Theory question 103
Crop Husbandry(a) Explain the term staking in yam cultivation.
(b) Describe the nursery practices in cocoa cultivation.
(c) State five reasons for parboiling paddy rice.
(d) State three advantages and two disadvantages of taungya farming.
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(a) Staking is putting poles (stakes) beside yam plants so the vines climb up, exposing the leaves to sunlight for better photosynthesis and yield.
(b) Select fresh, viable seeds from good pods; fill polythene bags with topsoil; sow 1–2 seeds per bag about 2–3 cm deep; provide shade; water regularly; weed; control pests and diseases; harden off and transplant after about 4–6 months.
(c) Any five: loosens the husk for easier milling; reduces breakage of grains during milling; improves nutritive value (vitamins move into the grain); improves storage life; kills insects/hardens grain against pests; improves cooking quality.
(d) Advantages (three): forest is re-established cheaply; farmers get land to grow food crops; farmers weed and tend young trees; reduces deforestation; provides food and timber. Disadvantages (two): farmers may damage young trees; crops compete with trees; it encourages encroachment on forest reserves; slow return from trees.
Give the sequence of nursery steps in (b).