Agriculture Education

IDA/700-PAK-10 engagement Report set uping(a) Education FOR INTERNAL manipulation ONLY NOT FOR GENERAL DISTRIBUTION PAKISTAN Horticulture and veg Production at the Sind Agricultural University, Tandojam by Mohamed A. S. Sakr linked NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION (Unesco) Paris, 1982 Serial nary(prenominal) FMR/ED/OPS/82/23KIDA) IDA/700-PAK-10 Assignment Report (Sakr) FMR/ED/OPS/82/231 (IDA) Paris, 22 June 1982 CONTENTS PARAGRAPHS admission ( 1 2) AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION UNIVERSITY furnish AND NEEDS ( 3 14) Faculties 3- primaeval Facilities 5- 8 (1) (2) (3) Central Library Laboratories irrigate system and Electricity (4) 5 6 7 S University supply rise 9 readiness of cultivation 9 Staffing 10 14 plane section of Horticulture 10 (1) (2) (3) Staffing Buildings Equipment 11 13 14 (15 36) ACTIVITIES OF HORTICULTURAL DEPARTMENT AND advisor 16 20 undergraduate Curricula 21 graduate student Curricula 22 29 Vegetable works (1) (2) (3) objectiv es and Methods Growe methods buged player performance (4) Results 22 23 24 27 28 29 30 32 scholarly person Training- interoperable spirt and lectures 3 34 Staff Training look into 35 I. INTRODUCTION 1. This report hide outs the activities of the adviser in Horticulture and Vega,table Production from 14 March 1981 to 13 March 1982, within the framework of Credit Agreement No. 678, signed on 18 February 1977 between the Government of the Islamic commonwealth of Pakistan and the International Development Association as hand overd by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) under sub-contract to Unesco. 2. His functions were delimitate as followsUnder the direction of theVice-chancellor of the University and the Director of the leash Education Project in Pakistan, the consultant, besides execute such other duties within his competence as might be assigned him, would assist the Universitys cleverness of Agriculture to a) b) Develop curricula and instruct methods for fly the coops in horticulture c) break courses on physiological features affecting the increment of horticultural crops, including day-length, piddle-stress, filth and air temperatures, fertiliser expend and uptake, etcetera d) Encourage the tuition and use of innovative methods for learn horticulture e)Identify bring species which could be used local anaestheticly for come production f) I I. Initiate and improve search methods in veg production Prepare, within the advisers subject of competence, technical documents (manuals, guidelines, brochures, etc. ) to be put at the disposal of the cogency of Agriculture. AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION UNIVERSITY PROVISION AND NEEDS Faculties 3. The Sind Agricultural University, which developed from the Agricultural College archetypal established at Sakrand in 1939, had in 1982, an enumeration of 1,700 students and some 200 dogma staff (not including Research Institute s taff).It has a Division of radical Sciences, trio Faculties Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, and Agricultural Engineering and a Directorate of Advanced Studies. 4. The adultst faculty is that of Agriculture, with 1,252 undergraduates and 174 grad student students and 88 teaching staff in 1982. It has eleven divisions agronomy, bot any(prenominal) and found breeding, agricultural source and short courses, agricultural chemistry, agricultural economics, entomology, horticulture, plant protection, plant pathology, statistics and English. -2-Central Facilities (1) Central Library 5. The Adviser considered that the Central Library, which serves the in in all University, had in adapted stocks of recent reference books and periodicals, that its use could be incr solaced if its hours of operation were extended from 7. 30 a. m. to 7. 30 p. m. , and that indexing and shelf-storage of books and other materials should be improved. (2) Laboratories 6. A Central Laboratory, the Adviser recommended, should be establ ished for advanced studies, fitly equipped and staffed with trained technicians.There was a neediness for a central service to brinytain and repair laboratory equipment and apparatus. He found numerous items to be fall out of service which could easily have been repaired. Laboratory assistants were essential for proper laboratory maintenance and operation, and every de mappingment should have access to laboratories suitable for operable work by students, for demonstrations and for research and experimentation by teaching staff and postgraduate students. (3) Water and Electricity 7. The water supply pressure was scant(p) in most laboratories, to the loss of hardheaded work and experimental projects.Intermittent electrical breakd professs interfered with the stock of laboratory experiments which required maintenance of a sealed temperature, humidity and on the loose(p)ing. Wiring in some laboratories was inadequate. potency fluctuations should be stabilized by voltage reg ulators where photosensitive apparatus was used. An emergency power, supply should be available. (4) university put forward 8. The importance of practical training should be reflected by the development of a university elicit large equal to serve all terce faculties.A committee, headed by the Vice-chancellor, should be responsible for the planning and control of the nurture, with a farm manager in charge of its activities. The farm would be used primarily for training students and for experimental studies, magical spell production of field crops, outgrowth and veggies, unneurotic with beekeeping and fish-farming, could support research activities. Faculty of Agriculture Staffing 9. With 88 teaching staff for 1,426 students, the student-teacher ratio in the Faculty of Agriculture is 116.This makes it difficult for teachers to teach, supervise practical training and research tasks and deal individually with students. The Adviser considered that the teacherstudent ratio shou ld be 110. -3- part of Horticulture (1) Staffing 10. The horticultural segment of the Faculty of Agriculture raises undergraduate and graduate courses in three main fields pomology, olericulture and ornamental horticulture. The teaching staff of eight (a professor, one associate professor, four assistant professors and both lecturers) should be doubled by the addition of both associates, cardinal assistant professors and four lecturers.A laboratory technician and three assistants, a field assistant for the veg tend and a tractor driver (should the Department receive a garden tractor) should also b e provided. For the moment, the University should provide at least a laboratory technician and a field assistant. (2) Buildings (a) Laboratories 11. The Department has dickens laboratories, one some 30* x 15 and the other 60 x 3 0, the latter having deuce store rooms. Considering that this space was not enough for undergraduate practical work, the Adviser-recommended the provis ion of devil to a greater extent laboratories of 4 0 x 25 . b) 12. Horticultural Structures The Adviser recommended provision of (i) a lath house of 4 0 x 8 0 for multiplication and to provide proper shade for comelings and ornamental shade plants (ii) a greenhouse for tropical foliage plants? (iii) a growth chamber for research on env entreatmental clash on the growth and yield of horticultural plants. If an import growth chamber cannot b e obtained, an choice would b e a greenhouse with humidity, light and temperature controls. (c) Post-harvest Structures 1 3. A building is require for preparing fruit and vegs for marketing and torage, de-greening and fruit-curing chambers, cold storage, and preservation of fruit and vegetables. (3) Equipment 1 4. The laboratory equipment is adequate, though some items were in need of repair. Field machinery, for both garden and farm, is provided by the Faculty of Agricultural Engineering. However, the Adviser considered it would be advan tageous for the Department to have a 60 hp garden tractor, with trolly and -4- other accessories, plough, cultivator, rotivator, leveller, pit-digger, driller, power sprayer, etc.This would save time at once universe lost in borrowing tractors in emergencies, such as one which might spring in connection with disease and pest control. It would ease problems occurring from the shortage of labour. I II. ACTIVITIES OF HORTICULTURAL DEPARTMENT AND advisor 1 5. Besides advising on staffing and facilities, the Adviser co-operated with Department of Horticulture staff in a number of activities, including the change of curricula, growing of vegetable crops, practical work, training students and staff, and research. Undergraduate Curricula 16..Undergraduate studies in horticulture cover a period of pentad years, the courses be Years 1 and 2 radical science (Intermediate l evel) Year 3 normal horticulture Year 4 Fruit and vegetable growing and ornamental horticulture Year 5 Fruit an d vegetable production, landscape gardening and general food technology. 1 7. The curricula in the following lands were revised. (a) Intermediate level rudimentary science (b) Various major(ip) field horticultural courses (c) Agro-ecology of Sind and Baluchistan (d) Major horticultural crops in Sind and Baluchistan e) Problems of fruit and vegetable production in these two provinces. 18. An interim development plan was prepared for undergraduate and postgraduate studies. It was hold that the three existing courses in plant-breeding and genetics provided an adequate scientific background in this field and that antecedency should now go to fruit and vegetable production. To this end, two juvenile courses should be added so that the overall course would include vegetable growing, vegetable production (two courses) and reference production. 5- 19.In vegetable growing, in addition to the existing areas of definition, classification, soil and climatic requirements, the Faculty shou ld add rotation, green manuring and kitchen garden cultivation. The two courses in vegetable production would give time for major crops to be dealt with in greater detail and for more practical training. The area in Sind under vegetable cultivation is increasing steadily as farmers realise its value for cash crops, save the yield is still very low. This is due primarily to lack of knowledge and experience (which the agricultural point of reference services could provide) and a lack of good bug. 0. A course in vegetables, fruit and ornamental plant seed production should be offered. Students would learn how to collect, harvest, clean, dry, gestate and store seeds and they would study seed dormancy, germination and treatment, together with methods of breeding self and cross-pollinated crops. Postgraduate Curricula 21. The present postgraduate curricula cover horticultural plant nutrition, plant propagation and fruit production (two p arts). This last should be replaced by two ne w courses (a) the soil and water relations of horticultural plants (b) temperature and water relations of horticultural plants.Optional courses should be introduced for M. Sc. students to supply them with additional information needed in their fields of study. Options could include courses on major horticultural crops and general courses on the improvement of horticultural plants, on growth regulators and on protected cultivation. As most research experiments on vegetables must be conducted at the Agricultural Research Institute at Mirpurkhas, 30 miles away, it was decided that priority should be given up to raising vegetable crops at Malir, the university Farm,to provide the Horticultural Department with the facilities needed for research.Vegetable Crops (1) Objectives and Methods 22. The main objectives of the Horticultural Department in growing vegetable crops were to provide practical training for staff, students and labourers to become familiar with problems of vegetable prod uction in Sind to evaluate crops and varieties, and seed production. It was planned to die by using two solid ground in the horticultural garden for growing most of the vegetable crops for practical training, and four acres at Malir Farm for a four-year crop rotation. 2 3.Winter vegetables, carrots, radishes, turnips, cauliflowers, spinach and beet, were liberal in the garden. The local varieties were identified, evaluated, weighed and measured. Promising varieties of radish, carrot and onion plant could be improved by breeding. All peas and spinach were of poor tincture, most of the peas macrocosm dwarf types, with an average plant height of only ten cardinal inches. 6- The spinach varieties were prickly-seeded and, during the shortest winter days, started flowering early. The seed stalks had an intense male-type of inflorescence. bug of selected suitable varieties of peas and spinach should be imported. (2) Growing Methods (a) Trailed Tomatoes 2 4. Trailing tomatoes were tried in the open local and imported varieties were pose and supported by iron stakes, galvanised wire and malleable string. Students and labourers were trained to tie the vines to strings, to arrest and remove auxiliary shoots and to apply fertilisers. The trial was successful, the plants stand well throughout the season and bearing -heavily. Later, owing to virus diseases on some vines, all plants were upstage and burnt.A second trial was begun in the summer, the tomato vines being shaded by luffa plants ridge gourd (luffa acutangula) and rinse gourd (luffa aegyptica) the small luffa fruit being edible. (b) Soil-level mulches 2 5. Cucurbits bitter gourd (mermodica charanta), tinda or Indian squash (citrullos vulgaris, var fistulosa), tori (luffa s p. ), cucumber and cantalope were grown- early. Seeds were planted on December 21st in hillocks on raised beds covered with clear polyethylene contract to form soil-level mulches.Two weeks later, seed emergence was observed, wi th a borderline temperature o f 6 C. Minimum and uttermost temperatures and germination percentages were recorded. (c) Plastic tunnels 2 6. Plastic go into and mini-tunnels were made of local materials. The mini-tunnels were used for raising greenhouse plants and for getting tomato, pepper and egg-plant seedlings They gave graduate(prenominal) germination percentages and well-established seedlings. The walk in tunnels were used for trailed tomatoes and for cucumbers, temperature and humidity data being recorded. d) Crop rotation 2 7. A site on Malir Farm was selected for growing vegetables as an intercrop on the new mango plantation and an area of four acres was prepared for a fouryear rotation. Vegetables were grown on the farm to provide training in managing a vegetable farm for profitable production, and the rotation was designed to cover the main summer and winter crops. The main factors interpreted into account when planning the cropping sequence were distribution of the understructure systems and differences in the uptake of nutrients.All call for for seeds, fertilisers, fungicides and pesticides were estimated, and supply arrangements made, from the beginning. . 7- (3) Seed Production 2 8. Onions, cauliflowers-and spinach were grown on the farm for seed production. Good onion bulbs of two to three inches in diameter were selected, the Phulkara variety being chosen as being an early secern commercially grown on a large scale in Sinds three main districts Hyderabad, Tharparker and Sanghar. atomic number 6 white, an imported variety of cauliflower, was also planted for seed production.Spinach seed was sown in two batches, that for seed production being sown early and a fortnight later another small area being sown to ensure adequate pollination. (4) Results 29. This vegetable growing gave healthy scope for training staff, students and labourers. Mini-tunnels and tensile soil mulches showed possibilities of improving yields and reducing costs. The former, as noted, gave high germination percentages and well-established seedlings, while the latter produced good quality summer crops, advanced by some three to four weeks and with a 25% to 50% increase in yield, with consequent savings in water and labour.Visitors were interested in getting information on plastic film tunnels and mulches for growing early tomatoes, egg-plants, chillies, okra, melons and gourds, which all gave high market prices. Student Training practical work and lectures 30. The horticultural garden of about cardinal acres and the new fifty-acre mango plantation provided ample space for giving students practical training in fruit, vegetables and ornamental horticulture during the academic year 1981/82. Four groups, of 45 third gear-year general horticulture students, were split into sub-groups, each having its own assignment r e. . in the or chard plant or vegetable garden, weeding or carving out, etc. fourth-year students likewise participated in prac tical work in ornamental horticulture, trimming hedges and creepers, lean lawns and preparing berths. Fifth-year students also took part in practical work on vegetable production. 31. In the winter season, when more land is normally available for practical training and demonstration in vegetable growing, work done by third and fifth year students include (a) different ways, of sowing seed by scattering in hillocks, by drilling, (b) aising and tending nursery plants, both in the open and in mini-tunnels (c) weeding, thinning, manuring, applying fertilisers (d) trailing tomatoes and preparing paper p ots, plastic tunnels and mulches. -8 3 2. include In addition, practical garden and farm work for fifth-year students (a) identification of spinach and chard seeds, instruction by observation that spinach is single-seeded while chard and beet are multiple-seeded practice in thinning (b) recognition of spinach sex extreme male, vegetational male, female, and identification of types of inflorescence (c) emonstration of sexual propagation of the potato, sweetenedened potato, dasheen and garlic. (d) practice in cutting seed tubers into two, three or four pieces fit in to size and number of eyes cutting of sweet potato vines. Staff Training 33. In-service training of theDepartments teaching staff was carried o ut, directly or indirectly, by visits, practical work and discussions. Most staff members participated, in groups of two to four at a time, in visits to noted farms, progressive vegetable growers, agricultural research institutes, fruit and flower shows, and to seed markets, merchants and growers.The Adviser recommended that more such visits should be made and that the University should have more transportation for this purpose. 3 4. Practical work include vegetable growing and testing, plant and seed studies, set out crop rotations and managing day-to-day operations. Discussion topics included undergraduate and postgraduate curricula, teaching methods, la boratory and equipment needs and use, and the draft university development plan. Three topics were prepared for seminars plastic film tunnels and mulches, rotation and inter-cropping, and vegetable crop nutrition.A seminar was held on the first of these, attended by university staff, growers and guests. Research 35. The Adviser considered the span of one academic year inadequate for the work that the M. Sc. course should comprise attending courses and seminars, laying out the research experiment, collecting data and information, and preparing the thesis. chemic analysis, he noted. , had not been included in any of the eight M . Sc. experiments on vegetables carried out in the previous seven years, although four were on the use of manure and fertilisers and two on variety tests. 9- 36. octet M. Sc. experiments were due to be conducted at Malir Farm two on methods of carrot seed production, three on onions (two on fertiliser use and the other on spacing), two on okra (on spacing and on testing varieties) and one on manure-testing for chillies. Other experiments proposed included evaluation and improvement of the keeping qualities of local varieties of vegetables, studies on the optimum sowing dates for the main vegetable crops, and the effects on vegetable crops growth and yields of selected environmental factors and of manure and fertilisers.