The simplest and traditional method of establishing a pimento walk or semi-wild plantation in Jamaica was to use self-sown seedlings or seeds which had been distributed by birds, which sprang up along fences and in thickets, where they obtained protection from livestock, from the sun and drying winds. The seedlings were then preserved at a spacing of about 6 m when the land was cleared and put down to pasture.

At one time it was thought that the seeds would only germinate after passing through the intestines of birds. However, it was found that when seeds were planted almost immediately after extraction from fresh ripe fruits, some seeds germinate in nine or ten days and germination continues over an extended period.

Seedlings were then used in commercial planting and the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands in Jamaica maintained nurseries for the distribution of seedlings. Nearly 80 000 seedlings were distributed in 1965. It should be remembered that it is impossible to distinguish between male and female trees until the latter come into bearing at 5 -6 years or even later, and that the proportion of male to female trees will be approximately equal.

The principal natural habitat in Jamaica is the limestone forests, particularly on the bauxite plateau, with the greatest concentration in the parishes of Trelawny, St Ann, Manchester, Westmoreland and St Elizabeth. Pimento grows from sea level to altitudes of 1000 m, but does best below 300 m. The incidence of pimento rust, Puccinia psidii (see `Diseases’), is more severe in the higher, colder, wetter areas. Pimento grows best in areas with a little over 1 500 mm of rain per annum in which there are few months with less than 100 mm.

The male trees tend to flower earlier and continue longer than the female trees and it is obvious that floral synchrony must occur with simultaneous flowering of male and female trees to ensure pollination. Chapman (1965) suggests two different planting patterns to ensure sufficient males as pollinators. For both of them, vegetatively propagated female and male trees are necessary.

Pimento will thrive over a wide range of soils provided that the drainage is not impeded. Ward (1961) states that in Jamaica it grows most widely on the Terra Rossa or red limestone soils and on the Rendzina or black marl soils. The coarse porous soils of the former provide excellent drainage, while on the latter the pimento tends to he concentrated in the shallower rocky areas where the underlying limestone allows for adequate drainage. Pimento is also found on clays overlying the Richmond shale, but mainly on slopes where outcrops of thin limestone occur and where drainage is favourable. Its natural habitat is characteristically one of grassy slopes. Currently the Ministry of Agriculture is not recommending planting on Terra Rossa soils unless adequate moisture is available. Rendzina soils are best for establishment and so are pockets of soil in well-jointed White Limestone.

Tags: Educational

Popularity: 11% [?]

Share This