Cucumber Production
By goGreen | February 2, 2012
Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L) is a well known crop. Its fruit has many uses in food preparation. Pickled cucumber is a universal ingredient in salads, dishes, dips, sauces, gravies, and as an appetizer. Fresh or slicing cucumber is widely used in sandwiches and burgers and can be eaten raw or cooked. When eaten regularly, it helps cure kidney ailments. The fruit extracts are also used in the preparation of cosmetics and medicines.
This module presents the cultural practices in growing cucumber. It is designed to guide amateur growers and farmers in growing the crop basically in a rice-based farming system.
Recommended Varieties
Cucumber is classified into two main types—the slicing and the pickling types (Fig 1). The fruit of pickling varieties are less than 12 cm long with a length/diameter ratio of 2.8-3.2, and white or black spines. These used to be processed into gherkins or whole pickled cucumbers mainly in the United States and Europe but now these are also processed in the Philippines. Fruits that are bigger than gherkins are processed into dill (sliced) or pickle relish (chopped into small pieces). These processed products are used to flavor meat, fish, and vegetable dishes or even salads and sweets. Varieties of cucumber that are recommended for production are presented in Table 1.
Table 1. Characteristics of the recommended varieties of cucumber
Variety | Days to Maturity | Average Yield (t/ha) | Yield (kg/1000m2) | Type | Uses | Market |
| UPL-CU-6 (Pilmaria) | 30-40 | 30 | 20,000 | Pickling | Pickles/Condiment | Food processor |
| Explorer | 30-40 | 26.5 | 26,000 | Pickling | Pickles/Condiment | Food processor |
| Panorama | 30-50 | 20 | 20,000 | Slicing | Salad | Local market and supermarket |
| UPL-CU-11 (Bituin) | 30-50 | 3 | 30,000 | Slicing | Salad | Local market and supermarket |
| Native | 40-70 | 1.5 | 15,000 | Slicing | Salad | Local market and supermarket |
Fig 1. a) Pickling Cucumber and b) Slicing Cucumber,
Site Selection/Soil Type
Choose an area that receives sunlight throughout the day and with an adequate source of water. Cucumber grows profitably in sandy or clay loam soil with a pH of 6.0-8.0. If the soil is clayey, improve it by incorporating composted soil at the rate of 0.5kg/m2.
Planting Season
Cucumber is an all-season crop. Grow it in the lowlands from October to December to obtain high yield. Growing cucumber in hilly areas from May to July is also profitable.
Land Preparation
Plow and harrow once for rice-based clay loam soil. For a 1000 m2 sandy loam soil, plowing and harrowing are optional. If enough labor is available, use hand hoe. Do not raise the plots during dry season, but raise it 30 cm high during wet season to avoid water logging that will damage the roots.
System of Planting
Conventional Method
To prevent weed growth and excessive loss of moisture, cover the plots with black polyethylene plastic sheets secured by fixing one foot pliable bamboo sticks or wire at the edge of the plastic sheets. Use double row system with 30 cm distance between hills and 75 cm between rows. Make holes 30 cm between hills by pressing on the plastic sheet a half gallon can half-filled with hot charcoal. The plastic will melt thereby creating a circular hole representing the hill.
Apply 100 g of organic fertilizer or composted chicken manure mixed with 10 g of 16-20-0 for every hole that are situated at the ridges of the plot so that the plant can easily reach the water at time of irrigation. Plant 3 seeds equidistantly spaced in each hole and cover with fine soil.
Irrigate in between plots after planting and be sure that the water reaches the ridges of the plot where the seeds are planted. If irrigation water is not available, water the plants at 1 L per hill. Three days after seeding, the seeds are expected to emerge. At 7 days after emergence (DAE), thin weak seedlings by leaving only two vigorous plants per hill.
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Topics: Crops & Vegetables, Farming Methods | No Comments »
Glucose & Fructose in Plants
By goGreen | February 2, 2012
Glucose and fructose are the products of photosynthesis. When plants convert sunlight into energy, they are producing the simple sugars fructose and glucose. Those sugars are then converted to sucrose for storage until the energy is needed. Plant sugars are stored in seeds, roots, leaves and the fruit of the plant. The plants that make the most sucrose are sugar beets and sugar cane and those are commonly used to make table sugar. Fructose is consumed via fresh fruits, fruit juices and honey and in manufactured products like high fructose corn syrup, which is actually a fructose-glucose blend.
Fructose
Fructose, or fruit sugar, is the sweetest sugar and is obtained mainly from fruits and honey. It has the exact same molecular formula as glucose but, unlike glucose, fructose acts as a ketone in the body. Ketones are acidic byproducts of fat burning. An excess of ketones in the blood can lead to a dangerous condition called ketoacidosis, a complication of diabetes. Consumption of fruit is part of a healthy diet, providing important vitamins, minerals and fiber. The sugar content is only a problem when it is isolated from the whole fruit and consumed in excess.
Glucose
Glucose is stored in plants as starch. It comes from beans, rice, potatoes, corn, and wheat and is found primarily in plant sap. Enzymes in the human body break down starches when they are eaten and release their sugar into the bloodstream. There it can be used as instant energy or stored in the form of glycogen in the liver and the muscle tissues. Glucose is not as sweet to the taste buds as fructose so it is not as widely used in food preparations. It does, however, convert to energy in the body more efficiently and glucose releases beneficial hormones that affect hunger sensations and body weight.
Sucrose and HFCS
Sucrose is table sugar. It is primarily obtained from sugar beets and sugar cane. After fructose, it is the sweetest sugar and was once the main sweetener in the American diet. Due to the rising cost of sugar, food manufacturers developed a method for extracting the sugar from corn, creating a mix that is 55 percent fructose and 45 percent glucose, hence the name, high fructose corn syrup or HFCS. HFCS is now the most widely-used sweetener and has been implicated in the increasing incidence of obesity in American adults and children.
Sweets to Eat
Overconsumption of any sweets leads to weight gain and dental caries or cavities. Too much sugar in the diet can lead to diabetes and a host of medical conditions that are related to it — all serious health concerns. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables and natural foods that contain fructose and glucose is not a problem in a balanced diet for a healthy person. But sugar additives, in low-nutrient products like sweetened soft drinks, may be contributing to America’s explosive obesity epidemic and a rise in diabetes. A University of California study using human subjects found that those who consumed drinks sweetened with fructose and with glucose gained similar amounts of weight over 12 weeks but showed different health effects. Fructose sweeteners resulted in altered liver function, insensitivity to insulin and high risk conditions for developing diabetes, atherosclerosis and heart attack.
Source: eHow.com
Topics: Miscellaneous | No Comments »
How to Kill Snails With Vinegar
By goGreen | February 2, 2012
Snails are common garden pests from the mollusk family. Snails feed on plants by chewing holes in flowers, leaves and stems. Snails require plenty of moisture to thrive, and hide in cool, dark places during the day to keep from drying out. Common snail remedies such as salt and metaldehyde can harm plants and animals. Attract snails with a trap and use white vinegar as a safe, effective pesticide.
Things You’ll Need
- Small wooden plank or melon rind
- Spray bottle
- White vinegar
Instructions
1. Set a wooden plank or inverted melon rind on damp soil in your garden. This provides a cool, dark place for the snails to hide.
2. Fill a spray bottle with white vinegar.
3. Lift the wooden plank or melon rind the next day and spray any snails with a liberal amount of vinegar.
4. Move the wooden plank or melon rind to another area in your garden. Repeat lifting and spraying each day as needed until the snail problem subsides.
Source: eHow.com
Topics: Gardening, How to | No Comments »
Saluyot Into High-fashion Fabric
By goGreen | February 1, 2012
The lowly saluyot will debut on the fashion ramp last December as a premium, earth-friendly fabric.
The Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) will unveil the new fabric during a national conference in celebration of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) International Year of Natural Fibers.
“We have weaved 80 percent polyester with 20 percent spinned saluyot fibers to make smooth fabrics; the mix can go as high as 40 percent saluyot that has been treated to make fiber,” says PTRI Director Carlos C. Tomboc. “To make an all-natural blend, saluyot may also be weaved with cotton and is ideal for curtains and drapes, beddings, table runners and linens as well as burlaps for nets, ropes and geotextiles against soil erosion.”
Saluyot stems soaked in water for about three weeks yield at least 5 percent fibers that passed textile tests for fineness, tensile strength and residual gum properties.
A part of the Department of Science and Technology, the PTRI in recent years has concentrated on research and development of maguey, water hyacinth, abaca, anabo, banana, kenaf, pineapple and ramie as fabrics.
Having established the procedures for mechanical and chemical pretreatment, yarn and fabric processing, the PTRI has commercialized the technologies for abaca, banana and pineapple fibers and is ready to do the same for saluyot, water hyacinth and maguey.
Saluyot is a highly nutritious vegetable that is commonly cooked by Filipino peasants with bamboo shoots. Known as jute leaves, it is called “famine food” by Africans because it is a vegetable of last resort during droughts.
Water hyacinth grows in almost all of the country’s freshwater bodies. It is so prolific in fact that the plant is considered a “weed” because it clogs waterways and kills aquatic life in rivers and lakes.
Maguey grows wild in northern Luzon, Cebu and Panay. It is used in cordage, ropes, twines, carpets, wall coverings, crafts and handmade paper.
It is also planted on 500 hectares, mostly in Bohol but production has declined because of inefficient fiber extraction and dwindling fiber supply due to old, sparsely planted or abandoned plantations. It takes four years from planting to harvesting while productions returns are low.
DRASTIC CHANGE
The PTRI is about to drastically change the status of these seemingly lowly plants to reverse the sliding textile industry owing to stiff competition from China, cheaper fabrics from abroad, imported raw materials, local labor unrest, higher production costs and widespread smuggling.
“Substituting just a fourth of imported textile with local tropical fabrics means foreign exchange savings of $156.72 million,” says Nora B. Mangalindan, head of research and development at PTRI. “The world textile industry has been devoid of new natural textiles for 15 years now and it is a great opportunity for tropical fibers made in the Philippines.”
About 99 percent of textiles currently used are synthetic. Natural cotton, mostly from Mindanao, is sporadic and supplies less than 3 percent of demand from textile mills.
The use of tropical fabrics is required by law to compose at least 3 percent of government uniforms. When implemented fully, this could mean import substitutions of 481 metric tons of fibers worth $547.8 million.
Topics: Agri-Business, Miscellaneous, News & Updates | No Comments »
How to Make Vegetable Wax
By goGreen | February 1, 2012
Making vegetable wax is ideal for people who prefer organic substances because the wax is biodegradable, nontoxic and extracted from vegtables. Soy wax, which is a soft vegetable wax made from the oil of soybeans, is well-known. Other examples of vegetable waxes include carnauba, candelilla and palm. Many plants, shrubs and trees yield waxes that can be extracted and used to make cosmetics, lotions, soaps, balms and candles. All vegetable waxes burn clean with reduced smoke and soot buildup and no pollutants. According to The AgWeek website, waxing also protects fruits and vegetables from losing moisture and helps prevent bruising and mold growth.
Things You’ll Need
- Soybeans
- Mechanical press
- Bleach
- Hydrogenating machine
- Pan
- Stove
- Dye (optional)
- Fragrance oil (optional)
Instructions
1. Buy soybeans in bulk from your local grocery or natural foods store. It generally takes 60 pounds or one bushel of soybeans to make 11 pounds of soybean oil. Soy bean oil becomes more solid and turns into wax when it’s hydrogenated.
2. Crush and press soybeans using a mechanical press to separate the soybean meal from the oil. Bleach must be used to purify and refine the soybean oil.
3. Put soybeans in a hydrogenating machine. Heat machine up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit before adding soybeans. This begins the hydrogenation of soybeans, which makes the soy wax. The hydrogenation process saturates fats and converts the fatty acids from unsaturated to saturated oil.
4. Place the soy wax in a pan and turn the stove’s heat on medium. When the wax has thoroughly melted, remove the wax from the heat. For soy candles, fragrance oils and dyes can be added to the wax. Pour the soy wax in a jar and carefully position a candlewick in the center. Trim the wick upon initial burning to at least a quarter-inch from the wax.
Source: eHow.com
Topics: How to | No Comments »
What I Didn’t Know About Composting
By goGreen | February 1, 2012
Composting is a familiar activity to many home gardeners and farmers. This organic decomposition of plant material results in a rich fertilizer for vegetable and flower gardens.
Items
In addition to standard “green” and “brown” items, such as grass clippings, vegetable peels and dead leaves, other household items are also compostable. Pet fur, human hair, eggshells, coffee grounds and tea bags are among the more unusual compostables.
Uses
Compost is often used as a fertilizer, either mixed with or placed atop garden soil, but there is another application method. Steep ripe compost with water for several days before straining out debris. Use this “compost tea” as a liquid fertilizer for the soil or plant leaves.
Considerations
Red wriggler earthworms can speed up the composting process. Red wrigglers are not common outdoor earthworms, but you can purchase them from fishing supply stores or worm farms. Under the right conditions, red wrigglers can eat their weight in waste daily.
Source: eHow.com
Topics: Gardening | No Comments »
New Products from Calamansi Wastes Introduced
By goGreen | February 1, 2012
Calamansi Fruit is composed of 30 to 31 percent juice, which is used as flavoring, beverage and source of vitamin C. How about the remaining 69 to 70 percent? Void of juice, the peel, pulp and seeds are considered wastes, which are thrown away by households, food establishments and juice processor.
These wastes, if not properly disposed, might add to the pressing problem on garbage. That is why food experts at the Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI) sought practical ways to utilize these calamansi wastes, especially those that are generated by commercial calamansi juice processors.
The idea came about when a calamansi juice processor based in Zamboanga asked ITDI on what to do about the big volume of calamansi wastes left after extracting the juice.
Since calamansi wastes are rich in dietary fiber, the research team of Annabelle V. Briones, Wilhelmina O. Ambal, Bella R. Redublo, Cesar R. Cortes, Norvina S. Deocampo, and Merle A. Villanueva came up with a product called calamansi dietary fiber powder which they showcased at the National Inventors’ Week (NIW) held from November 17-21 at Philippine Trade Training Center in Pasay City.
The calamansi dietary fiber powder is of insoluble type, which is “insoluble in water and passes through the intestine largely intact. This makes it different from the soluble type which forms into gel when mixed with liquid, but both are non-digestible,” says Briones during the NIW.
The researchers said that one of the major benefits from taking calamansi dietary fiber powder is the regulation of digestive problems because it cleans the intestines of waste products brought about by unhealthy eating. It also helps reduce the risk of developing colon cancers and other gastrointestinal ailments.
Based on analysis, the calamansi dietary fiber powder contains 80% total dietary fiber, 7.2% soluble powder, 6.41 % moisture, 6.52 ash, 8.25 protein, 11.31% fat, 67.51% total carbohydrate, and 405 kcal/ 100 g food energy.
How is calamansi dietary fiber powder consumed? Researchers said that it could be formulated into 500-mg capsules and taken as a regular supplement. It can also substitute wheat bean and uncooked oats as ingredients for high-fiber cookies.
In terms of cost, calamansi dietary fiber powder is much cheaper than the commercially available dietary fiber powder in the market. Researchers said that it costs only P3.15 per 5-gram pack compared to P20/5-g pack of commercial one which is made from imported raw materials.
The researchers said that the technology on the production of calamansi dietary fiber powder, which. involves simple equipment for treatment, drying, grinding and sieving, is now ready for commercialization by interested adoptors.
SOURCE: Agri Business Week
Topics: Agri-Business, Miscellaneous, News & Updates | No Comments »
Wonders of Oregano
By goGreen | January 31, 2012
There are many species of oregano. Origanum vulgare is a hardy, aromatic, bushy perennial with rose-purple, sometimes pink to white flowers. It is a European native, where it is commonly called White Marjoram.
Oregano has been highly prized for its folk and culinary uses. It is particularly used in Italian and Greek cuisine. It is the leaves that are used in cooking, and the dried herb is often more flavorful than the fresh.
Oregano is often used in tomato sauces, with fried vegetables, and grilled meat. With basil, oregano contributes much to the distinctive character of many Italian dishes. It also combines nicely with pickled olives, capers, and lovage leaves. Unlike most Italian herbs, oregano works with hot and spicy food, which is popular in southern Italy.
Oregano is an indispensable ingredient for Greek cuisine. It adds flavor to Greek salad and is usually used separately or added to the lemon-olive oil sauce that accompanies many fish or meat barbecues and some casseroles.
FEATURES AND HEALTH BENEFITS
Oregano has an aromatic, warm, and slightly bitter taste. It varies in intensity; good quality is so strong that it almost numbs the tongue. But the cultivars adapted to colder climates often have unsatisfactory flavor. The influence of climate, season and soil on the composition of the essential oil is greater than the difference between various species.
Oregano is high in antioxidant activity due to a high content of phenolic acids and flavonoids. It has also demonstrated antimicrobial activity against food-borne pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes. Both of these characteristics may be useful in both health and food preservation.
In the Philippines, oregano (Coleus aromaticus) is not commonly used for cooking but is rather considered as primarily medicinal plant, useful for relieving children’s coughs.
Main constituents include carvacrol, thymol, limonene, pinene, ocimene, and caryophyllene. The leaves and flowering stems are strongly antiseptic (discourages the growth of microorganisms), antispasmodic (prevents muscle spasms), carminative (prevents or relieves flatulence or gas in the gastrointestinal tract and, in infants, may help in the treatment of colic), expectorant (bring up mucus and other material from the lungs, bronchi, and trachea), stimulant, and mildly tonic (improves health).
Aqueous extracts, capsules, or oil extracts of oregano are taken by mouth for the treatment of colds, influenza, mild fever, fungal infections, indigestion, stomach upsets, enteric parasites, and painful menstruation. It is strongly sedative and should not be taken in large doses, though mild teas have a soothing effect and aid restful sleep. Used topically, oregano is one of the best antiseptics because of its high thymol content.
Hippocrates, the father of medicine, used oregano as an antiseptic as well as a cure for stomach and respiratory ailments. A Cretan oregano (O. dictamnus) is still used today in Greece to soothe a sore throat.
Himalayan oregano has recently been found to have extremely effective properties against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), showing a higher effectiveness than 18 currently used drugs.
INTRODUCING DOSTO-OIL BASED PRODUCTS
Dostofarm GmbH, an innovative and dynamic company in Hansacker, Westerstede, Germany, has developed the following oregano-based products for the growing global livestock and poultry industry:
1. Dosto Green (7.5% oregano oil) -feed additive for poultry, calves, foals, goats, swine and rabbits.
2. Dosto Liquid (100,000 mg/kg oregano oil) – water-soluble supplement for poulry and swine and for hatching eggs.
3. Dosto Special 8% and Dosto Emulsion – control for E. coli and coccidiosis, and improve gut microflora, appetite and intake.
Aside for being environmentally friendly. pure and natural, Dostofarm feed additives, which exclusively imported and distributed by Broadchem Corporation in the Philippines, exhibit the following salient properties:
1. strong enteric bactericidal effects;
2. only. local reactions;
3. no withdrawal periods;
4. no residues in meat, milk or eggs;
5. no influence on taste of meat, milk or eggs; and
6. no antibiotic resistance.
Dosto products are now widely used in Europe and elsewhere as natural growth promoters; natural coccidiostats in swine and poultry; diarrhea prevention in animals; prevention in respiratory problems; and disinfectants for hatching eggs
EFFICACY DOSTO EMULSION AGAINST PIGLET DIARRHEA
The Dosto emulsion has been found to be effective against piglet diarrhea caused by Escherichia coli and coccidia (Eimeria spp). Compared with other products, the measurable results are reached after 36-48 hours. With Dosto emulsion, treated piglets do not show any sign of dehydration and recover without signs of weakness.
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APPLICATIONS AND BENEFITS
Layers (grams/ton of feeds)
Laying Product Dosage
Laying start-laying peak Dosto Green 500
(week 20-35) Dosto Special 8% 450
Laying peak end Dosto Green 150
Dosto Special 8% 135
Broilers(grams/ton of feeds)
Period Product Dosage with
Coccidostatic Medication
Starter 1+ 2 Dosto Green 500
(day 1-18) Dosto Special 8% 450
Fattening Dosto Green 150
(day 19 – end) Dosto Special 8% 135
Benefits for layers and broilers are better feed intake, better health status, reduced medicine costs, fewer problems with diarrhea, and improved egg shell quality for older animals.
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Swine (grams/ton of feeds)
Liveweight (kg) Feed Type Dosto Green* Dosto Special 8%*
Up to 7 Prestarter 1,000 900
7-12 Starter 1,000 900
13-28 Grower 500 450
29-60 Fattening start 300 270
60-until end Final feed 200 180
of fattening
Sows Continuously 300 270
*In order to have the maximum effect do not interrupt this system.
Benefits for swine are stimulation of appetite, increase in weight gain, improve in eight consumption, stabilization of digestion, and positive effect on dysentery.
SOURCE: Agri Business Week
Topics: Medicinal Plants (Halamang Gamot), Miscellaneous | No Comments »
Tiger Prawns vs. Shrimp
By goGreen | January 31, 2012
Prawns and shrimp are two large families of closely-related crustaceans, shellfish with jointed shells that permit active motion. Like crabs and lobsters, they are part of a group referred to as decapods because they have 10 legs. Although there are differences between shrimp and prawns, the terms are used interchangeably in most of the world.
Physiological Differences
Shrimp and prawns are classed as two separate families: Shrimp are classed as Caridea, and prawns belong to the Penaeidae. Each family contains hundreds of individual species scattered throughout the world’s waters. There are subtle physical differences between them. Prawns’ legs are all the same length, but shrimp tend to have one pair longer than the others. Also, the first three pair of prawn legs have small claws or pincers on them, but shrimp only have them on the first two pair of legs. They reproduce differently as well, with prawns releasing clouds of eggs and shrimp incubating eggs on the female’s body.
Common Usage
In practice, the terms shrimp and prawn are applied without regard to marine biology. American fishmongers usually differentiate shrimp and prawns by size, with smaller specimens sold as shrimp and larger ones as prawns. Even this is not consistent, and the same shellfish might be sold in neighboring markets as tiger prawns or tiger shrimp. For culinary purposes, shrimp and prawns are both tasty and can be cooked in the same ways, so it’s more important to find a brand or supplier that provides you a consistently good product.
Tiger Prawns
Tiger prawns are one of the most widely sold species. Their shells, as the name suggests, are banded with black stripes. These prawns are imported from Asia, where high-volume aquaculture operations turn out millions of pounds of these tasty shellfish. Thailand is the largest producer and is the source of most tiger prawns sold in America. These will vary widely in quality, depending on the aquaculture operator. The best tiger prawns are sweet in flavor and firm in texture, but they can also be mushy and unpleasant. Canvass your local fishmongers for recommendations before buying in quantity.
Domestic Shrimp and Prawns
Some consumers have reservations about imported Asian shrimp, because of concerns over pollution, sustainable practices and safe food handling. For those who love seafood but would prefer to buy a domestic product, there are several shrimp fisheries in the U.S. There are commercial harvests of wild shrimp on both coasts, and shrimp are widely farmed across the country. Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program considers these farms to be sustainably operated, because they are in areas where the shrimp cannot displace native species if they escape. Both farmed and wild-caught American shrimp earn their “Best Choice” rating.
Source: eHow.com
Topics: Aquaculture | No Comments »
Pointers on Growing Rambutan
By goGreen | January 31, 2012
Rambutan has long been grown in Southern Luzon and parts of Mindanao. It has started to be grown in other places where people thought the fruit tree could not be grown, like Northern Luzon and many other places. Some are successful, some are not.
Here are pointers on growing this exotic fruit.
THE PLACE FOR PLANTING
The best place for planting rambutan is where the dry season is shorter than the rainy months. However, even if the dry season is fairly long, one can still plant rambutan. The trees have to be adequately fertilized with organic and chemical fertilizers, and adequate moisture of the soil should be maintained.
Good soil for growing rambutan is clay loam or sandy loam soil. These are rich in organic matter and maintain good moisture content. If the soil is not ideal, i.e., clayey and rocky, still rambutan can be grown. Just dig a big hole and fill it up with top soil mixed with compost or organic fertilizer, rice hull or some other materials that will make the soil well drained.
PLANT THE RIGHT VARIETIES
One important key to success is to plant the right variety or varieties. There are many strains or varieties being grown in the Philippines. There are a few superior ones while many others are inferior. The superior ones produce fruits that are of good size, thick-fleshed, juicy, sweet, and the flesh readily separates from the seeds. There are also those that have longer shelf life, attractive color that does not easily deteriorate.
Among the superior varieties are R5, R162, Rongrein, Super Red, Malaysian Jade, Sakay Selection, Jetlee and some others. R5 is particularly superior in a number of ways. It was the first prize winner in the 1996 Fruit Search competition. It produces big fruits that are intense red, hence attractive to customers. The white flesh is thick, sweet, smooth in texture and separates readily from its seed.
Plant grafted trees. Ungrafted seedlings are not recommended because there are male and female trees. If it happens that a male seedling is planted, it will not bear fruit even if it produces flowers. Moreover, female seedling trees take many years to bear fruit.
Topics: Agri-Business, Farming Methods, Miscellaneous | No Comments »
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