Fruits SS2 Horticulture and Crop Production Lesson Note

Class: SS2

Subject: Horticulture and Crop Production

What are Fruit Crops?

Fruit crops are permanent or semi-permanent plants that produce edible, fleshy structures containing seeds. In Nigeria, we are blessed with a climate that allows us to grow some of the sweetest fruits in the world. We will look at the “Big Four”: Mango, Citrus (Oranges/Lemons), Banana, and Pineapple.

Mango

Mango is a “permanent” tree. Once you plant a good mango tree, it can provide fruit for your children and grandchildren for over 50 years!

• Planting Material: While you can plant a mango seed, it takes a long time to fruit. Modern farmers use Grafted Seedlings. This means joining a branch of a sweet mango to the root of a strong local tree.
• Spacing: Because they grow very large, space them 9m×9m apart.
• Maintenance: Prune (cut) the dead branches so the tree stays healthy and gets enough sunlight in the middle.
• Harvesting: Pick the fruits when they change from dark green to light green or yellow. Use a “fruit picker” (a net on a long pole) so the mango doesn’t fall and bruise on the ground.

Citrus (Oranges, Tangerines, Limes)

Citrus trees are the “Vitamin C” champions of the farm.

• Nursery: Citrus seeds are started in a nursery. Like mangoes, most farmers prefer Budded citrus because they fruit faster (usually in 3 years instead of 7).
• Transplanting: Move them to the field at the start of the rainy season. Space them 7m×7m.
• Pests: Watch out for the “Citrus Leaf Miner”—a tiny worm that makes “snake-like” lines on the leaves.
• Harvesting: Twist the fruit gently or use a clipper. If you pull it too hard, you might tear the skin, and it will rot quickly.

Banana (and Plantain)

Bananas are unique because they are not actually “trees”—they are giant herbs! They don’t have a woody trunk; their “stem” is just many leaves wrapped tightly together.

• Planting Material: Bananas don’t have seeds. We use Suckers (the “baby” plants that grow at the base of the mother plant). Use “Sword Suckers”—the ones with narrow leaves.
• Planting Method: Dig a deep hole (about 60cm×60cm) and put in plenty of manure or compost before planting the sucker.
• Maintenance: “Desuckering”—only allow one or two babies to grow at a time so they don’t “steal” all the food from the mother plant.
• Harvesting: Cut the whole “bunch” when the fingers are full and the sharp edges on the skin start to become rounded.

Pineapple

Pineapple is the “ground fruit.” It is a low-growing plant with sharp, spiky leaves.

• Planting Material: You can use three parts: Crowns (the top of the fruit), Slips (babies at the base of the fruit), or Suckers (babies at the bottom of the plant). Suckers grow the fastest!
• Spacing: 60cm between plants and 90cm between rows.
• Mulching: Use black plastic or dry grass to cover the soil. This keeps the ground damp and stops weeds from poking the farmer’s legs when harvesting.
• Harvesting: The fruit is ready when the bottom “eyes” turn yellow and it smells sweet.

Summary Table for Revision

General Rules for Fruit Farmers

1. Be Patient: Unlike maize or beans, fruits take time. But once they start, they keep giving!
2. Manure is Gold: Fruit trees love “Old Manure” (cow or chicken droppings). It makes the fruits taste sweeter and grow larger.
3. Cleanliness: Always pick up “fallen fruits” from the ground and bury them. If you leave them to rot, they will attract fruit flies that will bite the healthy ones on the tree.

Teacher’s Classroom Discussion

If you want to start a fruit business and you need your first harvest within one year, which of these fruits would you choose to plant? (Answer: Banana—it is the fastest of the four to produce a full harvest).