Spices and Condiments (1+1)

Seed propogation and raising of seedlings

Seed propagation

Seed propagation

• Propagation by seeds prevents the spread of the Watte' disease.
  
• Thus, it is the most common and widely prevalent method among planters.
  
• The main disadvantage, however, is that the progeny is highly variable with no uniformity in yields.
  
• The seeds also do not remain viable for a long time.
Selection of seeds

• The seeds from the fully ripe capsules of robust, disease-free, high- yielding plants producing compact panicles, are collected and dried.
  
• A few days before sowing, the capsules are immersed in water and pressed gently to eject the seeds.
  
• The seeds are then washed in cold water for about 4-6 hours to remove the mucilaginous covering.
  
• After washing, the seeds are mixed with ash and dried under the shade for 2 to 3 days.
  
• To obtain good uniform germination, the seeds should be sown immediately after harvest.
  
• Shaking the seeds with coarse sand and scratching the seed-coat or seed scarification with nitric acid 2.5% for 10 minutes gives a quicker and higher percentage of germination than the untreated seeds.
  
• The seeds start germinating within a few weeks and the germination is complete within six weeks.
Seed rate and season

• To plant a hectare, about 600 g of seeds are sufficient. The sowing season varies with the regions but the ideal sowing season is during the dry months. In Karnataka it is between September-October, while in Tamil Nadu and Kerala it is between November-January.
Raising of seedlings

• Nursery sites are generally selected near a water source. The soil should be loamy and rich in humus.
  
• The selected site is cleared of all the vegetation like stumps, roots, etc., and the soil is worked to a depth of about 30-45 cm to a fine tilth. Raised beds, of 1 x 6 m size, are prepared.
  
• The seeds are sown in lines of 15 cm using 50 to 60 seeds per line in the beds, followed by a good stirring to cover the seeds.
  
• The beds are covered with straw, dry leaves or other material like polythene sheets during the winter months.
  
• Mulching the seed beds with dry leaves is found to give a high percentage of germination.
  
• It is better to have short beds along the pandal to provide shade. A temperature of 30°C would be ideal for seed germination.