Cultivation of Crops Handout

The Cultivation of Vegetable Crops
Keeping Records
Individual crops have different requirements and need therefore
different treatments.
When growing different crops, it is useful to keep records of the following:
 The crop name and variety chosen

 How the land is prepared
 The type of material planted: seeds, seedling, cuttings, tubers, rhizomes, suckers, bulbs
 Date of planting
 Fertilizer treatment: type, quantity and rate of application
 Methods of weed control used
 Pests and disease control if needed: type or disease; treatment given
 Cultural practices: irrigation, drainage, moulding, mulching, pruning, staking,
intercropping
 Harvesting: date of harvest; yield
 Post-harvest handling; trimming, washing, grading, weighing, packaging, storage
 Marketing: pricing, labelling, selling
 Economic value: calculate total inputs and work out profit or loss.
The Cultivation of Horticultural Plants

Citrus (Citrus genus)
Varieties: grapefruit (White Marsh, Ruby, Foster); orange (Valencia, Navel); lime (West Indian,
Tahiti); mandarin; lemon; tangerine; citron.
 Propagation: by budding; planting out when 1 year old.

 Planting well-prepared soil; planting holes 45 cm long x 45 cm wide x 45 cm deep; use pen
manure; place plant in center and form a mound of soil around the plant.
 Pest & weed control: weeds controlled by brushcutting, herbicides (Karmex, Gramoxone)
or use of cover crop (kudzu); leaf-cutting ants, aphids and black bees controlled by
appropriate pesticides, fungicides protect against scab and withertip; use disease-resistant
rootstock to avoid tristeza, a viral disease.
 Harvesting: trees come into full-bearing in 3 years; sun-ripened fruits are picked manually;
collected in crates.
 Post-harvest handling: fruits delivered to depots for sorting, grading and weighing; stored
in a cool area before being transported to wholesalers and retailers for local consumption
or to a citrus processing plant.
Uses: good source of vitamin C and minerals: fresh fruit for local consumption; used to
produce fruit juices, bottled, canned or packed in cartons: fruit sections canned; citrus pulp is
fed to livestock.
Mango (Mangifera indica)

Varieties: Tommy Atkins, Madame Francis, Champagne, Julie.
 Propagation: can be grown from seed; seedlings raised in a shaded nursey; if specific
varieties required, these can be grafted on to healthy rootstock during the first year of
growth.
 Planting: grow on a wide variety of soils, but best in full sun on light, well-drained soils;
drought-tolerant; plant out seedlings 1 to 2 years after germination; protect young trees
from grazing animals; often planted as shade trees as they have a dense canopy and
animals can shelter beneath them.
 Pest and weed control: susceptible to scale insects, tip borers, fruit flies, seed weevils and
mites; treatment with insecticides if needed; wet and humid conditions during flowering
and fruiting cause outbreaks of fungal diseases, such as anthracnose and mango scab –
treat with fungicide; bacterial black spot is treated with a bactericide.
 Pruning: prune every 1-2 years to reduce canopy and to remove dead branches from within
the crown.
 Harvesting: trees bear fruit 2-4 years after field planting; fruit take 3-6 months to ripen;
ripe fruits picked by hand and placed in crates.
 Post-harvest handling: fruit are dipped in hot water and fungicide to reduce fruit rot
during storage; fruits are graded and packed into crates; stored at a cool temperature.
Uses: contain sugars, vitamins, minerals and fiber; eaten fresh and in desserts; can be
processed into drinks, juices and used in a variety of dishes; unripen mangoes are used to
make pickles and chutneys. The trees provide shade and shelter for livestock.
Avocado (Persea americana)

Varieties: Hass, Pollock, Fuerte, Lula and various hybrids.
 Propagation: can be grown from seed but have a period of 4-6 years before they bear
fruit; so mostly propagated by seed or by layering; year-old scions are grafted on to
rootstocks and left for 6-12 months before planting out; grafting is the usual method of
propagation to maintain quality and yield of fruit.
 Planting: soils need to be well-aerated; thrive in loose sandy loam; young plants need
room for good root growth.
 Fertilizers: young trees should be treated every 3 months with a general fertilizer,
after the first year of growth; older trees benefit from a nitrogenous fertilizer applied
twice a year.
 Pest and weed: use tin trunk wraps to protect the fruit from rats and squirrels; control
the six-spotted mite with a miticide; Dothiorella canker (causes dark spots on the
flesh) and root rot are fungal diseases which damage the crop; use disease-free
certified plants; if tree is infected; there is not much that can be done; avoid planting
in areas that have had diseased trees; use virus-free stock for propagation.
 Pruning: usually no need for pruning.
 Harvesting: time of harvest depends in the variety; some varieties ripen6-8 months
after flowering others require 12-18 months; fruits may get bigger after maturity if left
on the trees; fruits are picked hard and green but must be mature if they are to ripen;
avocados are biennial bearing (heavy crop one year followed by a light crop the
following year).
 Post-harvest handling: fruit is kept cool after harvest but will ripen in a few days at
room temperature; in retailing outlets, fruit is kept cool until needed; some varieties
can be picked when mature and kept cool for up to 6 weeks.
Uses: rich in fiber and polyunsaturated vegetable oils; eaten as a vegetable; used in salads and
guacamole.
Banana (Musa genus)

Varieties: Dwarf Cavendish, Gros Michel, Lacatan, Robusta, Valerie; plantain: French, Horse,
Dwarf
Local selections: Silk Fig, Sucreir, Moko, Burro.
 Propagation: suckers, preferably sword suckers; bull-heads and maiden suckers.

 Planting: soil with medium tilth; dip suckers into insecticide/fungicide mixture; place 30g
NPK (22:11:11) in the planting hole; plant suckers 2 meters apart 3 meters between rows.
 Pest and weed control: brush weeds using a weed-wacker; use Gramoxone to control
weeds between rows; control banana borer with insecticide/fungicide mixture; caterpillars
and leaf-eating pests controlled with Pestac or Rogor; nematodes controlled using
Nemagon and Furadan applied to soil; banana leaf spot is avoided by using resistant
varieties such as Valerie, Lacatan and Robusta.
 Cultural practices: dry leaves and suckers should be pruned every 4-6 weeks, ensuring that
each stool contains one ‘mother’ plant and one follower; pruning helps to control fungal
diseases; it also improves fruit quality (size and thickness) and yield; after each bunch is
formed, remove the flower cushion and place a polythene bag around fruits to protect
them from injury (‘sleeving’).
 Harvesting: when ‘three-quarters full’ for export and at ‘full’ stage for local consumption;
use a cutlass or machete to partially cut the banana trunk so that it bends over, bringing
the bunch within reach; cut off a bunch and avoid damaging or bruising the fruits.
 Post-harvest handling: de-hand bunches carefully using a sharp knife; wash off latex and
dip in fungicidal solution to prevent stem rot; air dry the fruits; pack in cardboard boxes
for export or store in a dry, warm area for ripening fruits are graded according to variety,
quality and condition or wholesaling, retailing and profitability.
Uses: consist mainly of carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals; consumed as fresh fruits and
desserts; immature fruits are boiled and made into soups, broths and pies; reject fruit and
chopped green leaves can be fed to pigs and ruminants.
Miniature golden apple (Spondias cytherea)
(also known as June Plum, pommecythere)
 Propagation: scions from tall golden apple trees are grafted on to dwarf rootstocks; this
ensures large fruit size; the scions should be free from disease.
 Planting: grafted plants are put into the ground at 10-15 meters apart; usually grown as
isolated trees or small groups.
 Pest and weed control: trees are susceptible to mealy bug and fruit flies; controlled by the
use of insecticides.
 Cultural practices: the low height of the trees is maintained by removing the top branches
when trees reach 6 years old; repeat the pruning every 6 years.
 Harvesting and post-harvest handling: trees produce fruit 3-4 years after planting; fruit is
picked manually; needs to be handled carefully to prevent bruising; placed into crates;
transferred to cool storage area before transporting to wholesaler. Retailer or processing
plant.
Uses: contains sugars, vitamins and minerals: ripe and unripe fruits are eaten raw; can be stewed
with ginger and sugar; made into chow; juiced; made into jam.
Ornamentals
Heliconias, orchids, ginger lilies, anthuriums and roses are cultivated in the Caribbean, Most are
marketed locally but some are exported.
Varieties
 Heliconias: belong to the banana family and are referred to as ‘wild bananas’; Golden
Torch, Bird of Paradise, Lobster Claw.
 Orchids: popular as cut flowers.
 Ginger lilies: red, pink and white varieties.
 Anthuriums: local selections include pink, white and salmon hybrids (Trinidad, Calypso);
Dutch cultivars include Anneke 141 (pink), Nette 123 (orange), Jose and Cuba (white),
Hawaiian cultivars include Ozaki, Manao Mist and Obake.
 Roses.
Cultivation
The land is prepared by clearing, ploughing and rotavating to a medium tilth. Pen manure is
spread and incorporated into the soil and raised cambered beds are formed, making sure that
drainage is adequate. Proper field drainage helps to control root rot and stem rot.
Pruning old leaves and stems that have borne flowers should be done regularly. Clumps of plants
that have become too clustered can be thinned by pruning or dug out and then transplanted into
new plots. Anthurium leaves need to be thinned, leaving four leaves per plant, to allow air
circulation and for disease control.
Anthuriums and orchids need the correct light intensity and humidity. The cropping area should be
shaded with saran shading, supported by posts, to a height of 2.5-3 meters. Crops need to be
watered regularly. Misting systems may be installed for orchids so that the plants can be misted
twice daily. Roses need protection from the sun, and are often given a resting period, between
September and February, when leaves are removed and the bushes pruned.
Propagation
 For heliconia: offshoots or rhizomes divided into clumps (2 to 3 shoots) or setts (10-15 cm).
 For ginger lily: offshoots or rhizomes as above, or plantlets from old blooms propagated in
an individual containers each with 2-3 plantlets.
 For anthurium: offshoots or suckers from the mother plant; rooted tops of old plants
(cuttings); plantlets propagated by tissue culture; seedlings (hybrids) propagated in a
nursery.
 For orchids: plantlets; offshoots.
 For roses: cuttings.
Fertilizers
NPK fertilizers are used at intervals, usually 3 weeks after planting and then at 2-monthly
intervals. High phosphate fertilizers are applied initially, followed by ones with higher nitrate and
potash content. Heliconias and ginger lilies benefit from pen compost every 4-6 months.
Weed and pests

Weeds can be controlled by hand-weeding and by applying Gramoxone, shielding the plants. Heavy
mulching of anthuriums with rotted bagasse or coconut husks will help to smother weeds.
Insect pests, such as caterpillars, aphids, mealy bugs, beetles and thrips, can be controlled by
using insecticides such as Rogor, alternating this with Pestac or Dipterex. Leaf spot diseases are
controlled by Cupravit. Anthuriums, roses and orchids are prone to fungal diseases on their leaves,
stems and flowers.
Time taken for flowers to form

Once established, the time taken for blooms to be produced varies from 3-6 months in anthuriums
and 6-9 months in heliconias.
There is a high demand for blooms locally and there is potential for the export market. Flowers
are used for bouquets, floral arrangements and exhibitions. Some ornamentals are raised in flower
beds in their natural setting in gardens, parks and recreational area.

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Cultivation of Crops Handout

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The Cultivation of Vegetable Crops

When growing different crops, it is useful to keep records of the following:

 The crop name and variety chosen

The Cultivation of Horticultural Plants

 Propagation: by budding; planting out when 1 year old.

Mango (Mangifera indica)

Avocado (Persea americana)

Banana (Musa genus)

 Propagation: suckers, preferably sword suckers; bull-heads and maiden suckers.

Weed and pests

Time taken for flowers to form

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