Para:

Yes, the heavy rainfall has been quite damaging. How's your durian production? I hope it is still ok.... I think varieties which are prone to half-ripening problems, like D24 and its siblings, will be quite affected.

Kg Teratai:

As I know, phytophtora is a very troublesome disease in durian orchards.... there's very little cure. The best offence is actually a strong defense. You could try trichoderma enriched organic fertilizers, it may help. But since the disease is already manifesting itself, I'm afraid there is no real cure. If it is a small tree, you could try applying metalaxyl into the soil; however this would give only short term solutions, and may damage the soil in the long run.

Just a few questions though: How is the humidity and water drainage of your orchard? Is the soil porous, or clayish? Phytophtora are very agressive in areas with high humidity, compact, clayish soils, with excessive ground litter/plant biomass. If you want to know how to remedy a durian orchard, you can speak with Para; he's done a great job reviving a low production durian orchard.
On a separate note, the following are a little presentation about the impacts of biotechnology:

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Added on November 23, 2012, 10:00 pm
Bought Raub Musang King @ MAHA 2012 (XL) for $9.00 / kg. Now so full

I personally feel the previous event was better. This time it's gear more towards the public (retail) than commercial farming. I did not finish all the exhibit as it was raining. I only did Hall A, B & C, and the 2 agro bazaar.

Any feed back on the outside halls? If it good, then I shall make another trip.

Anyone into Apiculture, Bee keeping?
Looking for a mentor to guide me to start up.
Thank you.

Going home for the CNY celebration. Happy Chinese New Year.

Sifu, I know it's was dated back in year 2007....however, I'm sure u still can remember about your RAS system.
I'm interested in this RAS system, can you pls teach me how to set up, where to buy those parts....and of course the cost for the system if you don't mind. Many thanks.
Gong hei Fatt choy!

How's your papaya, bearing fruits? Exotica? Good fruits? Maybe can get some seeds from you.

Hi guys, I wanna ask, if there's anyone here has bee farm and would willing to sell their extra hives of bees? I hope that this is the right place to ask around. Can anyone enlighten me where to get the commercial honey bees?

What is 505? I have a couple of old Mango trees, heavily infested with trunk borer. I cut off most of the infected branches as I find it too difficult to treat (height).

I think your planting distance of the papaya could be too close.
I planted initially with 7 ft, then 8 ft. Now my new planting is at 10 ft, which I think should be good. (depending on your variety).

Hi, I have a piece of land size 5 acres in Jelebu N9 planted with Durians. Thinking of half the durian trees and start a farming venture. Planning to do full time after retiring at 55 recently.
My knowledge of farming is only 10% and have done a lot of reading recently.
All you sifu can please give some advise. TQ

Hi,
I have about 150 trees consist of D2, D24, D144, Kuning("wong yoke chai"), D197 and others which I could not identify. The whole 5 arces planted with durians.
I have felled about 20 nos of D144 coz this clones never ripe properly but the color of the flesh is bronze. All the trees is about 15 years old except my D197 about 3 years old.
Will get some pictures of the farm during my next trip next week.
Cheers.

Just for laugh and it is real. My last durian harvest in December where I let a friend collect the harvest and sell to middle man and the profit to be share 50/50. At the end of the harvest, I did not get any money(profit) and what I got from him was he bought me 5 nos of D197(musang wong) the reason was the rain that spoil everything, all the durians was not ripe. Believe it or not.

Thanks Michael.

Had been scratching my head on how to do a spray on such a tall tree, easily 30 ~ 40 feet. Am thinking of getting a knack pack high pressure sprayer or a knack pack blower...wondering if it can reach such height.

Problem with my Papayas. Noticed that 2 trees had some brownish spots. A few days later, it turned even worst. Had it culled as I don't know what's wrong with them and am afraid it could spread? After cutting off the trunk at the bottom, the trunk looks good. Fungus infection?

Mr Farmer:

Oh my.... I hate to break it to you, but your trees are fine. This is just a case of fruit blight or wet rot. Very common in papaya and other soft fruits like tomatoes, strawberries etc. You could have just removed the damaged fruits, and treat the tree with a blanket spray of preventive fungicide. I would recommend Benomyl. You could use others, depending on your budget, and how immediate and effect you want. A cheaper alternative (but with varied results) is Captan or Thiram. Or use any fungicide that contains copper.

Just to note, wet fruit rot in papaya has dozens and more causal agents, largely fungal. The large black concentric rings here indicate anthracnose. They start off as small brownish sunken spots, but quickly progress to the large spots, especially in wet weather.

Hi Para, can't prune not as the Avocado are fruiting. Just did the 1st harvest for this year. Shall do it after the fruiting season.
Yes, I went to the Agriculture Park, near here. They are pruning the Jackfruits trees to 10 ~ 15 feet, small canopy, still the fruits are big & plenty. Experimenting with our Jackfruit trees. Shall give it a go.

The papaya is on a gradient slope, maybe about 10 degrees, slanting to the right where the small creeks runs. Hence I didn't do any 'hill'. Also when papaya had grown, the roots are all over the place and any hoeing shall break the roots. This farm, it's slightly sloped, both ends slopping to the middle, where the small creek runs.

Say, out of curiosity, how does a 'hill' perform during dry / extremely dry season? Am thinking of doing this for my banana to prevent toppling.
Hey your papaya harvesting already?

Btw, have you experience any disease outbreak on your bananas?
I would like to know any mitigation steps you implement to prevent diseases.
to date, i only experienced root borer problems and considering planting marigold as natural agent.

Hi ParaOp

I was googling about Tilapia farming and it brought me to lowyat! 

I have a body of water, a lake to be precise, of about 200 acres.

Thinking of venturing into Tilapia farming.

Searching for info about capital(investment) and operational costs.......could you enlighten me on this since
you seem to have a handle on fish farming?

Thanks!

Sorry

Whats RAS?