Filling up of portrays with cocopeat
Parkey Gogoi
KVK Dimapur
As we say, “All that starts well, ends well”, likewise the success of a crop production depends a lot on the way of sowing. Many crops, especially the vegetables, require special care and management during their early period of growth. So, the seeds of those particular crops are required to be first sown in a small isolated place i.e. a nursery after which the one month old seedlings are transplanted to the main field. However, the establishment and management of a nursery is a drudgery-full work availed with sufficient resources like land, manures and fertilizers, water and manpower. On the other hand, protray nursery is a drudgery-less technology which requires only small seedling trays (protrays) that can be easily maintained by a women at her house premises.
Protray technology: The seedling tray (pro tray) is filled with the growing medium (coco peat). A small depression (0.5 cm) is made with fingertip in the centre of the cell of the pro tray for sowing. One seed per cell is sown and covered with medium. Coco peat with 300 to 400 per cent moisture is used and hence no immediate irrigation is required until germination. After sowing 10 trays are kept one over other for 3 to 6 days, depending on the crops. The entire stack will be covered using polyethylene sheet to ensure conservation of moisture until germination. The stacked trays are spread once the germination commences to avoid etiolation. The trays are irrigated lightly every day depending upon the prevailing weather conditions by using a fine sprinkling rose can. Drenching the trays with fungicides as a precautionary measure against seedling mortality is also being done. Spraying of 0.3 per cent (3g / litre) water soluble fertilizer using 19 All twice (12 and 20 days after sowing) for enhance the growth of the seedlings. The seedlings at right stage of planting are hardened by withholding irrigation and reducing the shade before transplanting or selling to the growers. Systemic insecticides are sprayed 7 - 10 days after germination and before transplanting for managing the insect vectors. The seedlings would be ready in about 21-30 days for transplanting to the main field depending upon the crop.
Advantages:
Excellent germination and growth due to light weight of the media
Less root damage
Drudgery-less and women friendly
Less land utilization
