Theory question 106
Crop HusbandryDiscuss briefly a named oil crop under the following headings: (a) climatic and soil requirements (b) planting date, seed rate and spacing (c) nursery practices (d) harvesting (e) processing and storage.
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Example: oil palm (Elaeis guineensis); groundnut or coconut also acceptable
(a) Rainfall about 1500–2500 mm well distributed; temperature 24–32 °C; deep, well-drained loamy soil rich in humus, pH about 4.5–6
(b) Transplant at start of rains (about March–May/June); about 140–150 seedlings per hectare; spacing about 8–9 m triangular
(c) Pre-nursery in boxes/small bags, then nursery in polythene bags; watering, shading, weeding, pest control; seedlings transplanted at about 12 months
(d) First harvest 3–5 years after planting; ripe bunches (reddish, loose fruits dropping) cut with a chisel or harvesting knife
(e) Bunches fermented, fruits stripped, boiled and pounded/pressed to extract oil, oil clarified by boiling and stored in clean airtight drums; kernels dried and cracked for palm kernel oil
Name the crop first; marks need figures (rainfall, spacing, years to harvest).