Taprobane Coir

03/09/2022

28/08/2022

Tomato cultivation - 01

CLIMATIC REQUIREMENTS

Climate is one of the most important factors when determining planting times. The wide variation in
climate in South Africa allows the planting and production of good quality fresh tomatoes in open
fields in various parts of the country all year. Tomatoes are known to be a warm season crop. It can
survive certain amounts of cold units, but are intolerant of very low temperatures. A tomato crop
requires very stable temperature ranges with minimums and maximums not being too wide apart.
Temperature variation might result in poor fruit quality or reduced yields. The minimum temperature is
around 10°C with the maximum being 34°C. Optimum temperatures are around 26 - 29°C.
Table 1: Required temperature ranges per development stage for optimum tomato production.
2.2 SOIL REQUIREMENTS
A very high level of soil fertility is required for the profitable production of a successful tomato crop.
The quality and quantity of tomato fruits are of crucial importance and are greatly influenced by the
fertility and nutrient levels of the soil. Tomatoes will grow moderately well over a wide range of soil
types. However certain criteria have to be satisfied in terms of the soil structure and content to make
it commercially viable. These factors include:
Nutrient composition
Compaction
Effective soil depth
pH
Crop rotation
Herbicide residues
Water holding capacity

All these factors can have major influences on the resulting yield. The soil must permit adequate root
growth to support the plant and supply water, oxygen and mineral nutrients and must be free of toxic
elements. The rate of root growth is dependent on the degree of compaction or bulk density of the
soil. The degree of soil compaction varies with soil type and location. The rate of aerial and root
growth of tomato plants increases with the oxygen contents of the soil. Root density is highest where
there is a high rate of diffusion. Root development of tomato plants can be extensive if soil water and
plant conditions are optimal. They can be as deep as 1.5 m and as wide as plant spacing will allow.
Early root development should be encouraged, because nearly all root growth occurs before fruit set.
The importance of organic matter cannot be over emphasized. Organic matter in the form of decayed
leaves, compost, sawdust or animal manure is a source of plant nutrients and acts as a soil
conditioner. It increases the capacity of the soil to retain water and nutrients. It also promotes root
growth and the infiltration of water and air into the soil.

06/08/2022

STRAWBERRIES Cultivation

Strawberries are a high-value crop in the
The United States. The U.S. is, in fact, the
world’s largest producer of strawberries,
accounting for nearly one-third of the
world’s total production. Different berry
plant cultivars, or cultivated varieties, have been developed
for different regions and climates throughout the country.
The different characteristics between the varieties may
include fruit ripening time frame, plant disease resistance,
cold tolerance, and specific berry traits such as size, shape,
firmness, and flavor.
Within the U.S., strawberries are grown in many states, but
the top three producing states are California, Florida, and
Oregon (Fig 1). Of these three, California produces the most
fresh and frozen strawberries, accounting for nearly 90% of
the strawberries are grown in the U.S. Operations in California
and Florida are normally large, commercial farms, where it
is often economically advantageous to manage strawberries
as an annual crop. Farms in Oregon tend to be smaller, and
distribute to local markets or sell via roadside fruit stands.

GROWING
Strawberries grow well in a variety of
sandy or loam soils. These soils provide
good drainage and warm up more readily
during the day, which is especially
important during cooler parts of the
growing season. When strawberry fields are being prepared
for planting, the soil is fumigated using an approved broad
spectrum pesticide to kill soil organisms that can harm the
growing plants or lead to decay of the fruit. Raised beds are then created and covered with plastic liners
which limit plant and berry contact with soil. Protecting the
plants and berries from contact with the soil and standing
water helps to prevent decay, pest damage, and contamination.
The liners also trap heat from the sun, allowing for an extension
of the growing season, and limiting w**d growth. There
are various colors of opaque liners that are used in different
regions and provide different degrees of heat absorption.
Water sources used to irrigate strawberry fields run the
gamut from underground wells to surface water. The source
type depends on the growing region and the resources available
to the farmer. Irrigation water is most often delivered to the
strawberry plants via drip irrigation systems. These systems
use rubber or plastic tubing buried in the raised beds to
deliver water to the roots where it is needed. Drip irrigation
also protects the fruit from contact with irrigation water,
which could transmit plant and human pathogens or cause
mildew and premature softening.
Commercial growers almost exclusively use chemical
fertilizers. The use of compost is rare. Fertilizers can be added
by injection into the soil, through the irrigation system
by injecting into the water (also known as chemigation),
or added as a side dressing in the furrow which is then
distributed when it rains. Pest, wildlife, and rodent control on strawberry farms are part of a good food safety program. Controlling these pests
helps protect the quality and safety of the berries. This is
common on many produce farms, not just strawberry farms.
During the growing season in some regions, temperatures
can drop below freezing. When this happens, it is sometimes
necessary to apply water to the growing strawberry plants to
protect them from frost.
Overhead irrigation is typically employed for frost protection.
Water is sprayed onto the plants because when the water
droplets freeze, energy is released in the form of heat. The
release of heat energy by the freezing water protects the
strawberry plants from the frost. When water is used for frost
protection, it comes into direct contact with the edible berries.
Some strawberry growing operations choose to treat the water
they use for frost protection before applying it to the plants in
an effort to guard against contamination of the berries.

01/08/2022

Technical Requirements of Coconut Cultivation

Coconut is essentially a tropical plant but has been found to grow under varying agro climatic conditions. The mean annual temperature for optimum growth and maximum yield is stated to be 270C with a diurnal variation of 60C to 70C and relative humidity more than 60 %. The coconut palm thrives well up to an altitude of 600 m above MSL. The coconut palm thrives well under an evenly distributed annual rainfall ranging from 1000 mm to 3000 mm. However, a well distributed rainfall of about 2000 mm is the ideal rainfall for proper growth and higher yield.

The coconut palm can tolerate wide range of soil conditions. But the palm does show certain growth preferences. A variety of factors such as drainage, soil depth, soil fertility and layout of the land has great influence on the growth of the palm. The major soil types that support coconut in India are laterite, alluvial, red sandy loam, coastal sandy and reclaimed soils with a pH ranging from 5.2 to 8.0

Soil with a minimum depth of 1.2m and fairly good water holding capacity is preferred for coconut cultivation. Shallow soils with underlying hard rock, low lying areas subjected to water stagnation and clayey soils should be avoided. Proper supply of moisture either through well distributed rainfall or irrigation and sufficient drainage are essential for coconut.

Preparation of land

Size of the pit depends on the soil type and water table. In laterite soils large pits of the size 1.2m x 1.2m x 1.2 m may be dug and filled up with loose soil, powdered cow dung and ash up to a depth of 60 cm before planting. In loamy soils, pits of size 1m x 1m x 1m filled with top soil to height of 50 cm is recommended. While filling the pits, two layers of coconut husk can be arranged at the bottom of the pit with concave surface facing upwards for moisture conservation. After arranging each layer, BHC 10% DP should be sprinkled on the husk to prevent termite attack. In laterite soils, common salt @ 2 kg per pit may be applied, six months prior, on the floor of the pit to soften the hard pans.

Spacing

In general square system of planting with a spacing of 7.5m x 7.5m is recommended for coconut. This will accommodate 177 palms per hectare. However, spacing of 7.5 to 10 m is practised in various coconut growing regions of the country.

Planting Material & Planting

Vigorous seedlings which are one year old, having minimum of six leaves and girth of 10 cm at the collar level should be selected for planting in the main field. Early splitting of leaves in the seedlings could be a criterion for selecting good seedlings. However, 18 - 24 month old seedlings are preferred for planting in water logged areas. Planting the seedlings during May with the onset of pre-monsoon rain is ideal.