Butternut (Cucurbita
moschata)
Butternut is a squash in
the Cucurbitaceae family. It is an emerging economic
crop with ready market and high nutritional value. It is an excellent source of vitamin A and C also
contains manganese, magnesium, potassium and fibre. The fruit colour is cream to
light brown and fruit size is about 0.7 to 1.5 Kg.
Butternut is a hardy crop,
which is able to tolerate moderately harsh environmental conditions, resistant
to many pests of the cucurbits. It can be grown well in small plots of land and
yield relatively good returns with minimal farm inputs.
The fruit can
be roasted and toasted and also be puréed or mashed into soups.
Marketing
Butternut is mainly sold in the local market and exported to a with limited extent..
Ecological requirement
Altitude
Butternut
grows well up to altitude of 1700m above sea level
Rainfall
It
requires minimum rainfall of 500 mm per annum. Moisture is crucial during early
stages of growth, flowering and fruiting.
Soils
Soils
should be well drained and rich in organic matter. It requires a pH of 5.5 to
7.5
Temperature
It is
a warm climate crop that can do well relatively in warm temperatures. The
optimal temperatures are between 210C to 280C.
Varieties
The
common varieties grown are:
·
Early butternut F1
·
Waltham
·
Sunset HB
Planning
production
Ø Select a suitable planting site as per ecological requirement
Ø Select the variety as per market demand
Ø Plan well for the market targeting before planting
Land preparation
Land should be prepared early in the season; deep soil cultivation of
about 20-30 cm is recommended. The soil should be of a medium tilth. Apply
compost or organic manure, before planting.
Planting
·
Butternut is planted directly in the
main field. Well rotten manure should be incorporated into the field before
planting.
·
Seeds should be planted 2.5 cm deep,
with a spacing of 90 cm from one row to another and 45cm from plant to plant.
·
Watering should be done moderately,
soon after sowing then, once in every two to three days until the seeds
germinate.
·
Seed germination takes place after 7-10
days
Fertilizer
- DAP
or NPK 20.20.0 or TSP is applied during planting at the rate of 10 grams
per hole.
- Top
dress with nitrogenous fertilizers (C.A.N) 3 weeks after planting and
repeated 6 weeks later with foliar fertilizer during flowering and
fruiting.
Pollination
The
crop produces both the male and female flowers hence they require cross
pollination. In order to ensure that bees visit the squash farm regularly, it is
recommended that farmers may adopt bee keeping near the crop.
Pests
Insect pests-Thrips, White fly, Leaf miner, Aphids, Melon fly, Cucumber beetles - Use of recommended insecticides; Timely control of
weeds.
Diseases
·
Bacterial wilt - Crop rotation of at least two
years
·
Fungal disease-Powdery mildew, Downy mildew
Ø Use of suitable fungicides
Ø Burn and destroy infected plant materials.
Ø Use proper spacing.
Viral Diseases are the most
limiting factor to squash production. Spread by insect e.g. aphids, white flies.
Control
insects pests effectively.
Weeding
Timely weed control is important to
insure maximum yields
Harvesting
·
Butternut squash maturity period is between 75
and 120 days after germination depending on the variety and the prevailing temperatures. Mature
butternut squash are beige to light tan colour with shrivelling drying stems
and extremely hard skin.
·
The fruit colour should be uniform.
·
Butternut squash with green colour still on it
is not yet mature.
·
Straw or dry grass is placed underneath the fruit to protect against
direct contact with soil and discolouration.
·
Harvest ripe fruits by cutting the stems about
2.5 cm up from the fruit.
·
Butternut Squash has a long storage life of up
to 3 months and they should be mature and free from injury and decay when
stored.
·
They should be kept dry and provided with good
air circulation.
Note-After the final harvest, remove and destroy all plant debris to
prevent insect or disease infestations
Yield
The
yield is 10-15 ton/ha depending on level of management and variety.
Challenges
Oversupply in production leading to low prices.
Advice to potential growers
Ø A sound cucumber production program includes well planned marketing.
Ø The prospective grower needs to have a good understanding of annual
market trends consumer needs, potential buyers.
Ø Quality crop is also an advantage in marketing.
