1.

Practice cleanliness in the field

A.
Common diseases:

2. Downy mildew in
1. Blossom – end rot cucurbits
of tomato

4. Cucumber mosaic
virus in tomato
3. Pre-emergence
damping-off
seedlings

6. Fruit rot in eggplant

5. Post –
emergence: rapid
rotting at the base
of the enlarged
seedling causing it
to fall

8. Leaf blight

7. Bacterial spot in
pepper

B. Harvesting
Production ends at harvest time. Harvest means the careful separation of a commodity from
the parent plant.
Types of maturity:
1. Physiological maturity. It is the stage of development when the commodity has attained full
growth and development,the stage at which the external and internal characteristics of the
fruit allow normal ripening after harvest.
2. Commercial or horticultural maturity. It is the stage of development when the plant part
possesses the necessary characteristics preferred by consumers. It is used as a basis for
declaring when to harvest for commercial purposes but it varies specially for vegetables,
depending on the intended use of the commodity and the preference of the consumers.
 Characteristics of commodities harvested at the proper stage of maturity:

1. Longer storage life

2. Greater resistance to physiological disorders
3. Greater resistance to mechanical stresses and water loss
4. Ripe fruit possesses all desirable characteristics

Some pointers for harvesting some crops:

1. Tomatoes are harvested before they reach the ripe stage.

2. Cabbages are picked when heads are full grown.
3. Peppers are gathered green but should be allowed to ripen when used for seasoning.
4. Green beans are best picked before the pods become stringy.
5. Lettuce is gathered before seed stalks begin to develop.
6. Okra is best picked when young and tender.
7. Young corn when harvested early in the morning is sweeter than those harvested at noon.
8. Pechay and mustard have higher consumer appeal when harvested between 9:00AM to 3:00 PM because damage in stem and leaves is
lessened.
9. Mangoes should be harvested from 9:00AM to 3:00PM to minimize latex flow.
10. Tomatoes are harvested before
11.they reach the ripening stage.
Marketing

Marketing is the process of selling harvested crops, either on wholesale or retail basis.
Two types:
1. Wholesale marketing - selling produce on a large scale, usually to middlemen or directly to large consumer groups like
restaurants, hotels, and supermarkets.
2. Retail marketing – selling on a small scale. It is selling directly to the buyers, usually the home consumers.

Factors to consider to ensure success in marketing of vegetables:

1. Buyers usually consider size, appearance, and quantity of the vegetables.

2. Some vegetables like onion, have their skin removed before being sold.
3. Freshness of appearance is maintained when vegetables are harvested and marketed on the same day.
4. Cucumber, eggplants, and gourds are preferred when they are young and when their seeds are about to be formed.
5. Leaf crops, like lettuce and mustard, are sold when they are about six or more leaves on each plant.
6. Green pods like beans, cowpeas, and seguidillas sell best when pods are of good size and not when they are tough
or stringy.
7. Some vegetables, like radishes, potato, beets, carrots, and turnips, should be washed thoroughly before they are
sold.
8. Proper handling of newly harvested vegetables in woven baskets minimizes bruises and injuries. Remember, the
best quality commands the best price.

One of the most important features of marketing is record keeping. You should list all the expenses spent
and the sales from the harvest. Subtract your expenses from your total sales to determine if you are losing or gaining.

4 M’s of Production

a. Manpower – This is by all means the most important resource in production. If you have good people you can make saleable
products.

b. Machine- After acquiring highly capable people, you must acquire a good if not the best machine. Nowadays, it is very important
to acquire technologically updated machines.

c. Methods- Today, we see that every business tries to keep track of technology. Businesses are trying their best to be updated with
the current market trends.

d. Materials- A businessman must not forget that in order to produce a product continuously, abundant raw materials should be
available.