Articles

Issue no. 124
These articles belongs to shams agriculture magazine

Sugar peas is one of most important vegetable crops that are exported abroad, main varieties: Toledo, Snowond, and Sugarlord. It is cultivated in September, and October till December. The most dangerous diseases are nematodes so control it before cultivation and take care of organice fertilization (compost) to avoid spread through the not decomposed organic fertilizer, the pods are collected after 60 – 80 days of cultivation according to the variety.

Pest diseases cause lots of losses to the crop in quality and quantity, adding to that the contamination with Aflatoxin, this form a problem to the producers and exporters in Egypt. Fruit rots are the reason behind fungus and differs according to the symptoms; there is a brown rot, pink or yellow rot. During the sorting process we can remove the fruits that are infected but we cannot discover its infection with aflatoxin unless chemical analysis is made.

1. The most important means to control aphids are corn fields continued passing, early injuries discovery on the tops of plants and cutting and burning infected peaks. It has been proven that scattered removal of 25% of male inflorescences from field do not affect the fertilization, therefore do not affect crop which at the same time lead to unnecessary for using pesticides.
2. Caring about cleanliness and aphid’s control on grass of drainages and canals before the beginning of the growing season with good field plowing and weeding timely.
3. Non-chemotherapy as a result of severe injury at the end of the season and after the completion of the cobs growth and leave natural enemies do there mission to reduce the numbers of aphids in the field.
4. The most important predators, which feed on aphids larvae and total insect: various types of ladybird Coccinella sp., green lacewings Chrysoperia carnea larvae, Syrphid fly Syrphus corollae, pederus alfiarii, spiders and parasites of genus Diaeretirlla, Aphidius, order Lepidoptera also snoop on maize’s aphids.

Trees: when establishing an irrigation system for trees, drippers should be beside the trees. Vegetables: there are some vegetable crops use drip irrigation and it needs big amount so study the plant needs to avoid wasting of water. Cultivations that use sprinkle irrigation are: wheat, barley, and peanut. The waste of water in this system of irrigation is higher and is exposed to wind so the loss is quick and more due to evaporation.

Nitrogen is a main nutrient that forms protein inside the plant and the vegetative growth. Its shortage makes the plant pale and leaves less in size, beside that the fruits will be small and the infection with the Botrytis cinerea is unavoidable. Potassium plays a big role in nutrients transmission, in increasing the crop and it also thickens the roots. The shortage of potassium makes leaves yellow and brown spots in it. Magnesium is an active nutrient for many enzymes and it is necessary for energy production, protein building and plant hormones stimulating. Its shortage makes the leaves yellow and brown spots on it.

Roots have many roles one of them is absorbing the nutrients and excretes many objects to the soil like carbon dioxide, organic acids, and amino acids that help reducing the pH level which in consequence make it easy for the plant to absorb undissolved nutrients like Phosphate and micro nutrients. Phosphate affects its growth so it should be distributed well around the roots before cultivation, this will stimulate the increase and the spread of root Filaments.

The rigidity device is an important tool for measuring the solid degree of the fruit; the measurements takes place by peeling a part of the fruit from opposite sides and zero the device and enter the plunger in the peeled part gently then take the reading. As well as total soluble solids device using the refractometer to measure (T.S.S) in the fruit juice to assess the ripening stage(ready for harvesting) or progress toward ripening(edibility or processing), such as measuring T.S.S in cantaloupe as sugar represents a big part of T.S.S in the juice of this fruit, the refract meter reading indicates the degree of light ray disability when it passes through the juice solution (the higher percentage of T.S.S in juice, the higher light disability and high reading).

Mango is one of the favorite crops to the Egyptian people, and planting it in the past was in areas like Ismailia, Sharkya, Giza, and Fayoum, it is now widely known in the European countries and demanding it increases year after the other. Mango depends in its growing on seedling seeds which enable it to grow with incredible height and planted in wide spaces reaches to 10x10 meter which make it so difficult to do the controlling processes and collect the harvest in a right way. It has also mixed characteristics for being a seedling seeds except the multi- embryo seedling seeds that may have the same characteristics from the mother side if the sexual embryo were removed. So when seedling seeds needed like the mother in characteristics and fruits, grafting is the right way to do it. And its growing is limited so it is planted in less spaces reaches to 1.5 or 2x3 meter. Like grafted seedling seeds of keet

Artichoke belongs to family Asteraceae, and its cultivation season starts in July till August, three cycle cultivation is preferred. Beans, cabbage, cauliflower, or green common bean can be grafted on artichoke. Its crop can be propagated by many was like: shoots, division of old mothers and by seeds too. The feddan needs of old plants are 5 – 6 karats. Main varieties are Alfaransawi which matures late and needed the most in foreign markets while the other variety is the Baladi which matures early and with small leaves.

Palm trees need a well trained labor that can do more than one practice during the spring and the summer, these practices includes pruning in which we get rid of dry leaves and thorns to make it easy for the palm climber to reach the male parts of the palm and also there is a process in which the palm leaves is bended down to let the fruits have much access to the sun light. Finally, the process of fruit bagging is done to prevent and protect the bunches from high temperature, rain, and pests.

For farmers, it’s more than the smell. Pesky stink bugs are also fouling the cash flow from their crops. Gary Mount, owner of the 200-acre Terhune Orchards in Princeton, said he grows 36 types of fruits and vegetables. Stink bugs unfortunately “like them all,” he said. The farm draws 700visits by customers each year and, Mount said, “People don’t want to bite an apple that’s been damaged.” Mount and agriculture experts updated the Assembly panel on efforts to counter the brown marmorated stink bug, a species native to Asia. The bugs are annoying to homeowners but don’t transmit disease.The bug has blue metallic spots and white antennae. Crushing the bug produces a nasty odor caused by abdominal scent glands. The bugs are dormant in winter and become a nuisance in spring. Homeowners notice that the bugs are slow-moving but noisy in flight as they stay close to ceilings and often get caught in lamp shades and blinds. Homeowners are commonly advised to use vacuums to get rid of the bugs and seal exterior holes to keep the bugs out.

Black Garlic hit the Tesco shelves in the UK at the weekend packing quite the healthy punch. Robert Oldershaw from Moulton Bulb Company Ltd who are packing this unique product says, “We have seen a lot of different types of garlic in our time, but this is something altogether new and exciting. As soon as we tasted it we knew we had to be involved, and so have worked closely with the Black Garlic Company to bring it to the UK consumers”. Black Garlic contains double the levels of antioxidants as white garlic as well as natural antibiotic and antifungal properties. Black Garlic starts life as white garlic before undergoing a long fermentation process which turns it black and sweet. In fact, it is almost unrecognisable as garlic in terms of flavour, instead possessing sweet liquorice, almost molasses flavour. It can be used in cooking to enhance any dish, but also snacked on raw. It also has the added benefit that there is no pungent smell left on your breath.

Egypt and Russia have agreed to resume Egyptian potato imports to Russia starting with the next season, according to Egyptian Agriculture Minister Ayman Farid Abul Hadid. Russia has canceled an earlier decision to halt potato imports from Egypt, Abul Hadid told Al-Masry Al-Youm. The minister said rules have been set for Egyptian potato exports, such as exporting only from areas free of potato brown rot, a bacterial disease, as well as subjecting shipments to inspection at Egyptian ports by a joint Egyptian-Russian quarantine panel. The new measures will be approved and signed during a visit by Russian agricultural quarantine officials scheduled for early July, Abul Hadid revealed. Egypt seeks to take over a large portion of world potato exports by next year, with exports that exceed 500,000 tons, the minister said.

Algeria: Apple and pear tree disease

Like any living being, the tree can fall ill. It can be affected by five types of aggression: fungi, insects, , viral diseases and bacterial diseases. Several orchards in the central regions of the country are invaded by a disease that destroys the fruit trees such as apples and pears. Farmers fear the disease of fruit trees may pose a risk to consumer health. According to some farmers in the provinces of Blida and Algiers, the disease appeared after heavy rains experienced by the country. The leaves are affected first. They look like they were burned with fire, then the trunks and after that the fruits that fall with the leaves. The farmer told us he has never seen such a case for thirty years. One of the growers stated that the disease appeared after the heavy rains in the region. He told us that he has lost billions. Agricultural services have warned against the consumption of these fruits before tests are conducted to determine the risk of this disease on human health.

Tunisia: Fruit exports down

Tomato growers have been harvesting the tasty fruits of their labors. The one fly-in-the-ointment for tomato growers this time of year is a pale green caterpillar with black and white markings — the voracious hornworm. If you have grown tomatoes for several years, you are likely to have had an encounter with hornworms. Tomato growers in Galveston County typically experience their first encounter with this insect pest during June. The damage is typically done before you see any hornworm caterpillars. One day your tomato plants seem healthy, lush, and happy, the next day they are missing leaves and looking battered. In small gardens, the most effective and immediate method of control is to remove the plump caterpillars by hand and immerse them in a can of soapy water. The caterpillars are generally found on the upper foliage of the plant. Keeps a close eye on your tomato plants starting in early June. Examine plants at least twice a week to check for small caterpillars and missing foliage. Prevention also is an important element in hornworm control. Thoroughly tilling the garden soil after the tomato harvest season is finished.

Tunisia: Fruit exports down

Tunisia has seen its exports of fruits down but expects production to rise. Until May 2011, fruit exports reached 9933 tons, against a previous 11710 tons, representing a decrease of 15% by volume. This figure is due to the delay of the fruit export season after late ripening. Also exports to Libya have collapsed from 2,349 tons in 2010 to 678 tons this year. The forecast is good for apricot production, which is expected to grow by 28% and fisheries, which is expected to grow 5% to 120,000 ton. Apples are also expected to increase by 16% to 128,000 tons.

Pakistan: Storm, rains hit mango output

Much of the mango output has been damaged by storm and rains in Punjab and extreme heat in Sindh, which has made it impossible to achieve export target of 175,000 tons this year, said a leading exporter on Monday. Mango is the second largest fruit export of Pakistan. This year’s production target was set at 1.7 million tons and export at 175,000 tons. But due to extreme heat in Sindh, Sindhri mango ripened earlier, which increased problems for exporters and growers. Former Chairman Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants said that production of mangoes was likely to decline to 1.3 million tons.

Italy and Spain, pioneers on the production, commerce and consumption of nectarine and peach

Italy takes position next to Spain as world's main producers of nectarines and peaches, with 1.5 million tons. Europe is the main region in the world were nectarines and peaches are produced, commercialized and consumed. On the continent, the most important producers are: Italy (1.5 million tons), Spain (1.1 million tons) and Greece (0.32 tons). The European offer is 3.7 million tons with 36% being peaches, 38% nectarines and 26% of the "percoca" peach variety. Peaches and nectarines from Spain mature between May and June, while the Italian ones mature between July and August .Its consumption is growing in Italy and these species are in the most sold list, next to apple, banana, orange, pear and watermelon. The total consumption in Italy of these two varieties, 70% is for peaches and the remaining 30% of nectarines.