What number of watermelons can be planted in an acre of land?

In Japan and other parts of the Far East, varieties are often grown that are susceptible to fusarium wilt, and these may be grafted onto disease-resistant rootstocks.

Watermelons have a longer growing period than other melons, and can often take 85 days or more from the time of transplanting for the fruit to mature.

Watermelons grow best on soils that hold water well and have good air and water infiltration rates.
Soil should have a pH of 5.8 to 6.6. They are sensitive to cold temperatures, and even a mild frost can severely injure the crop.
Watermelons require a constant supply of moisture during the growing season.

While the number planted may depend on the variety of water melon and a number of other factors, approximately 2,800-4,400 plants can be planted on an acre in single rows with a spacing of five (5) feet to eight (8) feet apart on plastic-mulched beds with 24-36 inches between plants in the row.

When should fish in ponds be harvested?

At six months after stocking, Nile tilapia should have attained a size of 150-350g. The female will have started to mature and the fry may be observed in the pond.

Once fry are observed in large numbers, then the fish must be harvested to prevent overcrowding and stunting. You should start harvesting when the fish reach the size you can sell or eat.

This should start six months onwards from the release of fingerlings. This reduces the chances of poor growth by having too many fish.

What causes infertility in cattle?
Poor management and feeding or nutrition of heifers may decrease their growth rate and delay their sexual maturity.

Fertility problems may be complicated by poor detection of the short heat period which may occur at night. There could be cases of sterile heifers due to reproductive defects or dysfunction.

Control: Observe your herd for sterility and cull off those that are not productive to improve the fertility of your stock.

How do you control weeds in a banana plantation?

If you are weeding by hand: heap the weed residues together in the plantation so the weed seeds are confined to one place.

If you do not heap all the weeds together or remove them from your field, they will grow back rapidly. To control your weeds by hand, you will need lots of labour during the rainy season.

If you want to learn how to spray herbicides, contact the extension officer in your village.

Why are food prices low during harvest?

It is the time of plenty, many people sell their food thus bringing the prices down or few people are buying since they are self sufficient.
Farmers are encouraged to properly store their harvest until when they can get higher prices.

What are the causes of seeds failure to germinate?

There are several causes including seeds being affected by disease or age, lost viability, not mature, not well dried or if conditions for planting were bad, there were no rain or they were eaten by pests.

What is good quality seed and why is it important?

It should have a high germination rate (80 per cent minimum), well dried, pure, same variety and size, clean, not mixed with foreign matter (one per cent), It should not be broken, shrivelled, mouldy, damaged, rotten, or discoloured (10 per cent). Moisture content should be about 13-15 per cent maximum. Quality of seed is very important because it greatly affects the yields.

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