Page 42 - Agriculture Form Two

Agriculture for Secondary Schools

Activity 2.6
1. Pay a visit to your school farm or nearby banana fields observe and perform
the following tasks:
(a) Identify some common pests and diseases affecting banana crop;
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(b) Study methods that are used to manage pests and diseases in the banana
fields; then,
(c) Adopt management measures that are applicable in your school farm.
2. Based on your experience in your locality, suggest other techniques that are
used in managing vermin in banana fields.

Exercise 2. 5

1. Define the following terms as used in banana:
(a) Bunch;
(b) Hand;
(c) Finger;

(d) mat; and
(e) male bud.
2. Outline equipment and materials that are required for harvesting bananas.
3. How can banana bunches be protected from insect damage in the field?
4. Briefly prepare a summary on Black sigatoka disease in banana to be presented
in one of a group of banana producers in your area.
5. Why is it important to harvest bananas at the right stage of maturity?

Other agronomic practices in banana production

There are other management practices which are specific to a banana crop. These
include de-suckering, propping, de-leafing, de-budding and bagging.

De-suckering
De-suckering in banana implies removing unwanted suckers from stools (Figure
2.10). The importance of which is to limit nutrient competition amongst banana
suckers and to improve air circulation within the canopy. To manage unwanted
suckers, ensure each stool has only three suckers: a mother plant (bearing sucker)
and a daughter plant (half-grown sucker). and a granddaughter plant (sprouting
sucker). Remove excess suckers with their corms, and you can use them as

34 Student’s Book Form Two

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Agriculture form 2.indd 34