Onion farming in Kenya

50 percent of the red onions in Kenya are imported from Tanzania, as indicated by Food and
Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) 2014 report. Kenyan Farmers have been doing their best to
address the demand and close the gap, but there is still more supply to be achieved.

50 percent of the red onions in Kenya are imported from Tanzania, as indicated
by Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) 2014 report. Kenyan Farmers have
been doing their best to address the demand and close the gap, but there is still
more supply to be achieved. This makes the Red Bulb Onion a very attractive
commercial investment for the Kenyan market at the moment, since local
production is not enough.

Major types of onions farmed in Kenya are bulb onions and spring onions. The
best areas suited for farming being Karatina, Oloitoktok, Naivasha, Kieni, Emali
and Mai Mahiu.

Bulb onions take 3 to 4 months to reach maturity. Short rains are great for bulb
onions since they can be harvested between January and February. Local
farmers are able to benefit during this time period, since there is low supply of
onions from Tanzania at this time of the year. After the long rains of March, the
price of these onions hike and farmers who harvest after these period make
good profit margins.

Spring onions are easy to plant. You can even plant them at your kitchen
garden. They are commonly used in vegetable salads or as seasoning in soups.
Some of the health benefits of spring onions include lower blood sugar and
decreasing blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Of the two types, bulb onions are more popular than the spring ones due to their
long shelf life and sweet taste. Currently, there are two different varieties of
bulb onions in the market. There is the small, thin and firmly layered onion that
has a strong pungent smell from Tanzania. The second one is the big loosely
held variety that is grown locally, in Kenya.

Conditions for Onion Farming

Onions perform well in well drained, fertile, sandy loam, non-compacted soils.
The ideal pH is 5.8 to 6.8. Onion farming is a worthy venture since it’s possible
to grow onions throughout the year via irrigation. Soil test with accredited
laboratories is advised.

The ideal temperatures onions need to grow are between 13 – 35 degrees

centigrade. This means that onions can grow in most parts of Kenya. However,
to maximize production in areas such as Ukambani and some parts in the
Coastal area, one needs to invest in a greenhouse and drip irrigation. This is
because greenhouses will optimize the temperatures since these areas are hot
and irrigation will provide the much needed water. Onions are a cool season
crop. Most areas in Ukambani and the Coastal region are extremely dry.

In terms of requirements, apart from land that is an obvious fact, other

requirements are DAP Fertilizer and seedlings. 1 kg of seedlings can be used in
1 acre while 20 grams of DAP Fertilizer is applied per square meter.

You should note that there are different seed varieties and they perform
differently under different conditions. Common hybrid varieties available in
Kenya include Red Coach F1 and Malbec F1. The most popular seed variety in
Kenya is the Red Coach F1 since it produces high yield and the size and color of
its onions are most ideal for the Kenyan markets.

Challenges facing Onion Farming in Kenya

Rains or Excess Watering: Too much rains or excess watering can water log the
crop. If the rain in your area is too much, focus on growing the crop during the
short rains. You can also raise the beds to ensure the water flows out of the
field. Avoid excessive watering of your onions. The best type of irrigation on
onions is drip irrigation. Overhead irrigation should be avoided as it causes
fungal diseases.

Diseases: Common diseases that affect onions include Downy Mildew, Bacterial
Soft Rots, Pink/White Root, Botrytis, and Rusts. Use the best Fungicides from
www.greenlife.co.ke to get rid of the diseases.
Pests: Common pests that attack onions include maggots, thrips, nematodes
and the leaf miner. Use the best pesticides from www.greenlife.co.ke to get rid
of the pests.
Weeds: Weeds are a big challenge in onion farms. Use Commander 240EC from
www.greenlife.co.ke at 10-14 days after transplanting your onions and get rid of
all weeds (grass and broadleaves) till harvesting.
Harvesting onions
The best time to do the harvesting is during the dry season. Keep a calendar
and record the essential dates to ensure you harvest at the right time. Bulb
onions are ready for harvesting once they form a shiny membranous cover
around the bulbs or when the foliage withers. Spring onions are ready for
harvesting when they are 15 centimeters tall and 1.5 centimeters thick.

Harvesting is done by pulling the bulbs and then chopping off the leaves. You
then dry the bulbs in the sun before storing the produce.

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Agrobacterium in Roses
Agrobacteria tumefaciens is a rod shaped motile bacteria that lives in the soil. It has flagella
that allows the bacteria to swim through moisture films in soils and plants.
Agrobacteria tumefaciens is a rod shaped motile bacteria that lives in the
soil. It has flagella that allows the bacteria to swim through moisture films in
soils and plants. It causes ugly cankers called CROWN GALLS which causes
reduced production and eventually death of the plant. The Bacteria transfers’
part of its DNA to the plant and the DNA integrates into plants genome,
genetically transforming target cell, causing tumors and associated changes in
plants metabolism.
Agrobacterium initially starts as small swellings on wounded plants parts.
Young tumors are soft, creamy white and rounded. The shape becomes
irregular with age and may turn brown or black. Several tumors may occur on
the same plant and rot from the surface of the plant completely or partially,
possibly developing repeatedly in the same area season after season. Other
symptoms may include, stunted growth, Chlorotic leaves and plants may be
more susceptible to environmental conditions and secondary infections.

Many farms in Kenya are infected with agrobacterium. Growers are advised to
reduce plant wounding as much as possible, source clean plants materials from
responsible breeders and propagators. This ensures agrobacterium free plants.
It’s also important to check bud-wood before deciding on a variety, use clean
media, sterilize farm equipment, avoid movement from infected to clean
greenhouses, observe strict hygiene during cultural practices such as pruning,
bending, always dis infect. These are some of cultural ways to avoid and mange
Agrobacterium. Proper climate control of greenhouse is also very important as
hot dry greenhouse may lead to stressed plants which eventually leads to lots of
galls.

CANTONA® 230 EC is a broad-spectrum contact and protective fungicide for

control of Downy mildew and Agrobacteria on Roses.
We use CANTONA 230EC for control and management of
Agrobacteria. CANTONA 230EC, a new copper compound fungicide containing
the fungicidal molecule- Copper Abietate, a protective fungicide/bactericide
which prevents and manages infections in plants at the rate of 1ml/l foliar spray.
Copper Abietate has high sterilizing mechanism; non-resistance development,
high preventive and treatment effect on the disease which have developed
resistance to other fungicide/bactericide.
We encourage you to continue visiting our page for more farming tips.

Greenlife; Your Growth, Our Growth.

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 Diamondback Moth
Diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), is commonly known as the cabbage moth. The
larvae feed on all plants in the Brassicaceae family, mainly Cabbage, kales and Weeds in
this family. They cause damage by chewing the vegetative parts of the Crop reading to
skeletonization or stunted growth by feeding on the growing points
Diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), is commonly known as the cabbage
moth.
Diamondback moth larvae feed on all plants in the Brassicaceae family, mainly
Cabbage, kales and Weeds in this family. They cause damage by chewing the
vegetative parts of the Crop leading to skeletonization or stunted growth by
feeding on the growing points

Life Cycle
Diamondback moth takes about 32 days to develop from egg to adult, but this
timing can vary from 21 to 51 days depending on the environment and available
food sources. Diamondback moth can have up to four generations per year.
Generations usually overlap, and all four life stages (egg, larva, pupa and adult)
may be present in the field at the same time.

Early infestation combined with favorable environmental conditions can produce

a larger population buildup and result in greater crop damage.

Adults
The adult moth is approximately 8 to 9 mm long with a wing span of 12 to 15
mm. At rest, the moth folds its wings over the abdomen in a tent-like manner.
The folded wings flare upwards and outward at the tips. The wing tips are
fringed with long hairs. Moths will flutter up out of the canopy when the canopy
is disturbed.

The forewing margins have a series of yellow wavy markings. When the wings
are folded while the moth is at rest, these markings come together to form three
yellow diamonds, hence the name “diamondback.”

Adult females lay an average of 160 eggs during their life span of about 16
days. Egg-laying occurs at night. The greatest number of eggs are laid the first
night after emergence, and egg-laying continues for about 10 days.

Eggs
Eggs are oval, yellowish-white and tiny. They are glued to upper and lower leaf
surfaces singly or in groups of two or three, usually along the veins or where the
leaf surface is uneven. The eggs hatch in four to eight days.

Larvae
Immediately after hatching from the egg, first-instar larvae burrow into the leaf
and begin mining the leaf tissue internally. The three subsequent larval instars
feed on the surface of leaves, buds, flowers and pods. Each instar has a duration
of approximately 4 days, but the larval stage can range from 10 to 21 days
depending upon temperature and the availability of food.

The larvae are pale yellowish-green to green caterpillars covered with fine,
scattered, erect hairs. The posterior end of the caterpillar is forked. At maturity,
the larvae are cigar-shaped and about 12 mm long.

The diamondback moth larva is easily identified by its reaction to being

disturbed. It will wriggle backward violently and may drop from the plant,
suspended by a silken thread. After several seconds, the larva will climb back
onto the leaf and continue feeding.

Pupa
Larvae pupate in delicate, white, open-mesh cocoons attached to the leaves,
stems or seed pods of the host plant. Initially, the pupae are light green, but as
they mature, they become brown as the adult moth becomes visible through the
cocoon. The pupal stage lasts from 5 to 15 days, depending on environmental
conditions

and Damage
Host plants of diamondback moth include all plants in the Brassicacea family.
This group includes canola, mustard and the vegetable cole crops such as
broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and kale.

Crop damage is caused by the larval stage. Diamondback moth larvae feed on
any green tissue of canola and mustard plants but prefer leaves. The amount of
damage varies greatly, depending on plant growth stage, larval density and
larval size.
Control
 Environmental control
Cool, windy weather reduces adult activity, and females often die before they
lay all their eggs. Heavy rainfall can drown small larvae and reduce numbers by
more than half. Humid conditions within the crop following a rainfall can
promote the spread of fatal fungal diseases throughout the diamondback moth
population.

 Chemical control
Despite the abundance of potential biological control agents, the only effective
way of controlling a diamondback moth outbreak once the population exceeds
the economic threshold is to apply an insecticide

Insecticide selection will depend on cost, environmental conditions, days to

harvest, availability of product and the presence of other pests

Always consult the product label for appropriate rates and application
guidelines.

Insecticides should always be applied with enough water to ensure adequate

coverage. Use high water volumes and label rates when the crop canopy is
dense.

Chemical Recommendation
Spray ESCORT 10ml/20l + INTEGRA 3 ml/20l and repeat the spray after 7 days.

 Cultural control
Pre-seed weed control and tillage reduce the availability of cruciferous weeds
and volunteer host plants, preventing the successful establishment of first
generation larvae when moths arrive before emergence.

Best Management Practices

 Early season control of Brassicaceous weeds including volunteer crops
helps to eliminate host plants for early arriving diamondback moth.
 Scout for early arriving diamondback moth and larvae damage on
seedlings.
 Monitor crops at least twice per week, scouting for larvae.

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 Parsley
Parsley is a biennial culinary herb of the Umbelliferae/ Apiaceae family which is
commercially cultivated as an annual in many parts of the world for its attractive and
aromatic leaves. The herb is used in flavouring salads, soups and meat among other dishes,
and is also used for garnishing
Parsley is a biennial culinary herb of the Umbelliferae/ Apiaceae family which is
commercially cultivated as an annual in many parts of the world for its attractive
and aromatic leaves.

The herb is used in flavouring salads, soups and meat among other dishes, and
is also used for garnishing. Leaves are used fresh or dried as a culinary herb, the
taproot cultivars is edible and may be eaten as a vegetable. Oil can be extracted
from the parsley flowers and is used as a flavoring.

It contains Vitamins A, C and K, among other minerals and can be used for
neutralizing strong smelling breath

Parsley has an erect growth habit and possesses branched, hollow stems and
dark green flat or curled leaves which are arranged alternately on the stems.
These leaves form a rosette on younger plants. The plant produces small, yellow
flowers on umbels. It can reach 30–80 cm in height depending on the variety.

Ecological Requirements
The herb grows well in moist, well-drained, moisture retaining and fertile soils
with an optimum soil pH between 5.5 to 7.5.

It requires a good amount of light and will do best when receiving about 6 hours
of sunlight a day, but can tolerate partial shade.

Plants grow best at temperatures between 7-16 degrees centigrade.

Planting & Cultural Practices
Propagation is by seeds, which are planted/drilled directly into the ground.

Garden preparation
 Choose a site that is flat and where crops belonging to the same family
as coriander have not been cultivated for about 4-7 months.
 Spray land with CLAMPDOWN 480SL 200ml/20l in order to get rid of all
types of weeds.
 Prepare a fine tilth. Mix soil with manure and DAP. In order to stimulate
root development, improve nutrient uptake levels, improve the soil
structure, among other benefits, incorporate manure (1 ton) and DAP
50kg (50kg) with 1 kg HUMIPOWER.
 Raise planting beds, about 15cm high by 1m bed top then by desired
length and make rows.
 Plant the seed about 133gms/100m bed length of 1m top, then water
the beds/field.
 Drench soil with a mixture of PYRAMID 700WP 100g + LOYALTY 700WDG
10g + OPTIMIZER 20ml in 20l of water. This helps in getting control of
soil pests and diseases as well as breaking seed dormancy and
promoting uniform germination of the seedlings.
Planting
 Soak seeds in OPTIMIZER 20ml/1l overnight for better germination.
 Drill seeds in the rows, about 0.25 inches deep.
 Cover seeds with a thin layer of soil and water them with a light water
shower.
 Cover seeds with a thin layer of dry grass (mulch)
Seeds may take up to 18 – 25days to germinate, and that is why it is advisable
to soak them in Optimizer before planting.

Thinning– after emergence, seedlings should be thinned to a final spacing of 3

– 4cm apart, leaving 10 – 15 in between rows. This encourages air circulation
and reduces competition for growth factors.
Weeding– weeds should be removed from around parsley plants by carefully
hand weeding.
Mulching- a layer of mulch applied around the plants helps suppress weeds as
well as retaining soil moisture. When the mulch decomposes, it releases
nutrients into the soil, which are absorbed by the plants.
Irrigation-before the seeds germinate, it is important to water the ground well
in order to ensure that the soil has consistent moisture levels, which are critical
for germination. The herb will also need to be watered gently throughout its
growth cycle. It is recommended that the soil moisture be monitored before
repeating the irrigation cycle whenever necessary.
Note;
 Spacing between rows should be 10-15cm.
 Plants can be kept productive by clipping the branches, which helps to
promote new growth. Any flower stalks should be removed as they
bulbing during the first year of growth to prevent the plant from
seeding hence retaining the flavor of the leaves.
Pests & Disease Control
Pests
Armyworms– symptoms showing infestation include singular, or closely
grouped circular to irregularly shaped holes in foliage, heavy feeding by young
larvae which leads to skeleton zed leaves, shallow, dry wounds on fruit and egg
clusters of army be present on the leaves, which are covered in a whitish scale
giving them a cottony or fuzzy appearance.
Spray KINGCODE ELITE 50EC 10ml/20l or SINOPHATE 750SP 20g/20l or LEXUS
247SC 8ml/20l

Aphids– these are small soft bodied insects that are mostly found on the
underside of leaves and/or stems of plant, usually green or yellow in color.
Infestation causes leaves to turn yellow and/or be distorted, form necrotic spots
and stems may get stunted. Aphids excrete a sticky sugary substance called
honeydew (Excess sugar) which encourages the growth of sooty mold.
Spray PENTAGON 50EC 10ml/20l or KINGCODE ELITE 50EC 10ml/20l or EMERALD
200SL 10ml/20l

To get rid of the sooty mold, spray JAMBO CLEAN 100ml/20l

Cutworms– stems of young transplants or seedlings are cut at soil line by the
worms.
Dress seeds with SHIELD 600FS 3ml/kg

Drench soil with PROFILE 440EC 60ml/20l or PENTAGON 50EC 20ml/20l

Root knot nematode– infestation causes formation of galls on roots, reduction

in plant vigor and yellowing of plants which eventually wilt.
Drench soil with ALONZE 50EC 10ml/20l or mix fertilizer 50kg with ADVENTURE
0.5GR 2kg whenever doing basal application of fertilizer, e.g. DAP, CAN etc.

Carrot Root Fly – the worms feed on the root matter and are usually the main
cause for stunted parsley growth.
Spray PRESENTO 200SP 5g/20l or LEXUS 247SC 8ml/20l or PENTAGON 50EC
10ml/20l

Diseases
Leaf Spot –yellow spots form on the foliage and darken to brown with a golden
halo. Leaves wilt and may fall off and the entire plant is weakened. The disease
can cause entire crops to fail if not controlled in time.
Spray RANSOM 600WP 15g/20l or JUPITER 125SC 15ml/20l or DOMAIN 250EC
10ml/20l

Gray mold/Botrytis –infection starts out with brown to black spots on the
leaves. As it progresses, white-gray fungal growth develops on all leaf surfaces.
Leaves fail to thrive and eventually die.
Spray EXEMPO CURVE 250SC 15ml/20l or EXPLORER 3SL 10ml/20l or KATERINA
720SC 40ml/20l

Damping-off– symptoms due to infection are soft, rotting seeds which fail to
germinate, rapid death of seedling prior to emergence from soil and collapse of
seedlings after they have emerged from the soil, which is due to the water-
soaked reddish lesions girdling the stem at the soil level.
Drench soil with PYRAMID 700WP 100g/20l

Spray CHANCETYL ELITE 800WDG 50g/20l or MILLIONAIRE 690WDG 40g/20l

Rust– disease leads to formation of light green discolored lesions on leaves

which become chlorotic after sometime, yellow-orange pustules on underside of
leaves, stems bend and become swollen or distorted and plants may be stunted.
Spray DUCASSE 250EW 20ml/20l or RANSOM 600WP 15g/20l or
MILESTONE250SC 10ml/20l

Alternaria leaf blight– brown-black necrotic lesions form on leaves which may
have chlorotic margins. These lesions expand and coalesce causing the death of
leaves and petioles. Dark necrosis also occurs on crown and upper region of
taproot.
Spray GEARLOCK TURBO 250WP 25g/20l or FORTRESS GOLD 720WP 40g/20l or
RIMETA GOLD 300SC 40ml/20l

Powdery mildew– infection causes a whitish powdery growth on leaves,

petioles flowers stalks and bracts. Leaves become chlorotic and severe
infections can cause flowers to become distorted and whitish leaves which are
not useable
Spray RANSOM 600WP 15g/20l or DUCASSE 250EW 20ml/20l or ABSOLUTE
375SC 10ml/20l

Cercospora leaf blight– small, necrotic flecks form on leaves which develop a
chlorotic halo and expand into tan brown necrotic spots. These lesions coalesce
and cause leaves to wither, curl and eventually die.
Spray GEARLOCK TURBO 250WP 25g/20l or FORTRESS GOLD 720WP 40g/20l or
TOWER 720WP 50g/20l

Maturity, Harvesting & Post-Harvest Handling

Parsley matures when the leaf stems have three segments. Ideally, this should
occur 70-90 days after planting.

Harvesting can be done through picking the leaves or cutting the stems off,
especially when harvesting for commercial purposes.

The outermost stalks, just above ground level should be cut first. This
encourages further growth. Cutting near the top of the stalks does not
encourage such vigorous re-growth.

Parsley can be dried or frozen for longer storage.

For the fresh market, bunches of parsley should be washed and any faded or
yellowing leaves discarded. Parsley may be packed and shipped hydro cooled or
package iced to maintain crispness and fresh appearance.

Parsley is shipped in wooden bushels or in wax, corrugated universal cartons.

The optimum storage and handling temperatures are 32-36° F at 95% relative
humidity.

Plant nutrition Introduction

Plant nutrition refers to the basic chemical elements necessary for general plant well-being
and development. These elements are inter related in the nature of uptake and
consumption for growth, production and tissue replacement. In general everyday life, we
call them-FERTILIZERS.

Introduction:
Plant nutrition refers to the basic chemical elements necessary for general plant
well-being and development. These elements are inter related in the nature of
uptake and consumption for growth, production and tissue replacement. In
general everyday life, we call them FERTILIZERS.

What is fertilizer?
Plant food. Normally presented in various elemental forms and category

Primary nutrients-are macro elements Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and

Potassium (K).These elements come as blends or compounds.
Secondary Nutrients
They include Sulphur, Calcium, Magnesium, are key essentials.

Micro Nutrients
These are very essential though needed in minute quantities.

Boron, Chlorine, Copper,Iron,Manganese,Nickel zinc and molybdenum.

Greenlife Crop Protection Africa brings a full range spec for all growers through
specially crafted products to meet and address all the above to ensure a
bumper crop harvest.

They Include;
1. Goldchance Range
2. Lavender Range
3. Calcium fertilizer(Ferari Gold)
4. Boron Fertilizers (Vitabor)

Early Blight
Early blight is a fungal disease caused by a fungus Alternaria solani, which mostly affects
tomato and potato plants, causing significant losses if not effectively controlled.
Early blight is a fungal disease caused by a fungus Alternaria solani, which
mostly affects tomato and potato plants, causing significant losses if not
effectively controlled.
The disease can also occur on other solanaceous crops like eggplant, capsicum
etc.
Disease Cycle
The pathogen overwinters in infected plant materials in the soil or even on
solanaceous weeds.

The fungus produces a lot of spores under cool and moist conditions which are
then blown by wind or splashed by water to adjacent plants to initiate infection.

Every part of the crop can be infected with this disease, eventually forming
lesions. Older leaves and those under stress are more susceptible.

Spores invade the plant tissues either through direct penetration or through
injured/damaged areas.

Infection & Symptoms

Despite its name ‘early blight’, symptoms usually develop on the older leaves,
mostly, nearing the end of the season.

 Brown lesions develop on older leaves. These lesions are dry and
papery and develop characteristic concentric rings of raised and
necrotic tissue as infection progresses. Infected leaves become
chlorotic then necrotic and this may cause defoliation.
 On stems, lesion start as small, dark and slightly sunken regions which
enlarge as infection continues. Concentric rings may also develop.
 Infected tubers develop dark sunken lesions which are usually
surrounded by a purple-like raised margin. Tuber tissue is usually dry,
brown and leathery. Infection continues even in storage causing the
tubers to shrivel.
 Fruits that are infected with this disease have lesions which appear
leathery and may also contain the concentric rings. These lesions could
be covered with a mass of black fungal growth as infection progresses.
Management & Control
 Chemical Control
This method of control involves the use of chemicals (fungicides).

The following fungicides are effective against early blight disease.

 CADILAC 800WP 50g/20l (for prevention purposes)

 DISCOVERY 400SC 10ml/20l
 EXEMPO CURVE 250SC 15ml/20l
 FORTRESS GOLD 720WP40g/20l
 KATERINA 720SC 40ml/20l
 MEGAPRODE LOCK 525WP 15g/20l
 MILLIONAIRE 690WDG 40G/20L
 PROVIDENCE 400WP 50g/20l
 RANSOM 600WP 15g/20l
 PYRAMID 700WP 50g/20l
 RIMETA GOLD 300SC 40ml/20l
 TOMAHAWK 250EC 10ml/20l
 TOWER 720WP 50g/20l
  COLONIZER 440WP 50g/20l
 COMRADE 450SC 20ml/20l
 TRINITY GOLD 425WP 50g/20l
Note;
 Whenever conducting any foliar spray, mix the fungicide with INTEGRA
3ml/20l in order to improve its efficacy.
 Alternating the fungicides helps in preventing the pathogen from
developing resistance towards either of them.
 Timely application of the fungicide is very important.
Other Management Practices
 Field sanitation, e.g. removal of the infected plant materials
 Crop rotation with non-host crops
 Use of resistant varieties
 Avoid overhead irrigation (disease spreads very fast if foliage is wet)
 Proper weed control (weeds harbour pathogens)
 Harvest tubers when soil is not wet and avoid injuries
 Plant certified or disease free seeds