Major vegetables in thailand
Kangkong (Ipomoea aquatica Forsskal.)
Kangkong is also known as water convonvulus, water spinach or morning glory. Generally, it is propagated by stem cuttings.
Figure 1. Kangkong: packed in plastic bag, tied in bundle
The total area under kangkong increased from 82 818 rai in 1994 to 117 996 rai in 1998. There are fluctuations in production from year to year. Floating kangkong occupies a total area of 45 633 rai with a production of 47 773 tons, while upland kangkong occupied an area of 72 363 rai with a production of 79 525 tons in 1998. Floating kangkong is mainly grown in Nonthaburi and Bangkok, whereas upland kangkong is widely grown throughout the country and is most common in the East.The recommended cultivars are :PICHIT NO.1:an upland type, with light green stems, long narrow upright leaves, and less stem-suckers: the time period from sowing to first harvest is 55 days.BAI PHAI NO.5:another upland type, with dark green leaves and stems, popularly known as the bamboo-leafed type.Research should focus on cultural practices for the cooler areas and a breeding program which should concentrate on developing varieties with tolerance to low temperature.Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)The total area under lettuce in 1994 was 20 640 rai and decreased by 23.09 percent in 1998, probably because of land pressure in peri-urban areas as planting areas near the cities are being progressively reduced. The growing area was 15 874 rai in 1998 with a production of 20 186 tons. Since it is a highly perishable product, it is mainly produced near big cities such as Nonthaburi, Bangkok, Samutsakhon and Pathumthani.The recommended cultivars are :GRAND RAPIDS:a loose-leaf cultivar, which is slow bolting, heat tolerant, and resistant to tip burn. The leaf is light green, ruffled and fluted. The crop matures in 40–45 days and is popular in Thai markets.BLACK-SEEDED:it is also a loose-leaf type; the plant is large and vigorous; the leaves are light green, highly frilled, crisp, and suitable for decoration or for salads.BALLADE:this is a round-headed type which has crisp and highly palatable leaves. The cultivar is quite heat tolerant and suitable for high rainfall areas and is best suited to the tropical monsoon season. The head weight averages 800 gm.Post-harvest handling needs to be improved. Suitable packing of leaf lettuce may be in opentopped polythene bags which are put in crates or boxes. Cooling or packing with ice keeps it fresh for longer periods.Future breeding work should focus on the improvement for heat-tolerant cultivars. There are no germplasm collections in Thailand. Local selection is carried out by agricultural universities and little activity is being handled by seed companies.
Originated by: Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
ไม่มีความคิดเห็น:
แสดงความคิดเห็น