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Crop production |
by FOLEFA EKOKOBE FLORENCE (Cameroon)
Pepper is a grayish black or creamy white or red or light yellow colour powder produced by crushing dry peppercorns which is used to give a spicy hot taste to food. Spices characterise Cameroonian meals, pepper being one of the main spice. Unfortunately growing this spice poses many problems as diseases, pests and low soil fertility often attack it.
This paper is centered on ways and means by which one can have a good pepper harvest.
Watch your farm and the following will be observed:
The leaves may wrap, fold or wither;
The leaves may turn yellow;
The fruits may fall off before they are ripe;
The Stem of the plant may decay during the rainy season causing the whole plant to wither.
During the dry season yellow spots white powder appear on the leaves and stems of the plant.
There are also many animals (Pests) that eat pepper such as snails, millipedes and goats. One can see black dots on the pepper’s skin, when opened there are insect larva inside. A fruit fly has laid these eggs inside. The eggs hatch into the larva using the pepper as a house.
Applying wood ash chemical or goat dung (shit) fertilizer can control these pests and diseases. These two chemicals are made with natural materials and therefore not harmful to the body. When used regularly, they prevent these crops from pests and diseases.
Do not wait until crops are affected, for once they are attacked there is no guarantee that it will be cured.
It is common to note that after the first few harvests of pepper, the yield becomes lower and the fruits are smaller. This is as a result of less food available in the soil for the pepper to grow.
Plants need food, water and light to grow. The roots of the pepper plant collect the food and water from the soil. The food is dissolved in the water and taken up in liquid form. The stem carries the food up to the leaves. The leaves of the plants catch sunlight and use this like fuel wood to cook the food. The plant uses the food to make fruits and also grow more food that it can then use.
The roots of the plant can only reach a small area of the land. When the plant has used up all the food in this piece of land, it cannot grow anymore and may wither if no more food is added.
Many farmers gather soil around the stem of the pepper plant when they are weeding. This is good as it makes the plant produce more roots and find more food.
Another way of feeding the pepper plant is to apply food directly into the leaves. This will enter the leaves through very small holes and can then be used by the plant.
Therefore, goat dung fertiliser is not only to stop pests and diseases on the pepper plant but also feeds the plant through its leaves so that it will live longer and bear healthier fruits.
