Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v3 - Senior Secondary 1
Husbandary of Selected Crops
Download the Lessonotes Mobile Nigeria 2025 app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.
Husbandary of Selected Crops
Download the Lessonotes Mobile Nigeria 2025 app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.
Subject: Agricultural Science
Class: Senior Secondary 1
Term: 3rd Term
Week: 3
Theme: Crop Production
This page supports the lesson note with a companion video and a short classroom-ready summary.
For class groups and homework, share this lesson page so learners also get the summary, objectives, and full lesson context.
State major crop husbandry practices. Grow at least one representative crop from each of the following group:a)Cerealsb)Pulses(grain legumes)c)Roots and tubersd)Vegetables and fruits,e)Beverages and spices F)oil, Latex and fiber
A. Definition of Crop Husbandry: Crop husbandry refers to the systematic care and management practices employed in the cultivation of crops from land preparation through planting, growth, harvesting, and post-harvest handling, aimed at optimizing yield and quality. It encompasses all human activities geared towards creating a conducive environment for crop growth and development.
B. Major Crop Husbandry Practices (Objective 1):
1. Land Preparation: Clearing: Removal of existing vegetation (weeds, bushes, trees) to create a suitable environment for the new crop. Methods include manual clearing, mechanical clearing (e.g., tractors), or chemical clearing (herbicides).
Tilling/Ploughing: Breaking up and loosening the soil to improve aeration, water infiltration, and root penetration. It can be done manually (hoe), with animal draught, or mechanically (plough).
Harrowing: Further breaking down soil clods after ploughing to achieve a finer tilth, making it suitable for small seeds and improving seed-soil contact.
Ridging/Mounding: Creating elevated soil beds (ridges) or heaps (mounds) primarily for crops requiring good drainage or tuber development.
Examples: Yam, Cassava, Sweet Potato.
Bed Making: Creating flat or slightly raised beds for intensive cultivation, often used for vegetables.
2. Planting: Seed Selection: Choosing healthy, viable seeds or planting materials (e.g., stem cuttings, setts) from disease-free, high-yielding varieties adapted to the local environment.
Timing of Planting: Planting at the appropriate time (e.g., onset of rains for rain-fed crops, dry season for irrigated crops) to ensure optimal growth conditions and avoid adverse weather.
Planting Depth: Placing seeds or planting materials at the correct depth for proper germination and emergence.
Planting Methods: Broadcasting: Scattering seeds over a wide area (e.g., some pasture grasses, small grains).
Drilling: Sowing seeds in rows at a uniform depth and spacing using a drill (e.g., maize, rice).
Dibbling: Making holes at specific spacing with a dibber or stick and placing seeds or cuttings into them (e.g., maize, cowpea, cassava stem cuttings).
Transplanting: Raising seedlings in a nursery and then moving them to the main field when they reach a certain stage (e.g., tomato, pepper, rice).
Spacing: Maintaining appropriate distance between plants and rows to reduce competition for light, water, and nutrients, allowing for optimum growth and ease of farm operations.
3. Fertilizer Application: Types of Fertilizers: Organic (manure, compost) and Inorganic (NPK, Urea, SSP) fertilizers.
Timing: Applying fertilizers at the correct growth stages (e.g., basal application at planting, top-dressing at vegetative or flowering stages).
Methods: Broadcasting, banding, side-dressing, foliar application (spraying onto leaves).
4. Weed Control: Weeds: Unwanted plants that compete with cultivated crops for resources, reduce yield, and harbor pests/diseases.
Methods: Cultural: Crop rotation, mulching, proper spacing, intercropping.
Manual: Hand-pulling, hoeing.
Mechanical: Using hoes, cutlasses, or tractor-mounted cultivators.
Chemical: Application of herbicides (pre-emergence or post-emergence).
Biological: Using natural enemies to control specific weeds (less common in small-scale Nigerian farming).
5. Pest and Disease Control: Pests: Organisms (insects, rodents, birds, nematodes) that damage crops.
Diseases: Plant ailments caused by pathogens (fungi, bacteria, viruses).
Methods: Cultural: Crop rotation, sanitation (removing infected plant parts), use of resistant varieties, appropriate spacing.
Chemical: Application of pesticides (insecticides, fungicides, nematicides) – requires careful handling and adherence to safety guidelines.
Biological: Using natural predators or parasites of pests.
Mechanical: Hand-picking pests, trapping.
6. Irrigation and Drainage: Irrigation: Supplying water to crops, especially during dry periods, to ensure adequate moisture for growth. Methods include watering cans, furrow irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, drip irrigation.
Drainage: Removing excess water from the field to prevent waterlogging, which can suffocate roots and promote certain diseases. Creating drainage channels or furrows.
7. Mulching: Covering the soil surface with organic materials (e.g., straw, dry leaves, grass, wood shavings) or synthetic materials (plastic sheets).
Benefits: Conserves soil moisture, suppresses weeds, regulates soil temperature, adds organic matter (for organic mulch).
8. Staking and Pruning: Staking: Providing physical support for climbing plants or plants with heavy fruits to prevent lodging and improve light interception (e.g., yam, climbing beans, tomato). * Pruning: Removing unwanted or unproductive parts of a plant (e.g., dead branches, suckers, excess leaves) to improve yield, fruit perishable; process immediately into gari, fufu, starch, or store in moist soil.
4. Vegetables and Fruits: Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)
Land Prep: Raised beds for good drainage. Fine tilth.
Planting: Nursery establishment (1-2 seeds/cell, or broadcast in seed trays). Transplant 3-4 weeks old seedlings when they have 4-5 true leaves.
Spacing: 60cm x 60cm or 90cm x 60cm.
Fertilizer: NPK (15-15-15) basal, then top-dress with NPK or Urea during flowering/fruiting. Boron and Calcium are important.
Weed Control: Regular shallow weeding. Mulching is highly beneficial.
Pest/Disease: Early/Late Blight (fungicides), Bacterial Wilt (resistant varieties, sanitation), nematodes (crop rotation), fruit borers (insecticides).
Staking: Essential for indeterminate varieties to support plants and improve fruit quality.
Pruning: Removing suckers and lower leaves can improve yield and air circulation.
Irrigation: Requires consistent watering, especially during flowering and fruiting.
Harvesting: 60-90 days after transplanting, when fruits are firm and ripe (red/yellow). Hand-picking.
Post-harvest: Sort, grade, package carefully in crates, store in cool, well-ventilated place. Highly perishable.
5. Beverages and Spices: Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
Land Prep: Raised beds for good drainage and tuber development. Well-drained, fertile loamy soil.
Planting: Use rhizome setts (small pieces of rhizome with at least one eye bud).
Spacing: 30cm x 15-20cm on ridges/beds.
Fertilizer: Rich in organic matter. NPK (15-15-15) or NPK (20-10-10) basal, top-dressing with N or K during growth.
Weed Control: Critical first 2-3 months. Manual weeding due to sensitivity to herbicides. Mulching is beneficial.
Pest/Disease: Rhizome rot (select healthy planting materials, good drainage), bacterial wilt.
Harvesting: 8-10 months after planting, when leaves start to yellow and dry. Carefully dig up rhizomes.
Post-harvest: Wash, trim roots, dry in shade, store in cool, dry, well-ventilated place or process (grinding).
6. Oil, Latex and Fiber: Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis)
Land Prep: Thorough clearing and holing (60cm x 60cm x 60cm) for seedlings.
Planting: Use sprouted germinated nuts or 10-12 month old seedlings from pre-nursery and main nursery.
Spacing: Triangular planting at 9m x 9m x 9m (about 143 palms/hectare).
Fertilizer: Highly nutrient demanding. NPK, Magnesium, Boron applied regularly based on soil analysis.
Weed Control: Ring weeding around palms, inter-row slashing, cover crops (e.g., Pueraria).
Pest/Disease: Vascular wilt, Ganoderma butt rot (resistant varieties, sanitation), Rhinoceros beetle, rodents.
Pruning: Remove old fronds to facilitate harvesting and improve light penetration.
Harvesting: Fruits mature 3-4 years after planting. Harvest fresh fruit bunches (FFB) when 3-5 loose fruits drop from the bunch. Use chisel or specialized harvesting poles.
Post-harvest: Process FFB into palm oil and palm kernel oil as quickly as possible (within 24-48 hours) to minimize free fatty acid content.
D. Farm Records (Evaluation Guide 3): Maintaining accurate farm records is crucial for monitoring progress, evaluating profitability, making informed decisions, and improving future operations.
Types of Records: Field Operations Record: Date of land preparation, planting date, type and quantity of seeds/cuttings used, spacing, date of fertilizer application, type and quantity, dates of weeding, pest/disease control actions (type of pesticide, quantity, date).
Labor Record: Dates, number of workers, hours worked, tasks performed, wages paid.
Input Record: Cost of seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, tools.
Yield Record: Date of harvest, quantity harvested (e.g., kg, number of cobs/tubers), quality.
Sales Record: Date of sale, quantity sold, price per unit, total income.
Expenditure Record: All costs incurred.
Preparation and Presentation: Records should be clear, well-organized (e.g., in a notebook, logbook, or simple spreadsheet), dated, and legible. They should show inputs, processes, and outputs. Creating drainage channels or furrows.
7. Mulching: Covering the soil surface with organic materials (e.g., straw, dry leaves, grass, wood shavings) or synthetic materials (plastic sheets).
Benefits: Conserves soil moisture, suppresses weeds, regulates soil temperature, adds organic matter (for organic mulch).
8. Staking and Pruning: Staking: Providing physical support for climbing plants or plants with heavy fruits to prevent lodging and improve light interception (e.g., yam, climbing beans, tomato).
Pruning: Removing unwanted or unproductive parts of a plant (e.g., dead branches, suckers, excess leaves) to improve yield, fruit quality, air circulation, and disease control (e.g., tomato, tree crops like cocoa).
9. Harvesting: Reaping mature crops at the appropriate time to ensure maximum yield and quality. Methods vary depending on the crop (e.g., hand-picking maize cobs, digging yam tubers, cutting rice panicles, stripping oil palm fruits).
1
0. Post-harvest Handling: Activities after harvest to maintain crop quality and prepare for market or storage. Includes drying, cleaning, sorting, grading, packaging, and storage. Proper handling minimizes post-harvest losses.
C. Husbandry Practices for Selected Representative Crops (Objective 2): For each crop group, a representative crop is highlighted with specific husbandry considerations. This detailed information will guide students in their practical cultivation.
1. Cereals: Maize (Zea mays)
Land Prep: Ploughing, harrowing to achieve fine tilth. Ridging optional, mostly flatbed.
Planting: Dibbling or drilling.
Spacing: 75cm x 25cm (or 90cm x 30cm) for single plant per stand. Plant 2-3 seeds per hole, then thin to 1-2 plants.
Fertilizer: NPK (15-15-15) as basal at planting or 1-2 weeks after, and Urea as top-dressing at 4-6 weeks after planting (or prior to tasseling).
Weed Control: Critical in the first 6-8 weeks. Manual weeding (hoeing) or pre-emergence herbicides (e.g., Atrazine + Metolachlor).
Pest/Disease: Stem borers (control with insecticides), armyworms, rust, blight (use resistant varieties, fungicides).
Harvesting: 90-120 days after planting, when cobs are dry, kernels hard, and husks yellow. Hand-picking.
Post-harvest: Dry cobs (sun drying or cribs), shell, store in airtight containers or bags with appropriate protectants.
2. Pulses (Grain Legumes): Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata)
Land Prep: Minimal tillage, often grown after cereals. Ploughing and harrowing.
Planting: Dibbling.
Spacing: 75cm x 20cm (for erect varieties) or 100cm x 50cm (for spreading varieties). Plant 2 seeds per hole, thin to
1. Fertilizer: Requires less nitrogen due to nitrogen fixation. Apply SSP or NPK (e.g., 15-15-15) if soil is poor, but primarily phosphorus.
Weed Control: Critical first 4 weeks. Manual weeding or pre-emergence herbicides (e.g., Pendimethalin).
Pest/Disease: Major challenge from insect pests: aphid, leafhoppers, pod borers, storage weevils. Control with systemic insecticides.
Diseases: Cowpea mosaic virus, leaf spots (use resistant varieties).
Harvesting: 60-90 days after planting, when pods dry and turn brown. Hand-picking of dry pods.
Post-harvest: Further dry pods, thresh, winnow, store dry grains in airtight containers or bags with insecticide dust/fumigant.
3. Roots and Tubers: Cassava (Manihot esculenta)
Land Prep: Mounding or ridging is crucial for good tuber development.
Planting: Use stem cuttings (setts) 20-30cm long from mature, healthy stems. Plant vertically or at an angle, two-thirds buried.
Spacing: 1m x 1m or 1m x 0.75m.
Fertilizer: NPK (15-15-15) as basal. Potash (K) is important for tuber development.
Weed Control: Very critical in the first 3-4 months. Manual weeding or pre-emergence herbicides (e.g., Metolachlor + Atrazine).
Pest/Disease: Cassava Mosaic Disease (CMD), Cassava Bacterial Blight (CBB) (use resistant varieties, healthy cuttings), Cassava Mealybug, Green Mite (biological control, resistant varieties).
Harvesting: 8-24 months after planting, depending on variety. Hand-digging tubers.
Post-harvest: Tubers are highly perishable; process immediately into gari, fufu, starch, or store in moist soil.
4. Vegetables and Fruits: Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)
Land Prep: Raised beds for good drainage. Fine tilth.
Planting: Nursery establishment (1-2 seeds/cell, or broadcast in seed trays). Transplant 3-4 weeks old seedlings when they have 4-5 true leaves.
Spacing: 60cm x 60cm or 90cm x 60cm.
Fertilizer: NPK (15-15-15) basal, then top-dress with NPK or Urea during flowering/fruiting. Boron and Calcium are important.
Weed Control: Regular shallow weeding. Mulching is highly beneficial. * Pest/Disease: Early/Late Blight Teacher Activities: Introduction: Begin by discussing the importance of agriculture in Nigeria and the role of effective crop husbandry in ensuring food security and economic growth.
Explanation: Systematically explain each major crop husbandry practice, using visual aids (charts, diagrams, real samples of seeds/fertilizers/tools if available).
Demonstration: If possible, demonstrate simple practices like seed selection, proper planting depth, dibbling, or hoeing technique in the school garden or a prepared plot. Use video clips for practices not easily demonstrable (e.g., large-scale ploughing, harvesting oil palm).
Crop-Specific Guidance: For each of the six crop groups, list representative crops and briefly discuss their unique husbandry requirements, emphasizing similarities and differences from general practices.
Practical Project Initiation/Supervision: Guide students in selecting their representative crop(s) for the practical objective. Oversee the allocation of plots (if school farm is available) or guide them on managing home gardens. Provide practical instructions for initial steps (e.g., land preparation for their chosen crop).
Record Keeping Instruction: Explain the importance of farm records and provide templates or guidelines for keeping detailed records of their practical activities.
Discussion: Facilitate Q&A sessions to clarify concepts and address student queries.
Monitoring and Feedback: Regularly monitor students' progress in their practical crop cultivation and provide constructive feedback.
Student Activities: Listening and Note-taking: Actively listen to explanations and take comprehensive notes on major husbandry practices and crop-specific details.
Participation: Engage in discussions, ask clarifying questions, and share their prior knowledge or experiences related to crop farming.
Observation: Observe teacher demonstrations and analyse visual aids.
Practical Application: Work individually or in small groups (as assigned by teacher) to carry out practical husbandry activities: Selecting a representative crop from each designated group (or assigned by teacher based on school resources). Preparing a small plot for cultivation (clearing, tilling, ridging/mounding/bed making as appropriate for the chosen crop). Selecting viable seeds/planting materials. Planting the chosen crop with correct spacing and depth. Performing subsequent practices such as weeding, watering, mulching, etc., as the crop grows over the coming weeks.
Record Keeping: Meticulously record all activities, inputs, observations, and eventual outputs in their farm record books or journals.
Research: Conduct brief research on specific husbandry details for their chosen crops beyond what is covered in class.
Food Security and Livelihoods: Understanding crop husbandry directly enables students to cultivate crops for family consumption, contributing to household food security and improved nutrition. It can also serve as a foundation for establishing small-scale commercial farms, generating income, and improving livelihoods for individuals and communities in Nigeria. For example, knowing how to properly grow maize or yam can provide staple foods.
Entrepreneurship in Agribusiness: The knowledge of cultivating diverse crops forms the basis for various agribusiness ventures. Students can explore opportunities in specialized farming (e.g., organic vegetable farming), processing of agricultural products (e.g., gari production from cassava, palm oil extraction), or supplying specific produce to local markets, restaurants, or hotels. This can create employment and stimulate local economies. Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Stewardship: Applying appropriate husbandry practices, such as crop rotation, mulching, proper use of fertilizers and pesticides, and water conservation techniques (irrigation and drainage), helps in maintaining soil fertility, reducing environmental pollution, and promoting sustainable land use. This is crucial for preserving Nigeria's natural resources for future generations.