Few steps on Pineapple cultivation

      Decades ago pineapple was one of the prominent fruit crop of Tripura however, over the years it's popularity in terms of total area under cultivation has dwindled.
      There was lots of hope and aspiration around pineapple; even pineapple processing plant had also come into existence but, all these hops and aspiration around pineapple seems to have taken in otherwise these days.
      Reason for present spat of development could be many but as a fruit, it's demand will not diminish.
      Therefore,any one venturing into pineapple cultivation in the present circumstances  will definitely profit from his pineapple orchard.
      Pineapple cultivation in the state is quite traditional as it's evident from it's presence in almost all areas of the state.
     Hence,people's knowledge in pineapple cultivation is quite common and easy,let it be learned or acquired knowledge.
     Let us plunge into cultivation aspects of pineapple.
Mode of propagation:-
    a.Vegetativethrough.
   i.Sucker.
   ii.Slip and.
   iii.Crown.
Soil condition:-
   a.adaptable to grow in various types of siol.
   b.ligh soil ensure good quality fruit.
   c.in addition,sandy loam & laterite soils are also suitable.
   d.soil pH:4.5 to 6.5
Climatic condition:-
   a.Temperature requirement 18 degree centigrade to 24 degree centigrade.
   b.Freezing temperature not suitable.
   c.Decreased temperature increases acidity of fruit.
   d.Requires high rainfoll from 1500 to 2000 mm anrually.
   e.Scorching sun is not desirable however, complete shade is also not suitable.
Planting methods of pineapple:-
   a.Heavy and torrential rain is avoided for pineapple planting.
   b.In Tripura condition,pineapple is planted from the month of August to November.
   c. In Tripura,since,pineapple is cultivated in gentle slope to sloppy hills and hence,irrigation is never considered.
   d.In Tripura,single row and hapaghard system of spacing is followed in most cases which accomodates not more than 25,000 nos. of pineapple suckers/slips/crown per ha.
   e.In high density planting,double row system is followed which can accomodate 63,000 suckers/slips/crown per ha.
   f.In double row system,plant to plant spacing is maintained at 25-30 cms.
   g.Row to row spacing within the bed is maintained at 45-60 cms.
   h.Spacing between 2(two) beds is maintained at 90-105 cms.
   i.White planting,soil around the plant should be tightly pressed.
Fertilizer management:-
    For optimum fruit size and yield manure and fertilizers application is aclvocated.
          However,in Tripura, generally fertilizers are not applies,pineapple comes up with inherent soil fertility.
          In case high density pineapple cultivation,there's bound to be requirement for manure and fertilizers application.
         Below are the recommended level of manure and fertilizers application in pineapple orchard.
        (a) 10 to 20 tonnes of cow dung manure per ha is applied before planting of pineapple plant.
        (b) In case of high density planting fertilizers viz:600 kg of N,400 kg of P and 60 kg of K is recomended.
         (c) Half the quantity of N and full quantities of P & K are applied 3(three) months after planting.
         (d)The remaining quantity of N is applied 10 to 12 months after planting.
Fruiting of pineapple:-
         (a)Flowering generally starts 12 months after planting.
         (b) In Tripura, fruit is marketed right from the month of June and continue to August.
          (c) Sign/indication of flowering can be anticipated once pineapple attains 40 -50 functional leaves.
          (d) maximum flowering occurs form the month of February to April.
          (e) In Tripura,there's off season flowering which matures during the month of January.
Production potential of pineapple:-
          (a) In Tripura,there was record size of kew pineapple reported to be 8 kg weight.
          (b) However,as nutrition management is not maintained therefore,average  production of pineapple in one ha remain within the range from 20 to 30 tonnes.
          (c) However,best managed and high density orchard can yield up to 50 to 60 tonnes per ha. 
         N:B: With the advancement in agriculture and variation of soils and agro-climatic  condition, actual package of practices for pineapple cultivation may vary place to place and country to country.

Few steps on Papaya cultivation

   Before going to the cultivation aspects of papaya, let us see popularity and demand of papaya in local market.
   In Tripura condition, papaya is used in two forms one, ripened fruit and, two, raw fruit.
Ripened truit although highly preferred and recommended for consumption due to its inherent quality but in terms of demand it's much less compare to raw fruit.
   Raw fruit is in high demand for use in culinary purpose or vegetable purpose.
   Presently , raw papaya in sold in 10 to 12 rupees range in local market.The fact of the matter in one medium sized raw weighs up to 1(one) kilogram.
   But, fact of the  matter is there's hardly any papaya field especially meant for papaya.
Although,many farmers are in the search of alternate profitable cropping option but , this demanding crop seems to least tried by the farmers.
   Another surprising fact,papaya is in fact one of tree which finds it's place in almost all rural household but again, it's in the backyard.Taking this much long time to turrs this backyard to frontyard crop is one of the strangest things to look for .
   Growing or cultivation of papaya is not difficult,it;s more or less same like other fruit crops.
   Let us see the cultivation aspects of papaya:-

Soil conditions
        1.it grows in various types of soil.
        2.soil should be well drained.
        3.Light soils are good for papaya.

Propagation of papaya:-
        1.Papapaya is propogated from seed.
        2.Sowing depends upon the choice of fruiting season.
        3.Seed are usually  sown in February to April month.
        4.Seeds are sown in nursery bed.
        5.Papaya deedlings are raised in poly bag.
        6.Seeds are sown in 1.5 cm deep tin the raised  nursery bed.
        7. Distance between row to row and seed to seed is 10 cm.
        8.Germination time is 3-4 week from sowing.
        9.Seed requirement is 400 to 500 grams seed/ha.
        10.Seedling are protected from rain and sun by erecting thatch.

Transplanting of seedlings to mainfield:-
        1.Seedlings are transplanted when they are two months old with four to five leaves.
        2.June is preferred  month for transplanting to main field.
        3.Pit is not essential but if pit is maintained with 20 kg to FXM,1 Kg of Neem cake and 1 Kg of bonemeal would be helpful.
        4.Seedlings are transplanted with a ball  of earth.
        5.Care should be taken that stem is not covered while transplanting.
        6.In case pit system of transplanting,3 seedlings are planted at 15 cm apart.

Spacing to be maintained:-
         1.Normal spacing is 1.8 x 1.8m
         2.In case of high density planting for different regions and different type of hybrid like dwarf, following spacings are maintained.
         (a) 1.33 x 1.33m
         (b) 1.40 x 1.40m
         (c) 1.40 x 1.60m
         (d) 1.60 x 1.60m and
         (e) 1.20 x 1.20m

Papaya Field management
        1. Weeding of field during initial stage
        2. Frequest and light inter cultural operation in the field
        3. Timely manuring & irrigation
        4. Maintenance of good soil moisture
        5. Controlled irrigation to avoid dampening of soil so is pathogenic growth harmful to papaya
        6. Irrigation at every 10 days interval in winter and every week in summer
        7. Application of N,P and K from 200 to 250 grams per seedling/plant/year
        8. Super phosphate and potash improves yield as well as fruit quality
        9. Enhanced rate of N, P & K to the range of 240 gram N, 500 gram P and 500 grams K Per plant/year is also applied in some improved papaya variety.
      10. Trenches are cut between the rows of papaya plants during rainy season for draining out of excess water

Fruiting of Papaya Plants:-
        1. Papaya plants starts flowering from five to ten months depending upon the region
        2. After onset of flowering, male papaya plants are identified and uprooted from field keeping only 10-15% of male papaya plants in the field
        3. Once fruiting starts, controlled thining of fruits are done wesen fruits are 2 cm long.
           Thining should be done frequently, objective is, fruits do not touch one another when matures and also ensuring proper growth of fruits.

           These are few basic steps in Papaya Cultivation however, actual package of practices of Papaya Cultivation will vary depending upon the soil and agro-climatic condition.






  

Mango Varieties of India

      There are thousands of mango varieties in India, of this following are few which are quite popular in terms of quality and commerciality.

     1.Dasheri
     2.Langra
     3.Bombay green
     4.Samar behisht chausa
     5.Gulab Khas
     6.Fajri Zafrani
     7.Khas-ul-khas
     8.Krishan  Bhog
     9.Taimuriya
     10.Gopalbhog
     11.Zardalu
     12.Bombai
     13.Himsagar
     14.Krishna Bhog
     15.Fazli
     16.Sukul
     17.Bharat Bhog
     18.Sepia
     19.Bathua
     20.Mithua
     21.Bombai Bhutto
     22.Shadulla
     23.Alphanso
     24.Pairi
     25.Fernandin
     26.Cowasji patel
     27.Borsha
     28.Kesar
     29.Salebhoy
     30.Bangalore
     31.Neelam
     32.Rumani
     33.Banganpalli
     34.Mulgoba
     35.Suvaranrekha
     36.Dasheri51
     37.Sunderaja
     38.Subhash
     39.Menaka
     40.Niranjan
     41.Pusa Surya
     42.Mallika
     43.Amrapalli
     44.Pusa Arunima
     45.Ambika
     46.Gaurav
     47.Rajib
     48.Arka Aruna
     49.Arka Puneet
     50.Arka Neelikiran
     51.Arka Anmol
     52.Au Rumani
     53.Manjeera
     54.PKM-1
     55.PKM-2
     56.Alfazli
     57.Jawahar
     58.Safari
     59.Sunder Langra
     60.Neeleshwari
     61.Neelishan
     62.Neelphanso
     63.Konkan Ruchi
     64.Ratna
     65.Sindhu
     66.Safdar Pasand
     67.Lakhan Bhog

        These are the few mango varieties including selection and hybrid.


 

Turmeric: Not in focus but it could be highly remunerative.

              “A farmer has sold five quintals of raw turmeric for rupees seven thousand five hundred with least investment in his homestead land, this is amazing”

            Everybody knows turmeric, the color and taste enhancer that is must for all culinary preparation.

            But, what do we know about this turmeric? Of course, many should not bother about turmeric and turmeric cultivation. However, farmers, associated in crop production or farming profession should have little more knowledge on this turmeric and how it could actually be made a part of their diversified farm activity.

            This is because turmeric is fetching good market price and demands in the market. This surge in demand and good market price of per kilogram turmeric is trending now.

            But there’s very less focus or no focus at all on this crop by many farmers. The tendency is; farmers grow turmeric in their homestead lands or in the land considered one of the un-productive for other prominent crops.

            This is happening because; nobody bothers to know its potentiality in today’s market condition. The main reason farmers or other rural person growing turmeric is basically to meet the family requirement.

            It is only when growers get surplus that they sell their turmeric to the market. This is how we consumer get raw turmeric in the market.

            There’s also another tendency; turmeric is grown in small plot of land as the objective of growing turmeric is only meeting the family requirement so is in the small scale. Very few farmers take turmeric cultivation in the large scale for earning good income.

            Therefore, it is now more or less a prominent homestead crop in Tripura. Farmers or whoever grows turmeric actually do not take care much or no care at all to this homestead crop. From first to last, there’s no special care for the turmeric crop, it comes on its own.

            Growers think of turmeric when the time of harvesting actually comes, other time; it is under the care of the nature. Harvesting? It is so simple; drying up of turmeric leaves indicates time of maturity. Nevertheless, production of turmeric with little or no care is quite satisfactory. The retail price of raw turmeric in the open market is rupees fifteen to twenty per kilo gram which is really quite high compare to last decades when it used to be sold in pittance.

            This actually clearly indicates a profitable avenue for farmers who otherwise are in search of profitable diversified activities. What is wrong if something extra is earned with little more extension of cultivation area and care to this turmeric?

                                                Agritangkol dated 01.09.2012

Food safety lab: To remove Suspicion on Agriculture produce

       What many elderly people in their 70’s have often been citing about their good old days, their lifestyle etc. They argue that people of their generation lived much longer compare to these days with all these scientific development. 

       The fact is; in those days, average longevity was really very low compare to these days but those who succeeded to live had lived much longer period. They lived much longer than now-a-days which is more so like asymmetrical graph. But, this is also observed in modern era too. 

       Health problem! People blame it to present life style and food what we consume. Let us do not discuss about life style and stick to the food stuff we take for living.
    People irrespective of living standard, now-a-days suspect agricultural produce available in the market. People in the group discuss the issues and shows apprehension on Agriculture produce. 

       What they suspect is; these are the product produced out of un-scrupulous use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers etc. Farmer’s usages lots of chemicals to produce and sale off his produce! Apprehend. 

       The fresher and shinier means more concentration of chemical residues; this is the general perception people perceives. This idea may not be true to the fact in all cases but can’t be ruled out either due to some factual reason. 

       The Government now-a-days is seriously pursuing for ensuring food safety for all packaged food items. More often than not there was news paper notification for food safety and announcing Government’s help to setup of laboratory etc. 

       This is enough to bring in order amongst the chaotic environment that has been aired or rumored by the people especially consumer on agriculture produce.
      But, in reality no food safely lab is found in the locality that is really strange at this time even though there is public outcry. 

        The public out cry would continue until such time when there will be no way out to check the quality aspect of the Agriculture produce. Until such time, visual observation and occasional taste difference would be the only quality yardstick that consumer can take up. 

                                      Agritangkol dated 31.08.2012

Saving a drop for future: Rainwater harvesting, Mindset in general should change

        Change, change in every field and it has become the mantra of the day. What about changes in agriculture? 

         Yes, there’s change in agriculture too. There have been many positive changes and achievements in the farming sector for last few decades. And it has consistently been happening with many new objectives of improving agriculture scenario in the state and country.
         All these have catapulted in increasing or improving the farm productivity in the unit area by the farmer and increased the total out put in the state. 

        All these positive changes did succeed in bringing confidence in the face of hardship. But, have any one consciously observed number of negative changes that have also come along with the positive changes?
       What are the negative changes? How these changes had come to the existence? General opinion is the more persuasion for changes would also bring negative changes. 

         In the midst of several positive changes of course, there may be least numbers of negative changes. Then, negative changes although however seems to be in little number, but their affects are profound.
         Their ill affect could last long and may pose totally hazardous affect in whole farming system. It can, if not abetted, result in myriad result and could become the curse of nature. 

         Now out of many such negative changes, take the case of water scarcity in farming sector. Why theirs is water scarcity and drinking water problem? Is it due to changes in climatic condition? May be, but what role did we play to abet the problem. Did we take any steps to check this? 

        There have been several instances of once prominent paddy field becoming fallow due to want of water and moisture. Many water logged fields that maintains rice based ecosystem almost no longer exist. Many lunga lands become fallow and non-productive to paddy and other crops. 

         The reason is water. Water crisis and less moisture in the soil have finally led to land become fallow. Of course, reason of these impacting changes would be many to list as said. However, now the point is water crisis and how to over come the situation?
        The ongoing saga of farming, productive land turning to fallow and non suitable should be the agenda. 

          There are multi various agencies or departments which in fact look after the matter. Hopefully, they would come with desired techniques and solve all these recurrent problems. 

           However, there are many things that we encounter in day to day lives but do not make it helpful upon application of mind. Take the case of rainwater harvesting and its conservation!
        Has anybody could tell the mindset of the people about abundant rainfall? Have anybody thought of its conservation for future endeavor? 

          There may be people to think for it but by and large it is not so by many. We consistently fight for; we hear a lot about drinking water crisis, leave alone your field moisture stress. It is evidently in public domain in every year. 

         There’s drinking water crisis, but, once monsoon sets in, we tend to forget everything. This is the case with farmers too. It would be prudent to blame farmer alone for their ignorance. Even our intellectuals minds fail to realize to foresee the problem and take proactive steps to check this natural loss. 

         The last resort to save the precious resource is by preserving rainwater and checking the run off loss. It is fact that in every year, we receive good amount of rainfall due to prominent south west monsoon and less dominant south east monsoon.
           In India, leaving few states and provinces, almost all states receives good amount of rainfall. 

         It is also fact that most of the rainfall is lost untapped and this lost is serious owing to the state of condition that is prevailing due to water. It would be unjustifiable to ever think of preserving even 10% of total rainfall.
        The lion share of total rainfall is to get released in the atmosphere for hydrological cycle to form and remaining 10% is quite enough in terms of total water that could be stored and used for future endeavor. 

         Let’s think for 10% of the total rainfall for conservation for future utility and farming endeavor. 

         However, this fraction of share of rain water conservation would not be possible if general people and farming communities do not realize the very concept and conceptualize for the future. 

         This 10% of rainwater conservation target should be step by step and phase by phase involving all people either directly or indirectly associated with the concerns for water conservation, and its subsequent utilities. 

                                                 Let us save rain water.

                                                Agritangkol dated 31.08.2012

Awareness Needed For Rainwater Harvesting: Part-I

No rain, moisture and water scarcity are the few words that haunts every body at particular time in every year.
Standing crops in the field become retarded, stunted and drying up in absence of soil moisture. Crop field cracked up due to excessive moisture stress in many localities finally lead to loss of crops in the field itself.

   In Tripura, Boro paddy, wherever cultivated with balance moisture often fail to flourish in long dry spell. As location specific, the most affected crop is Boro Paddy. 
  Of course, there are plethora of other crops too that being grown with preserved moisture also suffers the same set back.

  However, months’ agony and anxiety for water and water scarcity quietly ends once continuous rain takes place in monsoon. The rain brought out by the south west monsoon is the main that influences the farming pattern in the state. 
   Of course, it will again depend how uniform and well distributed the rainfall is. But, this time there is fear for drought like situation in many states due to rainfall deficit.

People not yet realized:

   Well, this water scarcity and its suffering is not new to the people and farmers of the area. But what they do not realize is how to tackle this often recurrent problem most effectively and efficiently.

   This is recurrent problem in every year and causing lot of problems to the people especially associated with the farming.

    A good part of cropping time is wasted due to the moisture stress in that particular period of time.

  There’s less sensitization amongst the people around the concept of rainwater harvesting and water preservation. People in general have little knowledge in Rainwater harvesting systems and their subsequent usage in farming and other domestic usages.

  In the village level, there is not much observation on this concept except “water pond “a way of water conservation for dual purpose of fish rearing and domestic usages.

   Other than this, there’s no such activity to help conserve Rainwater and water resource for future utility especially for farming.

    Actually, the knowledge and realization in the aspect of water preservation and rain water harvesting system is not understood by most of the people.

  As a result, huge quantum of precious resources is lost untapped. Had the system been in place, there would have been many aquifers by recharging the ground water table in the need of time.

Departmental Approach:

    There is couple of departments that deals directly for ensuring water supply and conservation structure. These departments explore and spread the concept of water harvesting structure in different areas of the state. 
     This is to improve the situation through construction of rain water harvesting systems and also providing rain water collection systems.

     But, matters of the facts are the results of these departmental endeavors were less than enough in field level. The activity observed in the rural area is construction of lunga bundh, pond, and development of water shed and water harvesting structure in the catchments areas.

  However, there seems to be less participation by the people who actually needed this. Here, again, the lunga bundh constructed has not been considered as the structure for rain water harvesting or water preservation or conservation structure.
      It is (lunga) rather considered more for creating side income through fish rearing and also meeting other domestic water usage. Of course, in other way round, it is correct to a certain extent.

    As a result, the purpose of very rain water harvesting remained in the lack luster condition. Therefore, the very concept fails to find a good path of popularization among the target groups. 
    When the target group fails to realize the given concept then its popularization becomes difficult and time taking.

Tripura bestowed with good topographical condition:

   In the given topographical condition and rainfall pattern, Tripura could easily hold a place for creating a sizeable quantum of rain water harvesting and water conservation structures. Why because? You have lots of accessible site that could easily be converted into good rain water harvesting structure. 
   Say for example lunga lying areas, water streams in the catchments areas, these are the places of natural site that could easily be converted into water harvesting structure.

   This could be useful in the long run for crops cultivation in the catchments areas. In other areas where there is less chance for assured irrigation facility in the near future also holds good for the system. 
    But that has not been happening till date. However, departments are implementing projects, but participation by the people is must for achieving desired result.

   People do realize that water is also one of the main constraints in crop cultivation and subsequent farm profit. But coming with alternative and effective mechanism in dealing with the recurrent problem is the point that requires really a great deal of work. 
   Although, there’s realization for water but knowledge for tackling and tackling proactive action is not seen.

  Well, it is already hard fact that increasing irrigated area is becoming near impossible due to several intervening problems. And, now, the existing water resources are also drying up in the given situation increasing more area under irrigation in future would pose big problem.

    In the situation this, there would be much more problem in future for water crisis. If the situation is not dealt in the time, it may further accelerate the problem

Involvement of people:

    Simply, one sided motivation will not help in improving water health in the state. The state receives fairly good amount of rain fall during monsoon and in pre-monsoon too. Nevertheless, water resources, like major rivers, streams dams, lakes (natural and created) dries up during the prolong dry spell. 
    This dry up situation is encountered from the month of January to April in almost every year.

   “Water shortage was anticipated in the Palatana power project too, news reports that the company has already taken steps to create rain water harvesting structures for avoiding any such problems in future. 
     The power company which is about to start generating power in a couple of month’s time is said to have allotted a share of fund for creating rain water harvesting structure as media reports”. And this is the actual water scene in the state and it how worrying it is.

     All these prevailing conditions should be eye opener for all of us to learn and behave rightly for dealing with the situation for greater benefit of the people of the state.

    The first and foremost thing that requires immediate attention is the people’s realization. People should know how to tackle the situation to their favor and utilize precious rain water resource effectively. 
   This is really needed for future betterment, farm operation & other human needs.

      The time has come for us to spread the water harvesting concept to the remote of the remotest region and create awareness among the people about the importance of water conservation and rain water harvesting for secure future.

    However, awareness and real field level implementation should go hand in hand for realizing the real field level result through mass participation.

                     

    Agritangkol dated 23.08.2012