Plants

Amaranth Originating in the Americas and Europe, amaranth has been cultivated for more than 8,000 years, dating back at least to the Mayan civilization of South and Central America. It was a staple of the Aztecs and incorporated into their religious... Grafting From FAO Field Manual : There are several ways of vegetative propagation. The three main types in forest tree propagation are grafting, air-layering and the use of cuttings. The three types are referred to as macropropagation, as alternative to... Plant Propagation FAO Field Manual : Garden Annuals Nursery Management Nursery Management on ECHOcommunity “Agriculture and Horticulture are vital sciences as they suffice the very basic need of food for Human beings. Qualitative and quantitative food can essentially be produced from healthy plants which in turn are produced only when their seedlings/sapplings are vigorous and healthy. Nursery is consequently the basic need of horticulture.” – Resource Book on Horticulture Nursery Management Fruit The cultivation of fruit trees is one strategy that we feel can fight hunger on a long-term, sustainable basis. Though the importance of raising fruit trees has been underestimated by development communities, it ought to be a major element in any development scheme. Fruits and nuts, when eaten in the right amounts and combinations, are capable of providing all the necessary nutrition that the body needs, including protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, oils, and sugars. They also provide great enjoyment from the variety of tastes and sweetness that other crops don’t provide. With proper selection of fruit tree species, you can have different kinds of fruit all year round. Once fruit trees are established, very little labor is required to maintain them and they continue to produce for many years. They will produce food even during difficult times when other garden produce may be hard to obtain. Fruit trees can also provide other benefits that include lumber, poles, medicine, income, shade, firewood, ornamental value, soil improvement, reforestation and protection of the environment Neem Underutilized Plants Underutilized crops are often indigenous ancient crop species which are still used at some level within the local, national or even international communities, but have the potential to contribute further to the mix of food sources than they currently do.https://www.echocommunity.org/en/resources/b077d53d-3747-40c2-9963-e77dd8ca652b Plant Identification Biodiversity is declining steadily throughout the world [113]. The current rate of extinction is largely the result of direct and indirect human activities [95]. Building accurate knowledge of the identity and the geographic distribution of plants is essential for future biodiversity conservation [69]. Therefore, rapid and accurate plant identification is essential for effective study and management of biodiversity.. -- Jana Wäldchen, Patrick Mäder Moringa Discussion and dialog on all things Moringa. Keep in mind that we don't allow commercial activity on our forums so please don't advertise products. Plant Health The old adage ‘You can’t fix a problem if you don’t know you have one’ underpins the basic science of diagnosing plant diseases and nutrient deficiencies. For years, farmers and scientists have worked together to identify a set of visual clues that can be used to determine diseases and nutrient deficiencies in a variety of agronomic crops. These clues and symptoms can be extremely useful, especially when soil and plant tissue testing methods are neither feasible nor available. Chaya Chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius), sometimes called the spinach tree, is a fast-growing perennial shrub native to Mexico that produces lots of attractive, large, dark green leaves. It can grow well on a wide range of soils in both hot, rainy climates and areas with occasional drought. It grows easily and quickly, especially at higher temperatures, and new leaves grow quickly after harvesting. The amount of leaves per square foot of garden space is impressive. Leaves have lower moisture content than most other green leafy plants like spinach or lettuce. Leaves of chaya contain cyanogenic glycosides, toxic substances that release hydrocyanic acid (HCN; also referred to as cyanide or prussic acid) when cells are crushed. Consuming these plants without cooking them can cause cyanide poisoning, with effects that vary depending on cyanide levels and how long a person or animal has been eating that plant. Leaves must be boiled for 20 minutes to remove all cyanogenic compounds.