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''This section of the book was summarized by [[User:Benjamin Wang|Benjamin Wang|]] 18:12, 31 January 2010 (UTC)''
''This section of the book was summarized by [[User:Benjamin Wang|Benjamin Wang|]] 18:12, 31 January 2010 (UTC)''


Air Layering
=Air Layering=
Definition:
 
“Air-layering” is a method of controlled fruit tree reproduction. A section of a branch has the bark peeled away and is then wrapped in a moist material. This facilitates root growth in the branch. The branch is cut off from the tree, and then planted.
“Air-layering” is a method of controlled fruit tree reproduction. A section of a branch has the bark peeled away and is then wrapped in a moist material. This facilitates root growth in the branch. The branch is cut off from the tree, and then planted.


Advantages
==Advantages==
The new tree will be an exact clone of the original tree.  
The new tree will be an exact clone of the original tree. <br>
The new tree will bear fruit sooner than a tree grown from seed.
The new tree will bear fruit sooner than a tree grown from seed.<br>


Disadvantages
==Disadvantages==
It is time consuming, and thus difficult to undertake on a large scale.
It is time consuming, and thus difficult to undertake on a large scale.<br>
The tree must be older, and healthy.
The tree must be older, and healthy. <br>
Only a few branches per tree can be “air-layered”, so as to insure it’s continued good health.  
Only a few branches per tree can be “air-layered”, so as to insure it’s continued good health. <br>


Details
==Details==
The branch should be approximately 2 cm diameter. The peel should occur near a major branch-fork.  
The branch should be approximately 2 cm diameter. The peel should occur near a major branch-fork.  
Peel approximately 3 cm of both the inner and outer layers of bark from the branch with a sharp knife.
Peel approximately 3 cm of both the inner and outer layers of bark from the branch with a sharp knife.
After 3 days, pack a moistened, fibrous material, such as a coconut husk, around the branch. Then wrap the fibrous material with an airtight plastic shell.  
After 3 days, pack a moistened, fibrous material, such as a coconut husk, around the branch. Then wrap the fibrous material with an airtight plastic shell. <br> 
Roots will be sufficiently grown after 30-100 days. Cut the branch from the tree near the fork, and carefully refomve the plastic shell (note: do not remove what remains of the fibrous material). Transplant the branch carefully.
 
Grafting
Roots will be sufficiently grown after 30-100 days. Cut the branch from the tree near the fork, and carefully refomve the plastic shell (note: do not remove what remains of the fibrous material). Transplant the branch carefully.<br>
Grafting joins together two different plants to make one plant with qualities from each.  It is done by growing a cutting from one plant into a branch of another plant.
 
Grafting is a difficult discipline that requires precision, patience, and skill. However, a skilled farmer can graft without specialized equipment.
Field experience is very valuable to learning the technique of grafting.
The different ways to graft plants are as follows: Bud, Cleft/Wedge, side cleft, and approach.


''This section of the book was summarized by [[User:Scott Plaxton|plaxton.s]] 1 February 2010 (UTC)''


=Bud [[Grafting]]=
=Bud [[Grafting]]=
Grafting joins together two different plants to make one plant with qualities from each.  It is done by growing a cutting from one plant into a branch of another plant.<br>
Grafting is a difficult discipline that requires precision, patience, and skill. However, a skilled farmer can graft without specialized equipment. <br>
Field experience is very valuable to learning the technique of grafting.<br>
The different ways to graft plants are as follows: Bud, Cleft/Wedge, side cleft, and approach.<br>


Bud grafting involves detaching a bud or group of buds from the scion (the healthy plant you want to reproduce) and attaching it to the stock, which is the main stem of another plant.
Bud grafting involves detaching a bud or group of buds from the scion (the healthy plant you want to reproduce) and attaching it to the stock, which is the main stem of another plant.

Revision as of 19:10, 1 February 2010


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Bibliographic Information:

Anonymous "Practical Guide to Dryland Farming," World Neighbors, Oklahoma City, USA.


Copyright Information:

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Introduction

Planting trees is a very good investment of time and effort for small scale farmers in the rural areas of the tropics. Integrating trees into other agricultural activities and raising of livestock will greatly benefit farmers. This page will discuss the basics of planting and taking care of trees, and integrating them into small farms.

Uses for Trees

Some trees, such as those from the genera Leucaena, Albissia, and Acacia, can supply firewood for cooking or providing heat. Wood can also be used as a building material for housing, furniture, fences, etc. Regenerating forests will ensure that residents of rural areas do not run out of this precious resource.

Many trees provide direct sources of food in the form of fruit. Examples include bananas, guavas, mangoes and avocados. These fruits can also be sold in market as a source of income.

Some trees can provide a direct income to the farmer such as coffee, cloves, cacao and coconut. These trees can often be harvested when other crops have not yet yielded any useful product.

Many trees, such as Calliandra, Leucaena(ipil-ipil), and Cliricidia Sepium (madre do cacao) also provide important food for livestock. They can be used to to feed animals during dry seasons, and other times when sources of livestock feed become difficult to attain.

Planting Trees

From a Seed

The simplest way to plant a tree is from a seed. For best results, care must be taken to choose a seed from a tree with good characteristics. The tree must be healthy, free from diseases and insects, and be known to have high yields of the desired product (firewood, fruit, leaves, etc). The best time to take a seed is when the fruit of the tree is fully ripened. This will help to ensure that the seed with germinate, and that it will do so quickly.

Some seeds will need special attention and care before being planted. This can range from drying to peeling to soaking in hot or cold water. Consulting with other local farmers, program workers, or agricultural extension agents is the best way to gain this knowledge.

Fast growing trees, such as those used for firewood, are often planted directly from seeds. In very dry regions however, it is often best to germinate the seeds first in a nursery, to ensure they survive the germination process.

From a Cutting

Some types of trees are best planted from 'cuttings', or 'stakes'. These types of trees are often used for planting living fences. Preferred species for planting living fences from cuttings included Gliricidia, Erythrina, and Lannea.

This section of the book was summarized by User:Mike Saunders 15:54, 31 January 2010 (UTC)

Nurseries

Some tree crops may not have the strength to be planted directly into the field; in this case, planting them in a nursery, or seedbed, would be the favourable choice. In addition to saving time and water, the option also exists of planting during the dry season in the absence of rain. The timing of starting up the nursery is of high importance; beginning early on in the dry season ensures that the seedlings can grow for as long as possible before the planting season begins.

Location

The site of a nursery should have easy access to water, as well as protection from livestock. In addition, the site should be located in an easily reachable area.

Bags

Plastic bags used in the nursery should be approximately seven to ten centimetres in diameter. They can easily be made by cutting a roll of plastic into pieces 20cm in length and sealing off one of the ends. Water drainage is also important, and to deal with this situation, holes can be cut into the bags after the soil has been placed inside. Pre-made bags are available from various agricultural supply stores for any tree species that may need to remain in the bags for periods longer than six months.

Soil

Containers should be filled to the top with an equal parts mixture of manure, sand, and soil that is fertile and loose enough for water to seep through. These containers need to be watered and weed-free, as well as loosened regularly to ensure that the soil does not become too packed. A raised rack can be constructed to neatly store these containers, as well as serve to protect the seedlings from livestock.

Post-nursery

After the seedlings have grown enough, they are moved from the nursery to a field. The type of field chosen depends on many factors, including environmental conditions and soil quality.

This section of the book was summarized by Benjamin Wang| 18:12, 31 January 2010 (UTC)

Air Layering

“Air-layering” is a method of controlled fruit tree reproduction. A section of a branch has the bark peeled away and is then wrapped in a moist material. This facilitates root growth in the branch. The branch is cut off from the tree, and then planted.

Advantages

The new tree will be an exact clone of the original tree.
The new tree will bear fruit sooner than a tree grown from seed.

Disadvantages

It is time consuming, and thus difficult to undertake on a large scale.
The tree must be older, and healthy.
Only a few branches per tree can be “air-layered”, so as to insure it’s continued good health.

Details

The branch should be approximately 2 cm diameter. The peel should occur near a major branch-fork. Peel approximately 3 cm of both the inner and outer layers of bark from the branch with a sharp knife. After 3 days, pack a moistened, fibrous material, such as a coconut husk, around the branch. Then wrap the fibrous material with an airtight plastic shell.

Roots will be sufficiently grown after 30-100 days. Cut the branch from the tree near the fork, and carefully refomve the plastic shell (note: do not remove what remains of the fibrous material). Transplant the branch carefully.


This section of the book was summarized by plaxton.s 1 February 2010 (UTC)

Bud Grafting

Grafting joins together two different plants to make one plant with qualities from each. It is done by growing a cutting from one plant into a branch of another plant.

Grafting is a difficult discipline that requires precision, patience, and skill. However, a skilled farmer can graft without specialized equipment.

Field experience is very valuable to learning the technique of grafting.

The different ways to graft plants are as follows: Bud, Cleft/Wedge, side cleft, and approach.

Bud grafting involves detaching a bud or group of buds from the scion (the healthy plant you want to reproduce) and attaching it to the stock, which is the main stem of another plant.

Preparing the Stock Plant

Stock plants should be grown from a seed that is not from the scion tree or other grafted trees. Plant them in containers using the same soil as that of where the tree will be planted in the ground. Stock plants should be healthy plants that are not adversely affected by bugs, disease, or weather conditions. When the stem of the stock plant is about the size of a pen (1/2 cm) and the plant is 8-12 months old, it is a good time to graft onto it. Scrape away a small area of bark near the base of the plant using a sharp clean knife. Be careful to only scrape the bark and not the wood underneath.

Preparing the Scion and Bud

A bud is a small knob-like feature of a tree or plant where a branch is about to grow from. Depending on the type of tree it may only be a 3-5 cm long. When choosing a tree to take the bud (also called an “eye”) from make sure it is healthy, produces good fruit, and is no less than 36 months old. Cut off a branch with a similar diameter to the one you are grafting to and be sure to trim it to 20-30 cm. With a single cut of the knife slice the bud off of the scion branch, making sure the surface area of the cut is about the same as the area scraped off of the stock plant. The slice should be at least twice as large as the bud itself. Be sure to cut into the wood under the bark. Cautiously peel the bark from the bud. In the above steps always use a sharp, clean knife and be very careful not to damage the plants.

Attaching the Bud to the Stock

Use tape or plastic string to securely fasten the bud to the peeled area on the stock plant, making sure not to cover up the tip of the bud. Keep the plant in the nursery or greenhouse while it is just starting out. When the bud grows so that it is attached to the stock, remove the fastener material.

Caring for the Plant

When the bud is growing prosperously, cut all of the other branches of the plant so they hang loosely, and eventually remove them. This should only be done if the bud is growing well. Use a stick to support the new growth if needed. When the plant is strong enough it can be transplanted into the ground.

Conclusion

It is a wonderful thing to grow plants because they provide fruit, a home for animals, and wood for building and burning. If you follow the instructions in this book, plan well, work hard, and take care of the plants you can have success!

This section of the book was summarized by Krystal 02:16, 31 January 2010 (UTC)

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