Session 3: Seed Sowing and Planting Material
Unit 2: Nursery Management
Textual Question-Answers
Check Your Progress
Fill in the Blanks
1. The best method of sowing seed in a nursery is ———————
Ans: line sowing
2. High-value annual seeds are preferred to be sown in —————— —
Ans: plug trays
3. An ideal potting medium should have good ——————capacity.
Ans: water-holding
4. A common and serious disease of a seedling at the nursery stageis known as ——————
Ans: damping-off
5. Rooted stem or root cuttings commercially is an important methodof ———————
Ans: vegetative propagation
6. Transferring a plant from one pot to another is termed as —————————
Ans: repotting
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Seeds are, generally, sown at a depth of 3–4 times of its ————— —
(a) radius
(b) diameter
(c) length
(d) width
Ans: (b) diameter
2. Potting mixture should ——————
(a) supply adequate nutrition
(b) have good drainage
(c) have good water-holding capacity
(d) All of the above
Ans: (d) All of the above
3. Damping-off is, generally, favoured by ———————
(a) high sunlight
(b) high temperature
(c) low temperature
(d) high humidity
Ans: (d) high humidity
4. Transplanting from one pot to another is termed as —————(a) depotting
(b) potting
(c) repotting
(d) transplanting
Ans: (c) repotting
Subjective Questions
1. What are the different methods of seed sowing?
Ans: The different methods of seed sowing are broadcasting, line sowing, dibbling and sowing in plug trays or containers.
2. How are seeds sown in plug trays?
Ans: Seeds are sown in plug trays by filling the trays with sterilisedgrowing medium, placing one or two seeds in each cell at proper depth andlightly covering them with the medium followed by gentle watering.
3. What is potting? Demonstrate the method of potting.
Ans: Potting is the process of transferring a seedling or plant into a pot filled with suitable potting mixture. The method includes placing crocks at the bottom of the pot for drainage, filling the pot with potting mixture, placingthe plant in the centre and pressing the soil gently around the roots, followedby watering.
4. Explain the hardening of plants in a nursery.
Ans: Hardening is the process of gradually exposing nursery plants to external environmental conditions before transplanting in the main field toincrease their survival and establishment.
5. Describe the common nursery insect pests and diseases. How canthey be controlled?
Ans: Common nursery insect pests include aphids, thrips and whiteflies, while common diseases include damping-off and leaf spot. They can becontrolled by maintaining sanitation, using healthy seeds, proper spacing, regulated watering and need-based application of recommended pesticidesor bio-control agents.
Match the Columns
A
1. Nursery insect pests
2. Seed treatment
3. Regulating plant population
4. Stem cutting
B
(a) Thinning
(b) Acalypha
(c) Thrip
(d) Damping-off
Ans:
1 – (c) Thrip
2 – (d) Damping-off
3 – (a) Thinning
4 – (b) Acalypha
