File:Vanilla culture in Puerto Rico (1948) (20569909105).jpg

Title: Vanilla culture in Puerto Rico
Identifier: CAT31289489 (find matches)
Year: 1948 (1940s)
Authors: Childers, Norman Franklin, 1910-
Subjects: Vanilla; Orchids
Publisher: Washington, D. C. : U. S. Dept. of Agriculture
Contributing Library: U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library
Digitizing Sponsor: U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library

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VANILLA CULTURE IN PUERTO RICO 63 Sunburn.—This condition, the effects of which are illustrated in figure 30, is brought about by a rather prolonged exposure of the vine to direct sunlight. According to Meinecke (13), when only a part of the vine is over-exposed, the organs involved lose their dark green color, turn yellow, and swell along the affected area. This swelling is due to the abnormal growth or "callousing" by the layer of cells underlining the dead epidermis. Eventually the tissues die and crack, affording opportunity for disease organisms to enter. The injury is more pro- nounced during the low-humidity dry season. Special care is needed during this period to provide about 5(3 percent shade. Tip dieback.—This disease appears to be due to water deficiency since it occurs chiefly during the dry months (fig. 50.) The disease
Text Appearing After Image:
Figure 50.—"Die-back" of the tips of vanilla vines (center) may occur during the dry season, after which the tips regenerate with the advent of the rainy season, as shown on the right. Heavy mulching before the dry season and irrigation when needed should help in preventing this injury. affects the last two or three terminal nodes of the growing tip. At first, growth is checked; afterwards the whole region becomes brittle, brown, and shriveled. Irrigation during the dry season, if feasible, should assist in reducing injury. Leaf spot.—Recently a leaf spot disease, characterized by the for- mation of corky raised areas over the leaf (fig. 51), has been observed on vanilla in Puerto Rico. Small areas coalesce to form larger ones. The disease so far is of minor concern. COST OF GROWING VANILLA The expense of planting and growing vanilla has varied consider- ably from one period to the next in Puerto Rico. The data given in the tabulations on pages 65, 66-67 are presented only as a guide to the prospective vanilla grower in estimating the cost of establishing and operating a vanillery. Net returns, obviously, will depend upon the current cost of materials and labor, the quality of the management.

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