Agronomists warn farmers of potential frost losses

AGRONOMISTS have urged horticulture farmers to protect their crops during the winter season to avoid potential damage from frost, as well as embrace value addition to avert post-harvest losses.

Post-harvest loss is one of the biggest challenges farmers face in Zimbabwe and this includes food loss across the food supply chain from harvesting of the crop until its consumption.

In an interview, SeedCo sales and marketing agronomist for Matabeleland, Mr Tony Moyo, said during winter farmers should shift from frost-prone crops that include butternuts, cucumbers, beans, peppers, and tomatoes unless they are doing these in greenhouses or farming in frost-free areas. “We encourage farmers to grow crops that are not affected by frost such as cabbages, peas, lettuce, spinach, carrots, beetroot, broccoli, and cauliflower,” he said.

“Some farmers have tried to use traditional methods to overcome or reduce the effects of frost, for example, use of smoke during the early cold hours and by using frost blankets,” said Mr Moyo.

Matabeleland South Agricultural Rural Development and Advisory Services Officer, Mr Mkhunjulelwa Ndlovu, also said farmers should be careful when growing crops that are prone to frost.

“Those who are using centre pivots can around 3am up to 8am switch them on and use both 120 and 480 volts of volt alternating current (VAC) to operate,” he said.

Mr Ndlovu said 120 VAC is used as the control circuit, powering the safety circuit, the forward and reverse movement of the pivot, and, more precisely, the movement of the Last Regular Drive Unit (LRDU).

“The efficiencies are renowned for their water compared to traditional flood irrigation and less water is lost to evaporation and runoff,” he said.

“There’s versatility in which modern systems can be adapted to use varied water application rates based on soil moisture sensors, ensuring each crop section gets what it needs.”

Centre-pivot irrigation is a crop irrigation method involving an extensive steel structure employing attached individual sprinklers.

“In most cases, frostbite damage occurs when ice forms inside the plant tissue and injures the plant cells. Farmers can defeat frost by increasing the amount of heat radiated from the soil when frost is likely to occur,” said Mr Ndlovu. — -chronicle