Plucking tender coconuts will significantly increase the productivity of the coconut trees as also the profitability.

Some hybrid coconuts, especially Dwarf X Tall (DXT), are ideal for extracting tender coconuts, according to experts. The high yielding hybrids produce big sized coconuts with thin husk and large nuts. Each coconut will contain between 300 ml to 500 ml water. Tender coconuts can be harvested almost all through the year. However, the peak yields can be got from February to September. From a well-tended tree as much as 15 to 25 nuts can be harvested nearly once every 45 days.

On an average a full-grown coconut tree can yield about 200 tender coconuts in a year. The tender coconuts should be plucked at the right stage of development. There should be more water and the kernel should be thin and pulpy. At this stage, the water will also be sweet. The nuts will be about six months old at this stage.

Generally, the post-monsoon phase of weather will induce profuse flowering in coconuts. For a coconut to mature it normally takes eleven to twelve months. For tender coconuts, the nuts should be harvested in six months. It is most favourable for the growers, as they will get the best price at this peak summer in southern States.

A sound crop management and improved husbandry practices should be followed to get a regular flow of tender coconuts. The trees should be regularly watered, and manured at the right time.

Liberal application of organic manures and biofertilisers will prove to be rewarding. Vermi-compost and coir pith compost should be applied along with good quantities of powdered neem cake and rock phosphate. Wood ash or rice husk ash, which is rich sources of potash, should be applied along with the other nutrients. Application of beneficial microbes such as Azospirillum and Phosphobacterium and other biofertilizers will be helpful as they play a critical role in solubilising and mobilizing the nutrients to the active root zone.

The trees should be very well protected against major pests and diseases. The crown should be kept clean and application of powdered neem cake, common salt and turmeric powder will keep the major pests at bay. Spraying with cow's urine and vermi-wash will help in boosting the flowering and prevent the button shedding in the young trees.

The trees, when dedicated to the production of tender coconuts will yield about nearly 30 per cent more nuts than the coconut trees which yield mature nuts, according to experts.

A high yielding dwarf arecanut variety, Mangala, with hefty bunches.

The Arecanut (Areca catechu) has a gestation period of about six years and holds promise in the long run. The crop does well in loamy soils in humid tropics with evenly distributed rainfall. A number of native varieties and a few high yielding dwarf varieties are available for commercial cultivation. One of the most promising among the high yielding varieties is "Mangala", which is a dwarf variety with hefty bunches. For raising a plantation, disease-free planting material has to be got from proven mother palms. Bold seeds from middle-aged trees should be collected in February.

After the drying the seeds adequately, they should be sown in sand beds on the surface itself. Regular watering and mulching with grass will help in uniform sprouting of the seeds. After five months stay in the sand bed, the young plants should be shifted to a secondary nursery bed. Plants of about 2 years and six months of age will be ideal.

The main field should be worked and liberal quantities of organic manure should be added. The selected seedlings are to be planted in pits of 30 cm x 30 cm x 30 cm at an espacement of 4 m either way. About 1500 seedlings will be needed to cover a hectare. The planting is done in September when the southwest monsoon is in full swing. The plants need to be fertilized year after year in split doses with organic manure and biofertilizers, and watered. The fields should be kept free of stagnation and unwanted vegetation when the plants are establishing.

Trees begin to yield from the sixth year of planting, and the adult yielding palms need more nutrients. The trees have to be protected from a serious fungal infection called `Koleroga' and it can be prevented by using some eco-friendly strategies. Root grub or `cock-chaffer' grub is the major insect pest of this crop, and it can be kept at bay by using powdered neem cake and spraying with botanical insecticides.

Courtesy: The Hindu, October 31, 2002
(Website : www.hinduonnet.com)

Hibiscus sabdariffa, also known as Indian Red Sorrel or Roselle is a hardy perennial plant, but it is quite often grown as an annual, being raised from seeds every year. This economically important plant yields several useful products including the leaves, flowers, fruits and the fibre-rich stem. Belonging to the family Malvaceae, the red-tinged Hibiscus sabdariffa is grown extensively in the dry and irrigated tracts of Andhra Pradesh and in other arid regions of the Deccan Plateau.

The calyx of the flowers and the seeds are used in preparing herbal tea, which is popular all over the world. The plants are quite hardy and grow well in most soils that are well drained. They tolerate poor soil, and are grown as a supplemental rather than a primary crop. They require 4-8 months with night temperatures reigning above 21 o C and they need a minimum of 13 hours of sunlight during the first 4-5 months of growth to prevent premature flowering. The main field should be thoroughly worked, and manured with well ripe farmyard manure. The crop responds well to organic nutrition. Application of vermi-compost, powdered neem cake, wood ash and powdered rock phosphate along with a host of biofertilisers such as phosphobacterium, azotobacter and potassium solubilising bacteria would prove to be rewarding. The leaves can be harvested from the second month of planting and the sepals can be harvested from the third month itself.

Stall-fed goats can ideally fir into the intensive integrated farming system (IIFS). The small animals are the most efficient converters of farm and crop residues into excellent organic manure. Several farmers have successfully run stall-fed goat farms, and they have found that such an integrated farming venture was more productive and profitable as well.

Goat farming needs less capital when compared with dairying, and the animals can be raised in small farms. Stall-fed goat farming is an ideal occupation for the small, marginal and landless agricultural labourers. A few exotic goats such as Saanen, Toggenburg, Angora, Anglo-Nubian, British Alpine, French Alpine have been found to be well adapted to Indian conditions, and they are crossed with superior Indian breeds to geed progeny. The popular Indian breeds are Jamnapari, Surti, Tellicherry, Beetal, Malabari, Barbari and Gujarathi. The milch-type animals are ideal for integrated farming system.

Coconut mite or Aceria guerreonis is a serious pest of coconut in India. The mite scars develop on the surface of the nuts. The injury starts as a triangular cream-coloured patch just below the edge of the perianth and subsequently develops into warts and longitudinal fissures on the surface.

Biological control by means of natural enemies offers a long-lasting and eco-friendly solution to the problem. Particularly, pathogens, due to their versatility and easiness to formulate into products, are considered the best agents for mite control. A fungus Hirsutella thompsonii is a well-known mite-specific pathogen and has been used against various mite pests, including the coconut mite, in different countries. Now a mycoacaricide, named ‘Mycohit’, based on a selected superior strain of H. thompsoni was developed for use against the pest.

This mycoacaricide is able to provide upto 80% death of the mite depending on various crop and environmental factors. At least two sprays at an interval of 15 days are recommended for the effective control of the mite. The product needs to be stored in a dark, cool and dry place.

Pigeon pea grown as a vegetable crop is a profitable venture in dry lands.

Pigeon pea, also known as red gram or arhar, is a major pulse crop of India. Though, it is consumed as a cooked dhal, people in some states especially Gujrat and Karnataka prefer it as a green vegetable. For the farmers also, growing pigeon pea as a pure crop for vegetable purpose is profitable. It is suited for red soil belts of dry regions with erratic rainfall. Besides yielding nutritious vegetables the dry biomass of red gram serves as an ideal fuel. For use as a vegetable, the green pods of pigeon pea are picked before maturity. The protein quality of the green seeds is better than that of the matured seeds. It was also found that the starch digestibility of the green seeds was better than that of the matured seeds.

Persimmon (Diospyros kaki) belonging to the family Ebenaceae, is a choice fruit of the sub-tropics and temperate regions. Oriental persimmon is a native of China, and it spread to Korea and Japan several years ago. It is regarded as the national fruit of Japan.

Persimmon does best in areas that have moderate winters and relatively mild summers. It is essentially a monoecious tree that grows up to 8 meters in height. The shape, size and colour of the fruits vary with the varieties. In India, the astringent variety Hachiya is growing in the hilly regions. The fruits are deep orange-red with glossy skin. The flesh is deep yellow and sweet when ripe. Ripe persimmons are delicious. Other astringent varieties such as Fuyu, Jiro and Hyakuma are also grown in some parts of India.

The main methods of propagation are through whip grafting. Winter planting in January-February is considered ideal for Indian conditions. The grafts are planted in well prepared and manured pits. The trees should be prunned and trained in the early stages to develop a framework of strong branches. Regular watering, especially during summer, is a must. The trees start bearing 4 to 5 years after planting. On an average a full grown tree yields about 50 kg fruits per year. Fruits are harvested when they turn yellow to red, but are still firm. The fruits are clipped from the tree using shears keeping the calyx intact. Fruits around mature in mid-September and they should be wrapped individually in paper and packed in single layer crate.

The multi-purpose tropical bean yields tasty pods, which are rich in protein and vitamin A.

Among the tropical beans, known for their protein-rich pods and seeds, winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) is considered quite unique because of its multiple uses. A native of South Pacific Islands, Papua New Guinea, it was introduced in India during1799, and is grown in Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, West Bengal, Orissa, and other southern States, according to Dr. G. S. Sahu, Assistant Professor, Department of Agriculture at the College of Horticulture, Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), Bhubaneswar, Orissa.

Also known as Goa bean, four-angled bean or asparagus pea, winged bean yields protein-rich pods, and its succulent leaves, tender shoots resembling lacy asparagus, seeds, flowers and tuberous roots are also edible. This robust, climbing herbaceous perennial, which reaches up to 5 metres in height, is also grown in different parts of the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia. The tender pods, which are the most widely eaten part of the plant, can be harvested in two to three months of planting.

The long pods, which can reach up to 50 cm in length, are rich sources of proteins, carbohydrates and vitamin A (300 to 900 International Units). The pods may be eaten raw or used in salads, soups, stews and curries. The immature pods can also be used as peas. The seeds contain 29.8 to 39 per cent protein, 15 to 18 per cent fat and 23.9 to 42 per cent carbohydrate, according to him. The tender top three sets of leaflets can be eaten raw like spinach or cooked as greens. They are rich in vitamin A (20,000 IU), and 5 to 7.6 protein and 3 to 8.5 percent carbohydrates.

The vines produce starchy underground tubers. These tubers are eaten like potatoes, and are harvested 120 to 240 days after planting. The tuber formation is quite common in Papua New Guinea. In the Philippines, however, the tubers are relatively smaller and they are not eaten. The tubers are 2 to 4 cm in diameter and 8 to 12 cm in length. They contain 12.2 to 15 per cent protein (2 to 4 times higher than that of potato and 8 times more than that of cassava), 0.5 to 1.1 per cent fat and 27.2 to 30.5 per cent carbohydrate. This legume does well in humid tropics with high rainfall. It comes up well in loamy soils endowed with adequate drainage.

A perennial sweet herb Stevia rebaudiana is 30 times sweeter than cane sugar but without any calories.

A perennial herb originating from Paraguay has a lot of potential as a safe sweetening agent and this natural sweetener is extensively used in Japan. The sweet herb is botanically known as Stevia rebaudiana, and it belongs to the family Compositae. The leaves of Stevia have a sweet taste, but surprisingly without any calories, explains Dr. N Barathi, a horticultural expert and tissue-culture specialist from Hosur, Tamil Nadu.

Stevia is the safest natural sweetener, and it can substitute cane sugar in various preparations and formulations. It has been used to treat many ailments including diabetes, high blood pressure, digestive disorders, addictions and several skin defects.

Mango is a well-known biennial bearer. After a bumper yield, the crop records a low yield next year leaving the growers in despair. This bearing habit can be rectified and the trees can be made to bear regularly by resorting to systematic pruning of stem and leaves, according to horticultural experts. It is a low-cost technology, which can correct shy-bearing in popular varieties. Regular pruning and thinning of excess branches and twigs is the main objective. While pruning care should be taken to protect the healthy and vigorously growing shoots. Pruning will help in opening up the otherwise dense canopy of the trees. With the evenly distributed light and ventilation to the inner and lower reaches, several insect pests will be repelled.

The best time for pruning mango in south Indian conditions is from second week of August and third week of September, The pruned trees should be provided good nourishment and sound plant protection cover. Liberal application of farmyard manure along with good amounts of vermin-compost, powdered neem cake and wood ash will prove to be immensely beneficial.

The tractor-drawn intercultivator is an efficient implement to remove deep-rooted weeds to a large extent in a day.

Field evaluation tests at the Sugarcane Breeding Institute (SBI), Coimbatore, showed that a new tractor-drawn intercultivator could effectively remove weeds in between the rows without any damage to the crop over a large area in a day. This newly developed intercultivator, has two sets of tynes with three tynes in each set. This can be hitched to the wheel-adjusted tractor. It can be run on the field 40 days after planting to remove the weeds in between the crop in two rows.

Safed musli is gathered from the forests by tribals in AP, Gujrat, MP and Chattisgarh and sold to traders. With supply being only about 500 tonnes and demand being over 3,500 tonnes annually, there has been over-exploitation of the wild plants. Recently it has been added to the list of endangered species of Indian medicinal plants. The Government is now encouraging its commercial cultivation to meet the rising demand as well as protecting it in its natural environment. The Medicinal Plant Board and the Horticultural Board grant 20% subsidy on project costs to farmers while NABARD has put it in the list of plants for which loans would be given.

Lycopene is a pigment that gives tomatoes their characteristic red color. It is called an antioxidant because, in the body, it captures electrically charged oxygen molecules that can damage tissue. Subsequent research found that lycopene also reduces the amount of so-called bad cholesterol, and therefore may also lower the risk of heart disease.