Weblog Vanilla in Madagascar

Vanilla Planifolia - Harvesting and Storage  How, what and when do you need to harvest the Vanilla Planifolia. The pods of the vanilla planifolia mature seven to nine months after pollination has taken place. A green vanilla bean resembles a large green bean filled with thousands of tiny seeds. When the bean only has the blossom-end tips that are pale yellow, they can be picked by hand, just before the bean is fully ripened. After the picking, you have several steps before the product is ready. The bean undergoes a long, complex curing and drying process that creates the flavour of the characteristic vanilla. Immature beans produce an inferior product and, if picked too late, the beans start splitting. Try to avoid bunch or broom harvesting, the well-ripened ready beans are easily detachable from the bunch just by lifting them in the reverse direction.   The early morning hours are the important hours for harvesting. The harvesting of the beans demands substantial lab...

Vanilla Planifolia - Plant Disease and Insects  The main factor of damage and a lower vanilla production are diseases. Vanilla grows under a temperature and humidity that is in favour of developing pathogens, which are mainly fungi. So, I will write something about the general production of Vanilla and its diseases (not focused on Madagascar). It is always better to prevent diseases instead of controlling the damage it already did to the crop. Of course, when necessary, you can use a chemical control to avoid environmental contamination.   The main vanilla insect pest is the ‘ Chinche Roja ’ ((Tenthecoris confusus Hsiao & Sailer). It is a small insect that has multiple life stages, including 4 instars. At the nymphal stage, it causes the most damage to the vanilla plant. It is the single most damaging vanilla pest, causing tissue damage in the leaves, stems, and the fruits. The wound of the chinche help to the colonization of fungus and bacteria that cause rot, wil...