| Details of Innovation |
In 1987, there was a drought in the region of Vetla, so cattle fodder was bought from Gambhoia village, Himmatnagar (about 40 km. away). The valod is a fruit-bearing creeper used in fodder. Jitabhai collected the valod legume dried and stored its seeds. In 1988, he sowed valod in his fields and closely monitored the plants.
He marked and separated an early-flowering plant, whose seeds were stored for sowing in 1988; this would account for 20% of the plants. This process was followed yearly. By 1990, the entire crop had become early flowering stock.
According to Jitabhai, the following steps need to followed when sowing valod:
1.Plough the soil twice;
2.Add farmyard manure to the soil (for 1 bigha of soil mix 2 to 3 tractor loads of farmyard manure);
3.Plough the soil again in a square of six ft. by six ft.;
4.Make an inlet channel in the square for water;
5.Sow two to three seeds in one hole;
6.Water the plants for 10-15 days;
7.A wooden support (with stones tied with iron wires ) is inserted into the soil upto a depth of 1 to 2 feet;
8. A V-shaped bamboo trellis is erected using a 14 gauge (intersecting) wire, forming squares .
9. The Surti valod creeper is mounted on a bamboo trellis two three times per day for 3 to 4 days.
10. An 18-gauge wire is mounted in a square position on a 14-gauge wire of trellis.
11. As creeper growth reaches beyond bamboo support, they are spread on wires. This process may be repeated once a month. New sprouts below the main creeper are constantly pruned. |
Honey Bee Network Knowledge & Innovation Database (HBNKIND)