October 16, 2018 A PUBLICATION OF Government Advertising Agency Telposta Towers, Kenyatta Ave/ Koinange Street P.O Box 30025-00100, Nairobi Kenya NAIROBI-KENYA I Issue No. 0090 Telephone: (+254) 4920000 / 1 E-Mail: info@information.go.ke Tiny fruit with huge potential and many nutritional benefits The gooseberry may become the next big thing after it was selected as one of the 100 crops for commercialisation under the Big 4 Agenda. Stories like these are covered in an upcoming book on Agro-Innovation by the Kenya Yearbook Editorial Board. Agro-Innovation Transforming agriculture toward sustainable development BY KYEB O n the Nakuru-Eldoret highway, between Mau Summit and Londiani, scores of young people hawk tiny bright orange fruits in plastic bags. They are called Chimbunwe among the Bukusu, Chelolo (Kipsigis), Ngava (Kamba) Nathii (Kikuyu), Chinsobosobo (Kisii) and Nyamtonglo (Luo). In English, they are called Gooseberries. Experts at Kenya Agricultural & Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) say this fruit may have first come to Kenya through bird migratory corridors from Europe and South America. It grows in the wild in forest areas of Mount Kenya, Mount Elgon, Timboroa, Kakamega, Koibatek and at the Coast. In 2010, KALRO classified it as an underutilized fruit in Kenya. It was ranked by stakeholders as the 7th most important underutilized fruit, according to a paper by Lusike Wasilwa, Vincent Ochieng, Francis Wayua, Anthony Nyaga, Stephen Mwanzia, Fatuma Omari and Paul Omolo. But it may become the next big thing after it was selected as one of the 100 crops for commercialization in the Big 4 Agenda. Between 2004 and 2006, it was grown on large-scale in Kibwezi and was processed by Delmonte to make jam. Some supermarkets also import the fresh fruit from Europe and South America for sale. It is a nutrition-rich fruit packed with Vitamin A, B, C and iron thus a good source of ascorbic acid and carotenes. It also contains carotenoid, alkaloids and flavonoids. Although it is mostly eaten fresh, the fruit has many value addition opportunities. It can be used to process juice, wine, jam, jelly, cakes, cobblers’ pastries, fruit or vegetable salad, or sun-dried to make raisins. The leaves of gooseberry are Gooseberry seeds take 7 to 15 days to germinate after planting also utilized as medicinal teas. KALRO is currently promoting gooseberry crumb cake, cape gooseberry cake, gooseberry juice, gooseberry jam and gooseberry wine to promote utilization of this fruit in homes, restaurants, hotels and food processing industry. Cape gooseberry is commercially propagated by seed and stem cuttings. For seed collection, squeeze fresh fruits contents on an absorbent paper or cloth. The juice will soak in the absorbent material and leave small seeds on the surface. Dry the seeds under shade for one to three days and then plant or store them in a paper bag, in a cool dry place. The common practice of gooseberry propagation is through seed that is used to produce seedlings. The seeds are hardy with a high germination percentage (85% - 90%). They germinate 7 to 15 days after planting when day temperatures range between 22 to 28°C, and night temperatures between 7 to 13°C. For seed propagation, sprinkle the seed on seed bed made by mixing loam soil, sand and farm yard manure at a ratio of 3:2:1. Seeds are sawn in raised seed beds that are a meterwide and 10 inches deep. Ensure that the surface is flat. The edge of the seed-bed can be supported with wood or bricks. Seeds are sparsely placed on the surface of soil in rows 2 inches apart. Sprinkle a thin layer of soil and gently water with mist or a very light sprinkle. Seed can also be planted in pots on finely cut moist cocopeat at least four inches thick. If practicing rain-fed agriculture, begin raising seedlings in the seed-bed mid-February for field planting end of March or allow for six weeks. When propagating using stem cuttings, sections with 3 to 4 nodes are used. The young stem sections are cut late in the afternoon and dipped in a rooting hormone. They are then planted in soil prepared as described above at a depth of an inch. Seedlings propagated using Soil pH that is suitable for gooseberries ranges between 5.5 – 6.5 stem-cuttings tend to flower earlier and provide good yields although less vigorous than those propagated from seed. It is recommended to plant in a sunny location, sheltered from strong winds. A wind break using trees and hedges LAYOUT, DESIGN AND EDITING OF MYGOV WEEKLY BY THE KENYA YEARBOOK EDITORIAL BOARD www.kenyayearbook.co.ke 0202715390 / 0711944538 NHIF Building , 4th Floor @Kenyayearbook 90% Germination Percentage of the seeds. They germinate 7 to 15 days after planting when day temperatures range between 22 to 28°C, and night temperatures between 7 to 13°C can be used to shelter the plants. Although gooseberry can be planted on unhealthy degraded soils, it is recommended that green-manure legume crops (cowpeas, desmodium and beans) are periodically incorporated to improve the soil. Cape gooseberry grows well on well-drained loam soils enriched with sufficient organic matter from humus and well decomposed farm yard manure (cattle and chicken) at least 10 to 20 tonnes per hectare. This plant is hardy and can also grow on sandy soils. Farmers should take soil samples for testing to confirm the soil pH that is suitable for this crop that ranges between 5.5 – 6.5. Plough the field by harrowing to a fine tilth thus avoiding big clumps of soil. Use a spacing of 3-4 feet within the row and 5-6 feet between rows. Gooseberry seedlings are transplanted when they attain 10 to 20 cm tall. Transplant directly into a hole previously preloaded with farm yard manure and wetted with water. Insert a one-meter stake to mark the P.O. Box 34035-00100 Kenya Yearbook Editorial Board plant to avoid losses during weeding. The plants should be watered regularly to avoid moisture stress. Under dry/ drought conditions, the plants become dormant and abort all the flowers. The fruit is harvested 60 to 100 days after flowering or when the calyx has a tan (drygrass) or light-brown colour, or fruit drop down. The harvest season lasts for 3 to 4 months. Because of bimodal rainfall in Kenya, gooseberries can be harvested twice a year. First season from July to September and second one from December to March. The colour of the fruit changes to yellow-orange when ripe. Gooseberry may also be harvested when the fruit has a green-yellow colour and allowed to ripen. The average yield observed in Kenya is 4 to 6 tonnes per hectare but under optimal management, this crop can yield up to 10 tonnes per hectare. Some varieties in Kenya bear 6 to 7 months of the year. Fruits are sold at farmgate, on the road side, village markets and grocery shops, supermarkets, Agriculture Training Centres and KALRO centres. info@kenyayearbook.go.ke
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