Nutrient deficiencies can greatly affect the performance and productivity of apple trees. When practicing organic farming, most of the fertilisers used are organic, although small amounts of chemical fertilisers are important. Apple trees require various micronutrients in high levels at different growth stages such as Calcium, Nitrogen, Potassium, Phosphorus, Sulphur,…
Eggplants are a popular vegetable in many cuisines. It is also known as aubergine or brinjal. Eggplant is a nightshade family member, including Bell Peppers, Tomatoes, and Potatoes. Eggplant is a versatile and delicious vegetable used in various dishes. It is also relatively easy to grow, making it a great…
Organic and inorganic foliar feeds have their place in plant nutrition. Most organic foliar fertilisers will provide the necessary macro-nutrients but quantity and efficiency will vary, depending on the materials used for their preparation. Inorganic foliar fertiliser, on the other hand, is specific in the nutrients provided and quantity. In…
Low yields are a result of poor soil health, poor agronomic practices, erratic weather and other factors. Applying lime can improve soil health. One can also apply manure to improve organic matter content. Ground application of fertiliser, complemented with appropriate foliar fertiliser address plant nutritional requirements. Poor quality beans can…
These are concentrated solutions that are directly applied to leaves. Foliar fertiliser will not replace ground fertiliser. It is only complementary for nutrient uptake. Such a fertiliser satisfies deficiencies the plant may have. Plants can only absorb small doses of their nutrient requirements through leaves. They absorb most of their…
Do you know up to 40% of crops are destroyed by pests, weeds, and diseases caused by them and there are 30,000 species of weeds that can leach on the growth of crops Moreover, 10,000 types of insects eat plants and can destroy the crop. These numbers can increase if we don’t…
Questions surrounding the types and availability of fertilizers being used in Kenya have emerged over the past few years. The issues of soil acidity and reduced yields over the years has also paused a chain of questions on the credibility of the advice given to farmers on fertilizer application rate…
Let’s consider some hard facts in a simplified manner . An acre of land is 4000m² . Let’s assume an effective rooting depth of 20cm or 0.2m . The effective soil volume that affects crop production is 800m³ . If we put this soil in 10m³ tanks or 10 000…
Input suppliers are involved with extension and advisory services (EAS) programs in most countries and – like it or not – will continue to be involved as this is in their self-interest. I admit to some personal bias toward input supplier EAS, as I worked with my father who was…
Crop productivity in eastern Africa remains far lower than what it could be. Climate change and lack of investment have significant impacts, but seed systems are also majorly preventing farmers from growing to their full potential. Seed systems refer to the network of activities contributing to seed production and delivery…