Raising of quality saplings of arid horticultural crops

a review

Abstract

Planting material includes the parts of plants used for reproduction sexual or asexual ways may be seed, bulbs, sucker, offshoot, tuber, slip, corm or other plant parts. Mass level production of saplings requires standard propagation techniques depending upon the kind of crops, conditions (lab or open), climatic region (humid or arid) etc. Arid region where the paucity of water and in open nursery condition a short span is available for propagation activities and growth of the saplings while, in modern nursery unit equipped with advance structures (net house, shed net at varying intensity, mist chamber, lath house, propagation case, humidity chamber, fluorescent box, hardening chamber, mini greenhouse etc.) such activities may be performed round the year and multiplication of plant is possible. So both the ways utilize nursery unit as multiplication of saplings in mass scale as well as conservation of exotic or extra care requiring saplings may be seedlings, rootstocks, cuttage, layers, grafts, micropropagated plantlets till the transplanting at field. Standards have been set for seed (appearance, purity per cent, inert material status, weed seed count, germination status, vigour etc.), seedlings (uniformity, vigourness, growth, survivality, susceptibility to disease and pests, moisture content, size, age weight etc.) and varietal (purity, genuineness, free from stresses, health, authenticity etc.) quality. Production of saplings in arid region requires more attention to take up timely action so that farmers may get quality planting materials at the proper time and at the same time, the producer may gain the desired returns.