This site uses cookies, as explained in our terms of use. If you consent, please close this message and continue to use this site.
1 min Read
Bitter gourd vegetables fetch a high price in the off-season and respond well if grown with drip irrigation. This crop is planted in December/January and harvested from May through to July/August. The growing period mainly falls in the driest period of the year and therefore requires irrigation.
In addition to water, the plants need fertiliser to ensure healthy growth and good production. Nitrogen is the most important macronutrient for plants and high crop productivity can only be achieved if sufficient nitrogen is available. Nitrogen is also the most limiting nutrient in most areas of Nepal’s midhills. Traditionally farmers applied farmyard manure; but in many places this is being supplemented or entirely replaced by inorganic fertiliser, mainly urea. However, fertiliser prices have increased substantially in recent years and this type of fertiliser is often not available in sufficient quantities in areas away from the roadheads. At the same time cultivation practices are intensifying with greater cropping intensities and more nutrient demanding crops as local varieties are replaced by hybrids and new crops are introduced. This can easily lead to nutrient mining and soil fertility decline unless there is an equivalent increase in inorganic or mineral fertilisation.
dark green: previous working districts; light green: districts in 2007
Wocat database reference: QT NEP24
Farmer’s name: Iman Singh Basnet, Latikoili VDC, Ward 1 Location: Surkhet district, western midhills of Nepal
SWC measure: Management
Land use: Annual cropping on rainfed agricultural land
Climate: Humid subtropical
Related approach: Farmer-to-farmer diffusion (QA NEP1); Farmer-led experimentation (QA NEP3); Farmer field schools on integrated plant nutrient systems (QA NEP4)
Compiled by: SSMP
Date: 18 April 2007
A faster and more effective way to produce high quality compost in large quantities by surface composting using dry and ...
Collection and proper storage of farmyard manure in heaps or pits Farmyard manure – a varying mixture of animal manure, urine, ...
Improving farmyard manure (FYM) by covering it with black plastic sheeting to provide a favourable environment for microbial activities, and ...
An irrigation system that delivers small-sized water droplets through a rotating head allowing longer watering time with less runoff Micro-sprinkler irrigation ...
A traditional low-cost method of soil conservation suitable for sloping land; it promotes water retention and helps prevent erosion. Contour bunding ...
Collection of cattle urine in improved cattle sheds for use as liquid manure and organic pesticide Nitrogen is the most important ...
Improved compost preparation using a range of biomass and waste to produce high value fertiliser Compost can be prepared from a ...
Stream banks can be protected by planting them with Salix (Salix babylonica); this is a traditional practice that has been ...
