Field Guide of Discovery-based Exercises for - Aseanipm ...

materials
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Field Guide of Discovery-based Exercises for Organic Vegetable Production
• Office supplies (e.g., notebooks, ball pens, marking pens, crayons, Manila papers);
• Other supplies (e.g., , glassine bags, forceps, , paper clips, , pen, and tags); and
• Cross-pollinated vegetables (e.g., cucurbits) organically grown as parent materials for crossbreeding
exercises in learning and adjoining fields.
methodology
• Field walks, hands-on, and brainstorming
steps
1. Divide participants in small groups and ask them to conduct field walks and observe crosspollinated
vegetables (e.g., cucurbits) organically-grown for study of crops’ biological processes
and hybridization exercises in learning and adjoining fields. Take note of cultural management
practices employed. Interview other farmers, if necessary. List down all observations related
to:
5 Plant morphology and growth stages (e.g., duration of and changes in morphological
structures at different growth stages)
5 Other plant characters (e.g., branchiness, vigor)
5 Flower morphology (e.g., perfect or imperfect flower) and date of flowering (e.g., number
of days from emergence to flower initiation)
5 Maturity (e.g., number of days from emergence to harvest)
5 Pest and diseases incidence (e.g., major pest and diseases)
5 Size and shape of fruits (e.g., maturity index of crop)
5 Other fruit characters (color of rind and flesh, flesh thickness, taste, texture, etc)
2. Go back to processing area; brainstorm in small groups and present output to the big group.
Conduct participatory discussions to allow sharing of experiences among participants and
facilitators.
3. Motivate farmers to share their understanding in crops’ biological processes and best experiences
in hybridization of cross-pollinated vegetables (e.g., cucurbits) in their own farms, especially
on the following:
5 Selection of species or varieties as parent materials for hybridization;
5 Morphological differences of species or varieties selected as parent materials for hybridization;