Integrated Harvesting Techniques for African Egg Plant (Solanum macrocarpon L., cv. Igbagba) | Chapter 02 | Advances and Trends in Agricultural Sciences Vol. 2
Aim:
This study elucidated the influence of harvesting height and frequency on
concurrent seed and shoots production of the African Eggplant, Solanum
macrocarpon L., cv. Igbagba/Igbo. The overall aim was to use the outcome to
make recommendations that would enable African resource poor farmers secure the
much needed increase in income for improved livelihoods.
Experimental Design: The experiment
was a three (harvesting heights of 0.04 m, 0.08 m and 0.12 m) by five
(harvesting frequencies of 1x per 1,2,3,4 and 5 weeks) factorial treatment
arrangements fitted into randomized complete block with 4 replications. There
was a control treatment which was harvested at ground level six weeks after
planting for vegetative yield estimation and a check which was left for seeding
without cutting. Net plot size was 5 m x 5 m (25 m2).
Place and Duration of Study: The
study was carried out between April to November 2004 on the National
Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT) Ibadan, Nigeria commercial vegetable
production fields.
Methodology: Cumulative shoot fresh
weight over the cutting period gave the shoot yield per plant. S. macrocarpon
fruits were harvested, processed for seed and the seed weighed at 12% moisture
content. Seed and shoot yield values were based on current NIHORT [National
Horticultural Research Institute, Nigeria] prices of N450.00 per kilogram seed
and N10.00 per kilogram shoot (US$1 = N80 at time of data collection, N is
Nigerian Currency). Harvest index was calculated as seed weight/shoot weight which
indicates changes in the pattern of dry matter partitioning into seed and
shoot. Cutting Use Efficiency (CUE) was defined as the relative agronomic
efficiency of using cutting over the control. Data were subjected to analyses
of variance by the procedure of the Statistical Analysis System (SAS, 2005)
using mean of 10 plants per treatment plot. Marginal revenue (MR) equals field
price per kilogram multiplied by average yield (kg/ha) where field price is the
market value of one kilogram of the crop. Marginal cost (MC) included those
costs that are affected by the alternative treatment being considered (costs
such as planting, land purchase, land preparation and transport that do not
differ across treatments will be incurred regardless of which treatments is used).
Data from both seasons (long cropping season and short cropping season) for
each treatment were combined because there were no seasonal significant
differences. Means were compared using Duncan's Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at
5% significance.
Results: Shows that harvesting at
0.08 m above ground level was optimal and significantly highest for leaf, stem,
shoot, seed and total yields except at 0.12 m above ground level for seed
production. The result of financial profitability analysis shows that harvesting
0.08 m above ground level and fortnightly was most profitable for leaf, shoot
and total yields compared to all the treatment combinations. Harvesting 0.12 m
above ground level and monthly, however, was most profitable for seed
production when compared to all treatments combinations.
Conclusion: The study concluded
noting that integrated harvesting techniques for shoot (leaf + stem) and seed
production proved economically viable and optimize resource use efficiency
better than growing S. macrocarpon sole either for shoot or seed.
Author(s) Details
David O. Ojo (PhD),
NIHORT, PMB 5432, Idi Ishin,
Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
Joseph T. Atobatele
College of Staten Island,
2800 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island, New York 10314 718.982.2000, United States
of America.
Jonas N. Chianu
Tropical Soil Biology and
Fertility Institute of Centro Internacional Agricultura de Tropicale
(TSBF-CIAT), World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), Nairobi, Kenya.
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