knowledge/crops.txt

[Crop type]: Maize
Varieties: SC403, SC627, DK8031, MH18, Chitedze 2 (open pollinated).
Planting: Plant at start of rains (November-December). Spacing: 75cm between rows, 25cm between plants. 1-2 seeds per hole. Depth: 5cm.
Land preparation: Plough 20-30cm deep before rains. Apply compound fertilizer (23:21:0+4S) at planting: 3 bags/acre (150kg). Top dress with CAN or Urea at 4-6 weeks: 2 bags/acre.
Pests: Fall armyworm (njowala) - spray Coragen, Ampligo, Karate when young. Stalk borer - apply Furadan granules at planting. Aphids - spray Dimethoate or Malathion.
Diseases: Maize streak virus (transmitted by leafhoppers - use tolerant varieties). Gray leaf spot - use tolerant varieties SC403, SC627. Northern leaf blight - avoid dense planting, rotate crops.
Harvest: 3-5 months after planting depending on variety. Moisture: dry to 12.5% before storage. Store in PICS bags or hermetic containers.

[Crop type]: Tobacco
Types in Malawi: Burley (most common), Flue-cured (TAMA areas), Dark fired.
Seedbed: Prepare seedbed 3x1m (October). Use sterilized soil. Apply Ridomil for damping off. Sow seeds thinly. Transplant at 6-8 weeks when 15-20cm tall.
Land preparation: Deep plough 30cm. Apply compound basal fertilizer at transplanting. Burley: Apply high nitrogen fertilizer (CAN).
Planting: November-December after first good rains. Spacing: 1.2m x 0.6m (Burley). Irrigate if no rain within 3 days of transplanting.
Pests: Aphids - spray Dimethoate. Cutworms - apply Furadan. Wireworms - treat soil before planting.
Diseases: Phytophthora black shank - drain waterlogged areas, use resistant varieties. Mosaic virus - control aphids, remove infected plants.
Harvest: Burley: harvest leaves progressively from bottom. Cure in barns. Target moisture: 14%.

[Crop type]: Groundnuts
Varieties: Chalimbana, Manipintar (CG7), Malimba, Nsinjiro, ICGV-SM 99568.
Planting: November-December with first rains. Spacing: 45cm rows x 15cm between plants. Depth: 5cm. 1 seed per hole. Do not use old or diseased seed.
Land preparation: Light soils preferred. Plough well. Do not over-apply nitrogen - groundnuts fix their own nitrogen. Apply SSP (Single Superphosphate) 50kg/acre for phosphorus.
Pests: Rosette disease vector (aphid) - spray Dimethoate early. Leaf miners. Termites - treat soil.
Diseases: Early leaf spot, Late leaf spot - spray Dithane M45 or Bravo at 3-week intervals. Aflatoxin (mold after harvest) - dry immediately, store in dry conditions. Groundnut rosette - plant early, use resistant varieties.
Harvest: 90-120 days. Leaves turn yellow. Lift with fork, dry for 2 weeks then thresh. Store at <10% moisture to prevent aflatoxin.

[Crop type]: Rice
Varieties: Senga (most popular), Changu, Faya, Blue Bonnet, Kilombero. Upland rice: Nerica varieties.
Planting: Lowland/paddy: December-January in Shire Valley. Upland: with first rains. Seedbed then transplant at 21-30 days.
Land preparation: Level paddies for uniform flooding. Flood to 5-10cm depth. Puddle soil.
Fertilizer: Compound fertilizer at transplanting. Top dress with Urea at tillering stage.
Pests: Rats (biggest problem) - set traps, use fumigation in stores. Stem borers - spray Karate. Birds - scare when grain forming.
Diseases: Rice blast - spray Beam or Tricyclazole. Bacterial leaf blight - drain fields, use certified seed.
Harvest: 120-150 days. Drain fields 2 weeks before harvest. Moisture: 14% for safe storage.

[Crop type]: Cassava
Varieties: Manyokola, Mkondezi, Sauti, Chiwaya, Mthitiwa (improved). Prefer mosaic-resistant varieties.
Planting: October-November or March-April. Use stem cuttings 25-30cm long. Spacing: 1m x 1m. Plant cuttings at 45-degree angle.
Land preparation: Mounds or ridges recommended for good tuber development. Does well in poor soils.
Pests: Cassava mealybug - use biological control (parasitic wasp Anagyrus lopezi). Cassava green mite.
Diseases: Cassava mosaic virus (CMD) - use certified clean cuttings, remove infected plants. Brown streak disease - most serious in southern Malawi, plant resistant varieties.
Harvest: 9-18 months. Harvest progressively. Fresh cassava deteriorates in 2-3 days - process to flour (ufa wa chinangwa) or dry quickly.

[Crop type]: Soya Beans
Varieties: Hardee, Nasoko, Magoye, Tikolore, SC Squire.
Planting: November-December with rains. Spacing: 45cm rows x 10cm plants. Inoculate seed with Rhizobium bacteria before planting for nitrogen fixation.
Land preparation: Well drained fertile soil. Avoid waterlogging. Rotate with maize.
Pests: Bean fly - use seed dressing. Pod borers - spray Karate or Dimethoate at flowering.
Diseases: Frogeye leaf spot - use resistant varieties. Soybean rust - spray Tilt (Propiconazole).
Harvest: 90-120 days when pods turn brown. Thresh immediately after harvest. Store at 13% moisture.

[Crop type]: Sweet Potatoes
Varieties: Kenya, TIS 3017, Zondeni, Salera, Kokota (orange-fleshed varieties high in Vitamin A).
Planting: November-December. Plant vine cuttings 30cm long. Spacing: 30cm x 90cm. Mound planting recommended.
Pests: Sweet potato weevil (most serious) - use clean planting material, crop rotation. Aphids - spray Dimethoate.
Diseases: Viral diseases - use clean certified vines. Alternaria leaf spot - spray fungicide.
Harvest: 3-5 months. Harvest before dry season. Cure in warm area for 1-2 weeks to improve shelf life.

[Crop type]: Tomatoes
Varieties: Tengeru 97, Rio Grande, Heinz, UC82, Beefmaster.
Planting: Year-round with irrigation. Dry season (April-September) for best quality. Raise seedlings in nursery 4-6 weeks then transplant. Spacing: 60cm x 60cm.
Fertilizer: Heavy feeder. Compound fertilizer at planting + regular top dressing. Foliar feeding beneficial.
Pests: Tomato leafminer (Tuta absoluta) - serious problem. Use Coragen or Radiant. Aphids, whitefly - spray Actara or Confidor. Cutworms - Furadan.
Diseases: Late blight - spray Ridomil Gold or Dithane regularly. Bacterial wilt - no chemical control, rotate crops, remove infected plants. Blossom end rot - calcium deficiency, maintain soil moisture.
Harvest: 60-80 days from transplanting. Harvest when fruit starts turning red. Transport carefully to avoid damage.

[Crop type]: Onions
Varieties: Red Pinoy, Tropicana Red, Safari, Bombay Red.
Planting: Dry season (April-September) with irrigation preferred. Raise seedlings in nursery 6-8 weeks. Transplant at pencil thickness. Spacing: 20cm x 10cm.
Fertilizer: High phosphorus at planting. Nitrogen top dressing at 3-4 weeks intervals. Stop nitrogen 6 weeks before harvest.
Pests: Onion thrips (biggest problem) - spray Karate, Actara or Confidor. Cutworms.
Diseases: Purple blotch - spray Dithane M45 or Mancozeb. Downy mildew.
Harvest: When tops fall over and necks are tight. Cure for 2-3 weeks in dry airy place. Store hanging in bundles.

[Crop type]: Bananas
Varieties: Williams, Grand Nain, Gros Michel, Apple banana (Figue Pomme), Plantain (for cooking).
Planting: Year-round but best at start of rains. Use disease-free suckers or tissue culture plants. Spacing: 3m x 3m. Plant in holes 60x60x60cm with well-rotted manure.
Care: Remove excess suckers, leave only one ratoon. Mulch heavily. Prop bunches to prevent falling.
Pests: Banana weevil - treat suckers with Furadan before planting. Nematodes - use clean planting material. Banana aphid (vector of bunchy top virus).
Diseases: Panama disease (Fusarium wilt) - no treatment, use resistant varieties, avoid infected soil. Banana bunchy top virus - remove infected plants, control aphids. Sigatoka leaf spot - spray Dithane or copper fungicide.
Harvest: 9-14 months for first harvest, 6-8 months for ratoons. Harvest when fingers are full but still green. Ripen off plant.

[Crop type]: Mangoes
Varieties: Tommy Atkins, Keitt, Kent, Nam Doc Mai, local varieties (Sakata, Peach).
Planting: Plant grafted seedlings at start of rains. Spacing: 10m x 10m. Large holes 1m x 1m with manure. Stake young trees.
Care: Prune for shape in first 2 years. Remove water shoots. Mulch around trees.
Pests: Mango seed weevil (inside fruit) - difficult to control, use early cover sprays. Fruit fly - use protein bait traps, bag fruit. Scale insects - spray white oil.
Diseases: Anthracnose (black spots on fruit and leaves) - spray Dithane or copper fungicide during flowering. Bacterial black spot.
Harvest: Varies by variety 100-150 days after flowering. Fruit turns color. Pick with stalk to prevent sap burn.

[Crop type]: Sunflower
Varieties: PAN 7351, Sirena, Record, Afsun 892.
Planting: November-December with rains. Spacing: 75cm x 30cm. 1-2 seeds per hole. Thin to 1 plant. Depth 3-5cm.
Fertilizer: Compound fertilizer at planting. CAN top dress at 4-6 weeks.
Pests: Aphids - spray Dimethoate. Heliothis caterpillar on flower head - spray Karate. Sunflower beetle.
Diseases: Phomopsis stem canker. Alternaria leaf blight. Sclerotinia - avoid dense planting.
Harvest: 90-110 days. Heads turn brown, seeds harden. Cut heads, dry in sun then thresh. Oil content 40-50%. Process into cooking oil (sunflower oil is popular in Malawi).

[Crop type]: Cotton
Varieties: CAL-Delta Pine, Chureza, Makoka local.
Planting: November-December. Spacing: 90cm x 30cm. Seed dressing essential for early pest control.
Fertilizer: Compound fertilizer at planting. CAN top dress at squaring stage.
Pests: Bollworms (American, spiny, pink) - most serious. Spray Karate, Cypermethrin. Aphids - Dimethoate. Whitefly - Actara. Red spider mite.
Diseases: Bacterial blight - use certified seed, plant resistant varieties. Verticillium wilt - crop rotation.
Harvest: 150-180 days. Pick open bolls. 3-4 pickings per season. Lint must be dry for ginning.

[Crop type]: Paprika
Varieties: Papri King, Aladin, Enza Zaden varieties.
Planting: April-May nursery, transplant June-July for dry season crop. Spacing: 60cm x 45cm. Irrigation essential.
Fertilizer: High potassium for color development. Regular foliar feeds.
Pests: Aphids, Thrips - spray Actara or Confidor. Cutworms - Furadan at planting.
Diseases: Phytophthora blight - avoid waterlogging. Cercospora leaf spot.
Harvest: When fruits turn red. Dry immediately to preserve color. Grind into powder for export.

[Crop type]: Pigeon Peas
Varieties: ICP 9145, ICEAP 00040, Kachangu (local).
Planting: November-December. Spacing: 1m x 0.5m. Often intercropped with maize.
Land preparation: Tolerates poor soils. Fixes nitrogen. Minimal fertilizer needed.
Pests: Pod borers, Aphids - spray when necessary. Blister beetles.
Diseases: Fusarium wilt, Phytophthora blight.
Harvest: 150-270 days depending on variety. Harvest dry pods. Store well as dry grain.