Vegetable Crops Production and Management PDF

Unit One Vegetable Crops Production and Management Contents 1.1.Importance, problems and prospects of vegetable crop production in Ethiopia 1.2.Environmental factors influencing vegetable production 1.3 Classifications of vegetable crops 1.4.Types of vegetable crop production System 1...

Unit One Vegetable Crops Production and Management Contents 1.1.Importance, problems and prospects of vegetable crop production in Ethiopia 1.2.Environmental factors influencing vegetable production 1.3 Classifications of vegetable crops 1.4.Types of vegetable crop production System 1.5.Principles of vegetable crops management Pre. By Zarihun M. 1.1. Importance, problems and prospect of vegetable crops production in Ethiopia Vegetables are plants whose fruit, seeds, roots, tubers, bulbs, stems, leaves, or flower parts are used as food. Vegetables are diverse in their growth cycles.  Annuals Biennials Perennials  Herbaceous are plants that that have no persistent woody stems above the ground.  Cont… Vegetables are usually harvested fresh Vegetables are seasonal, perishable, and bulky in relation to their volume They require intensive management. They are vulnerable to damage 1.1.1 Importance The most important vegetable crops in Ethiopia include: pepper, Ethiopian mustard/kale, onion, tomato, potato, chili, carrot, garlic and cabbage, cucumbers  Cont… The major vegetables produced for domestic consumption are cabbages, tomatoes and garlic Green beans and peas are mainly produced for export purposes. Smallholder farmers: are farmers that own an average landholding size of 0.9 hectare Vegetables Vegetables have a relatively higher value. Vegetable production has a higher potential to increase employment and household income Profitable activity. Productivity of vegetables is often higher Intensively managed. Vegetables are highly perishable and Need to be stored and transported carefully An increased consumption of vegetables; Reduces hidden hunger Vegetables such as spinach, tomato, etc. are often good sources of iron, zinc, and iodine. Vegetables are rich sources of vitamin A, vitamin C (ascorbic acid), thiamine, niacin, folic acid and beta carotene Beta carotene is responsible for the normal functioning of the visual process and the structure of the eye. Vegetables are also raw materials for local processing industries. Increased demand for vegetables has encouraged investment in the sector both by national and international commercial producers. 1.1.2 Potentials and opportunitie  Ethiopia has; Favourable climate for production of various vegetable crops Vast land and water resources Abundant labour Suitable regions for production of various types of vegetables Key terms Agro ecology: relationships organisms have among themselves and with the surrounding physical environment in agriculture. Alpine Climate: Climate of high mountain regions/highlands. Humid tropics: Regions with relatively high temperature throughout the year and where rainfall exceeds evapotranspiration for 75% of the year. In Ethiopia; Vegetable production yields per unit area The amount of land used for production of the crops, is increasing This is because of; An increase in public awareness about health benefits of vegetables Small scale irrigation The government support for investors Incentives in the form of tax exemptions and other related benefits Local demand for vegetables Export of vegetables 1.1.3 Constraints 1.2 Environmental factors influencing vegetable production  Climatic: Temperature Light Precipitation  Soil Factor: Chemical Nutritional status of the soil Topographic factors  Biotic Factor: Pest Disease Weed  Cont… Photosynthesis, respiration and transpiration increase with increasing temperature up to a certain point. Temperature also influences the shift from vegetative growth to reproductive growth stage. Soil temperature directly affects; seed germination root development and absorption of nutrients and water by the roots. Tropical and sub-tropical vegetables may be damaged at temperatures below 10 0C. This is called chilling injury.  Cont… Some vegetable crops require exposure to low temperature before moving from vegetative to reproductive growth stages. This process is known as vernalization. WATER Fresh vegetables contain a high level of water 80% and 90% of their weight is made up of water. For production of each KG of vegetable dry matter, about 322L of water is required. Excess moisture from rainfall or irrigation can; damage vegetable seedlings. It can also wash away plant nutrients from the soils. Excess moisture can erode soils and cause flooding Light Light is the key element in photosynthesis Plants grown in full light develop vigorously with high chlorophyll amount and high photosynthetic activity. Plants grown in reduced light have lower chlorophyll amounts and are often succulent. Humidity In humid atmosphere, the stomata open and allow diffusion of carbon dioxide, oxygen and water vapour. This allows active photosynthesis and nutrient absorption. Altitude Temperature and rainfall of an area are determined by the altitude of the area in relative to sea level. With 100m increase in altitude, there is 0.6 0C decrease in temperature. Soil Soil type, fertility and soil structure contribute to the growth and yield levels of crop The Types Of Soil Determines; soil water shortage soil compaction Compaction: is process in which soil is pressed down Pore space: refers to the space between soil particles Biotic factors Biotic factors refer to organisms like bacteria, fungi, nematodes, viruses, weeds and animals. 1.3 Classification of vegetable crops Vegetables can be classified into different groups based on edible portion i. Root vegetables:-these are vegetables whose roots are consumed as food. ii. Leafy Vegetables;- these are vegetables grown for their leaves or stems. iii. Flower Vegetables:- the flowers of ‘flower vegetables’ are consumed. r Vegetables can also be classified based on temperatures 1. Warm season (tropical and sub-tropical) vegetables  Adapted to temperatures ranging from 18 to 29oC.  Grow well only in warm areas  They cannot tolerate frosts. They are sometimes called tender plants 2. Cool season (temperate) vegetables Grow well in relatively cooler regions. Cool season vegetables are referred to as ‘hardy plan’ They can tolerate frost without injury. Eg. broccoli, celery, cabbage, garlic, kale, onion, pea, radish and spinach. Vegetables can also be classified on the basis of their life cycle i. Annuals:- vegetable crops that complete their life cycle in a single year. Eg. spinach, lettuce and beans ii. Biennials:- vegetable crops that require two growing seasons to complete their life cycle Eg. carrot, cabbage and beet. iii. Perennials:- perennial vegetables grow for more than two growing seasons Eg. asparagus and artichoke 1.4 Types of vegetable production systems Gathering of wild vegetables Collection of edible parts from wild vegetable crops Several weeds are also consumed as vegetables including Amaranthus. Eg. shola, wild mango tree, leaves of moringa(shiferaw) tree, sama,water berry Agam’ (Carissa edulis), ‘Kega’ (wild Ethiopian rose. Vegetables grown mixed with cereal crops Ethiopian mustard grows mixed with maize crop Taro and kale can grow mixed with coffee plants. The amount of vegetables grown in cereal fields is small Home gardening Practice of allocating land close to the homestead for vegetable production. Various vegetables including fruit, seed, leafy and root vegetables are grown together. Such home gardens are very common in the Ethiopian smallholder farming systems Commercial vegetable production Mainly market-oriented production Common around urban centres Intensively managed with generous use of agricultural inputs 1.5 Principles of vegetable crops management Site selection and management for vegetable crops  land use history Soil pollution issues Availability and Quality of water resources Tophography Sustainability management The level of yield Crop varieties grown Quantity and type of fertilizer applied Quantity and type of pesticides applied Irrigation applied and other inputs used Soil analysis results Agricultural techniques used Information about market, sales, market demand, prices  Planting material Adaptation to local conditions Resistance to pests and diseases Whether it meets the consumer demand in terms of product quality Integrated crop management Crop rotation Whether crop rotation is working or not could be checked by regularly recording information on:  Whether yield is stable or increasing Whether pesticide use is decreasing or stable Stable or increasing organic matter levels Whether soil nutrient levels are stable H2O  Irrigation with groundwater should be started only after assessment of the groundwater resources. If irrigation is used, the amount and timing should be in accordance with the crop requirement. The quality of irrigation water is very important and should be monitored closely. Profitability of Vegetable crop production Assume the farmer 1 hectare of land and produce tomato crop He harvest about 45 quintals in one cropping season, in most of the towns, a kg of tomato is sold at 25 birr on average. this sums up a gross income of 112500birr in one cropping season, estimate one season farm expenses(e,i the cost of seed, fertilizer, chemicals, transportation, labor and other expenses)= 51,300 birr Net profit per month;112500-51300birr=61200birr per one cropping season. 2.1 Key terms in fruit production Fruit crop: is a perennial, edible plant cultivated for its true botanical fruit Fruit set: refers to the persistence and development of an ovary after flowering.  Con… Orchard: a farm land allocated for growing fruit crops Asexual propagation: is a vegetative reproduction or propagation where fertilization is not involved in the production of the crop. Chilling injury: injury from prolonged exposure to low, non-freezing temperatures. Chilling requirement: The time of exposure to cool, nonfreezing temperatures during winter. 2.2. Importance, Problems And Potential Of Fruit Crops Production In Ethiopia Importance of Fruit crop production in Ethiopia Fruits are inexpensive source of energy Their nutritional value is highest when consumed fresh Improves the household food security and income The purpose of large-scale production of fruit crops goes beyond the local consumption Fruit crops can be exported abroad. Major fruit crops produced in the country Pineapples Passion fruits Bananas Avocados Mangoes Citrus fruits Mandarin Papaya Guava and grapes Problems of Fruit crops production in Ethiopia Fruit production is relatively new to Ethiopian agricultural system Most indigenous fruits are wild Their management is also new to producers, merchants and consumers Technical knowledge in proper production, management and storage is lacking among most small scale producers. This limits productivity of the fruit sector. Prospects of fruit crop production in Ethiopia Ethiopia has diverse agro-ecologies, ample water resources and cheap labor. Ethiopia is located close to the Middle East and European markets The government has introduced and implemented attractive policies to enhance the contribution of the fruit production sector to the overall economy 2.3 Classification of fruit crops Fruit crops can be classified on the basis of structure, temperature requirement, and plant characteristic, ripening response I. Classification based on structure  Simple fruit  Simple fruit develop from a single mature ovary in a single flower Eg. apple, grape and citrus fruits  Simple fruits can further be classified into the following: 1. Fleshy Fruits: pericarp fleshy at maturity. Example: grapes, bananas 2. Dry Fruits: pericarp dry at maturity. Example: coconut, peanut 3. Dehiscent fruits: These are examples of fruits that dehisce or split open when fully mature. Example: silique 4. Indehiscent fruits: Indehiscent fruits do not split open; they do not release seeds at maturity. Example: Pome, sunflowers  Aggregate fruit  Consist of a number of mature ovaries formed in a single flower and arranged over the surface of a single receptacle. Eg. strawberry  Multiple fruit  Multiple fruits consist of the mature ovaries of several flowers fairly united into a mass. II. Classification based on temperature requirement 1. Tropical fruits: fruits which grow in a year-round summer-like growing season without freezing temperatures. Eg. Banana, pineapple, papaya, mango and guava 2. Sub-tropical fruits: fruit types cannot tolerate severe winter temperatures; they need some winter chilling Eg. citrus, figs, and olives. 3. Temperate fruits: Require a cold winter season  They can survive temperatures considerably below a freezing point. Eg. apples, cherries and peaches III. Classification based on ripening/ response to ethylene 1. Climacteric fruit;- characterized by a ripening-associated increase in respiration and in ethylene production Eg. tomato, apple, pear, and melon. 2. Non-climacteric fruits:- are characterized by the lack of ethylene associated respiratory peak and the signaling pathways Eg. grape, orange and pineapple IV. Classification based on plant characteristics Tree fruit: fruits produced on trees like peach, plum, mango, citrus, avocado, guava, mango, coffee, apple Small fruit: are fruits produced on shrubs like blackberry, raspberry, blueberries. 2.4. Principles and techniques of fruit propagation Crop plants can be propagated by either sexual methods or asexual (vegetative) methods. Both methods have their own advantages and disadvantages. Some crops can be propagated in both methods but others are propagated through only sexual or asexual method. A. Sexual plant propagation Developing plant from seed Seed propagation Seed is made up of three parts:  Outer seed coat,  Endosperm  Embryo Seed dormancy: A period during which seed is not growing. Pre-sowing treatments Appropriate pre-sowing treatment methods depend on the dormancy characteristics of the seed being treated.  The most common pre-sowing treatment methods to break seed dormancy are: Soaking in hot/cold water Fire or heating methods Soaking in chemical Drying Advantages of Sexual Plant Propagation Easiest and least expensive method of plant propagation Seedling trees are hardier and have longer life span  Allows propagation of plants which are difficult to propagate by vegetative method Eg. papaya, phalsa, coconut The rootstocks for budding and grafting are obtained by means of sexual propagation  They can be more resistant to pests and disease  Poly-embryonic varieties can be propagated by seed. Disadvantages of Sexual Plant Propagation Seedlings take more time to bear fruits Quality of existing plants cannot be improved by sexual propagation Plants propagated sexually are large. This raises the cost of fertilization, pruning and spraying chemical. There is no guarantee about genetic purity of plant Identification of sex in seedling is not possible Key terms Viable seed: seed that is capable of germinating under suitable conditions. Seedbed: an area of land tilled to produce a fine, firm and level soil surface, into which seeds will be sown. Cross pollination: pollination of a flower with pollen from another plant of the same species. Genetic purity: the degree of contamination of seeds caused by undesired genetic varieties or crop species Asexual Plant Propagation Vegetative parts or fragments of plants such as leaves, stems, and roots are used for plant multiplication These plant parts may be taken from a single mother plant or other from multiple plants Asexually propagated trees are exact copies of their mother plants and bear the same type of fruit. The asexual methods most often are; I. Cuttings Apportion of a stem, root, or leaf is cut from the parent plant, placed under certain favorable environmental conditions and induced to form roots and shoots. This produces a new, independent plant which is identical to the parent plant. The stem cutting can be divided into three groups, according to the nature of the wood used: 1. Hardwood 2. Semi-hardwood and 3. Softwood cutting The stem cutting is one of the most important plant propagation types in fruit propagation. The basic cutting technique is the same II. Air layering portion of plant is forced to produce adventitious roots without detaching it from the parent plant Adventitious root is specialized root that develop from a non-root tissue part of the plant It is usually used in plant species that are particularly difficult to root. 1) well developed stool (parent plant) is selected, 2) one shoot is bent to the soil while the others might be harvested, 3) the bending shoot starts to root while the harvested one re- grows and 4) the bending shoot becomes an independent plant III. Grafting Grafting is the joining of parts of plants together in such a way that they unite and continue to grow as a single plant. Scion Root stock Several grafting methods are used Cleft or wedge grafting is the most common field level practice. Cleft or wedge grafting has a good chance of success. The stock and the scion must be compatible, or they will not unite. Grafting should involve only closely related species or plant families. The requirements to improve the performance of grafting method Cambial regions of scions and stock must be in intimate contact for successful grafting Suitable variety should be selected both for stock and scion in terms of being healthy, strong and free from pests Cut surfaces should be held tightly for proper healing and flow of water and nutrients After grafting, all cut surfaces must be protected from drying out Proper care must be given to the graft until the stock and scion unite Shoots from the stock must be removed to stop their competition for resources like nutrients and water with the scion Shoots from the scion can grow so vigorously that they break the scion off unless tied The grafting knife should always be kept razor sharp during grafting operations