handbook ornamental

8/20/2019 Handbook Ornamental

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Seed and Planting material production, testing and labels

in ornamental crops

T. Janakiram, Sujatha .A. Nair, R. L. Misra, Naveen Kumar and S. P. S. Raghava

Floriculture in India is growing at the rate of 7-10% per annum. The area under

flowers is around 1, 16,000 ha concentrated mostly in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka,Maharashtra, Tamilnadu, and West Bengal.

The success of floriculture industry mainly depends on the quality of seed and

planting materials. Because of the diversity in floriculture products, production and

distribution of both vegetatively propagated plant material and also seed propagated plant

materials have emerged as the most important and powerful business world over. Cultivation

of flowering annuals for seed production requires constant attention, in-depth knowledge,

skill and specialization. In most of the western countries, the climatic conditions during

winters are unfavourable for seed production, resulting in higher cost. Therefore, many seed

companies from the USA, UK, Holland, Germany and France have started their seed

production in India, which is being carried done on contractual basis by farmers in differentregions having favourable climate conditions. In India, about 600–800 ha area is under seed

production. Of the total production, Punjab alone contributes for 45–50%, Sangrur, Ludhiana

and Patiala being major seed-producing centres. The rest is being contributed by Karnataka

(Bangalore and Ranebennur), West Bengal (Kalimpong and Tarai area), Bihar (Ranchi),Maharashtra (Pune), Haryana (Panipat and Sirsa), Himachal Pradesh (Kulu Valley) and

Jammu and Kashmir (Srinagar Valley). The growers have adopted mostly open-pollinatedcultivars. There is a need to improve the quality of seeds and bulbs produced in India. The

value of flower seed and bulb in international market is about Rs. 1.5 crores annually.

Micropropagation has an edge over traditional propagation in case of vegetatively propagatedfloricultural plants. Micro-propagation has become order of the day for rapid multiplication

of disease-free, clean plants in millions in a very short time. Difficult-to-propagate plants can

now be propagated in any numbers through this technology. The other advantages are product

uniformity, season independent production, and easy exchange of germplasm and plant

material. The new Seed Act of 1988 which facilitated import of seeds and planting materials

of international varieties and the liberalization of industrial and trade policies in 1991 paved

way for the development of export-oriented units with strong back up from NHB and

APEDA. A number of units came up with the foreign collaboration. About 122 tissue culture

labs with an aggregate capacity of 245 million plants/annum have been set up in country. The

concentration of labs around Pune and Bangalore is due to climatic advantage and availability

of good infrastructural facilities.

Since most of the ornamental plants and seeds are produced by the nurseries, the

document covers all the related aspects to nursery for production of quality seed and

planting material

Importance of quality planting material

Good quality planting material (seeds, bulbs, etc) is a basic need of a grower. Thequality refers to genuine and diseased free material. Good quality planting material will boost


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productivity. Seeds or bulbs etc are the carriers of genetic potential for higher crop

production. The farmers are less sensitive to price when they are sure of quality planting

material its exclusiveness and the monetary compensations that will accrue from higher production. In case of problems caused by virus and virus like diseases, use of virus free

planting material becomes mandatory. Viability and good germination are of paramountimportance in case of seed propagated ornamental crops (Marigold, Aster, Zinnia, Hollyhock

etc). In ornamental crops very little have been achieved in the production of genuine plantingmaterial free from the diseases. It is perhaps lack of infrastructure facilities and trained

manpower. The nursery registration and certificate act and equipped with modern methods of plant propagation would only help in filling up the gap between demand and supply. The

demands on production and quality levels are increasing strongly. This development makes

increasing demands on both management and plant material for the nurserymen in our

country. The nursery has not only to cater to the varieties of plants but quality in terms of

genotype and freeness from the diseases has to be ensured.

Important considerations in quality plant material production.

Aspects of quality, which have an effect on plant performance, are either intrinsic or

visible

Visible aspects (In case of plants propagated through budding or grafting. e.g.: rose)

Homogeneity of plants – Lack of homogeneity may indicate different grades of inputs orgrowth differences in the production field. Source of rootstock and bud wood is

important.

Diameter of rootstock indicates the grade of rootstock and quality of the growth process.

Well-developed fibrous root system. This characteristic demonstrates growth on a well- prepared soil and regular growth during the period of production.

Strong outgrowth of bud or graft. A strong branch has the potential to quickly develop a

branching structure, the basis for flower production. The initial development, fast or slow,

one or more branches, is often variety related. No mechanical damage, no visible pests and diseases.

Healthy appearance. No growth abnormalities, green branches.

Intrinsic aspects

Strong physiological potential. Stress-free growth during the plant production period will

enable the plant to re-grow easily after planting in the field or green house, because plants have stored reserve food.

Healthy reproduction material and genetic homogeneity. Selection of source forreproduction material is based on healthy growth and material i.e. bud wood and root

stock, true to variety.

Free of non-visible diseases, e.g. Agrobacterium, Verticillium. Once the plants are

uprooted, these diseases, if in the early stage, are not visible. During the plant production

process this has to be controlled.

Sources of quality planting material Since quality of planting material effects the production, it is necessary to collect the

basic material from a genuine and reliable source. Efforts should be made to identify nodal

centers for supply of elite planting material of important ornamental plants in our country. In

recent years several multinational and industrial houses have entered into floriculture

business and are producing quality plant material. Apart from private industries the intensive


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research conducted at premier research institutes like IIHR, IARI, NBRI and other SAU, S

had led to development and release of high yielding and disease free varieties . The planting

materials of those elite varieties are supplied from these institutions in small quantities tousers for future multiplication.

Types of nurseries:

Three broad category of ornamental nurseries are:

Field grown nursery: Field production requires soils with good fertility, high

Organic-matter content (3-5%), and fine tilth, sandy-clay to clay-loam soil, which will hold

together in a ball, are ideal.

Container plant production:

Container production does not necessarily require good soil

on site. Container growing medium can be brought from remote locations.

However, good soil on site as a resource in media construction may be useful. A firm surface,

which allows for the placing of containers and insures surface drainage, is a must.

The advantages of containerized production includev High plant densities, use of land unsuited for field production,

v Planting times independent of the weather,

v Lower transportation costs because of lightweight media and less root loss and a

greater chance of survival than with field-grown plants.

The disadvantages are also numerous like

v Small containers need frequent watering, nutrients are rapidly depleted,

v Plants easily become root-bound,

v Containers are costly, labour costs to pot up plants are high and the roots are stressed

by temperature extremes.

There are several factors to keep in mind when deciding which containers to use: cost, design

features that control root growth, how the container affects growing medium moisture content

and temperature, availability, how the container suits the particular needs of the nursery,

durability, and shipping capacity.

Round black-plastic pots are the norm, but they can cause root constriction, leading to plants

with poorly developed root systems. There are other kinds of containers that promote better

root systems. For instance, copper-lined, white, and light-colored containers produce more

root growth, and square and stair-step pots help keep plants from becoming root-bound.

Pot in pot container production This is a technique of growing trees and shrubs in pots that

have been placed inside other pots that are permanently placed in the ground)

The pot-in-pot method of production was developed to alleviate some of the problems

associated with container production, such as blow over and moisture loss. This systeminvolves burying a holder pot, or moat pot, into the ground, and placing a containerized plantinside this pot. The greatest drawback to this system is the high initial cost of the moat pot.

But the moat pot is a long-term investment, since it will last for 15 years or more.

LAY OUT AND PLANNING GOOD NURSERY Nursery is an area for rearing plants. It is the place where all kinds of plants like trees,

shrubs, climbers etc. are grown and kept for transporting or for using them as stock plants for budding, grafting and other method of propagation or for sale.


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The modern nurseries also serve as an area where garden tools, fertilizers are also

offered for sale along with plant material. The area for nursery depends on the volume of

plants maintenance for business and the area may be small to large.The production and productivity of tree plants depends upon the availability of quality

planting material which in turn largely depends upon the nurseries and nursery activities. Thenumber of genuine and quality fruit and ornamental plants varieties produced by Agricultural

Universities, State Departments of Horticulture and Research Institutions are very meagre tomeet the demand of large number of growers through out the country. For this reason, most

of the clientile are depending on private nurseries and nurserymen for their requirement ofornamental plants. Hence, there is a greater scope to prosper for the nurserymen, who can

supply genuine and high quality plant material of different fruit and ornamentals plants

produced on sound scientific lines. Such high quality planting material could be produced by

careful planning, establishment and management of nurseries. The success of any nursery

depends largely upon several factors viz., proper selection of site, careful planning, selection

of crops and varieties which are in good demand and procuring the progeny from the reputed

institutions/nurseries, elite gardens, establishment of mother plants blocks/scion banks,

acquiring scientific information of each variety and skilful management in production of

necessary scions as well as marketing the same. As there is increased demand for the tropical

and sub-tropical fruit plants and ornamentals in recent past the planning of a nursery istherefore emphasized in this chapter.

For the establishment of ornamental plant nursery on scientific base the following

points have to be considered.

A. Selection of siteLocation: The selected site for establishing a nursery should be located in an established

nursery area. By doing so, one can share the experiences of fellow nurserymen and therebymany mistakes can be avoided in planning, management and marketing of the nursery stock.

The selected site should preferably on a highway or atleast connected with a goodmotorable road, which facilitates easy and economic transport of inputs and nursery plants to

the users, orchardists and fruit growers. The selected site should also have electricity andother communication facilities. These facilities will improve the production as well as

marketing.

The Soil: The success of any nursery depends mainly upon the quality of soil and abundant

supply of good quality potable water. Before selecting the site for nursery, the soil and water

analysis must be done, since most of the fruit and ornamental plants cannot tolerate salinity

and alkalinity. The soil should be light to medium in texture with good fertility and sufficient

water holding capacity along with good drainage. A soil pH of 6.0 to 7.0 is most suitable for

any nursery. Salinity in soil or irrigation water leads to salt injury resulting in nutritional

deficiencies, marginal browning of leaves and in acute cases death of grafts, layers and

nursery seedlings especially in summer months. Therefore, a careful selection of soil with

good quality irrigation water supply is of paramount importanance for the nursery.

Topography: The topography of the selected land should be plain with one per cent slope.

The slope facilitates smooth flow of irrigation water and also gives a grand panoromic view,if planned and laid out properly which impresses the customers easily.The extent of land required for the nursery depends upon the targets of planting

material of different fruit crops and ornamental plants and varieties to be produced/multiplied. For example to produce about l lakh mango grafts atleast 2 hectares of

nursery land is required.

B. Planning and layout of a nursery

After selection of site for the establishment of a nursery, planning may be done inconsultation with an experienced horticulturist or nurserymen. By doing so the cost on


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establishment, production and marketing can be reduced substantially, besides performing

various nursery operations most efficiently and economically.

While planning and layout is being done, the following components are to be takencare and provision should be made for these.

1. Fence: Prior to the establishment of a nursery, a good fence with barbed wire must beerected all around the nursery to prevent tress pass of animals and theft. The fence could be

further strengthened by planting a live hedge with thorny fruit plants (like Koranda). Thisalso adds beauty in bearing and also provides additional income through sale of fruits and

seedlings obtained from the seed.

2. Roads and paths: A proper planning for roads and paths inside the nursery will not only

add beauty, but also make the nursery operations easy and economical. This could be

achieved by dividing the nursery into different blocks and various sections. But at the same

time, the land should not be wasted by unnecessarily laying out of paths and roads. Each

road/ path should lead the customer to a point of interest in the nursery area.

3. Progeny block/Mother plant block: The nursery should have a well-maintained progeny

block or mother plant block/scion bank planted with those varieties in good demand

(Annexure 1). The grafts/layers/ rooted cuttings/seedlings should be obtained preferably from

the original breeder /research institute from where it is released or from a reputed nursery.

One should remember that, the success of any nursery largely depends upon the initialselection of progeny plants or mother plants for further multiplication. Any mistake made in

this aspect will result in loss of the reputation of the nursery. A well managed progeny block

or mother plants block will not only create confidence among the customers but also reduces

the cost of production and increases the success rate of grafting/ budding/layering because ofavailability of fresh scion material throughout the season within the nursery itself and there

will not be any lag period between separations of scion and graftage.4. Wells, sump, pipelines, generators etc: Fruit and ornamental nursery plants require

abundant supply of water for irrigation, since they are grown In polybags or pots with limitedquantity of potting mixture. Hence sufficient number of wells to yield sufficient quantity of

irrigation water is a must in nurseries. In areas with low water yields and frequent powerfailures, a sump to hold sufficient quantity of water to irrigate the nursery plants is also very

much essential along with appropriate pump for lifting the irrigation water.

In areas where electricity failure is a problem which is more common, an alternate

power supply (generator) is very essential for smooth running of pumpset. Since water

scarcity is a limiting factor in most of the areas in the country a well laid out PYC pipeline

system will solve the problem to a greater extent. An experienced agricultural engineer may

be consulted in this regard for layout of pipeline. This facilitates efficient and economic

distribution of irrigation water to various components in the nursery.

5. Office cum stores: An office-cum-stores is needed for effective management of the

nursery. The office building may be constructed in a place which offers better supervision

and also to receives customers. The office building may be decorated with attractive

photographs of fruit ornamental varieties propagated in the nursery with details of it. A store

room of suitable size is needed for storing polybags, tools and implements, packagingmaterial, labels, pesticides, fertilizers etc.6. Seed beds: In a nursery, this component is essential to raise the seedlings and rootstocks.

These are to be laid out near the water source, since they require frequent watering andirrigation. Beds of 1-meter width of any convenient length are to be made. A working area of

60cm between the beds is necessary. This facilitates ease in sowing of seeds, weeding,watering, spraying and lifting of seedlings. Irrigation channels are to be laid out conveniently.

Alternatively, sprinkler irrigation system may be provided for watering the beds, which offersuniform germination and seedling growth.


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7. Nursery beds: Rising of seedlings / rootstocks in polybags requires more space compared

to nursery beds but mortality is greatly reduced along with uniformity. Nursery beds area

should also have a provision to keep the grafted plants either in trenches of 30cm deep and 1m wide so as to accommodate 500 grafts / layers in each bed. Alternatively, the grafts/ layers

can be arranged on the ground in beds of 1 m wide with 60cm working place in between the beds. Such beds can be irrigated either with a rose fitted to a flexible hosepipe or by overhead

micro sprinklers.8. Potting mixture and potting yard: For better success of nursery plants, a good potting

mixture is necessary. The potting mixtures for different purposes can be prepared by mixingfertile red soil, well rotten FYM, leaf mold, oil cakes etc. in different proportions. The potting

mixture may be prepared well in advance by adding sufficient quantity of superphosphate for

better decomposition and solubilization. The potting mixture may be kept near the potting

yard, where potting/pocketing is done. Construction of a potting yard of suitable size

facilitates potting of seedlings or grafting/ budding operations even on a rainy day.

c. Structures for nursery1. Shade houses: Shade houses in nurseries in tropical and sub-tropical regions offer many

advantages like raising of seedlings in bags directly, protecting the grafts from hot summer

months, effective irrigation through upside down overhead microsprinklers. The shade houses

made with shade nets (50% or 75%) for regulation of shade are particularly very useful inarid regions where the humidity is very low during summer months. The details of shadenets

use is given in the chapter of polyhouses.

2. Green houses/Polyhouses : Grafting or budding of several fruit species under polyhouses

or low cost green houses with natural ventilation will enhance the percentage of graft/budtake besides faster growth of grafts due to favourable micro climatic conditions of polyhouse.

The design and other details are given in the chapter of polyhouses.


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PUBLIC ROAD

Lay out of a Model OrnamentalNursery

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O f f i c e c u m

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GENERAL NURSERY MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

Facilities required for propagating many plant species by seed, cuttings or graftingand budding include two basic units namely a structure with temperature control and ample

light such as a green house or hot bed where seeds can be germinated or cuttings rooted. Thesecond unit, is a structure into which the young tender plants can be moved for hardening

preparatory to transplanting and cold frames or lath houses are useful for this purpose.

Propagating structures

i. Green houses: There are number of types of green houses namely low cost green house

and commercial green houses. In green house construction, a wood or metal frame work

is built to which wood or metal sash bars are fixed to support panes of glass embedded

in putty. In all polyhouses/ green houses means of providing air movement and air

exchange is necessary to aid in controlling temperature and humidity. It is best, if

possible to have in the green house heating and self opening ventilators and evaporative

cooling systems.ii. Plastic green houses: Green houses covered with various types of plastic film have

become very popular for small home garden as well as for large commercial

installation. Several kinds of plastic materials are available and are cheaper than glass.

Plastic houses are usually of temporary construction except when permanent high costcoverings are used. Plastic covered green houses tend to be much lighter than glass

covered ones with a build up of excessive high humidity.a) Polythene film: This is the most inexpensive covering material but it is the short

lasting one. However, UV ray resisting polyethylene film of various thickness isusually recommended which lasts longer.

b) PVC film: This material is pliable and comes in various thickness and widthsupto 6 ft. It is longer lasting than polythene and is more expensive PVC surface of

film tends to collect dust and lower the light intensity in due course of time.

c) Polyester film: This is a strong material with excellent weathering properties

lasting for 3-5 years and is unaffected by extremes of heat or cold. But is usually

costlier than polythene film/pvc film.

d) Fiberglass: Rigid panels, corrugated or flat fiber glass sheets embedded in plastic

are widely used for green house construction. Fibre glass is strong, long lasting,

light weight and easily applied which is coming in a variety of widths, lengths and

thickness. It is costlier than poly thin film/pvc film.

iii. Hotbeds: The hot bed is often used for the same purpose as a green house but in a

smaller scale. Amateur operations and seedlings can be started and leafy cuttings root

early in the season in such structures. Heat is provided artificially below the

propagating medium by electric heating cables, pot water, steam pipes or hot air blows.As in the green house, in the hot beds attention must be paid for shading and ventilationas well as temperature and humidity control.

iv. Lathhouses: These structures are very useful in providing protection from the sun forcontainer grown nursery stock in areas of high summer temperatures and high light

intensity. Well established plants. also can require lath house protection including shadeloving plants Lathhouses construction varies widely depending on the material used.

Aluminium pre-fabricated lathhouses are available but may be more costly than woodstructures. Shade is provided by appropriate structures and use of shade nets of different


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densities allow various intensities of light in the lathhouses.

Miscellaneous propagating structures

i. Mist beds: These are valuable propagating units both in the green house and out doorsand are useful mainly in rooting of leafy cuttings.

ii. Mist chamber: This is a structure used to propagate soft wood cuttings, difficult to root plants and shrubs. Here the principle is to spray the cuttings with a minimum quantity

of water. This is achieved by providing the cuttings a series of intermittent sprayingsrather than a continuous spray. The intermittent spraying can be done easily by means

of a high pressure pump and a time switch. The pump leads to a pipeline system inside

the propagating structure. The mist nozzles are fitted to these pipelines and suitably

spaced over the propagating material.

iii. Nursery bed: These are raised beds or boxes made of brick and mortar, provided with

drainage holes at the bottom. The dimensions of the boxes are 60 cm high, 120 cm

broad and length as required preferably not exceeding 10 m. Roof structures for

planting on both sides and forming ridges at the centre are constructed on the top of the

nursery beds. These structures may be made permanent with angle iron or may be made

of wood. Moveable bamboo mats, palm leaf mats are placed over these structures to protect the seedlin"g from hot sun and heavy rains. Even shade roofing can be used for

this purpose for raising see dings.

iv. Fluorescent light boxes: Young plants of many species grow satisfactorily under

artificial light from fluorescent lamp units. Although adequate growth of many plantspecies may be obtained under fluorescent lamps but not up to the mark compared to

good green house conditions.v. Propagating cases: Even in green house, humidity conditions are often not sufficiently

high for rooting. The use of enclosed frames or cases covered with glass or plasticmaterials may be necessary for successful rooting. In using such structures, care is

necessary to avoid the build up of disease organisms due to high humidity.

Types/species/varieties of plants for production under polyhouse conditionsThere are many tender and half hardy plants worth raising each year, all of which can

be propagated from cuttings throughout the year. Some of the varieties / types are:

Tender perennial and half-hardy plants viz : Argyranthemum, Bidens aurea, Calceolaria,

Cheiranthus cheiri, Convolvulus sabatius, Diascia barberae, Diascia rigescens, Diascia vigils,

Epilobium canum, Erysimum linifolium, Fuchsia magllanica, Hebex andersonii, Hebe

ochracea, Hebe rakaiensis, Lavatera olbia, Lavatera thuringiaca, Lotus berthelotii,

Osteospermum, Pelargonium, Pelargonium x fragrans, Penstemon, Salvia argentea, Salvia

lavandulifolia, Salvia uliginosa, Verbena.

Bedding plant viz; Ageratum, Antirrhinum majus, Begonia semperflorens, Callistephus

chinesis, Dahlia figaro, Dorotheanthus bellidiflorus, Gazania x hyubrida, (8) Helichrysum

bracteatum, Ipomoes tricolor, Limonium sinuatum, Nemesia strumosa, Pelargonium, Salivasplendens, Tagetes erecta, Verbena hybrida, Viola x wittrockiana.Under Indian conditions, quoset type, multi span green house is most suitable,

because of its low cost and ease of fabrication, ultraviolet resistant low density polyethylenesingle film cladding of 200 micron thickness is sufficient for naturally ventilated and fan and

pad green houses. Fan and Pad green houses are most suitable for nursery raising and rootingof cuttings due to high relative humidity inside. High humidity can be maintained in green

house used for nursery raising or for rooting cuttings by misting or fogging which is alsoknown as mist chamber.


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The containerized transplant production and the hybrid seed production of high value

annual ornamentals have become a service oriented industry in advanced countries.

Thus, the green house technology for production of planting material would be highly paying, there being a demand for planting material. Nurserymen are enterpreneurs can avail

themselves of the subsidy facilities being provided by the Government of India and technicalguidance provided by the State Department of Horticulture and the Agricultural Universities

for adopting the technology and making covered cultivation or profitable venture.

SHADE NETSThe shade nets are now popular among the modern nurserymen. The shadenets are

primarily used to protect the nursery plants from direct sunlight. The display planting

material is most important consideration in nursery activities. The planting material requires

certain amount of protected cultivation systems, which help in maintaining the freshness and

appeal of the plants. The shade nets are available in desired shading percentages. These are

ultraviolet ray stabilised and can be used for longer time. With many incentives in the form of

subsidies from the:Government, use of shade net is becoming more popular.

v The main effect of shade net is to reduce sunlight to the required intensity

v Though white, green and black are popular colours, red and blue nets are recent

introductions. Transluscent blue shade net gives blue light, which is found to beexcellent for plant growth.

v For general purpose shading nets with open weave pattern are preferred in fan and pad

system, however closed weaving patterns will be useful.

v Shade nets are also used as sunscreen in low cost polyhouses or glass houses used for production of plant material.

v Movable screen have the advantage that whenever sunlight decreases the shade netcan be moved to one side to let more sunlight.

v Shade nets help increase in quantity (growth) and quality besides having partial protection from biotic and abiotic stresses.

Fertilization

Commercial synthetic fertilizers (including slow-release and liquid fertilizers) have played a

key role in modern nurseries. As organic production becomes standardized, more and more

nursery growers are adopting organic fertilizers. Unlike synthetic greenhouse fertilizers,

organic fertilizers have been given little research to support their use in a nursery mix recipe.

Regardless of fertilizer type—whether the source is synthetic or organic—in sustainable

nursery production the emphasis is on zero runoff. Excessive nitrates and phosphorus are the

most common problems in runoff water.

Organic or synthetic slow-release fertilizers help cut down levels of nitrates in runoff water.

Slow-release and controlled-release synthetic fertilizers, such as Nitroform™ and

Osmocote™, are becoming more common in container production systems. For best results,

they should be incorporated into the growing media, rather

than top dressed. Slow-release fertilizers are often used in combination with liquidfertilization.Foliar feeding can be used to supplement soil and liquid fertilization, especially where certain

nutrients are deficient and must be incorporated into the plant quickly

Irrigation

The two most widely used irrigation systems are overhead and drip (or trickle). Overheadirrigation is designed to cover a large area, and these systems are the least expensive to


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install. However, this method produces uneven water distribution, which can slow plant

growth, encourage disease, and contribute to runoff. drip or trickle system, which uses 60%-

70% less water than overhead systems. Drip irrigation systems cost more to install thanoverhead systems, but have superior application uniformity and efficiency. They are also less

affected by wind and crop canopies, and they produce less runoff. Another advantage is thatworkers can continue working while the plants are being irrigated. The biggest disadvantage

to trickle irrigation, besides the initial cost, is keeping the pipes and emitters clean. A third,less-used type of irrigation system is sub irrigation using capillary sand beds. In this system,

water rises into containerized plants through capillary action. Usually, the sand bed iscovered with at least one inch of fine sand, and slopes very slightly from one end to the other.

Water is released at the high end and slowly percolates to the low end. These systems cost the

most to install, but they have no runoff or leaching.

Weed ControlWeed control is extremely important. Weeds not only compete for water and nutrients, but

they can also hinder sales of nursery stock. Weed control efforts should focus on two areas:

in the pot and under the pot. Sanitation is the least costly and most effective method for

controlling weeds. To prevent weed seeds from blowing into pots, attention to a vegetation-free zone both on and surrounding the production bed—is critical. Hand weeding is costly,

but it may be appropriate in a small nursery setting. Weeds must be removed when they are

still small, since large quantities of media are lost when big weeds are pulled out of

containers.Herbicides, on the other hand, are widely used in container nursery production. Even though

weed-free media is used to establish nursery plants, wind and birds and surface irrigationwater are sources of weed seeds that get deposited onto the pot surface. Thus, pre- and post-

emergent herbicides are commonly used in commercial nursery production to control thesefreeloaders.

NURSERY PLANT PROTECTIONInsect pests, diseases are critical factors in the process of multiplication of plant

material under open as well as controlled conditions. Control of insects and diseases are

integral part of the nursery plant production.

Pest management:Prevention or avoidance of pests and their damage is possible by the following

methods:

· Maintain vigorous, healthy plants by using proper culture and management practices

· Practice IPM and realize that all culture and management factors can affect pests

· Scout plants for pests

·

Use soaps, oils and botanicals whenever possible· Spot spray only infested plants that exceed the threshold· Destroy heavily infested or injured plants

· Conserve and promote beneficial insects by selective pesticide use

Disease management:

· Steam Sterilization: Rooting media sterilisation is essential if it has been exposed or

previously used as it may contain undesirable microorganisms, insects, and weeds.


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Steam sterilisation is relatively expensive but ecofriendly compared to chemical

sterilisation

· Soil Solarization: In solar sterilisation, the soil is ploughed thoroughly and coveredwith polythene sheet for few days depending on temperature conditions

· Hot Water Treatment (bulbs,corms)

· Biological Control ( Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and Streptomyces and fungi such as

Trichoderma reduces fungal plant pathogens)· Chemical Control

SCALES

Scales are serious pests on many plants. These remain covered inside a hard coating

which looks like a waxy scale and infest lower surface of leaves, veins of branches.

v These insects suck plant sap and as a result plants become weak

v The affected leaves turn yellow, deformed while the branches and the plant may die -

in severe cases.

v Plants with green shade or semi shade are more prone to attack

v If tender annual flowerings crops are attacked, it is necessary to eradicate them

immediately.

Management: Selection of scale free planting material prevents early build up of pest.Cutting and burning of infested parts reduces further spread. Sprays of dimethoate, etheon

and chlorpyriphos at 0.05% provides effective control of scales. Application of 10%

pongamia oil to pruned shoots completely controls rose red scale within 3 weeks. Natural

enemies viz., Aphytis spp. Chilocorus nigritus and Pharasymnus horni are common enemiesof red scale in nature. Spraying of fish oil resin soap at 0.5 kg/30 litres of water or methyl

parathion 0.05% or dimethoate 0.05% provides effective control of scales on orchids.

THRIPS

Thrips are minute insects and mainly attack tender leaves and growing buds. Theseare sucking insects which affect a large number of plants. Both nymphls and adults can affect

plant parts.

v As a result of sucking nature of the pest, plants become weak and the affected parts

develop brown streaks, with burnt appearance.

v The tender twigs, foliage, flower buds get distorted and dry.

Management: Sprays of oxydemeton methyl or dimethoate or oxydemet on methyl or

acephate given at 0.05% at 10 days interval provides significant control of thrips. A predatory

wasp, Polistes hebraeus preys on R. cruentatus. Soil application of phorate @ 1 kg a.i./ha

also reduces thrips damage. Drenching soil with chlorpyriphos 0.1% also helps in reducing

population.

APHIDSAphids are sucking insects which are blackish or brownish or green in colour and

suck sap from tender shoots, leaves and flower buds. The aphids excrete honey-dews on the

foliage causing sooty mould to grow over the foliage.

vShoots or foliage get deformed

v Affected plants become weak, retard in growth

v In case of ornamental plants, ornamental look may be affected.

Management: Spraying of dimathoate 0.05% or oxydemeton-methyl 0.05% or malathion 0.1% at 10-15 days interval controls aphid population effectively. To prevent recurrence of the

pest granular insecticides like phorate @ 1.0 kg a.i/ ha should be applied to soil. Applicationof 4% alcohol extracts of Solanum indicum and Erythrina indica provides good control of

rose aphid. Water extract of pongamia kernel 4% or pongamia oil 2% sprays cause significantmortality of aphids, on chrysanthemum. Application of neem oil 1 % also reduces aphid


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population effectively. Grubs and adults of coccinellid beetles and maggots prey upon the

aphids and effectively wipe out their population in nature.

MEALYBUGMealy bugs are small fleshy insects which remain covered in a white, wooly and

waxy secretions.

v Generally older plants are affected

v The insects suck the sap as a result of which plants weaken, leaves turn yellow & getdeformed.

v In severe cases affected plants may even die

v Mealy bugs secrete honey dews which stick to the foliage and as a result of which

sooty mould cover the leaf surface impairing the normal activity of the leaves

Management: Prompt collection and desctruction of infested parts reduces spread of the

pest. Crawling of ants on plants is the sign of beginning of mealybug infestation. Spraying

should be taken up at this stage. Sprays of methyl parathion 0.05% or dimethoate 0.05% or

acephate 0.1 % at 15 days interval effectively controls mealybug infestation. Application of

pongamia oil 2% also provides good control of mealy bugs, if plant is not sensitive to oil

sprays. Release of coccinellid predator, Cryptolamus montrouzieri and a parasitoid,

Leptomastridia abnormis reduces mealy bug population in glass house grown ornamentals.

WHITEFLIESWhiteflise are tinny insects, white in colour and are very active.

Management: Excessive dampness and dark conditions should be avoided for crops grown

under protected conditions. Removal and burning of heavily infested leaves checks

multiplication of the pest. Clean cultivation, using of insect screening nets and Proper closingof doors help in preventing incidence of whiteflies. Spraying of phosphamidin 0.05%

alternated with triazophos 0.05% at an early stage of infestation effectively contains pest build up. Sprays of methomyl and acephate at 0.05% significantly reduce nymph and pupal

population. A management package of spraying dichlorvos 0.05% for adults, triazophos orSpark at 0.05% alternating with pongamia oil 1% for nymphs and soil application of

carbofuran @ 1 kg a.i./ha provides effective control of whitefly on gerbera. Release of a parasitoid, Encarsia formosa (6 adults/m2), and use of yellow sticky traps gives significant

control of whiteflies on green house ornamentals.

MITESThe mite is a minute dot sized pest red in colour almost invisible to the naked eyes,

resembling the spider but not a true spider. This is a sucking type of pest if established once,

they may become a serious problem.

v The tender shoots affected by mites develop spots and turn yellow, dry and drop.

Management: Cutting and burning of severely infested plant parts reduces further

multiplication of mites. Proper ventilation, irrigation and clean cultivation are essential to

keep the pest population under control. Acaricides like dicofol 0.05% and wettable sulphur

0.3% sprays (2-3) at 15 days interval gives considerable control of mites. Spraying of

triazophos 0.05% or dimethoate 0.05% followed by a spray of pongamia oil 1 % provides

significant control of T.urticae on carnation. New acariades like vertimec, pentac Apollo,Mitac, Cascade are also used to combat mite problem in nurseries. Commercial neemformulation (3500 ppm azadirachtin) application against T. urticae Causes mortality, growth

retardation, reduction in egg hatchability and egg laying. Methyl parathion 0.05%, fluvalinate0.012% and ethion 0.05% also offer significant control of mites that infest various

ornamentals. Use of dicofol, 0.05%, protenofos 0.05% and wetlable sulfur 0.05% bringsdown mites population considerably on ornamental crops. Release of predatory mite,

Amblyseivs sp @ 20/plant successfully contains T.uritcae population on Rose.


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LEAF EATING CATERPILLARSCaterpillars feed on foliage

v They damage leaves by feeding

Management: Collection and destruction of egg masses and leaves infested with early larval

instars of hairy caterpillar and S.litura reduces pest build up. Setting up of light traps attractsadult moths and helps in monitoring pest population. Spraying of quinalphos 0.05% or

chlorpyriphos 0.05% gives protection to foliage from semiloopers, hairy caterpillars andS.litura. Application of Bacillus thuringiensis dust and spray (3 x 106 spores) gives effective

control of these caterpillars on rose. Spraying of plant derivatives like neem oil 1 % or neemkernel extract 4% checks damage by early instar larvae.

LEAF BEETLES AND WEEVILSManagement: Soil application of phorate or carbofuran @ 1.0 kg a.i./ha controls

grubs. Setting up of light traps helps in collecting adults and monitoring pest incidence.

Fortnightly sprays of quinalphos 0.05% or methyl parathion 0.05% or chlorpyriphos 0.05%

taken up in the evening protects foliage from betles and weevils on rose. Ethanol extract of

neem kernel at 2.5% or neem oil 1 % inhibits feeding by chafer beetles on rose.

CUT WORMSThese are essentially found in a nursery. The insect remains in the soil and attacks the

seedlings at ground level.Management: Use of light traps collects adult moths. Poison bait consisting of carbaryl or

malathion at 0.1% , wheat bran andmollasses scattered in the fielkd, controls larvae. Sprays

of methyl parathion 0.05% or quinalphos 0.05% provides protection to foliage from cut

worms. Application of granulosis virus causes 90-94% mortality of cutworm on ornamentals.

LEAFMINERS

The larvae of the insects mines into leaves between epidermal layers leaving excreta on leafsurfaces

v The affected leaves become brittle turn brown & dry.Management: Removal and destruction of severely mined leaves reduces further damage.

Sprays of deltanethns 0.05% triazophos 0.06% and pongamia oil 0.5% causes significantmortality of larvae. Drenching of soil with Margosan (0.33%) and spraying with same

chemical at 0.94 and 1.25% effectively reduces number of pupae and adults. Use of yellow

sticky traps coated with chlorpyriphos or permethrin reduces adult population. Release of

eulophid parasitoid. Diglyphus intermedius @ 1000 at weekly intervals gives considerable

reduction of leaf miner population on chrysanthemum.

SNAILS AND SLUGSSnails are one of the important pests found in nursery

v They cut the young plants at general level and damage seedlings during rainy season.

Management: Hand picking and killing by putting them in 5% salt solution is the most

effective method to bring down the population. Spreading of 'Snail kill' (3% metaldehyde

pellets) in the field kills snails and slugs. Spraying of neem oil 1 % and water extract of

soapnut 5% protects foliage from snail damage.

DISEASESi) Damping off: This is a major disease of germinating seeds which is caused by three

separate fungi mainly species of Pythium Rhizoctonia and. Phytophthora. The diseaseis expressed either by the failure of the seedling to emerge or by the death of the

seedling soon after emergence. A common symptom is the girdling of young seedlingstems at the soil surface. Damping off usually occurs only in youmg, succullent

seedlings during or shortly after germination, but older plants may be affected insevere cases.


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Control measures involves direct control by use of Captan 0.2% or Bavistin

0.15% or Kavach 0.2%, drenching or use of organomecuerials such as Cersan or

Thiram or Agrosan as seed treatment chemicals at rate of 2g/ ka of seed. Regulation ofenvironmental conditions such as excess humidity, water also plays an important role in

spread and control of disease.

ii) Anthracnose: This is a kind of leaf spot formed in young plants and spots are

circular, slightly raised concentric and are studded with large number of raised blackor red bodies. The infection spreads rapidly under high humid conditions, spraying

with copper fungicides 0.2% or Bavistin 0.15%, will control the disease.

iii) Blights: These also sometimes causes damage to the nursery stock in high humid

areas. The blights are kept under control by constant and timely spray of copper

fungicides 0.2% or Dithane Z-78 0.2%

iv) Dieback: This is serious in some of the grafts/buddlings at the young stage. The

disease may be due to fungi. The symptoms are drying up of the margin of the leaf

and drying slowly spreads to young shoots in severe cases. Control measures involves

dipping of scion sticks in Bavistin or Benlate 0.2°/" solution and prophylactic sprays

with Topsin M 0.15% or Bavistin 0.15%.

v) Leaf spots: The disease is very common in grown up plans and number of fungi as

well as bacteria is involved. The leaf spots vary in size shape colour and extent ofdamage. The symptoms vary according to the pathogen involved. Spraying with

Copper fungicide 0.2% or Bavistin 0.15% or Dithane Z-78 0.2% will control the

disease.

vi) Powdery mildews: This is a common malady in most of ornamental crops during drycool weather and when plants produce new flesh. The powdery mildews are easily

recognised by the presence of scattered areas showing powdery growth mostly on theyoung leaves. Spraying with wetable sulphur sulfex 0.2% or Calixin 0.15% will

control the disease.

Precautions for handling plant protection euipment

v They should be kept away from food or feed stuffs and medicines.

v The instructions found on the labels should be carefully read and strictly followed.

v Bags and containers of pesticides should be cut open with a separate knife intended

for such purposes.

v The empty containers, after the use of the chemical, should be destroyed and should

not be put into some other use.

v While preparing the spray solutions bare hands should not be used for mixing the

chemical with water.

v Inhaling of pesticide sprays or dusts and smoking, chewing, eating or drinking while

mixing or applying the chemicals should be avoided Spilling of pesticides on skin or

clothing should as far as possible be avoided. The clothes should be washed after each

operationv Particles or drops of pesticides which may accidentally get into eyes should be

flushed out immediately with large volumes of clean water

v It is preferable that protective clothings and devices are used while handling poisonous chemicals to avoid exposure to sprays or drifts Dusting or spraying should

never be done against the wind and it is preferable to have them done in cool andcalm weather

v Sprayer nozzles should not be blown by mouth if gets blocked while spraying.Washers and other contaminated parts should be buried After handling pesticides


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hands, face and body should be washed and clothing changed

v Washing of equipment after use and containers in or near wells, or streams should be

avoided

v Persons engaged in handling pesticides should undergo regular medical check up

v In case of any suspected poisoning due to insecticides the nearest physician should becalled immediately.

SYMPTOMS AND MANAGEMENT OF NUTRIENTS

Plant performance in nursery depends on nutrient status in plant media, but nothing has been

worked out owing to its short duration of plant with nursery. Nutrients are necessary for

growth and productivity of crops. Apart from the N,P,K,Ca,Mg and S, micronutrients such as

Zn, Fe, Cu, B, Mo, Mn, el, etc are also necessary for maintaining the normal health and

metabolism of plants. However, nutrient deficiency can lead to poor and stunted growth of

plants resulting in poor performance. Often nurserymen are encountered with some

deficiency symptoms appearing in nursery plants and they should have sufficient knowledge

to identify the nutrient deficiencies in nursery plants to take up appropriate steps to correct

the nutrient deficiencies. The deficiencies are manifested in various plant parts. The

appearance of plant parts can be used by nurserymen to help indicate plant health in generaland nutrient deficiencies in particular. The expression of deficiency symptoms are varied

among the plant parts viz., whole plant, leaves, stem, roots etc., depending upon the role of

the element and nutrient content. The deficiency symptoms of different micro and macro

nutrients and their corrections are given hereunder.

Nutrient deficiency symptoms in plants

SYMPTOMS DEFICIENCY

A Older or lower leaves affected

1. Effects mostly generalised over whole plant, more or less drying,scorching of lower leaves, plant light or dark green.

Nitrogen (or posphorus)

(a) Plants light green light yellow, drying to light brown colour,stalks short and slender if element is deficient in later stages of

growth.

Nitrogen

(b) Plant dark green, often developing red and purple colour, lower

leaves sometime yellow; turning to greenish brown black colour.Phosphorus

2. Effects mostly localised, mottling or chlorosis with or without

spots of dead tissue on lower leaves, little or no drying up of lower

leaves

Magnesium,

Potassium

or Zinc

(a) Lower leaves mottled or chlorotic, without dead spots, leaves

may redden as with cotton, sometimes with dead spot tips and

margin turned or curved upwards, stalks slender.

Magnesium

(b) Lower leaves mottled or chlorotic, with dead spots Potassium or Zinc

(i) Spots of dead tissue small usually at tips and between veins, more

marked at margins of leaves, stalks slenderPotassium

(ii) Spots generalised, rapidly enlarging and generally involving

areas between veins eventually involving secondary and even primary veins, leaves thick, stalks with shortened inter nodes.

Zinc

B. New or bud leaves affected (symptoms localised)


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1. Terminal buds, following appearance of distortions at tips or bases

of young leaves.Calcium or Boron

(a) Young leaves of terminal bud at first typically hooked, finally

dying back at tips and margins so that latter growth ischaracterised by a cut out appearance at these points, stalks finally

die at terminal bud.

Calcium

(b) Young leaves of terminal bud becoming light green at bases,with final break down here; in later growth, leaves become twisted,

stalk finally dies back at terminal bud.

Boron

2. Terminal bud commonly remains alive, wilting or chlorosis ofyounger or bud leaves with or without spots of dead tissues, veins

light or dark green

Copper, Manganese,

Sulphur or Iron

(i) Young leaves permanently wilted or marked chlorosis; twig or

stalk just below tip and seed head often unable to stand erect in later

stage when shortages are acute.

Copper

(ii) Young leaves not wilted, chlorosis present or without spots of

dead issue scattered over the leavesManganese or iron

(a) Sports of dead tissue scattered over the leaves smallest veins tend

to remain green producing a checkered or reticulated effect Manganese

(b) Dead spots not commonly present, chlorosis may not involve

veins making them light dark green in colourSulphur or Iron

(i) Young leaves with veins and tissue between veins light green in

colourSulphur

(ii) Young leaves chlorosis, principal veins green, stalks short and

slenderIron

(c) Stems

i) Stunted shade plants but have stronger stems Phosphorus

ii) Thin and erect stems Sulphur

iii) Stocky appearance with short internodes Pottassium

iv) Slender and weak stems with poor lignification spilling orcracking on the barks

Copper

Control measures

Nutrient deficiency can be easily rectified by applying the deficient element either bysoil application or by foliar application or by the combined application of soil + foliar spray.

Nitrogen: Applying recommended doses of N fertilizers. If thedeficiency is observed during the growth phase, 1% of urea can be used.

Phosphorus: Recommended doses of P and foliar spray of 2% DAP or 1 % super

phosphate extract.

Potassium: Recommended doses of K and foliar spray of 1 % KCl or 1% K 2SO4

Calcium: Lime application depending upon the pH and foliar spray of 1 % calcium

nitrate (Fruit crops)

Magnesium: Soil application of Domolite or Gypsum Salt MgSO4,7H2O depending

upon the deficiency and 0.5% of Gypsum salt as foliar spray.

Zinc: Soil application of Zinc Sulphate at 12.5 - 25 kg/ha and foliar spray of 0.5%

Zinc Sulphate.

Iron: Soil application of Ferrous sulphate at 50kg/ha and foliar spray of 0.5% Ferrous

sulphate (for calcerous soil, only foliar spray is recommended)

Manganese: Soil application of Manganese sulphate at 25 kg/ha and foliar spray of


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0.2-0.4% MnS04

Copper :Soil application of Copper Sulphate at 10kg/ha and foliar spray of 0.5%

CuSO4Boron: Soil application of Borax at 15-20 kg/ha and foliar spray of 0.2% Borix acid

Molybdenum: Soil application of 500g to 2 kg of Ammonium molybdate and 0.1 %foliar spray of ammonium molybdate

Nutrients can be sprayed on the foliage of the crops either in the morning or lateevening. Spray can be repeated 2 to 3 times with an interval of 15-20 days with 400 litres of

spray fluid per ha. Spray fluid should be prepared only with clean water. Spraying can bedone with hand operated sprayer. Care should be taken to ensure that the entire foliage should

be thoroughly wet. Spray fluid can be mixed with any wetting agent at 1 ml per litre of spray

fluids. Spraying on young foliage yields better results than spraying on the old mature leaves.

Common fertilizers and their nutrient contents:

Per cent

FertilizerN P2O5 K 2O Ca Mg S

1. Ammonium Sulphate 20.5 - - - - 23.4

2. Ammonium Chloride 28.0

3. Ammonium Nitrate 32.5

4. Calcium Ammonium Nitrate 26.0

5. Urea 46.0

5. Single Super Phosphate (SSP) - 16 - 23 - 10

6. Diammonium Phsophate 20.0 54 - - - -

7. Ammonium Sulphate 20.5 - - - - 23.4

9. Rock Phosphate - 20-23 - 34

10. Potassium Chloride (MOP) - - 60 -

11. Potassium Sulphate (SOP) - - 48 - - 18

12. Potassium Nitrate 13 - 37

PROPAGATION TECHNIQUES

Rose: Roses can be propagated by cuttings, layering, budding and grafting. Among all these

methods, budding on a rootstock is widely practiced.

Roses are mainly propagated through budding. In the budding technique, ‘T’ buddingis commonly practiced. The rootstocks used are Rosa multiflora (Karnataka, West Bengal and

Bihar), Rosa indica (North India) and Rosa bourbaniana (North India),A thornless rootstock namely NISHKANT has been developed at IIHR Since it is

devoid of thorns, close planting of rootstocks can be taken up for budding operation. Budding Technique

The rootstocks are normally propagated through cuttings. The dormant buds from aselected variety are carefully removed with a sharp, Knife along with a small portion of stem.

The selected rootstock is pruned to about 7-10 cm height and on a pencil thick stem, a ‘T’

shape cut is made and the bark is slightly loosened to accommodate the selected bud. After

inserting the bud the bark portion of the rootstock is covered and tied with a film of

polythene. The dormant buds get incorporated into the rootstock and sprout to produce new

flush.


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Cacti:Cacti can be grown from seeds which is a very slow process requiring 2 to 3 years to

flower and seed. The seeds are very fine and require all the precautions needed for growingvery fine seeds. The easiest and common practice for propagation is to detach offsets and root

them in sandy soil. The best method however, is to graft them on cereus etc, which groweasily from cutting. The most suitable roots stocks are ‘mytiIlocatus gcometricans’, cereus

qudransularis and cleistocatus. While growing grafted cacti one must be doubly caustious inwatering as the root stock as well as scion are both susceptable to rotting due to over watering

other precautions for grafting as follows:

v The rootstock should be in full leaf and be well watered 48 hours before grafting so

that it is quite turgid.

v Only carry out grafting when daytime and night-time temperatures reach a minimum

of 18°C (64°P).

v Use sharp, disinfected tools.

There are a number of different methods of grafting, depending on the species

selected. The general principle is to put together the root-stock (with the top cut off) and the

scion (cut with the same diameter as the rootstock) so that their conductive tissues meet. Hold

them together with an elastic band, maintaining a firm but moderate pressure. After about a

week the graft will be established.Palms: Most of the palms are propagated from seeds. A few others such as Rhapis and

Cyrotostachys species produce suckers from the ground level and can be propagated by

division of the clumps. The size of the seed may vary from the size of a pea to that of a

coconut or even larger in some kinds. It is difficult to generalize the rate of germination andgrowth, but many seeds take a long time to germinate and it may not be a surprise if some

germinate a year after sowing. Therefore, pans in which palm seeds have been sown shouldnot be disturbed for a long time even if there is no immediate germination. The hardest seeds

may be soaked for a couple of hours in water a little below boiling point to soften the seedcoat before germination. The stratification method may be followed for some hard coated

seeds if these do not germinate properly. The compost for sowing consists of garden soil andsand in the proportion of 2:1. The pans should have a good drainage, as the seeds will remain

in the pans for quite a long time. The seeds are sown thickly and be kept under bottom heat

for proper germination. Seeds can be sown any time of the year, but some people prefer to

sow during the spring while others during the rains. Sowing during the rainy seasons appears

to be more reasonable in the plains of India. As soon as the first pair of leaves develop fully,

the seedlings should be potted in small pots of a size sufficient to hold the roots and the seed

and never in over –sized pots. As the palms grow they are transplanted to slightly bigger pots

holding about 2-3 cm more soil around the plant than the previous ones. Palms develop long

roots; therefore, seedling should not be delayed for transplanting.

Bougainvillea: Bougainvilleas are usually propagated by cuttings, ground or air layering and

budding. Normally pencil thick hardwood leafy cuttings of 15-25 cm length are preferred.

The cutting are treated with growth regulator such as IBA (Indole butric acid), in solution

or talc form. The concentration used is generally between 1,000 and 3,000 ppm in the quick –dip- method.

Time for making cuttings.

v Delhi: July August or February – March

v Eastern India: Monsoon season

v Bangalore like climate: Throughout the year (preferably June to October)

The cultivars, which do not respond to propagation by cuttings, are raised throughlayers. For propagation by air layering the media used is mold or leaf mold with farmyard


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manure or farmyard manure with soil and sand. ‘T’ or shield budding raises the varieties,

which do not respond to above methods. Generally Dr. R.R. Pal robuts cultivar is used as

rootstock. The best time for budding is February to March.

Jasmine: cuttings on commercial scale multiply Jasmine. However, propagation by layering

and even by grafting (approach or inarching) and budding is possible. To facilitate the rootingin layering (ground or air layering) or cuttings, a 1000-2000 PPM of IBA preparation is

applied to the basal portion for rooting. Fifteen centimeters long shoot tip cutting with fourleaves and five distal buds are placed in a rooting media of vermiculate or good soiled and

then rooted in a mist chamber. In the open, hardwood or semi-hardwood (15-20 cm long)cuttings with or without leaves are used for multiplication. The hardwood cuttings of j.

sambac may be planted directly in situ during rainy season by which a success of 70-80 per

cent rooting may be obtained. Layering of tender shoots ensures better and quick rooting and

multiplication is done in rainy season or June-July, High humidity is maintained to promote

rooting of the cutting.

Chrysanthemum: Chrysanthemum is propagated vegetatively either through sucker, cutting

or through micro propagation.

A. Suckers: After flowering, the stem is cut back first above the ground. This induces

the formation of side sucker, which are separated from the mother plant and are planted in

sand bed. Well rooted sucker can be used for planting B. Terminal cuttings: These cuttings are taken from a healthy stock plant, 5-7, cm

length cuttings are made by shearing basal leaves and cutting half of the open leaves., the

cutting are dipped in 2500 ppm Indole butyric acid or either in seradix/ karadex (rooting

hormone). These cutting are put in sand beds I semi shade conditions and wateredimmediately and thereafter regularly.

Canna: Easily propagated by division of rhizomes i.e., rootstock. This rootstock is a branchy mass with many large buds, while dividing the rootstocks, it is better not to cut too

close but to leave several strong buds on each piece and may be planted directly in the beds.If stock is not abundant, only a few plants should be made retaining at least one bud on each

piece. It will be worthwhile to bear in mind that weak buds produce only weak plants. Theone-bud plants are usually better suited for planting in pots. Propagation by seeds in quite a

difficult process and is normally not adopted unless and until it is for the purpose of raising

new hybrids.

Gladiolus: corms propagate it, which remains dormant for about three months after harvest.

Dormant corms do not sprout. After harvest, the corms of at least 4 cm diameter should be

planted.

Carnations: Terminal cutting measuring 10-15 cm from vegetative plants and treatment

with IBA (50ppm) + NAA (100 ppm) and planted in sand medium and also propagated

through tissue culture.

Gerbera: Propagated through suckers and tissue culture

Poinsettias, Duranta: Pre-treatment of semi- hard wood cutting with IBA+NAA 3000 ppm

and planted in sand medium

Ixora: Dipping of soft wood cutting in IBA at 2000 ppm for 3 minutes and planting insand medium under mist. Euphorbias: Terminal cuttings dipped in IBA at 3000 ppm for 3 minutes and planting in

sand medium under mist.Nerium : Pre treatment of hard wood cuttings in IBA at 3000 ppm for 7 mts ana planting in

sand medium under mist.Juniper : Cuttings, layers (in slow growing and prostrate forms)


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METHODS OF PROPAGATION ADOPTED FOR OTHER IMPORTANT

ORNAMENTAL PLANTS

Name Propagation

Common garden plants and trees

Bauhinia Seeds

Celiba pentandra (Silk Cotton) SeedsCassia excelsa Seeds

Cassia javanica Seeds

Erythrina indica (Pangra) Cutting

Glyricidia maculata Seeds

Jacaranda mimosifolia Seeds

Lagertemia flosreginae Seeds

Michelia champaka Seeds and grafting

Gulmohar Seeds

Peltophoraum Seeds

Foliage trees (ever green)

Alstonia SeedsAraucaria (Monkey puzzle) Seeds

Artocarpus (Bread fruit) Seeds

Casuarinas Seeds

Thuja Seeds and heek cutting

Felicium decipens (fern leaved tree) Seeds

Ficus benjamina Seeds

Ficus elastica Cuttings, Air layering

Grevilea robusta (Sliver Oak) Seeds

Kigelia pinnata Seeds

Polyalthia longifolia Seeds

Royal palm (Oreodoxa Regia) Seeds

Flowering shrubs

Achania Cuttings

Barleria Cuttings & Seed

Buddleacaesalpinia pulcherrima (Peacock flower) Cuttings & laters

Cestrum noctumum (Night Queen) Seed

Hibiscus Cuttings

Ixora Cuttings & layers

Jatropha Cuttings & Seed

Lantana Cuttings & layers

Lagerstromeae Indica Cuttings & layers

Nerium (Oleander) Cuttings & layers

Poinsettia Cuttings & layersTabernae Montana Cuttings & layers

Rose Cuttings & bidding

Thevetia Cuttings & Seed

Foliage shrubs

Acalypha Cuttings

Anthurium Rhizomes

Aralia Cuttings


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Arunda donax Suckers

Coleus Cutting

Crotons Cuttings, layers

Dieffenbachia Cuttings & Suckers

Dracaena Cuttings

Duranta Cuttings

Eranthemum CuttingsMaranta Cuttings

Panax Cuttings

Iresene Cuttings

Phyllanthus (variegated) Cuttings & Suckers

Creepers

Allamanda Cuttings

Antigonon Seed, Tubers

Aristolochia elegans Seeds & Layers

Bignonia gracillis Cuttings & Layers

Bigonia venusta Cuttings & Layers

Clematis CuttingsClerodendron Cuttings

Echites Layering

Honeysuckle Cuttings

Ipomea horsfolleae Cuttings

Monstera edulis Cuttings

Passion flower Cuttings

Pothos Cuttings

Quisqualis indica Root suckers

Flowering annuals

Aster, Snapdragons, Marigold, Celosia, Cosmos,Comphrena, Helianthus annum Helichrysum,

Impatients, Lobella verbena, Plox, Zinnia, etc.

Seeds

The Important methods of propagation

1.Seed PropagationPropagation by seeds is the major methods by which many ornamental plants are

perpetuated. It is one of the most efficient and widely used propagation method. Various

types of seasonal shrubs and ornamental flowering and avenue trees are being multiplied by

the seeds.

v Some annual creepers like chitoria ternatea, Cobaea Scandens, Lathyrus odoratus,

Ipomea Spp. Quamocut pennata, thunbergaia alata, Tropaeolum majus etc. are raised

through seeds Several ornamental shrubs like Adenium obesum, Asclepiascurassavica, Bahunia acuminate, B. galpinnii, Caesalpinia pulcherrina, casiia biflura,

Galphima gracillis, Memcylan edula, Nyctanthes arbor – tristis, Rauwolfia

Canescens, Thevetia neriifolia are also propagated from seeds.

Flowering annuals propagated by seeds. Nursery preparation and sowing of seeds: Annual ornamental seedings are in great demand

for home gardens as well as landscape purpose in larger quantities. It is required to raise theseedings at nursery before they are sent for marketing.


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The seeds can be sown in seed pans, seed frames, pots or in baskets. For larger

requirements, permanent seed frames could be constructed for sowing the seeds. Adequate

drainage facilities should be provided in the sowing media in order to drain out the excessmoisture.

The soil for sowing seed should be light and porous. A mixture made up of one part ineach of loam and sand and two parts of leaf mould is ideal for sowing.

The seeds should be sown in the nursery beds evenly and thinly. The seedings in thethickly sown seed bed will be lanky due to competition for nutrition and also subject to

damping of disease easily. After sowing the seeds they should be covered with fine sand orleaf mould twice the thickness of the seeds. As a general rule large sized seeds should be

sown a bit deeper. Tiny seeds such as Petunia, Antirrhinum, etc. should be mixed with 8-10

times of their bulk with fine sand and sown to get uniform spread. The seedling may also be

raised in portrays and can be sold.

2. CuttingPropagation by cutting is a simple and less expensive method. Cutting is a process by

which a plant is produced by severing a vegetative portion from the plant and rooting it in a

favourable medium under optimum conditions. Plant parts such as stems, roots, leaves and

modified stems such as corms, rhizomes, tubers, runners and bulbs are used for this purpose.

The stem cutting can be categorized into 3 types.Softwood cuttings: These types of cutting can still be sub-divided into two groups. In the

first group comes those cuttings which are taken from herbaceous plants such as coleus,

carnation, dahlia, chrysanthemum etc. the second group consists of cuttings taken from the

unripened tips of woody plants, such as most of the ornamental shrubs and some tree. Thecutting should be detached from the mother plant from below a node.

Semi-hardwood cuttings: Semi-hard-wood cuttings are those which have passedthe soft-wood stage but yet to ripen fully., Jasmines and hydrangeas are example of plants

from which such cuttings are taken for propagation. Hard –wood cuttings: the cuttings which are taken from the mature current years

growth, as in some shrubs and tree. While in the first tow categories of cuttings the length ofcutting remains between 2.5 to 10 cm and 15 to 25 cm, but in case of hard-wood cuttings the

length depends upon the nature of plants and prevailing climatic conditions. But normally,

for many hare-wood cuttings the length varies between 15 and 30 cm.

The stem cuttings are further categorized into 3 groups.

(i.) Terminal cuttings: Such cutting are obtained from terminal portion of a shoot. The

leaves from the lower portion of the cutting are removed by nipping (and not by tearing off),

while 2-4 leaves are retained in the apex. If the size of the leaves is very larger, these may be

cut into halves. Most of the cuttings are to be inserted in the rooting media as early as

possible, after being detached from the mother plant. But in case of cacti and some other

succulent plants these are air –dried for 2-4 days before inserting in the rooting media.

(ii.) Heel cutting: when lateral shoots are pulled off from the stem with a portion of the

stem attached to it, these are called heel cuttings. Heel cuttings root more easily. If needed,

the basal end could be smoothened off with a sharp knife. Sometimes carnation cutting are prepared in this way.

(iii.) Node cuttings: Plants like Dracaena and Dieffenbachia are propagated from single ormultiple node cuttings. Such cuttings are normally placed horizontally on the rooting media.

(iv.) Root cuttings: Root cuttings should be taken from young roots of average thicknessand the length may vary from 2.5 to 15 cm with one or a few buds. The cuttings are placed

horizontally or vertically in light soil or sand. The horizontally placed cuttings are covered


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sufficiently. The adventitious buds give rise to new shoots and roots to grow from the base of

these buds or from the cut sections of the old roots.

(Gypsophyla, Caillardia, Aralia, Yucca etc. are some of the ornamentals propagated by thismethod

Leaf cuttings: In this method the leaf stalk when notched and placed in rooting medium,they produce individual plants.

(Rex begorua, Bryophyllum, Saint paulia are some of the examples)Factors affecting rooting in cuttings: Age and nutritional environmental factors affect the

rooting of cuttings. Age and nutritional condition of the stock plant, position of the shoot onthe parent plant, maturity of the tissue at the base of the cuttings and presence of leaves and

buds on the shoot are the internal factors affecting the rooting of cuttings. Light, temperature,

humidity and rooting medium are the external factors affecting the rooting wounding,

defoliation treatment with growth regulators is used especially in ornamental like

Bougainvillea (2000 ppm of IBA+NAA mixture by quick dip method) and Ixora (IBA 200

ppm). Vase on shrubs like Tagar, Crotons, Hemelia and Climbers and creepers as well as

trees like Pangara and peltoforum are being propagated by cuttings.

3.LayeringLayering is done when a clone can not be rooted through stem cutting. It is an

important method of commercial propagation in ornamental like Jasmine, Hibiscus, Ixora,Mussanda. Generally the plants, which are difficult to multiply by cutting, can be raised by

one or other method of layering. In this method since the twigs are attached to the mother

plant, the supply of food and water supply is not discontinued; this helps in rooting in layer

than cuttings.Rooting of layering is encouraged by etiolating. Presence of sufficient oxygen,

moisture and temperature and application of root promoting substance at the time of layeringhelp to get profuse root in a short time. Root promoting substance are applied as powder or in

lanolin.Simple or ground layering: is the common and simplest from of layering. Majority of

the variegated plants which are difficult to root from cuttings (e.g. Bougainvillea cv.Thinmma, Duranta Plumeri Vaeiegation) could be rooted through this method of layering.

Some clumbers are also rooted through this.

Air layering: Air layering or gootie is one of the most widely used method of layerage in

ornamental plants. A large number of shrubs, foliage plants and even ornamental trees are

raised by this method.

Generally branches of plants which are not prone to bending upto the ground level

for layering are propagated by this method. Generally terminal portions are used for air

layers. The mature branch is slit or nitched below a node at the desired height. The part of the

wounded stem, as well as 5 cm on either side of the wound, is covered with damp sphagnum

moss and this is covered over by polythene paper and secondly tied at both ends the

polythene paper around the moss to form a bag and fold the ends several times inwards to

prevent the moisture in the moss from coming out. The two ends are tied firmly on the two

sides of the stem layered.4. Grafting

Grafting is the method of propagation used for perpetuating clones that cannot be

readily maintained by several methods of propagation.It is used for obtaining special forms of plan growth etc. This method of propagation

is limited for plants. In ornamental grafting is followed only for few crops like cacti.Sometimes approach grafting is done for propagation of delicate Hawaiian cultivars of

Hibiscus.

5. Budding


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In budding, a single bud, as against a scion wood containing a number of buds in the

case of grafting is inserted on the rootstock in a manner that both will unite and continue to

grow as a single plant. Three to five weeks after the budding operation, the portion of therootstock about 3-5 cm above the union, is cut off. Mostly ‘T’ budding is employed for

propagation of most of the ornamental plants. The patch budding is generally not popular.This method is sometimes used for multiplication of hibiscus hybrids. The optimum time of

budding is when the stock plant is actively growing and the bark separates easily from thewood.

6. OthersSuckers

In some plants new stems are produced from the adventitious buds on their roots.

Such new growths are called suckers. These suckers can be perpetuated as individual plants.

(e.g. chrysanthemum)

DivisionThis type of propagation is the simplest method of propagation for increasing the

number of stock plants. It involves simply dividing the plants into small pieces each of which

must contain a portion of the rootstock with leaves or buds or as a few roots.

Division must be carried out during the dormant season. The clumps are lifted with a

fork and are divided by separating them into suitable sized portions. Each portion showscontain about 3 or 4 buds or stems and the outside portions of the clumps should be selected,

as these are the most vigorous. Some of the clumps are easy to divide by pulling them apart

after shaking of the loose soil, others are more difficult, and the rhizomes or rootstocks have

to be separated with or without knife or through with a spade. The divided portions must be planted firmly and well watered within an hour or two.

Majority of herbaceous ornamentals can be increased through this method. (e.g.Alstroemaria, Delphinium, Campanula, Armeria, Daisy etc.)

RhizomesRhizomes are sub- terrnean stems that arise from a lateral bud from the main stem at

ground level and extend underground near the surface horizontally. The aerial shoots developfrom the laterial buds.

Generally rhizomes are cut into small pieces having one or more buds and planted for

multiplication (e.g. Canna)

StolonsA slender branch, which normally produces roots and bears a bud at this extreme, this

forming a new plant e.g. Chlorophytum.

TubersThey are short, thickned part of subterranean branches, which store large quantities of

plant food, mainly starch. Tubers contain buds in the axils of reduced leaves.

CormThese are underground stem with a short, fleshy, vertical axis covered with dried leaf

bases.

e.g. gladiolus

Plug production of flower seedlings

There has been a shift from growing seedlings on flat and raised nursery beds in open fieldtowards growing value added transplants in specially designed containers such as plug trays.

A major advantage of block or modular raised seedlings as compared with that of bare-roottransplants is the significant reduction of the transplanting shock resulting in improved crop

establishment and yield of several annuals. Container raised seedlings are easy to handle,


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grade, shift and transport manually as well as mechanically. Further, it provides good control

of young plants in the nursery due to better water drainage, aeration, sanitation, quick take-

off and uniform growth in nursery and in the field after transplanting.

Production of healthy seedlings is a prerequisite for good initial crop growth that results inoptimum vegetative growth that gets finally transformed into the potential economic yield.

Healthy growth of the plant from the beginning also ensures better use efficiency of scarceand costly inputs like water, nutrients and better tolerance to both biotic and abiotic stresses.

Advantages of growing seedlings in plastic trays under protected structures:

· Seeds germinate properly.

· Mortality of seedlings is very rare,

· There is no loss of expensive seeds of hybrids.

· There is adequate space for each seedling to grow properly.

· Equal and healthy growth of each seedling.

· Damage due to pests and diseases are very rare.

·

Seedlings do not wither during transport.· Promotes better root growth.

· Damage to roots is very rare during shifting and planting.

· Hassle free planting.

· Facilitates uniform maturity of the crop.

Protective structure for seedling production

Seedlings of ornamental crops are being grown in low cost poly houses and net houses. Themainframe can be of steel pipes, wooden poles or even granite stone pillars. Poly houses are

clad with 200 micron UV stabilized polythene sheet on the roof and the sides are covered

with 40 mesh insect-proof nylon net. A retractable (50%) shade net is provided below the

roof to be used during the days of bright sunlight and high temperature. Foggers may also be provided to bring down the temperature during summer days. The mainframe can also be

erected with wooden poles or granite stone pillars bringing down the expenditure further.

In recent years net houses are becoming popular to raise the seedlings. Granite stone pillars of

6 to 8 feet long are erected as the mainframe of the net house. The roof is generally covered

with a shade net and the sides are covered with the insect proof net. However, it is advisable

to cover the roof also with the insect proof net above the retractable shade net to have better

control over the entry of insect vectors like white flies which may be carried by the air

currents and gain entry into the greenhouse. Further it is essential to harden the seedlings

before transplanting. A retractable shade net will be useful to regulate the shade in the

greenhouse depending on the light levels prevailing in the greenhouse. Plastic pipes of ¾ inchare bent in arch shape over the nursery beds and are covered with a plastic sheet to protect the

seedlings from rain as and when required.This structure provides adequate light, shade and humidity and also protects the seedlings

from thrips and white flies that spread the virus diseases. Individual farmers can also growvegetable seedlings in plastic trays on a small scale in a low-cost net house measuring about

20 feet long, 10 feet wide and 8 feet high in their farms.

Plug Trays


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Plug trays are also called as pro-trays (propagation trays). The most commonly used are 98-

celled trays . The dimensions of the trays are generally 54 cm in length and 27 cm in width

with a cavity depth of 4 cm. These trays are made of polypropylene and are re-usable up tofive to six times depending on the care with which they are handled. Before using every time

it is necessary that these trays are thoroughly washed and disinfected with a fungicide. Theholes at the bottom of the cells control the moisture properly. Equal spaced cells facilitate

equal growth of the seedlings.

Coir dust (Coco peat)

Well decomposed and sterilized commercial growing medium is better as the incidence of

seedling diseases is less or nil and it contains in it right amount of moisture to support seed

germination. The most commonly used growing medium is coir dust (coco peat), which is

steam sterilized to prevent nursery diseases. Coco peat is a by-product of coir industry and it

has high water holding capacity. It should be well decomposed, sterilized and supplemented

with major and micro nutrient sources before using it as the growing medium. Neem cake

enriched with Trichoderma (100:1) is applied @ 100 kg per tonne of the medium to prevent

seedling diseases.

Technique of raising seedlings

Fill the seedling tray with appropriate growing medium such as coco peat or vermin compost

+ sand mixed in equal proportion. About 1-1.25 kg of coco peat is required to fill one 98-

celled tray. Make a small depression for sowing (0.5 cm) by fingertip or a dibbler in the

center of the cell. Sow one seed per cell and cover the cells with the coco peat. Irrigation isnot required before or after sowing till seeds germinate if coco peat having adequate moisture

is used as the medium. Keep about 10 trays one over the other for 3 to 6 days, depending onthe crop. Cover the entire stack of trays with a polyethylene sheet to ensure conservation of

moisture and warmth that hastens germination. Care must be taken for spreading the trayswhen the seeds start sprouting. The tray

handbook ornamental

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