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

Exercise No. 7.05 250
DETERMINING RIGHT MATURITY IN HARVESTING
ORGANICALLY-GROWN VEGETABLE CROPS FOR SEED
PRODUCTION AND MARkETING PURPOSES
BaCKGroUND aND raTIoNalE
Crop maturity varies with the kind, variety, season, and
purpose for which vegetables are grown. The right crop
maturity normally depends on whether it will be harvested
for seed production or marketing as fresh vegetable. For seed
production purposes, crops are harvested at the most mature
stage of seed. This is also called as the stage of physiological
maturity of seed when all food reserves needed by the seed
have been accumulated. Thus, it is at its state of maximum
dry weight, its highest vigor, and quality level 251 .
374
Field Guide of Discovery-based Exercises for Organic Vegetable Production
when is this exercise most
appropriate?
ɶ In FFS, TOT, and
VST sessions, before
harvesting of organicallygrown
vegetable crops in
learning field; and
ɶ When organic vegetable
farmers want to learn
from others better ways
to determine the right
maturity in harvesting
crops for seed production
or marketing as fresh
vegetables.
When marketing as fresh vegetable, a certain period is known to be the most appropriate time or
schedule of harvesting. This also signifies the best time to pick vegetable pods or fruits for them
to be more appealing to consumers. Although each crop has its own signs to show that it is ready
for harvest (maturity index) 252 , the produce is often harvested too early if it commands a good price
and there is a great financial need, or if there is a risk of losing crops owing to unfavorable climatic
conditions.
Farmers in the Cordilleras and other organic vegetable growing areas had their own experiences in
determining the right maturity for their organically-grown vegetable crops and some good reasons
for their continuous practice. These best practices must be shared among farmers in farmer field
schools (FFSs) to further improve their understanding in determining right maturity in harvesting
their organically-grown vegetable crops either for seed production or marketing purposes. The
foregoing exercise was designed to achieve this particular purpose.
250 Adapted from Callo, Jr., D.P., L.B. Teofilo, and H.A. Tauli (eds). 2002. Field Guide of Discovery-based Exercises for Vegetable IPM, Volume II. SEAMEO
Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines. pp283-285.
251 Bautista, O.K. (ed). 1994. Introduction to Tropical Horticulture. 2 nd Edition. SEAMEO Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture
and University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna, Philippines. pp300-302.
252 PCARRD. 1985. National Technoguide on Indigenous Vegetable Backyard Gardening. Philippine Council for Agriculture and Resources Research and
Development (PCARRD), Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines. pp41-43.