STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE - NURSERY

1. PURPOSE
The purpose of this document is to ensure the process of production of
healthy , vigorous and genetically superior planting material , while
maintaining their genetic identity and pedigree . Maintain Mother plants in
vigorous ,healthy and juvenile productive conditions through species specific
management practices.

2. PROCEDURES
2.1

MOTHER PLANT GREEN HOUSE AREA (MPA)

2.1.1.

Purpose

This is specially designed green house with Gothic type fixed roof and
open sides where mother plants of selected clones are planted and
maintained regularly through computerized drip irrigation system. Stem Mini
and macro cuttings are collected from these mother plants and rooted in a
green house with mist installation under controlled conditions.
2.1.2.

Size specification of MPA

The area of one MPA is 9.6m wide and 84 m long. Growing containers
for mother plant is partitioned into 1m wide 6 rows and each row divided 3
sections of 26m length, resulting in 18 beds. Totally there are 10 MPAs with
180 beds.
2.1.3.

Growing containers

Growing containers are raised metallic structures which are 26 m long,

1m wide and 30cm deep which are raised from ground level at a height
of about 15cms.

The container is made of Alu-zinc sheets fixed to Ms. Frame provided

with drainage facility in the bottom.

2.1.4.

Growing media

The media consists of 1-4mm size river sand mixed with coirpith.

River sand 80% mixed with 20% coir-pith which is sterilised by

fumigation with formaldehyde @ 3% concentration.

2.1.5.

Preparation of bed

Small river stones of 1 to 2 will be put on the drainage area to prevent

it from clogging by sand.

Above this river stones the sand mixed with coco peat will be spread in
layers and fumigated.

80% sterilized and sieved coarse sand (0.25mm to 1mm) mixed with
20% standard coco peat or 80% sterilized coarse sand (0.25mm to
1mm) mixed with 20% Vermiculite together with 1 kg Dolomite, 6 kg
Rock Phosphate and 8 kg Osmocote (SRF -14:14:14) per m3 are used
as growing media for mother plants.

2.1.6.

Pre planting operation

The sand bed will be watered using hose pipe and compacted.

The surface will be leveled before planting

2.1.7.

Spacing, alignment and planting

Plants will be planted in rows of 20cm wide and spaced at 15 cm within

row.

First and last plant in each row will be marked 10cm away from the
border of the container.

Rows will be marked using plastic rope. Planting positions within rows
will be marked using markers

Plants will be watered after planting.

+ Each box is only planted with one genetic material. If the box
cannot be planted fully in one planting round, leave the empty space
for the time being and subsequently the rooted cuttings from the
same genetic material will be used to fill up the balance. All planted
mother plants are to be recorded for following details and labeled
accordingly.
a. Date of planting
b. Mother plant House No.
c. Box / bed. No
d. Mother plant / box / bed
e. Clone/seed lot no.
f. Species.
+ All dead and dying mother plants must be removed immediately.
The blanked planted are to be marked with pegs to identify repeated
deaths in one area. Drench the blanked area with broad spectrum
fungicide Bavistin (AI Carbendazim) 0.2 % v/v and pesticide confidor
(AI Imidachloprid) 0.25% v/v before planting.
+ Mother plants replacement must be done continuously so that the
number of mother plants per box/house is retained possibly at all
times.

2.1.8.

Reforming of mother plants

All growing tips will be removed 3-4 weeks after planting.

The plant height should be more than 40cms at the time of removal of
growing tips. This will help thickening of the main stem.

Growing shoots should be cutback every 4 weeks and mother

plants must be maintained at 20-30 cm height or above 5-6 efficient

green leaves whichever is lower to ensure that the mother plants are
juvenile , healthy and vigorous and avoid over lapping of shoots.
Tall plants should be topped in two stages. First top them back to
250mm 300 mm with 5-6 healthy efficient leaves. When more new
shots start coming out from the lower parts of the stem, the stool
plants can be lowered down to 200 mm. This is to avoid topping back
the tall plant to 200 mm leaving behind < 5 leaves and subjecting
mother plants to physiological stress.
-

Fungicides and Insecticides should be used only when absolutely

necessary. Insect traps (Sticky paper and Light traps) should be used to
trap adults of the Gall wasp to reduce pest incidence.

Soil working should be done once a month without disturbing the roots
to ensure proper aeration of the substrate and discourage growth of
algae and moss

2.1.9.

Weeding in Mother Plant Houses

The mother plants boxes and mother plants houses must be kept
free from weeds at all times.

Weeding must be carried out on alternate day on a regular basis

in the troughs and around the beds to keep the surroundings of the MPA
weed

As the mother plants age, the cutting zone from where shoots are
harvested will develop callus or some time dead and black in colour (as
results of decaying fungi). At this condition, the callus must be removed
by cutting it off flush to the main stem or if dead remove the entire node
and allow shoots to come from lower nodes/part of the plants.

2.1.10

Drip Irrigation

The plants will be watered through drip irrigation system as per the
following schedule:

first week of planting: 2 times a day 7 liters per square meter per time
after first week of planting: 5 liters per square meter, once in the
morning and once in the afternoon
2.1.11

Fertilizer application

The recommended fertilizer ( Poly feed) is water soluble 15:30:15

NPK + MgO 1.4% (availability 60%) and trace elements B, Zn, Mo, Fe,
Mn.

Water soluble fertilizer at 0.2 % concentration is applied during

each time of irrigation.
Use fully soluble fertilizers only. Test solubility of fertilizers before
application through drip irrigation. Partially soluble fertilizers can
damage or/and block pressure compensated drip irrigation pipes.

Tensiometer readings to determine moisture condition in the

media. This is monitored very closely by recording the tensiometer
readings and if tensiometer recording is below 10, then watering to
be reduced accordingly.

Wet/dry bulb thermometer for humidity and evaporation pan

readings to be taken on daily basis to be used as basis to determiner
timing and rate of irrigation and quantity.

Water samples at different outlets should be collected and EC and

pH readings taken on daily basis.

The plants will be fertilized manually or through drip irrigation

system as per the following schedule.
+

1.5 Kg of polyfeed is mixed in 200 litres of water

and the media is drenched using rosecans.

Through irrigation system: 5-7liters per m2 of

0.2% solution will be applied with each drip irrigation

2.1.12
-

Flushing of excess salinity

Salinity levels will be monitored regularly using hand held EC

(Electrical Conductivity) meter. Whenever the EC level is higher than 1
millimhos per second the beds will be flushed with water irrigation.

2.1.13

Data management and Supervision

The data on physical activities and labor will be maintained on a

daily basis.

Routine checking must be done by Nursery Supervisor on mother

plants to look out for deficiency symptoms and abnormalities of mother
plants leaves.
Nitrogen Chlorotic yellow green color
Phosphorous Dull and darkish green color, leaf thicker and
stiffer.
Potassium intervienal chlorosis, yellow tip to brown-reddish
leave tip.
Calcium small terminal young leaves and longer internodes.
Magnesium Sharp interveinal yellowing and chlorosis at leaf tip.
Manganese sharp intervienal chlorosis at leaf tip show yellow to
brown-reddish color.
Zinc Chlorosis in interveinal (yellow color) and become necrotic
at leaf tip.
Boron Abnormal growth at shoot tip with twisted and curly new
leaf.

Plants exhibiting deficiencies must be marked. Put the marker stick

(bamboo stick marked with different color codes) showing one or more
of the above symptoms for the Supervisor/ Manager to check.

The occurrence of nutrient deficiency symptom must be reported

immediately.

2.1.14

Dripper line monitoring and maintenance

Dripper lines must be continuously checked everyday to ensure

that no lines are leaking at the end or detached, no blocked drip holes
and to ensure all lines are functioning properly.

Dripper lines to be flushed weekly until a reliable clean water

supply systems are established.

Any blocked lines to be removed and replaced. They will be

flushed cleaned and tested at an appropriate time and reintroduced to
the system if judged operational.
No drippers to be cleaned manually under any circumstances.

All dripper lines to be regularly

discharge/dripper with the given specs.

checked

for

the

water

2.1.15 Pest and Diseases

-

Potential pathogens found on eucalyptus are Cylindrocladium spp., and

Ralstonia solanacearum or Bacterial wilt (especially in mother beds) are
most commonly found pathogen.

In general, diseases are more prevalent during rainy season.

Predisposing factors that lead to high disease incidence include high
humidity, over irrigation, excessive nitrogen fertilization, impaired
drainage, poor sanitation, less air movement and contaminated media.

Soil and plants debris (including those from apparently healthy plants)
are potentially important sources of inoculums.