Buy Inputs From Reputable Sources: Arex

Source from:  The Herald (Harare) November 13, 2005  11/15/2005

FARMERS countrywide are strongly advised to buy their farming inputs from reputable organisations and to make sure that all the required conditions for seed germination are met. Agricultural Research and Extension Services (Arex) director Dr Shadreck Mlambo last week said farmers should use seed from reputable organisations to avoid disappointment. "Farmers are strongly advised to buy their inputs, especially seed, from reputable sources. This guarantees seed viability as the seed is alive and is capable of germination," he said. Dr Mlambo said farmers should look at indicators like the amount of rainfall received, the wet depth of the soil and profile before planting. "The required conditions for germination are moisture, which is the rainfall; warmth; soil temperature; air; and viable seeds. "Rainfall is the most crucial factor which determines what crop to plant, when and how best to plant it," he said. To ensure good crop germination, farmers were supposed to plant their crops after receiving about 25mm to 40mm of rainfall over a period of three days, with an effective wet depth of about 50cm. Dr Mlambo advised farmers to adhere to agronomic recommendations for different crops and follow weather forecasts through the media. Farmers could practise dry planting in areas that had not received rainfall but expected rains within 10 days. "Farmers in regions one, two and three can plant crops like maize, soyabeans, groundnuts, sweet potatoes, cotton, tobacco and paprika while those in regions four and five should concentrate on small grains like sorghum, millet and rapoko, drought-resistant crops and the short-season hybrid varieties," said Dr Mlambo. He said the long-maturing varieties should be planted in the first half of this month while the second half was for the medium and short-maturing varieties. Other medium and short-term varieties could be planted in the first two weeks of December and crops like sunflower, sweet and field beans could be planted in the last two weeks of December. Enditem