Plant Propagation and Nursery Management (1+1)

Introduction

A large number of horticultural crops are raised through one or the other vegetative methods. Several methods of vegetative propagation have been standardized for different horticultural crops. However, one method of propagation may be suitable for a particular crop but may not be suitable for the others. Similarly, one crop may be propagated on large scale with different methods of propagation, whereas, the others may have only one method. Further, the success of different propagation methods is influenced by the environmental conditions. Hence, one method for a particular crop may be highly successful in a particular locality, but cannot be of any value in the other. For instance, side veneer grafting is successful method of mango propagation in north India but in Konkan region of Maharashtra, epicotyl or stone grafting is more successful. The different methods of vegetative propagation include:

1. Propagation by apomictic seedlings (mango, citrus etc)
2. Propagation by cuttings and layering (propagation on its own root system)
3. Propagation by grafting and budding (propagation on the root system of other plants)
4. Propagation by specialized vegetative structures (propagation by bulbs, tubers, rhizomes, corms, suckers, runners, bulbils, slips and crown etc.
5. Micropropagation i.e. propagation through tissue culture system
Importance and advantages of propagation by cuttings

 
Now-a-days, propagation system are more market driven than production-driven, which means that propagators must first analyze market demands and then select and develop cultivar utilizing optimum propagation techniques to produce plants for the customers.
 
Cuttings are still most important means of propagating ornamental shrub-deciduous species as well as broad and narrow leaved types of evergreen plants.
 
Cuttings are also widely used in commercial green house propagation of many floricultural crops.
 

Fig.5.1.Different plant parts used as cuttings

Advantages

• Many new plants can be produced in a limited space.
• It is inexpensive, rapid and simple and does not require the special techniques necessary in grafting, budding or micropropagation.
• No problem of graft incompatibility with rootstock and poor graft union etc.
• No variation due to variable seedling rootstocks.
Disadvantages

• The advantages of rootstock like induction of dwarfism, drought or disease resistance etc. cannot be utilized
• Plants raised through cuttings have lesser longevity as they are susceptible to various diseases and insect-pests.