HOT 121 : PLANT PROPAGATION AND NURSERY MANAGEMENT
Course Aim: To enable student to produce quality seedlings/ planting materials for improved horticulture production management
Course Expected Learning Outcome(s): By the end of the course, students are expected to be able to:
i. Describe anatomical features of seeds and vegetative plant parts
ii. Prepare planting media for quality seedling growth
iii. Use different methods of plant propagation
iv. Establish and manage horticultural plant nursery
Course Status: Core
Credit Rating: 12
Total Hours Spent: 120 Hours
Course Content:
1: General aspects of sexual and asexual propagation
1.1 Principles and techniques of propagation by seeds
1.2 Anatomical and physiological concepts
1.3 Techniques of propagation by cutting, grafting, budding, layering
1.4 Propagation structures, containers and media
2: In vitro micro – propagation
2.1 Introduction to in vitro plant propagation
2.2 Requirement and challenges in vitro plant propagation
2.3 Suspension culture
2.4 Somatic embryogenesis
2.5 Practices of in vitro propagation
3: Horticultural Nursery: An overview
3.1 General concepts of nursery
3.2 Classification of nurseries
3.3 Nursery establishment
3.4 Site selection and facilities for nursery
3.5 Types of nurseries and seedbed preparation
4: Nursery management
4.1 Specific management practices of nursery plants
4.2 Labour and finance
4.3 Nursery stock inventory control
4.4 Nursery plant production, handling and marketing
5: Practical
5.1 In-vitro propagation
5.2 Seed extraction, drying, storage and sowing
5.3 Propagation of selected crop and after-care technique
5.4 Propagation by specialized plant structures: rhizomes, corms, bulbs, stolons, and runners
5.6 Nursery site selection, seedbed preparation
5.7 Identification of nursery facilities Care of nursery plants
Teaching and Learning Activities :
The course will be delivered through online and face to face lectures, demonstrations, field visits, group discussions, flipped classrooms, practical sessions, seminar presentations and invitation of guest speaker for a talk on financial issues during establishment and running of a nursery
Assessment Methods:
The assessment will include testing the students on the acquired knowledge, skills and competences based on learning outcomes through assignments, seminar presentations, practical reports (written and or hands-on), practical tests, theory tests and end-of -semester University examination
Reading List:
1. Krishnan, P. R., Kalia, R. K., Tewari, J. C., & Roy, M. M. (2014). Plant nursery management: principles and practices
2. Kumar, T. R. (2020). Plant Propagation and Nursery Management. New India Publishing Agency
3. Lee, S. W., Lee, Y. H., Hong, J. K., Choi, S. H., & Park, S. J. (2023). Effects of Cutting Condition on Quality of Nursery Plant and Fruit Yield in ‘Sulhyang’Strawberry. Journal of Bio-Environment Control, 32(4), 405-415
4. Singh, A. K., & Kumar, A. (2021). Plant Propagation and Nursery Management. Bhavya Books (BET)