BATAW PRODUCTION GUIDE

The vegetable has wide adaptability to many soil conditions. There are many varieties of bataw. There are bataw that are vines needing trellis for support. Another variety stands erect and not a vine type but bushy with thick foliage. There was variety that can be raised directly to the soil without trellis. Its thick foliage will cover the ground.

The many varieties differed in shape, texture, size of leaves, shape of the flowers, seeds, color of the plants and pod characteristic. It has variety that can tolerate period of drought, flowering time, the condition of the seedling (vigor), period of maturity, resistance to pests and diseases, sensitivity to day-length and the viability of the seeds in many type of soil condition. There are varieties suitable in lowland and upland.

The plant grows fast. Because of its dense foliage, it is best controller for the growth of weeds.

Prepare the land thoroughly. Plow and harrow the field 2 to 3 times to break loss the soil. Plant the seeds directly to the soil in furrows. Plant 2 to 3 seeds per hill. Keep maximum distance each hill as the plant will grow robust and has thick foliage.

Let it grow freely in the soil to cover the land. It is best to suppress weed germination and frequency of weeding. No need to do periodic weeding as the plant control the emergence of weeds. Spot weeding can only be done to isolated portion if the weeds in the field persist.

Most often, there’s no need to apply fertilizer as the plant can adapt to any soil type. But in case the plant will not grow healthy despite its resistance to poor soil then apply periodic fertilization to the plant.

In case of pest infestation, spray the foliage with pesticides for the pests to keep away from the foliage to damage the leaves, flowers and fruits.

The plants can tolerate diseases. But in the event they are severely affected by the disease, remove or uproot the affected plants from the good ones to avoid spread of bacterial infection.

Harvest the young pods regularly. Avoid the pod to mature as it can no longer good to sell to the market.

There are many uses of bataw:

-The dry weight of seeds has crude protein containing high level of iron.

-Its young pod is best serve as table vegetables.

-Dried seeds are good alternative for snack foods, cooked or eaten directly. It was used to process bean cake.

-The leaves and flowers are cooked and eaten.

-Sprouts are good for palatable menu.

-The bean hay serves as forage of many animals.

-It was used as silage.

-The green manure serves as fertilizer.

-It was used in the prevention of soil erosion because of its thick foliage.

-It is good cover crop for plantation.

-It has the ability to serve as nitrogen-fixing crop.

SUNFLOWER PRODUCTION GUIDE

The plant can be grown mostly in all types of soil in a dry condition. The yield can greatly improve if irrigation is used during the formation of the bud and during the end of the flowering period.

It can be planted any month of the year but best in January. It is harvestable after 4 months time. It can produce a higher yield if planted in fertile soil and have a better drainage system.

Plant sunflower in a single row 70 cm from the next row. You can also use a double row 45 centimeters spacing between rows and 1 meter every two rows. The depth is 5 centimeters in planting the seeds.

In one hectare land, it needs an estimated 15 kilograms. The quality of the seed should be given to attain a 90% germination rate. Cultivate the land one or two times. Fertilization can increase production and obtain a higher yield. Using NP combination of 120-120 or 120-160 is mostly recommended.

Use a furrow irrigation method to avoid water logging. Do the necessary pest control measures to ensure protection from pests. Proper pesticides application is needed. Some of the diseases noted are damping off, bacterial wilts, leaf spot rust. Proper application of fungicide is needed for better result.

Harvesting can be done by cutting sunflower heads. Use scythe in harvesting.

SINTA PAPAYA PRODUCTION GUIDE

Papaya can produce medium size fruits with less than 2 kilos each with yellow flesh .They are sweet and firm.

Prepare the land thoroughly by repeated plowing and harrowing. Improve the drainage system to control water logging.

Soak seeds in water for 3-5 days, changing the water daily. Sow only one seed per container with coconut coir dust and garden soil as medium. Water daily, transplant seedlings after 4 weeks or when seedlings are about 20cm high.

Harden the seedlings by exposing them to full sunlight for 2 to 3 days. Slit the bottom of the plastic bag and transplant each seedling carefully. Transplant one seedling per hill at the distance of 2 meters within rows and 3 to 3 meters between rows.

The general recommendation for fertilizing papaya are the following: During planting, apply 50 grams ammonium sulfate; after 1 month apply again 50 grams ammonium sulfate per plant. After 5 months, apply 100 grams, complete fertilizer; 4 months after planting, apply 100 grams complete . Apply 100 grams complete and every two months thereafter.

Water the plants at least twice a week during the dry season to sustain flowering and fruiting. Newly transplanted seedlings need more frequent watering. During the rainy season, hill-up to improve drainage.

Control weeds, particularly around the plant. Mulch to control weeds and to conserve soil moisture.

Mites and white flies are two most common insect pests of papaya. Control it by using insecticides and remove infested leaves. Apply insecticides to control white fly infestation only when necessary.

The most destructive disease is papaya ring spot virus. The disease has no chemical control. It can be minimized by planting resistant varieties. Other disease include damping-off, bacterial crown rot and root rot. Prevent or control these diseases by planting disease-free plants, removing and destroying infected petioles and plants. Plant seeds in sterilized seedbeds and avoiding damage to trunks during cultivation.

Allow only one fruit to develop at every leaf axil. Remove all misshapen and cat-faced fruits.

Promptly harvest fruits with a tinge of yellow near the apex to avoid fruitfly problems which occurs when fruits are allowed to ripen on the plant. To harvest, twist the fruit until the stalk snaps or cut the stalk with a sharp knife.

Some reminders: Remove all infected papayas and other plants showing virus-like symptoms as source of inoculum. Do not grow plants that serve as alternative hosts. Practivce appropriate management such as weeding, fertilization and irrigation so that it will grow vigorously. Transplant papaya during dry season as there are less vectors during this period. Replant using healthy seedlings after harvesting the first cycle of fruits.