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IDRC2.ตอนที่1

Vegetable Seed Production (Thailand) in Opium Based Agriculture

M. Nikornpun1

(M. Wivutvongvana)

ABSTRACT

  1. Vegetable seed production on highland.

By the financial support from the International Development Research Center (IDRC) to the Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University. Chiang Mai, Thailand, production of some vegetable seeds was tested on the highland and the lowland in the North of Thailand. Results showed that the highland was more suitable than the lowland for seed production of Chinese radish and leaf mustard. In October, seed yield of Chinese radish at Mae Hae (highland) was 3.66 t/ha while the yield at Hoay Luk (lowland) was 2.1 t/ha. In November the yield on the highlands was 2.83 to 3.01 t/ha while the lowland was only 1.05 t/ha. The same potential was observed on leaf mustard.

Seed production of Chinese radish and Chinese cabbage on the highland was profitable economically, while it was not profitable for leaf mustard. Besides, Cruciferous crops, seed production of F1 hybrid tomato and squash was found to be successful on the highland. However, the lowland was also suitable for seed production of tomato and watermelon.

Key words: seed yield and seed production.

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1Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand 50200

INTRODUCTION

Many countries subject to a period of economic falls down at the present time, Thailand is one of them. These countries are looking for their surviral in term of currency exchange. They are searching for their own resources within their territories. Thailand is more or less the same as her neighborhood. Income of Thailand bases on agriculture products and agriculture processed products. Climate of Thailand is suitable for agriculture such as fresh vegetable production. However, more than half of vegetable seeds used are imported from abroad. A large sum of money is spent each year to import the seeds. Whether, Thailand can produce her own needs of vegetable seeds?. The author and her colleague had tried to answer this question since 1986, focusing on totally imported seeds in family Cruciferae. Major crops in this family are Chinese radish, Chinese cabbage, and leaf mustard. The International Development Research Center, Canada granted some funds to the Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University for the studies. It was shown vary clearly that mountaineous area in the North of Thailand is very suitable for Chinese radish, Chinese cabbage and leaf mustard. Farmers adoption was tested by commercial production of these seeds. It was found that the adoption was very good, because the farmers had very limited choices of career. Besides, searching for forest goods, fresh vegatable production and opium production, they had no other ways of earning some money. Vegetable seeds production required winter time which was the same time and a slope land which was the same area of opium production. Therefore increase production of vegetable seeds would reduce production of opium. Discoveries of the production took place in 1990. However, extension of the vegetable seed production dose not occur, because private sectors are prohibited from the highland. Some units of government or organization are needed to fulfil the goals, or the prohibition of private sectors is called off.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

  1. Planting date studies on Chinese radish and leaf mustard.

The experiments on planting date studies were tested at 3 locations; Hoay Luk, Inthanon and Mae Hae. These locations are in Chiang Mai Province which is in the North of Thailand. They are different in elevations above sea level; Hoay Luk (800 meters), Mae Hae (1000 meters) and Inthanon (1200 meters). The experiments started in October 1982 and ended in March 1983. Randomized complete block design with 3 replications was used in each locations. Chinese radish and leaf mustard were in different experiments. They were germinated and one month old seedlings were used in each planting dates; October, November, December, January, February and March.

One month old seedlings of Chinese radish and leaf mustard were planted in a field at 30 cm between plants and 50 cm between rows. They were planted in three plots for each planting date.

The crops were fertilized and sprayed with inseeticide and fungicide, regularly. When seeds matured, pods were harvested, dried In the sun and seeds were treshed from pods. Seed weights were recorded.

Besides Chiang Mai province, Nan and Pethaboon province were tested on Chinese cabbage, Chinese radish and leaf mustard seed production. However, no experimental design was used for the produciton.

  1. Commercial seed production of Chinese cabbage, Chinese radish and leaf mustard on the highland.

Chinese cabbage, Chinese radish and leaf mustard were planted commercially without experimental design in 1987 at Inthanon mountain (1200 meters above sea level). One month old seedlings of the crops were transplanted in November 1987 on slope and paddy lands at Inthanon mountain. Seed yields were recorded when they matured in March 1988. Cost of production, net income and net profit were calculated.

3.F1 hybrid seed production of tomato, watermelon and squash.

In 1989, F1 hybrid seed production of tomato, watermelon and squash were tested on the low and highlands in Nan Province, the North of Thailand,

They were tested in November 1989 and 1990 The crops were planted in November 1989 and seeds were harvested in March 1990. Tomato was tested on the low and highlands. Watermelon was tested on the lowland and squash was tested on the highland. In 1989, One thousand five hundred farmers were used for growing tomato. Two thousand female tomato plants was given to each farmer. During pollination time, pollens were delivered daily to the farmers. When tomato fruits matured, seed yield was calculated per planting area.

In 1990, 300 farmers on the lowland and 120 farmers on the highland were tested on F1 hybrid tomato seed production. Number of female tomato plants for each farmers varied according to their request. Pollen was not delivered to the farmers as performed in the first year. The famers produced their own pollens by growing male tomato plants in the field nearby the female plants. Seed yield was calculated after harvesting in March 1991.

In 1990, F1 hybrid watermelon seed production was tested by 20 farmers on the lowland. At the some time F1 hybrid squash seed production was tested by 20 farmers on the highland. Seed yield was calculated when seeds were harvested in March 1991.

RESULTS

  1. Planting date studies on Chinese radish and leaf mustard.

A few years of experimental trials on the mountaineous area of the North of Thailand showed that seed production of many kinds of vegetable was suitable in terms of climate, famers’ adoption, economical situation and cultural practices. Seed production of Cruciferous crops; Chinese cabbage, Chinese radish and leaf mustard were tested on a few mountains, Doi Inthanon, Doi Phuca and Koa Kao. These mountains were located in Chiang Mai, Nan and Petchaboon provinces, respectively. Results showed that mountaineous areas is more suitable for these vegetables than low land areas (Wivutvongvana et al. 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1989 and Nikornpun. 1992). Seed yield on the highland was higher than seed yield on the lowland. Less insect and disease damage were observed on the highland than the lowland. Farmers in many highland areas adopted vegetable seed production. The production replaced opium production automatically bacause of time of planting and location.

Seed production of Chinese radish and leaf mustard was tested on the highland at Doi Inthanon (1,200 meters above sea level) and Mae Hae (1,000 meters above sea level) and on the lowland at Hoay Luk (800 meters above sea level). Seed yield of Chinese radish on the highland was higher than the lowland (Table 1 and Figure 1). October and November were the best time for seed production. In October, seed yield at Mae Hae (highland, was 3.66 t/ha while seed yield at Hoay Luk (lowland) was 2.1 t/ha. In November, seed yields at Mae Hae and Inthanon were 3.01 and 2.83 t/ha respectively, but the yield at Hoay Luk was only 1.65 t/ha.