(a) Explain the term staking in yam cultivation (3marks) (b) Describe the nursery practices in...

Explanation

(a) Explanation of staking in yam cultivation

- It means using long poles or stick to support yam vines

- The vines are trained to climb up the stakes by the farmer

- Staking is done to ensure adequate exposure of leaf surface to sunlight for photosynthesis

- Staking improves yield of yam

(b) Nursery practices in coca cultivation

- Polythene bags/poly pots are filled with loamy soil mixed with organic manure

- Fresh seeds are sown in the soil in polythene bags

- The polythene bags are placed under a shade in the nursery

- The sown seeds in the polythene bags are watered daily

- Removal/hand pulling of weeds around the growing seedlings is done regularly

- The seeds are sown in nursery between October and November

- Nursery practices last for about 5-6months

(c) Reasons for parboiling paddy rice

- To reduce the breakage of grains during milling

- To harden the grains.

- To loosen the husk

- To make dehusking easier

- To improve the resistance of grains to storage Pests

-To enable the grains absorb vitamin B and proteins in the bran during soaking

-To improve storability of rice grains

(d) Advantages and disadvantages of taungya farming

Advantages

- Varieties of crops are harvested

- It increases the income of the farmer

- When leguminuos crops are used, the beneficial effect of root nodules increases soil fertility for the forest trees

- The young forest trees receive attention from the farmer

- Where land is scarce, the farmer has a piece of land to cultivate

- Ensures effective weed control

- Creates employment

Disadvantages

- The forestry sector may be reluctant to release their fertile land to farmers

- There is competition for space, light, water and nutrients between arable crops and trees

- Choice of crops to be planted is restricted to arable crops

- Labour intensive because the system cannot be mechanized

- Trees may harbour pests/pathogens of crops