CROP 434: Fruit and Vegetable Crops

The fruit industry. Classification of fruit crops. Factors affecting fruit production. Establishment of an orchard: propagation and nursery practices and fruit crop management; fruit quality and marketing. Detailed knowledge of the botany. Physiology and production practices for citrus, banana, mango, avocado pear, cashew and pineapple. Minor fruit crops of Ghana.  Importance of vegetables enterprises. Classification of vegetables.  Factors affecting vegetables production in Ghana. The vegetable production process: site selection and soil preparation; fertilizers and plant nutrition; water sources; propagation practices; weed, pest and disease control. Vegetable cropping systems.  General principles of harvesting, postharvest handling, marketing and storage of vegetables. Cultural practices involved in the production of major vegetable crops in Ghana.  Research needs.