Effect of Sprouting on the Nutrition of Grain and Legume Seeds
Alternative Germination Mixes for Starting Transplants
Seeds of a Warm-Weather Carrot to Try
Important Resources about Trees of Haiti
Resource Rights
Articles
Seeds of a Warm-Weather Carrot to Try
Tim Motis
Carrots are normally biennial (life cycle completed the second year after planting seeds) and require a period of cold temperatures (vernalization) for flowering and subsequent seed production to occur. So any variety that readily sets seed in a single growing season in warm climates would be of interest to those working with small farmers in the tropics, especially those with little access to seeds beyond what they can save themselves. When asked if B8524 sets seed within a single growing season (as does the ‘Uberlandia’ variety ECHO has and continues to supply), Dr. Simon replied, “I think the carrots should seed as readily as Uberlandia. The answer to this question is where we can really use your input and observations. This is becoming a much larger question for much of my carrot breeding program now, so your feedback will be very valuable.”
Resource Rights
Laura Meitzner Yoder
To answer questions about rights to resources in your community, you need to understand the ways people claim and own resources in your region. Ownership defines who can do what with different resources.
Four questions that need to be answered.
Important Resources about Trees of Haiti
Important Trees of Haiti by Joel Timyan, a 418-page book, is now available on the Internet at the USAID Development Experience Clearinghouse (DEC). An electronic PDF copy of the book can be accessed by clicking on the link pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNACA072.pdf
Alternative Germination Mixes for Starting Transplants
Terri Lynn Paulson, Trey Nation, Dr. Tim Motis, Timothy Watkins and Andrew Cotarelo
We at ECHO are sometimes asked what we recommend for a germination medium in situations where seeds or seedlings need to be started in pots or plastic sacks before going out to the field. This past summer, we conducted a trial at ECHO to make and evaluate potting mixes that could serve as effective substitutes for purchased potting mediums, since ready-made potting mixes are typically unavailable, impractical or expensive in many developing countries.
Effect of Sprouting on the Nutrition of Grain and Legume Seeds
Dawn Berkelaar
Sprouting seeds for food involves germinating them by first soaking them, then putting them in a moist, warm environment for a few days, rinsing them at least twice a day. Over the years, sprouting has been mentioned to us as a beneficial and easy method of increasing the nutrition of cereal and legume seeds.