|
U.S. troops preparing for deployment to Afghanistan are learningabout that country"s grape production and the importance ofsmall-scale farming to its citizens, thanks to a Washington StateUniversity Extension viticulturist. Michelle Moyer, a WSU statewide viticulture extension specialist,has developed a presentation for the national eXtension GrapeCommunity of Practice (GCoP) that offers troops a generalintroduction to vine biology, how grapes are grown, potentialthreats to grape production and specifics of Afghan grapeproduction. An organization of 87 grape production professionalsfrom 31 states and Ontario, Canada, the GCoP will distributeMoyer"s presentation to its members at universities andgovernment agencies for their troop training efforts. Reducing negative impact; improving economy "Specific information on Afghan grape production is importantfor developing cultural and production sensitivity in deployingU.S. troops," Moyer said. "Grapes are the leadinghorticulture crop for Afghanistan, but their production systems arenot like those U.S. citizens would be accustomed to seeing. "By providing information regarding what our troops mightencounter while on the ground in Afghanistan, we can reduce thelikelihood of a negative impact on production for this veryimportant crop," she added. "This sensitivity iscritical in rebuilding economic and agricultural stability that isnecessary for the overall long-term stability of a country." (For more, see: US military succeeds in fields of the Taliban ) Predominant crop Forty-eight percent of the fruit-bearing land in Afghanistan isdedicated to grapes, said Moyer, a WSU assistant professor, who hasa Bachelor of Science degree in genetics and plant pathology, and aPh.D. in plant pathology. Much of those crops are grown forpersonal consumption as table grapes and raisins, not forcommercial use. Because most Afghan vineyards have higher rates offungal disease, yield is typically low. One major difference between Afghan and U.S. grape production isthe absence of trellising for grapevines. Grape plants are mostoften grown as bushes or use old trees as a trellising system. "Just because a vine is growing up a tree does not mean it isnot a part of the local production system," Moyer said."While rudimentary, it is a common practice to trellis vineson any structure available, if they are trellised at all.". We are high quality suppliers, our products such as SMD LED Module , China Flat Panel LED Light for oversee buyer. To know more, please visits 4ft LED Tube Lights.
Related Articles -
SMD LED Module, China Flat Panel LED Light,
|
