THE CULTIVATION OF FIVE NUTRITIOUS CROPS IN THE SOUTH EASTERN PART OF NIGERIA

Five very important staple crops in the Southeast were cultivated in a farm to observe their growth indices and reappraise their nutritional and botanical attributes. Yam - the king of crops, a stem tuber carbohydrate staple; Maize, an all season staple cereal that can be preserved and processed in several ways; Okra, a fruit vegetable used for soups and herbal remedies ; Fluted Pumpkin (Ugu), a highly nutritious all season leafy vegetable used for soup, sauce, medicine, animal fodder et cetera; and Finally Egg plant an all season subshrub with leaves, fruits and stems all having economic relevance in cultural and religious ceremonies, as Food, snacks, soup, medicinal remedies, stews, salad, fuel wood, fodder et cetera. These plants were cultivated with the onset of the rains in March on land already cleared and prepared. Machetes, hoes, shovels, rakes were all put into good use and growth was monitored and recorded at intervals of two weeks. Mulching, use of organic manure and various forms of animal deterrents (bells, traps, scarecrows) were employed to keep pests at bay. Within a space of three month yam, maize, fluted pumpkin, okra and egg plant grew approximately in decreasing order at 1565cm, 735cm, 530cm, 505cm and 355cm respectively. The yield was not very outstanding: 15 small tubers of yam; a bowl of okra; 35 stands of pumpkin leaves; 35 heads of maize and 27 Fruits of egg plant - the density of the harvest was about 0.05kg/m³. To ensure maximal yield of quantitative crops (annual, biennial and perennial crops in these climes; Use of organic manure, manual clearing of site, biological control of pests, minimal tillage will all go a long way.