Newway2:

In the southern part of Nigeria & intact most tropical African countries, plantain is one of the people's staple food items.
Most farmers plant plantain subsistencely just to eat by their households & give few relations.
The few farmers that are into real plantain plantation farming are not maximising the use of the land on which the crop is planted.
The standard spacing for plantain is 3mx3m or 10ftx10ft. Using this measurement, the plant population density is 440/acre or 1,100/hectare.
Now, what happens to the space in between each plant?
The space between each plantain plant could be used to cultivate a variety of crops. But our focus here is the symbiotic relationship between plantain & cocoa.
That's where this writings comes in....
Good agronomical practice (that has been used by our grand fathers) is to plant plantain & cocoa @ 3mx3m. However, Plantain must be planted 1 or 2mnths (max) b4 cocoa at the onset of rain.
Using this planting spacing, U will also have 440/acre or 1,100 cocoa in the same 1ha.
The plantain serves two purposes of shielding the cocoa plants from wind & hot weather. It will also serve as income generation b4 d cocoa
starts to fruit.
There are eight new varieties of Cocoa recently released for distribution by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Practically all of them start fruiting within 18 months but earlier under irrigation.
Under minimal agronomic practice conditions they yield btwn 1.5-2 Tons/hectare.
With good agronomic practice condition and irrigation they yield throughout the year with yield per hectare doubling or trippling.
So you should consider an investment in Cocoa.
See my signature for your 18months fruiting, hybrid cocoa seedlings.

Thanks for the info but i had already planted my suckers with the spacing of 2.5mX2.5m, what best management practice would you advice?

how and when does one apply TRAMPEX, AMPLIGO AND OR IRON FORCE to one's maize farm?

Agritech:


It might be true if the suckers used in planting was infested with pests such as nematodes and beetles. The parasitic pressure increases year after year and the bunches becomes progressively smaller.

That's why one must plant with clean planting materials, ie suckers free from pest and diseases. One can plant tissue culture suckers or macropragated suckers from a nursery that follows the proper phytosanitary procedure.

If one must plant normal suckers, one must ensure that they are pared, ie the root and the outer part peeled as yam is peeled. Nematodes mostly reside in the roots and outer part of the corm. One must ensure that the paring isn't done in the new farm as one would be transferring the pest to the farm. After that, the suckers should be deeped into boiling water for exactly 30 seconds. The heat would kill any left over nematodes and beetles.

If clean planting materials are used, like Lesgupnigeria said they won't become smaller provided the plantation is well taken care of.

Thank you for your contribution. My suckers are from IITA, so i guess it should be of standard, nevertheless, i would make an inquiry about the suckers concerning what you said about good suckers. Thank you once again.

Lesgupnigeria:

Not true.
After the first harvest,you still need to fertilise (add manure) year in year out to get the best.
Plantain farm if well manage will last decades

Thank you.

A Local farmer told me that a plantain sucker produces their best bunch at first harvest and the size of bunches they produce after that becomes smaller and smaller and also the lifeline of a plantain farm is 3 years. How true is this please?

Lesgupnigeria:

Yes,you can

Thank you but you did not answer the second and my last question for now , which is; what is the best caution to take if i want to harvest in multiples of 100s and above at any point in time.

Mistymash:
Okay,my apologies.
There's millet and I sell in bulk only.
How many tonnes sir?

let's talk on whatsapp please....my number 08136798918. Thanks

Mistymash:
Hello,
Location is kaduna. Check my profile my number is there. Thank you

Okay, I actually called yesterday to no avail. Do you have Millet and how do you sell in bulk?

jobzytravels:


Sir, I prepared for 700 suckers on my acre in a spacing of 2.5m by 2m and my consultant said i could plant maize in between, please what do you advice sir?

Also, what's the best practice if one wants to harvest the bunches at least in multiples of 100s, 200s and above and not in multiples of 10s, 20s and so on. reason is because of cost management.

Thank you sir.

Lesgupnigeria:

Yes.you look for more land to cultivate with it or you sell them

Sir, I prepared for 700 suckers on my acre in a spacing of 2.5m by 2m and my consultant said i could plant maize in between, please what do you advice sir?

Lesgupnigeria:

Yes.you look for more land to cultivate with it or you sell them

Ok Sir. TAN KU

Mistymash:
@the above. Still available. Thank you

Good afternoon, Where is your location please and may i have ur phone number?

Lesgupnigeria:

OK.
1000 suckers can be planted on an acre @ spacing of 2m by 2m
Middle of march or late October provided there is water source/irrigation on the farm.

1000?
It's said that plantain do normally spread, what if all i have is one acre. what will happen to the extra suckers? are they going to be a waste?

Thank you for your prompt reply.

Lesgupnigeria:
Connect with me on www.Facebook.com/waleagro

Hello sir, thanks for this beautiful thread but you are not answering some good questions which we can benefit from;
e.g best time of the year to plant?
preferable amount of suckers on a acre for best result?
and so on.
Thanks