MICROFICHE ~ F?EFERENCE LIIBRARY A project of Volunteers in Asia Practical Guide to Dryland Farming Published by: World Neighbors 5116 North Portland Avenue Okiahoma City, OK 73112 Available from: World Neighbors 5116 North Portland Avenue Oklahoma City, OK 73112 Reproduced with permission. Reproduction p? this microfiche document in any form is subject to the same restriction& 6 those of the originai document. Practical Guide to Dryland Farming I PLANTING TREE CROPS Planting *free Crops is number four in the Dryland Farming Swles, a se? of booklets initially put together for upland farmers in the Nusa Tenggara Provinces of southeastern Indonesia. Other booklets in this expanding series cover aspects of farm management such as soil and water conservation, animal husbandry, integrated farming, and on-farm develop- ment experimentation, The Dryland Farming Serlw is a collaborative effort between World Neighbors and Studio Driya Media in Indonesia, with additional input from several grassroots programs working throughout the region. These booklets were designed to be used together with farmers, extension agents, or program personnel who are already somewhat familiar with the practices described. The method- ologies described are specifically applicable to the conditions found in the semi-arid regions of southeastern Indonesia; some of the practices, therefore, may not be applicable in areas with different ciimates, soils, or farming traditions. The use of common names for a variety of tree species poses some problems in translation, since English common names may indicate different tree species in different parts of the world. For this reason, the text relies primarily on scientific genus and species names to describe various trees. If you have any questions about the material contained in this publication or others in the Dryland Farmlng Series, please contact World Neighbors. Comments and suggestions are welcome as well! English language versions* of the Dryland Farming Series can be ordered from: World Neighbors 5116 North Portland Avenue Oklahoma City, OK 73112, U.S.A. Indonesian language versions can be ordered from: Studio Driya Media JI. Hariangbanga No. 2 pav Bandung 40116 Indonesia *Not all booklets in the series are available in English. Planting trees is an important activity for most small farmers throughout the tropics. It makes good sense for farmers to integrate tree crops into their usual agricultural activities of planting food crops and raising livestock. Economically important trees such as coffee, cloves, cacao, and coconut often become an important source of income for families at times when other crops are not yet ready for harvest, such as at the end of a long dry season. Fruit trees provide a healthy and tasty supplement to our diet. Who doesn’t like bananas, guavas, mangos, or avocados? Fruit can also be sold at the market as an additional source of income. Most rural families need a dependable supply of firewood for cooking and/or heating the house. Wood may also be necessary for building houses or furniture, making fences, etc. As the forests in many rural areas begin to disappear, farmers must begin to think about planting trees that will fulfill their needs for fuelwood and building materials. Some kinds of trees can provide a nutritious source of fodder for livestock, For example, species of Calliandra and Leucaena (ipil-ipil), orGliricldiasepium (madre de cacao) can continue to feed farm animals during the long dry season when other sources of fodder become scarce. This booklet discusses some of the basic steps in the planting and care of trees. It can be used as a “planning guide” for integrating appropriate tree crops into the regular ac,tivities of the small farm. 6 The simplest and most familiar way to grow 8 tree is to plant it from a seed. in order to guarantee good growth and yield though, care must be taken to select the best seeds for planting. Seeds should be selected from a mature tree that has ail thequalities that wewant the new tree to have. The mature tree should be healthy , free frc\m insects and disease, and have already proven to give high yieids of fruit, wood, or leaves (deperlding upon the uses of the tree). The best time to select seed for planting is when the fruit is fully ripe so that the seed will germinate quickly. A seed will generally grow into a tree much like the one from which it was taken UNLESS the mother tree is a”hybrid” or was “grafted”. Some kinds of seeds need special treatment such as drying, peeling, or soaking in hot or cold water in order to germinate. Others must be stored for some time before they will germinate. This type of information can be obtained from knowledgeable farmers, program workers, or agricultural extension agents. Some types of trees. can be planted direc?iy from “cuttings” or “stakes”. Farmers often use stakes for planting living fences Fast-growing trees used for fueiwood (such as those of the genera Leucaena, Alblzxia, and Acacia) are usually planted directly from seed. in very dry areas, it may be better to grow these trees first in a “nursery”. Other kinds of tree crops that are not strong enough to be planted directly in the field should be planted first in a seedbed or nursery, too. Planting seeds in a nursery has other uses as well, Both time and water can be saved. Seedlings can be cared for better in the nursery. Seeds can also be planted during the dry season instead of waiting for the onset of the rains to plant them. it is important to decide when the best time to begin the seedbed or nursery is. it is often best to begin during theeariy part of the dry season so that seedlings can grow as much as possible by the time the pia.nting season beyins. The first step in setting up a nursery is finding a proper site. The best place iz one that is easy to reach, close to a water source, sheltered, and protected from livestock. if necessary, a fence can be constructed to protect the nursery. Plastic bags used in the nursery should have a diameter of 7 to 10 cm. These bags can be made by cutting a cheap roil of plastic into 20 cm, pieces and sealing one of the ends, After adding soil, holes must be punched in the bag so that excess water can drain out. For tree species that need to remain in the bags for six months or more, bags might be obtained from program personnel, government agricultural offices, or agricultural supply stores. if poiybags are not available, containers can be made from banana stems or bamboo. While these will not last as long as poiybags, homemade containers are cheap and easy to make. Soil used in seedbeds or nurseries must be fertile and loose enough that water can penetrate. Containers should be filled with a mixture of equal parts (1: 1: 1) of soil, manure, and sand (not beach sand). The soil, manure and sand must be mixed thoroughly before filling the containers. Pofybags should be filled to the top with the soil mixture so that the top of the bag does not fold down on top of the smaei plant and kill it. Containers should be arranged neatly in the nursery rack and kept well-watered and weed-free. it is also important to keep the soil from becoming too packed by loosening it regularly. By placing the seedlings in a raised rack, they are both easier to take care of and protected from livestock. in addition, the roots that break through the plastic will not become rooted in the ground. The rack should be about waist-high and strong enough so that it does not collapse under the weight of the plants after watering. When the plants are old enough to survive in the field, the seedlings can be moved out of the nursery. Transplanting usually takes place at the onset of the rainy season so that the seedlings do not need to be watered anymore. CULTIVATED FIELD SLOPING LAND FIELD NEAR THE HOUSE VERY DRY AREA Careful consideration must be given to where to plant the seedlings before they are taken out of the nursery. The choice will depend upon the kind of tree to be planted, the type of field to be used, the nature of the soil, and the general environmental conditions of the area.