seedling production of vegetable crops

SEEDLING PRODUCTION OF

VEGETABLE CROPS

BY: MR. ANDRELORD GERON MEDINA

Institute of Agriculture Bachelor of Agricultural Technology

SEED TESTING METHODS

Seed testing is the process of determining the viability of the seed

being harvested by germination and implementing the methods

involve on pre-germinationprocesses.

Box type method

Petri dish method

Ragdoll Method

Soil Media Preparation

Soil SterilizationWeed controlKills disease causing M.OTo avoid infestations of insect pest and nematodes.

SOIL STERILIZATION USING RICE HULL CARBONIZER

January 6, 2012

Page:00

SOIL STERILIZATION USING CARBONIZER

1.5 m

1.5

m

1.2

m

CONCREATE FENCE

•Construct a fence using hollow blocks to serve as container.•The size of the fence is 1.5m X 1.5m with 1.2m height.•Make a hole (2’’ dia.) to served as breather during burning.

G.I sheet as stopper at the opening of the fence (75cm X 120cm(

4 pcs G.I pipe as breather ( 1 ½” X 2 ft)

2 pcs empty can of 1 kg powdered milk ( served as mini carbonizer on the top potion)

Rice hull carbonizer available at PhilRice (can be fabricated)

MATERIALS INCLUDED FOR 1 SET OF STERILIZER

Materials needed:1. Rice hull2. Lighter/matches3. Small pieces of fire woods/old papers or any

materials that can burn as starter4. Small amount of diesoline as starter5. Shovel6. Soil mixture for sterilization (1:1 ratio of garden

soil and sand)

MATERIALS

PROCEDURES DURING STERILIZATION

1. Put rice hull at the flooring with 10cm thick.2. Make a fire at the center using small pieces

of woods and scratched paper/plastic, put small amount of diesoline to hasten the firing.

3. Put the carbonizer when the burning start to progress.

4. Put the stopper ( G.I Sheet).5. Insert G.I. pipe inside the hole ( breather).6. Add rice hull up to 40 cm thick. Make sure

that the burning inside the carbunizer continue.

7. Put the soil to be sterilized at around 40 to 60 cm thick.

8. Put another layer of rice hull on top of the soil with 20 to 40 cm thick.

9. Put the mini carbonizer (empty can) in the layer of rice hull and make a fire inside of it to burn the rice hull.

1. It will take around 24 hours to complete the sterilization process.

2. After 24 hours and when the smoke coming out from the chimney of the Carbonizer stop, the soil can now be taken out in the container.

3. Remove ash on the top of the file.4. Pulled up the stopper (G.I. sheet)

and take out the soil and the carbonized rice hull at the bottom of the file.

5. Mix the sterilized soil and the carbonized rice hull or saw dust.

6. Put the mixture in a plastic bag and sealed.

7. Around 1 to 1.5 cubic meter of sterilized mixture can get from one set of sterilization.

8. In the preparation of soil media for seed sowing, one part of the soil mixture plus one part of peat moss can be use.

PROCEDURES AFTER STERILIZATION

SOIL MEDIA PREPARATION

Without Rice Hull Carbonizer

a. Select light soil preferably loamy type as

source of soil media. If the soil is clay, you will

need to have different ratio (more rice hull

ash).

b. Plow or rotavate the soil especially if it is

compact to make it friable for better

sterilization.

c. Apply enough water to moisten the soil for

better heat penetration during sterilization.

d. Cover it with dry rice hull to a depth of 60-90 cm. Burn piled rice hull to sterilized the soil and kill weed seeds. If the burning is longer, sterilization is better.

Collect partially burnt (carbonized) rice hull or saw dust for mulching.

The sterilized soil are collected at a depth of 12 inches maximum and pulverized.

e. Sieve sterilized soil to remove clods and stones to avoid clogging during tray filling.

f. Collect soil and mix with rice hull ash properly.

1 part of Sterilized Soil + 2 parts of Rice Hull Ash/Carbonized Rice Hull (1:2 Ratio)

for silt loam soil

Disadvantages of improper soil media mixture:

1. More soil than the recommended ratio will hold more moisture – susceptible to diseases and algae occurrence

2. Easily compacted – harder and less root formation

3. More ash – easily dry, requires frequent watering, poor root formation

g) Mix sterilized soil and rice hull ash/ carbonized rice hull thoroughly.

Mixture of 1 part sterilized soil and 2 parts rice hull

ash. (SOIL MEDIA)

SEEDLING TRAY PREPARATION AND

FILLING

a) Ensure that trays are perfectly clean.

Disinfect trays with fungicide and Disinfectant (Zonrox).

Hygiene is the first defense against

diseases.

Stack of clean trays with plastic on the floor

b) Place clean plastic on the floor as matting to avoid contamination of soil media. Fill the tray with the soil media properly.

c) Pat lightly, DO NOT COMPACT. Scrape excess soil media.

Filled Trays

PRICKING TECHNIQUES

1. Prick seedlings with relatively uniform in size – 4-5 leaf stage.

2. Prick seedlings that are disease-free.

3. Prick seedlings that have well developed root system.

What are ideal seedlings for pricking?

Seedling size ideal for pricking

GOOD PRICKING

GOOD PRICKING

Pricked trays laid perfectly in the bed

Calcium Application

THANK YOU