PARA GRASS countries that have sufficient rainfall

(Cameron & Kelly 1970). It can also be useful

Other Common Names:
for stream bank and stream erosion control
Bancroft grass, buffalo grass, California and on steep slopes where rainfall and soil
grass, Dutch grass, giant couch, giant allows vigorous growth.
panicum
Interesting Facts:
Scientific Name: Bachiaria mutica
1. Have a better tolerance to flooding
Family: Poaceae 2. Adapted to control water flow and
erosion
Growth Habit: Herb
3. Phytoremediation
Life cycle: Perennial 4. Agroforestry

Mode Reproduction: Asexual PEANUT

Classification Based on Use: Forage crop Other Common Names:

Description: Para grass is a vigorous, semi- groundnuts, earthnuts, goober peas,

prostrate perennial grass with creeping monkey nuts, pygmy nuts and pig nuts
stolon’s which can grow up to 5 meters
Scientific Name: Arachis hypogea
(16 ft) long. The stems have hairy nodes and
leaf sheaths and the leaf blades are up to 2 Family: Fabaceae
centimeters (0.8 in) wide and 30 centimeters
Growth Habit: Herb
(12 in) long. It roots at the nodes and
detached pieces of the plant will easily take Life cycle: Annual
root in moist ground. The flower-head is a
Mode Reproduction: Sexual
loose panicle up to 30 centimetres (12 in)
long with spreading branches. The Classification Based on Use: Legume/Oil
paired spikelets are arranged in uneven Crop
rows and are elliptical and 2.5 to 5
Description: The legume family (Fabaceae) is
millimetres (0.1 to 0.2 in) long. The rachis is
the third largest family of flowering plants
tinged with purple. Although many flower-
with more than 18,000 described species.
heads grow, only a few viable seeds are
The peanut is an annual herbaceous plant
produced, and propagation is usually by
that grows to a maximum height of 60 cm. It
vegetative means.
is characterized by bearing of fruits that
Large scale Cultivators: 1.) Fiji 2.) Philippines develop and mature underground.
3.) Puerto Rico 4.) Cuba 5.) West Africa Fertilization of the ovary results in the
development of an elongated stalk (peg)
Uses: Para grass has been used as pasture in
which grows downwards and carries the
Australia since its introduction in 1849. It is
ovary into the soil to a depth of 2-7 cm. Pegs
currently used extensively for grazing and
can attain a length of 15-30 cm. Once
cut fodder in most tropical and subtropical
penetration of the soil surface has occurred, compared with saturated coconut oil
fruit enlargement proceeds at the peg tip (7-10) and unsaturated safflower oil
with eventual formation of the peanut pod. (140-150). Moderately saturated
Pods can contain 1-6 seeds. (monounsaturated) olive oil has an
iodine value of 78-88.
Parts of the peanut (seed)
3. Peanut flour
Shell - outer covering, in contact with dirt 4. Boiled and dry roasted peanuts
5. Cuisine
Cotyledons (two) - main edible part
Interesting facts:
Seed coat - brown paper-like covering of the
edible part Severe Allergic Reactions To Peanuts

Radicle - embryonic root at the bottom of It should be noted here that some people
the cotyledon, which can be snapped off have severe allergic reactions to peanuts. In
a recent case in Quebec, a girl reportedly
Plumule - embryonic shoot emerging from
died after a seemingly harmless kiss from her
the top of the radicle
boyfriend. In this case the girl was extremely
Flower: The peanut flower is produced on a allergic to certain proteins in peanuts, and
slender stalk (pedicel) near the base of the the boy had just eaten a peanut butter
plant. After self-pollination and fertilization sandwich. In severe reactions, the larynx
inside the flower, the pedicel curves swells shut and the victim is unable to
downward. Cells beneath the ovary begin to breath, a condition known as laryngospasm.
divide, producing a "peg" that forces the Another potentially life-threatening reaction
ovary into the ground. As the peg elongates, from peanut hypersensitivity is anaphalactic
a cap of cells forms next to the withered shock. People with severe allergies to
style. legumes and other kinds of nuts must read
all food labels very carefully, especially if
Top-producing Countries: 1.) China 2.) India
their child has this extreme hypersensitivity.
3.) Nigeria 4.) USA 5.) Sudan
Some Tasty Uses:
PINEAPPLE
1. An assortment of tasty, high caloric
snacks made from peanuts, including Other Common Names:
peanut butter, chocolate-covered
Piña/pinya, Ananas, Pynappel (Africans),
peanut clusters, cookies, roasted
Amortui (Indian)
peanuts, honey-roasted peanuts,
toffee peanuts, and various candy Scientific Name Ananas comosus
bars made of peanuts embedded in
Family: Fabaceae
chocolate and caramel.
2. Another major use for peanuts is the Growth Habit: Herb
moderately saturated peanut oil. It
Life cycle: Perennial
has an iodine value of 84-100
Mode Reproduction: Asexual multiple fruit. The fruit of a pineapple is
arranged in two interlocking helices, eight in
Classification Based on Use: Fruit Crop
one direction, 13 in the other, each being a
Description: For several thousand years, Fibonacci number.
superior types of pineapples had been
The pineapple carries out CAM
selected, domesticated and distributed by
photosynthesis, fixing carbon dioxide at
native Indians throughout the tropics and
night and storing it as the acid malate, then
subtropics of South/Central America
releasing it during the day aiding
(notably the Guarani in whose language
photosynthesis.
‘ananas’ meant ‘excellent fruit’).
Distribution
The pineapple is a herbaceous perennial,
which grows to 1.0 to 1.5 m (3.3 to 4.9 ft) tall, Widely cultivated in the Philippines in
although sometimes it can be taller. In two forms: Native and Smooth Cayenne.
appearance, the plant has a short, stocky
Native form was introduced by the
stem with tough, waxy leaves. When
Spaniards, smaller, fibrous with a better
creating its fruit, it usually produces up to
flavor. Smooth Cayenne was introduced
200 flowers, although some large-fruited
from Hawaii.
cultivars can exceed this. Once it flowers, the
individual fruits of the flowers join together Top-producing Countries: 1.) Costa Rica 2.)
to create what is commonly referred to as a Brazil 3.) Philippines 4.) India 5.) Thailand
pineapple. After the first fruit is produced,
Some Tasty Uses:
side shoots (called 'suckers' by commercial
growers) are produced in the leaf axils of the Bromelain: The proteolytic enzyme,
main stem. These may be removed for bromelain, or bromelin, was formerly
propagation, or left to produce additional derived from pineapple juice; now it is
fruits on the original plant. Commercially, gained from the mature plant stems
suckers that appear around the base are salvaged when fields are being cleared. The
cultivated. It has 30 or more long, narrow, yield from 368 lbs (167 kg) of stern juice is 8
fleshy, trough-shaped leaves with sharp lbs (3.6 kg) of bromelain. The enzyme is used
spines along the margins that are 30 to 100 like papain from papaya for tenderizing meat
cm (1.0 to 3.3 ft) long, surrounding a thick and chill proofing beer; is added to gelatin to
stem. In the first year of growth, the axis increase its solubility for drinking; has been
lengthens and thickens, bearing numerous used for stabilizing latex paints and in the
leaves in close spirals. After 12 to 20 months, leather-tanning process. In modern therapy,
the stem grows into a spike-like it is employed as a digestive and for its anti-
inflorescence up to 15 cm (6 in) long with inflammatory action after surgery, and to
over 100 spirally arranged, trimerous reduce swellings in cases of physical injuries;
flowers, each subtended by a bract. also in the treatment of various other
complaints.
The ovaries develop into berries,
which coalesce into a large, compact,
Fiber: Pineapple leaves yield a strong, white, Juice: Pineapple juice has been employed for
silky fiber which was extracted by Filipinos cleaning machete and knife blades and, with
before 1591. Certain cultivars are grown sand, for scrubbing boat decks.
especially for fiber production and their
Animal Feed: Pineapple crowns are
young fruits are removed to give the plant
sometimes fed to horses if not needed for
maximum vitality. The 'Perolera' is an ideal
planting. Final pineapple waste from the
cultivar for fiber extraction because its
processing factories may be dehydrated as
leaves are long, wide and rigid. Chinese
"bran" and fed to cattle, pigs and chickens.
people in Kwantgung Province and on the
"Bran'' is also made from the stumps after
island of Hainan weave the fiber into coarse
bromelain extraction. Expendable plants
textiles resembling grass cloth. It was long
from old fields can be processed as silage for
ago used for thread in Malacca and Borneo.
maintaining cattle when other feed is scarce.
In India the thread is prized by shoemakers
The silage is low in protein and high in fiber
and it was formerly used in the Celebes. In
and is best mixed with urea, molasses and
West Africa it has been used for stringing
water to improve its nutritional value.
jewels and also made into capes and caps
worn by tribal chiefs. The people of Guam In 1982, public concern in Hawaii was
hand-twist the fiber for making fine casting aroused by the detection of heptachlor (a
nets. They also employ the fiber for carcinogen) in the milk from cows fed "green
wrapping or sewing cigars. Pina cloth made chop" leaves from pineapple plants that had
on the island of Panay in the Philippines and been sprayed with the chemical to control
in Taiwan is highly esteemed. In Taiwan they the ants that distribute mealybugs. There is
also make a coarse cloth for farmers' supposed to be a one year lapse to allow the
underwear. heptachlor to become more dilute before
sprayed plants are utilized for feed.
The outer, long leaves are preferred. In the
manual process, they are first decorticated Folk Medicine: Pineapple juice is taken as a
by beating and rasping and stripping, and diuretic and to expedite labor, also as a
then left to ret in water to which chemicals gargle in cases of sore throat and as an
may be added to accelerate the activity of antidote for seasickness. The flesh of very
the microorganisms which digest the young (toxic) fruits is deliberately ingested to
unwanted tissue and separate the fibers. achieve abortion (a little with honey on 3
Retting time has been reduced from 5 days successive mornings); also to expel intestinal
to 26 hours. The rested material is washed worms; and as a drastic treatment for
clean, dried in the sun and combed. In venereal diseases. In Africa the dried,
mechanical processing, the same machine powdered root is a remedy for edema. The
can be used that extracts the fiber from sisal. crushed rind is applied on fractures and the
Estimating 10 leaves to the lb (22 per kg), rind decoction with rosemary is applied on
22,000 leaves would constitute one ton and hemorrhoids. Indians in Panama use the leaf
would yield 50-60 lbs (22-27 kg) of fiber. juice as a purgative, emmenagogue and
vermifuge.
Interesting facts Botany, production and Uses
(eds. D.P. Bartholomew, R.E.
1. Once pineapples are harvested, they
Paull and K.G. Rohrbach), CAB
just won’t ripen any further. This
International, pp. 69-107.
simply means that if you keep the
 Py, C., Lacoeuilhe, J.J. and
fruit you just bought for a few days or
Teisson, C. (1987). The Pineapple:
a week or so, do not expect the fruit
Cultivation and Uses. Techniques
to ripen even further. What you
Agricoles et Productions
bought is how it will stay.
Tropicales.
2. Pineapple is pollinated by some birds
 Sanewski, G.M. and Giles, J.
and even bats. Hummingbird is one
(1997). Blackheart resistance in
such bird which is responsible for
three clones of pineapple
pollination of pineapples.
[Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.] in
3. Here is something really surprising –
subtropical Queensland.
more than 200 flowers are produced
Australian Journal of
by a single pineapple plant. These
Experimental Agriculture, 37,
flowers have their individual fruits
459-61.
which look like scales. These
 https://www.tridge.com/intellig
individual fruits join together to form
ences/peanut/production
a single pineapple.
4. Each pineapple has individual  https://www2.palomar.edu/user
segments. These segments interlock s/warmstrong/ecoph8b.htm
with each other in two helices – 13  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pe
in one direction and 8 in the other anut
direction – each of which is a
Fibonacci number.

References
 "Brachiaria mutica". Tropical
Forages. Retrieved 2015-07-09.
 Urochloa mutica. USDA Forest
Service Weed of the Week.
 Miles, John W.; Maass, Brigitte L.;
Cacilda Borges Valle (1996).
Brachiaria: Biology, Agronomy,
and Improvement. CIAT. pp. 20,
259. ISBN 978-958-9439-57-9.
 Malezieux, E., Cote, F. and
Bartholomew, D.P. (2003). Crop
environment, plant growth and
physiology. In The Pineapple: