October agri mag focuses on farm mechanization

Watch for the October 2018 issue of Agriculture Magazine which will be off the press in a few days. Featuring a big Korean tractor on the cover, the magazine emphasizes that the name of the game in agriculture today is farm mechanization.

Farm mechanization is very important, especially with the unpredictable weather due to climate change. There are a number of good reasons why Filipino farmers should mechanize. For one, land preparation for planting is more thorough with machine power instead of carabao power.

Now and then deep plowing or subsoiling has to be done to break the compacted soil. This will bring to the surface the nutrients buried underground. With deep plowing the roots will be able to penetrate deeper thus making them better anchored and less susceptible to the effects of drought.

During planting time, when every landowner is preparing for planting, they are often confronted with the problem of no available farm workers to do the transplanting. And so there is the need to adopt the use of transplanting machines that can do the job really very fast. Aside from the seedling transplanters in rice, there are new models of direct seeding equipment that could be attached to the tractors. And these equipment are really efficient in seeding rice in straight rows and equal distances.

The same is true when rice harvesting comes and most of the fields are ready for harvest. The big problem occurs when there is pending bad weather and the ripening grains have to be harvested posthaste. That’s when the combine harvesters are most needed. Manual harvesting of wide areas of rice will not be able to take care of the problem.

Rice is not the only crop that should be mechanized. The same is true with corn. There are commbine harvesters which can harvest the ears, shell them simultaneously and then bagged for delivery to the drying facilities.

Vegetables and other high-value crops are also getting gradually mechanized. The small machines brought into the country by Harbest Agribusiness, for example, are very efficient in preparing the planting beds, making drainage canals, levees and others.

WATERMELON GUIDE – Readers of the October issue of Agriculture will be happy to know that there is a comprehensive guide in watermelon production, thanks to Aubregyn Ancheta of Known-You Seed Philippines who contributed the article.

The article covers the varieties to grow, seedling care, land preparation, transplanting, fertilization, irrigation and drainage, pruning and fruit setting, pollination and harvesting.

For instance, in pruning, fruit setting and pollination, here is the recommended practice. Watermelons require pruning to improve fruit setting and the yield. Prune the vine by cutting it off at the fourth true leaf. This will develop three secondary vines. Remove the flowers and vines in each primary vine from the fifth node below. Manual pollination is required during unfavorable weather conditions, such as during the rainy season, because of the absence of pollinators. Maintain one or two fruits per plant for your desired size.

NEGROS TERRACES – Julio P. Yap, Jr. discovered the little known Codcod Rice and Vegetable Terraces in the mountainsides of San Carlos City, Negros Occidental. There are other interesting articles by JP Yap in the September issue, including a promising red onion variety that was field tested earlier. He also writes how architect Michael Peña takes good care of his prized bonsai trees.

RESEARCH RESULTS – Dr. Rafael D. Guerrero III, our fishery expert columnist, writes about new research findings in agriculture and fisheries. Example: Why garlic production in Luzon is down. Bad weather, infestations in the field and in storage were among the causes.

Dr. Guerrero writes that vermi leachate increases yield of tomato. The benefits from plastic mulch in the production of tomatoes and eggplant are also cited in Dr. Guerrero’s column.

Oh yes, there are many more informative stories in the October issue of Agriculture. Make sure to get a copy. In a few days it will be off the press.

BALANCED BONSAI NUTRITION - Architect Michael Peña is one of the most avid collectors of bonsai trees. He has some of the very expensive bonsai which necessarily have to be fertilized with a balanced formulation and which have to be managed with utmost care. In the October issue of Agriculture Magazine, readers will learn some the architect’s secrets in taking care of his prized collection of dwarf trees. In photo he is shown with his prize-winning Bantigue bonsai.

CORN CORNER – This is a monthly feature in the Agriculture Magazine which focuses on the latest developments in the corn industry. The feature in the October issue by Louella Fin is “Best Management Practices for Corn-After-Corn Production". Among others, the article cites hybrid seed selections, crop residue and diseases, soil fertility and nitrogen, weed management, rotation effect and stress, and more suggestions.

At left is the cover of the October issue of Agriculture Magazine which focuses on farm mechanization. The big tractor is a Branson from Korea. At right is Grace Belleza of Davao del Norte who has made a business out of grafting bougainvilleas. She is featured in the October issue of Agriculture Magazine.