant and treated with a rooting hormone. Hormone treated cuttings are then stuck in a nursery to root and develop leaves. After rooting and leafing takes place, they are ready for transplanting to the main farm.
Planting Grapes
The Land is ploughed thoroughly and deeply to a fine tilth. Trenches measuring 30 cm deep by 20 cm wide and 1.5 M long are prepared for insertion of the cuttings. The top soil is mixed with 120 grams DSP and put back into each trench. The soil is then irrigated thoroughly and excess water is allowed to drain out before the cuttings are stuck in the trenches. Spacing of 15 cm apart should is observed the trench is filled leaving the top buds of each cutting exposed. Sprouting will occur after 4 weeks, afterwards top dress using CAN to promote vegetative growth. The cuttings should be left to grow for one year after which they will be ready for transplanting to the main field. The best time is between, August to October, so as to reduce transplanting shock. If the cuttings are directly stuck in the field, the same procedure used in the nursery should be followed, but the spacing in the field should be the recommended spacing. Holes should be at least 60 cm deep; each hole should receive 120 grams of DSP fertilizer, soil mixed with it, followed by irrigation. The whole cutting should be covered with soil; one bud should be left projecting above the soil. The soil around the cutting or transplant should be firmed and irrigated weekly. Shoots that sprout through soil are the best; those that are vigorous should be allowed to grow and trained towards a trellis.
Training And Pruning Of Grape Vines
Before grapes are planted a trellis system should be set up. The most suitable trellis is the T trellis as it is easy to construct and maintain. There are other methods of trellising; they include Veranda, Double veranda and Table trellis. Training is determined more by trellis system than by the rootstock. Spacing of vines is usually about 2 to 2.5 Meters intra row spacing and 3 Meters inter row spacing. The combination of training and pruning gives the vines the shape for bearing fruits. The shape should maximize the number of bearing canes and their exposure to the sun, as this improves the quantity and quality of grapes respectively. On the other hand, disease control is easier. One year after planting, vines, go dormant. When environmental conditions improve, the main shoot starts growing. When it reaches the top wire of the trellis it is pinched to encourage branching. New shoots emerge from the pinched point. If you are using a T-trellis select only 2 shoots. Train them to follow the wire in opposite directions. Laterals that grow from the trained shoots are allowed to hang below the wires. They should also be pinched to discontinue excessive growth once they have grown sufficiently. Pinching of grapes is important as it conserves nutrients, removes apical dominance, prevents the growth of small berries at the top of the vines and encourages good bud break and berry development.
Harvesting, Handling And After Care Of The Vines
Ripe berries are cut off from the laterals during harvesting. After harvesting, grape vines go dormant. If they don’t go dormant naturally, all leaves must be stripped of from the vine to allow them to go dormant forcefully. A Powdery mildew attack or withholding irrigation can promote defoliation.
Grapes--where do they grow them in Kenya? Most Kenyans have no idea where the grapes in their wine or juice come from? This is surprising considering that Kenya is known for its quality agricultural produce, but in of grape production, we are a far way off.
Very few Kenyans know where grapes are grown. It has been established that the plant grows well in Naivasha, Mandera, Mombasa, and Kibwezi.
Grape is not very exacting about temperature. Consequently, it can be the grown practically everywhere in the world making it the fruit with the broadest geographical distribution.
Kenya has a high potential to be a leading producer of the grapes if its cultivation is taken seriously.We can save a lot of foreign exchange as over 90% of the fruit used in wine and juice making is imported from South Africa and other countries. I am saying this because other farmers are doing it--right here in Kenya. If you don't believe me, just watch this two-minute video
The existing varieties can be classified into two distinct groups according to their functions
1. Table grapes- this group of grapes is used in making various meals for example as sweeteners in cakes.
2. Wine grapes-used specifically in the production of wine.
Grape Botany
The crop is a woody perennial vine having the ability, to live beyond 500 years.
There are some grape varieties; they include, French grapes also known as Vitis vinifera, American grapes- vitis labrusa and Mediterranean/ Muscatine grapes.
The most widespread grapes species is Vitis vinifera; a native of Europe grown on the world’s most land acreage.
Environmental conditions for grapes.
The crop prefers warm to hot temperatures; during fruiting, the weather must be sunny and dry.
Warm environmental temperatures during fruit ripening are vital in increasing the sugar content of berries while reducing their acidity.
This explains why grapes grown under irrigation in hot deserts or semi-deserts are sweeter than those from cold, humid areas.
The crop can grow in any soil, from sandy to heavy clays but the land should be deep and well drained.
Where the rainfall is scant, supplement it with irrigation of 500 mm of water during the cropping season. In Kenya, the cropping season is September to March.
Irrigation should be withheld after the long rains to force the crop to go dormant.
In August to September, fruit buds form thus it is essential to keep the plant healthy and well manured.
Suitable Grape scions for Kenya are as follows
Table grapes: Dodrilabi, Black rose, Italia, Muscat of Hamburg, Alphonse, LaSalle, Muscat of Alexandria, Perletta, Cardinal, Dalbiki.
Most grape rootstocks are adapted to many soil conditions. The selection of a suitable rootstock is based on the following criteria;
1. Resistance to Phytophthora root rot
2. Tolerance to drought and other soil conditions like low PH
3. Adaptation to soil depth and texture
4. Resistance to crown gall Agrobacterium tumefaciens. This bacterium weakens vines by encouraging the production of large amounts of cytokinins and auxins that induce excessive cell division and elongation.
5. Adaptation to different PH which affects availability or uptake of nutrients. The scion should be adapted to high PH soils to facilitate absorption of Fe2+ Mn2+, and Zn2+ should be adjusted to low PH to take in Mg2+, Ca2+, and K+
6. Phylloxera (grape louse) and nematode resistance. Nematodes are vectors of grape fanleaf virus.
7. Vigor control- in cold regions vines exhibit indeterminate growth. Such growth results in the diversion of food reserves to vegetative growth at the expense of the fruit development.
It has been noted; the physiology of strawberry plant,the environmental conditions where strawberry is grown, how strawberry is established in the field, the use of plastic mulch on strawberry, thinning of strawberry runners determine the yield per acre of strawberry plants.
My focus is to give a brief explanation on how the aforesaid conditions interact to determine the yield of strawberry and the practices a farmer can follow to maximize the yields of strawberry plants.
Physiology of strawberry plant
Strawberry is a compressed woody herbaceous perennial plant that produces stolons from auxiliary buds on the second node.
This means that the plant can survive for more than one season and the plant is propagated vegetatively.
Branches may form at auxiliary buds; at times, the bud produces an inflorescence or remains dormant depending on environmental conditions.
It has been observed that the roots produced by the plant don’t go deep in the soil; 50-90% of them are found in the top 15 cm of the soil.
New roots grow above old roots, this makes it necessary to cover the plant roots with more soil after harvesting otherwise they will dry and the consequence will be poor subsequent harvests.
The fruit produced heart shaped and appears to be tri-lobbed symbolizing trinity. The shape of fruits varies; some are oblate or globular, but the common fruits are heart shaped.
conditions favoring FRUIT INITIATION OF STRAWBERRY
Short days and temperatures of 20-240 C are some of the conditions that induce flower initiation.
If weather is warm throughout the year, blooming is continuous. Too cold or too hot temperatures inhibit flowering.
It has been discovered that growing conditions experienced by the plant during flower initiation and pollination determine the size and quality of the berries.
Any thinning or frost damage after flower initiation does not change ultimate size of berries. This is because the cells in the fruit have divided and their number fixed.
Fruit development starts when fruit-lets develop on the surface of the receptacle after the terminal buds produce an inflorescence.
Achenes are present in the receptacle; their purpose is to produce auxins [a hormone] responsible for fruit expansion; some auxins e.g. 2-4-D over-stimulate fruit expansion.
First flowers to be produced by the plant give larger fruits; such flowers are known as king flowers.
STRAWBERRY ESTABLISHMENT
Each plant produces 15 stolons that survive up to 3 weeks before they die. Stolon production is very important for crop multiplication.
Once the stolons are produced, they are cut off and used to produce new plants.
Spacing between plants and rows varies but one that is used is 60 cm between rows and 40 cm between plants.
The beds are raised above the ground to reduce the splashing of rain or irrigation water on the plants that encourages foliar diseases.
PLANTING of strawberries
The land should be prepared thoroughly to a fine tilth.
Mix compost or well decomposed farmyard manure with the top soil in the planting bed.
Mix 200 kg of Double Super Phosphate (DSP) fertilizer per hectare if the beds have the dimensions of 1 Meter by 40 Meters.
The beds should be raised so as to improve soil drainage and control root rot diseases.
Plants should be soaked in water for at least 10 minutes before planting and should be planted as soon as possible.
The roots should be spaced out so that they establish easily in the soil and ensure the soil is at the crown level to avoid rotting.
If you plant the crop shallowly; roots will be exposed and dry easily. The plants should be firmed well daily, until they are well established.
USING PLASTIC MULCH ON STRAWBERRY
Runners can also be planted through plastic mulch however, this increases production cost. Make holes on mulch and let the runners touch the mulch.
If watering is done under mulch, black mulch warms the soil resulting in early flowering and suppression of weeds.
Clear plastic mulch allows light to reach the beds, thus weeds continue growing but it has the advantage of preventing frost. If you are using plant covers, they should be removed when flowering starts.
Straw mulch protects the plants against cold injury. They should be placed on top of the plant late in the season as the plants go dormant. Straw mulch is removed early in the next growing season. Strawberry can be grown hydroponically.
THINNING OF RUNNERS IN STRAWBERRY
After planting, runners should be trimmed off so that they channel energy into vegetative growth first. The flowers should be removed for the first 4-6 months to allow adequate runners to develop first.
Once flowering starts, you need one to two rooted plants for the next planting.
Strawberries produce few runners so spacing is close. The beds should be replanted every 2-3 years using disease free runners. The lifespan of strawberries is 3 years.
Weeding should be done by cultivating shallowly in between the rows. Other types of mulch e.g. straw that will smoother the weeds, other alternatives are using of herbicides.
HARVESTING AND YIELDS
Harvesting is done regularly three to four weeks after flowering; start targeting green to light brown/red fruits. Handle the fruits carefully to avoid bruising them.
You can harvest 12-15 tones of strawberry per hectare if the crop is managed well. After harvesting, old leaves are cut off after duration of 3 months.
Cutting off old leaves helps in controlling diseases and results in new clean growth. Irrigate and apply a nitrogenous fertilizer at a rate of 200 kg of DSP after harvesting.
NA BUNCH
Strawberry is a compressed woody herbaceous perennial plant that produces stolons from auxiliary buds on the second node.
