Introduction:

1. Introduction: • Plant propagation nursery has vital importance in many branches of agriculture, Horticulture, Agro-forestry and Biodiversity conservation. • Nurseries are specific in production and supply of plants like Fruit plants, Vegetable Seedlings, Seasonal plants, medicinal plants, forest plants. Commercial nurseries mostly supply grafts fruit crops, which are in great demand. • Main aim of Nurseries is to produce and supply healthy planting material at proper time to establish healthy garden, which can produce quality fruits/ produce.

2. Sources of Quality Planting Material • Since the quality of planting material has direct relation with the quality of production, Planting material must be collected from genuine and reliable source. • In recent years, many nursery men have entered into plant nursery business particularly Fruit, Vegetable and Flowers and proving quality planting material at reasonable cost. • Planting material is collected and planted in the mother plant block. Selected mother plants are maintain healthy and their reproductive growth is restricted so that they produce healthy scion sticks or root stocks.

3. Source of Healthy Planting Material • Health of the plants is an important factor affecting the quality and quantity of the yield. Plants need to be maintain disease and pest free for good growth and optimum yield. • Plants are most vulnerable in their early developmental stages. Healthy and vigorous growth in this phase assures a healthy plant and satisfactory yield. • Proper care and maintenance of plants in a nursery is must. Production and supply of healthy plants is a major responsibility of the plant propagation nurseries.

4. Timely Supply of Planting Material • Supply of healthy plants of desired varieties at proper time is of utmost importance in nursery business. • Time of planting is determine by nature of soil, climate, varieties, pest and disease attack, market demand etc. • Well planned nursery provides planting material at the appropriate time so that the farmers can obtain satisfactory yield from the plantations. • Appropriate administration and planning of all nursery schedule assist in production of planting material well in time.

5. Other Roles of Nursery • Optimum growth conditions are artificially maintained in nursery to improve germination and minimize wastage of expensive seeds • Seeds are provided independent space in growth media which results in proper supply of nutrients to each seedling and vigorous growth of plants. • Nurseries commonly use growing media which are sterilized to reduce incidences of damping off. • Uniform, healthy growth and early maturity due to proper care, nutrient supply , almost negligible disease and pest attack, etc. • Easy handling, cheaper transport, less transplanting shock and better crop stand due to vigorous root development. • Modern nurseries also provide garden tools, manures and fertilizers for sale along with plant material.

6. Factor Affecting Success of Nursery: • Success of nursery depends largely on several factors: • Proper site selection with respect to soil, water, market, transport and other services. • Careful planning, selection and complete knowledge regarding selected crops and their varieties. • Procurement and establishment of mother plants from the genuine and reliable sources. • Skillful management in production and marketing of produce and nurseries must provide desired planting material in required quantity.