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Lecture 1Lecture 1Introduction to Tropical Introduction to Tropical

HorticultureHorticulture

Horticulture 403TROPICAL HORTICULTURE

ecourses.purdue.edu

Instructor: Jules Janick330 Horticulture Bldg494-1329janick@purdue.edu

Grader: Anna Whipkey116A Horticulture Bldg.494-6968awhipkey@purdue.edu

Grades will consist of quizzes, two exams, a final and a term paper and one extra credit exercise.

Final grade will be based on total points.

Points:Quizzes 100 540-600 = AExam 1 100 480-539 = BExam 2 100 420-479 = CTerm Paper 100 360-419 = DFinal 200 <359 = FTotal 600

Grades:

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An introduction to the agriculture of the tropics and subtropics emphasizing horticultural crops.

The course covers aspects of tropical geography and ecology, as well as historical aspects of the tropics and subtropics.

Introduction to The Tropics

Course Outline – I. Tropical AgricultureIntroduction to the TropicsTheory of the TropicsTropical ClimateThe Koppen Classification of ClimatesTropical VegetationTropical SoilsAgricultural Potential of the Humid TropicsAgriculture in Tropical SystemsPlantation AgricultureHacienda SystemAgricultural Development in Tropical AmericaTropical ForestryThemes in Tropical AgricultureWorld Population

II. Major Tropical CropsTropical Agr. ResearchWeed Control & IPM CoffeeCacaoTeaRiceSugarRubberOilsOil palmCoconut & DateCassava

III. Horticultural CropsTaro & YamsMiscellaneous Starch CropsBananaPineapplePapayaCitrusAvocadoMisc. Fruit CropsHistory of SpicesSpice CropsTropical Ornamentals Overview

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There are dramatically apposing attitudes towards the tropics, both anti- and pro-tropic sentiments:

Salubrious and Balmy vs. Hot and Steamy

Cruise Ships, Waving Palms vs. Poisonous Snakes & Crocs

Resorts & Retirement Havens vs. Slums & Shacks

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Birth of Civilization vs. Uncivilized

Green and Bountiful vs. Starvation & Malnutrition

Rich in Flora vs. Monotonously Green

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It turns out that all of the above views are true.This course will attempt to present a balanced

picture of the tropics.It is true, however, that the tropical world tends to

be underdeveloped.

This course will try to develop answers to the following questions:

Reality Check

It turns out that all of the above views are true.This course will attempt to present a balanced

picture of the tropics.It is true, however, that the tropical world tends to

be underdeveloped.

This course will try to develop answers to the following questions:

Why are the tropics poor?Why is hunger endemic in the tropics?What is the agricultural potential for the tropics?What is the horticultural potential of the tropics?

Reality Check

Narrowly defined the tropics are those areas on the earth's surface between the Tropic of Cancer (23.5°N) and the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5°S).

The tropics represent:36% of the earth's surface20% of the land surface43% of ocean surface

The Tropics

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Narrowly defined the tropics are those areas on the earth's surface between the Tropic of Cancer (23.5°N) and the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5°S).

The tropics represent:36% of the earth's surface20% of the land surface43% of ocean surface

The tropics are winterless climates where the temperature differences between night and day are small but exceed by several times the difference between the warmest and coolest months.

Night is the winter of the tropics!

The Tropics

1. Warm temperatures (winterless climates; lack of frost)

2. Abundant rainfallDistributed either equally throughout the year

(tropical rain forest)Extremely high in one period (monsoon)Divided into a wet and dry seasons (tropical savanna)

3. Daylength is close to 12 hours throughout the year (continual short days)

These conditions have a tremendous effect on the type of natural vegetation and influence the type of horticulture.

Tropical Climates

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Short day plantsColorful flowers attracting insectsPerennial (some grown as annuals in

temperate climates)Frost sensitive, some cold sensitiveEnormous plant diversity

Characteristics of Tropical Plants

No break in the growing cycle;pests and diseases more intense

Leached soils commonExcessive rain in Tropical Rainy and Monsoon climateDry season in Savanna climates requires irrigationShort days and cloud cover restrict lightHigh night temperatures increase respiration

Agricultural Problems of the Tropics

Beverage CropsFruits and NutsStarchy Root CropsIndustrial CropsGrasses (rice & sugar)SpicesOrnamentals

Tropical agriculture involves important well-known crops. Major crops covered in this course will include:

Tropical and Subtropical Crops

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Tea

Cacao

Coffee

Beverage Crops

Avocado

Date

Citrus Banana & Plantain

Papaya Pineapple

Fruits and Nuts

Cassava

Taro Yam

Sweetpotato

Starchy Vegetables

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CoconutRubber tree

Industrial Crops

Rice Sugarcane

Grasses

Ginger

Nutmeg

Clove PepperVanilla

Cinnamon

Spices

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Bougenvillia

Orchids

Philodendron

Plumeria Poinsettia

Streletzia

Ornamentals

The tropics are the region of the earth's surface lying between the Tropic of Cancer (23.5°N of the equator) and the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5°S of the equator). The following countries are found in the tropics.

The Tropical World

MonroviaLiberiaNairobiKenya

BanjulGambiaLibrevilleGabon

DjiboutiDjiboutiMoroniCongo Republic

GaboroneBotswanaPorto-NovoBenin

Antananarive

AbidjanConakry

Addis AbabaMalabo

N'DjamenaYaounde

LuandaCapital

MadagascarTripoliLibya

Ivory CoastBissauGuinea-BissauGuineaAccraGhana

EthiopiaMassawaEritreaEquatorial GuineaCairoEgypt

ChadBanguiCentral African EmpireCameroonBujumburaBurundi

AngolaAlgiersAlgeriaCountryCapitalCountry

Africa

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KhartoumSudanCape Town, PretoriaSouth Africa

LusakaOuagadougouLomé

Mogadishu

Dakar

KigaliLagosWindhoekRabatBamakoCapital

ZambiaKinshasaZaireUpper VoltaKampalaUgandaTogoDar es SalaamTanzania

SomaliaFreetownSierra Leone

SenegalSao ToméSao Tomé e Principe

RwandaSalisburyRhodesia (Zimbabwe)NigeriaNiameyNigerNamibiaMaputoMozambiqueMoroccoNouakchottMaurtaniaMaliLilongweMalawiCountryCapitalCountry

Africa

CaracasVenezuelaParamariboSurinamLimaPeruAsunciónParaquayGeorgetownGuyanaCayenneFrench GuianaQuitoEquadorBogotaColombiaSantiagoChileBrasiliaBrazilLa PazBoliviaBuenos AiresArgentinaSouth

America

PanamaPanamaManaguaNicaraguaMexico CityMexicoTegucigalpaHondurasGuatemalaGuatemalaSan SalvadorEl SalvadorSan JoseCosta RicaBemopanBelizeCentral

America

Washington, DCUnited States (Hawaii)

North America

CapitalCountryCapitalCountryContinent

St. ThomasVirgin IslandsSan JuanPuerto RicoKingstonJamaicaPort-au PrinceHaitiSt. George'sGrenadaBassa-TerreGuadeloupe

Santo DomingoDominican RepublicRoseauDominica

HavanaCubaHamiltonBermudaBridgetownBarbadosSt. John'sAntiguaWest IndiesCapitalCountryCapitalCountryContinent

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San'aYemem Arab Republic

HanoiVietnamAbu DhabiUnited Arab Emirates

BangkokThailandT'aipeiTaiwan

Mecca, RujadhSaudiaArabiaSingaporeSingapore

ManilaPhilippinesPekingChinaAdenYemenPort MoresbyNew GuineaMuscatOmanKuala LumpurMalaysiaVientianeLaosDjakartaIndonesiaNew DelhiIndiaVictoriaHong KongPhnom-PenhCambodiaRangoonBurma

Bandar Seri BegawanBruneiDaccaBangladeshAsiaCapitalCountryCapitalCountryContinent

ApiaWestern Samoa

MatautuWallis and FutunaTongafaleTuvalu

Nuku alofaTongaFenuafalaTokelauHomaroSolomon IslandsAdamstownPitcairn IslandsAlofiNiueVilaNew Hebrides

YarenNauruHonoluluHawaiian Islands (U.S.)

AganaGuamBairikiGilbert IslandsPapeeteFrench PolynesiaSuvaFijiPonapeCaroline IslandsPago PagoAmerican SamoaPacific Ocean

CanberraAustraliaAustraliaCapitalCountryCapitalCountryContinent