Ama-litchi abizwa ngokobana ma-lychees – (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) zinthelo ezi-sub tropical ezivela enarhani ye-China. Iinthelwezi zikhula emthini omkhulu ohlala uhlaza, begodu kungathatha minyaka ebunane nanyana esithandathu kobana ithele ngokupheleleko. Imithi yama-litchi itlhoga inarha enobuswe kanye nehlabathi ekhipha amanzi.
Ihlangano yabatjali bama-litchi yeSewula Africa i-South African Litchi Growers’ Association (SALGA) isekela beyitlhogomele umkhiqizo wama-litchi kanyenokuthengiswa kwawo eSewula Africa begodu ingarhelebha ngokuphana iinyeleliso zokuwatlhogomela.
Itlayimedi Yama-Litchi
Iskhathi esihle sokutjala ama-litjhi eendaweni ezinehlobo elide elitjhisako, ezinezulu elinengi kanye nobuswe, isthelwesi sifuna amanzi amanengi. Sithanda indawo enobusika obunganazulu obufitjhani obupholileko obunamazinga omtjhiso (ahlangana kwe-15 - 20ºC) begodu asifuni isithwathwa. Iithelo ezihle sama-litchi zikhiqizwa eendaweni ezinamazinga womtjhiso ahlangana kwe-25-30°C ehlobo nobuswe obuyi-60%.
Ukutjala ama-Litchi
Umhlobo otjwalwa khulu wama-Litchi eSewula Africa mhlobo we-Mauritius (i-90% yomkhiqizwawo otjalwa ngomncopho wokwenza inzuzo ngotholakala phakathi konyaka) kanye nama-McLean’s Red (angaphasi kwe-7% womkhiqizo okhiqizwa ngomncopho wokwenza inzuzo nekuma-litchi athela lada). Eminye imihlobo etjalwa ebubulweneli mhlobo we-Fay Zee Siu, Wai Chee (walada) kanye newe-Early Delight (wamsinya).
Imithi emincani kufanele ithengwe emanezari athembekileko, itjalwe ekuthomeni kwesikhathi sonyaka sokuna kwezulu. Imithi eminengi yama-litchi itjalwa ngokobana kuthathwe isiqu sayo komunye umuthi. Irhubhululo elenziwe ngama-litchi atjalwa eSewula Africa litjengise kobana imithi yama-litchi etjalwe ngokobana ithathwe kweminye ayinawo umehluko emthini otjalwe ngokusebenzisa i-air layering.
Ukuhlolwa okupheleleko kwehlabathi ngaphambi kokobana kutjalwe ama-litchi kutjengise kobana ihlabathi inezakhimzimba ezinengi nanyana kobana iyazitlhoga, ingalungiswa lokha nakulungiswa ihlabathi kanye nalada ngeskhathi sokutjala okuzokuya ngokobana ukuhlolwa kwamakari kubuye nomphumela onjani.
Ama-litchi amila kuhle ehlabathini eyisanda eendaweni ezipholileko kodwana neendaweni ezitjhisako ezinehlabathi elidaka abamahle.Akayithandi ihlabathi engakhiphi amanzi nanyana engangeni amanzi. Ukobana athelelelwa njani kuzokuya ngomhlobo wehlabathi atjalwe kiyo. Ukwenza isibonelo, nange ithelelelwa isikhathi esincani kufanele athelelelwe kanengi nange ihlabathi atjalwe kiyo iyisanda.
Iintjalo ezihle ubude bazo buzokuya ngamafektha afana ngokobana atjalwe ehlabathini enjani kanye nomhlobo otjaliweko, kodwana busuka ku-12 x12 m (65 yemithi/ha) ukuya ku- 10 x 5 m (200 yemithi/ha). Lokha kungangasetjenziswa isistimu eqinileko ubude bentjalo buba yi-8 x 4 m (312 yemithi/ha) nanyana i-6 x 4 m eendaweni ezipholileko.
Imithi yama-litchi ithuthumba amalanga ayi-21 ngesiruthwana seSewula-Africa. Amathuthumbo waso apholinethiwa zinyosi, ngebanga lokobana i-pollination yenyosi igcugcuzela ukuthela kwenthelo.Ihlangano ye-Agricultural Research Council (ARC) iphakamisa kobana kube nendleke zenyosi ezimbili ukuya kwezine ehekuthareni zibekwe ngaphakathi kwamasimu, kude nalapha kukhamba khona abantu.
Iinthelo zama-litchi zithatha amalanga ahlangana kwayi-84 kanye nayi-112 ukobana zimile, okuya ngokobana mhlobo bani wama-litchi kanye ngokobana atjalwephi. Isthelo sama-litchi esijwayelekileko sinobudisi obuhlangana ne-16 kanye ne-35 g.
Ukobana athele khulu kungenziwa ngcono ngokugcugcuzelwa kwepholinatjhini, nokufakwa kwezakhimzimba ezifana ne-zinc kanye ne-boron, ukulawulwa kwentjhabalalisi, i-girding kanye ngokobana athelelelwe.
Intjhabalalisi Kanye Namalwelwe wama-Litchi
I-litchi mothi, kanye nepukani ebizwa bona yi-Natal fruit flu, nobulwelwe be-false codling moth ngizo iintjhabalalisi sama-litchi. I-litchi moth inepilo elingana nefana neyetjhabalalisi samantongomani ama-macadamia nut. Ezinye iimvakatjhi ze-litchi month yi-macadamia, Bauhinia, Caesalpinia (imithi yamapremu enamathuthumba) kanye nemihlobo yenlwane I-Acacia.
Iimfene abomaphelaphelani, kanye nenyoni nazo zona iinthelo zama-litchi.
Ukubola ngemva kokuwavuna okubangelwa zinkowani kwenza bona iinthelwezi zonakale zingasahlali iskhathi eside ematjhelifini kodwana kungaphungulwa ngokusebenziswa i-sulphur dioxide ngemva kokuwavuna.
Translated by Busisiwe Prudance Skhosana