Crop planning

Planning crops

1. Planning Crops

2. Planning Crops and Developing Propagation Protocols In crop planning  Identify the seed dormancy of each species and apply treatments to overco m e d o r m an c y .  Understand the three growth phases crops go through (establishment, rapid growth, and hardening) and the distinct requirements for each phase.  Develop growing schedules for crop production from propagule procurement to out-planting.  List space, labour, equipment, and supplies required to support the crop during the three growth stages.  Keep written records, including a daily log and plant development record.  Develop and record accurate propagation protocols so that success can be replicated next time.

3. Benefits of creating a propagation protocol  Invaluable resource f o r crop planning and scheduling.  Beneficial for improving nursery productivity and seedling quality over time.  Useful for teaching a n d sharing information about the plants to clients, the public, or nursery staff.  A way to preserve a n d perpetuate propagation information.

4. Key Crop Planning Components  Determine available growing space.  Plan crop layout in the nursery based on the number of plants required.  Schedule seed treatment and plot planting.  Schedule pot treatment.  Determine a growing schedule to meet a target date of delivery for “finished plants.”

5. Three phases of crop development 1. Establishment The establishment phase is the phase from the sowing of the seeds through the germination, emergence, and development of the first true leaves or primary needles. For plants grown from cuttings, the establishment phase extends from placing cuttings into containers through the development of roots and shoots. The establishment phase typically lasts than 6 to 12 weeks. The goal of this phase is to maximize the amount of growing space filled with healthy plants, thereby minimizing losses.

6. Three phases of crop development 2. Rapid Growth  During this phase, plants, particularly their shoots, increase dramatically in size.  Often the terminal shoot begins to approach target size.  Plants are still at least somewhat protected during this phase. Rapid (but not excessive) shoot growth is encouraged.

7. Three phases of crop development 3. Hardening During the hardening phase, energy is diverted from shoot growth to root growth. Shoot growth is discouraged or even stopped. It is a common mistake to rush hardening, resulting in plants poorly prepared for conditions on the out-planting site. When plants are not properly hardened, they may have the correct physical characteristics but survival after out-planting will be low because of an inadequate physiological condition. The goal of the hardening phase is to get plants conditioned for stress, prepared for out-planting, and ready to be delivered to the client in a timely fashion to avoid problems with holdover stock.

8. Hardening  The plants raised under growing structures or protected environments with high management become tender and require hardening off before planting out in the field.  In fact, hardening off is a term applied to any treatment that makes the tissues firm to endure better in the unfavourable environmental conditions.  The techniques employed for hardening are; by watering the plant sparingly till it is not wilted and providing increased ventilation lowering of temperature also retards growth and adds to the hardening process.  These methods are employed according to the kind of the plants e.g. tomato, brinjal, and chillies are less hardy and they should not be hardened severely. Three phases of crop development

9. 3. Hardening  Vegetables like cabbage and lettuce can withstand low temperature. In hot region, hardening is done to withstand plants against possible burning due to sunshine, hot winds and deposition of warm sand, While in cold region hardening may develop protection against freezing. The process of hardening should be such that there is an assurance of high survival and slow growth under the conditions to be expected at the time of transplanting.  Conditions, withholding watering followed by shifting of the plants under partial shade or lath house is the best and practical method for hardening. Three phases of crop development

10. 3. Hardening  Over hardening should be avoided as it delays renewal of growth after setting out. Hardening should be gradual in order to prevent a severe check on growth or the possible killing of plant. It is better to maintain a moderate rate of growth through out the plant growing period than to have rapid growth up to the time of hardening and then check it suddenly. Three phases of crop development

11. 3. Hardening Hardening procedure increases the quantity and modifies the nature of colloids in the plant cells enabling them to resist the loss of water, increases the percentage of dry matter and sugars in the plant but decreases percentage of freezable water and transpiration per unit area of leaf, decreases the rate of growth in the plants, greater resistance to plasmolysis and deplasmolysis due to greater resistance to the injurious effects of the protoplasmic strain, (vii) hardened plants can withstand better against unfavourable conditions of transplanting such as lesser intakes of water, hot dry winds and low temperature. They tend to be hard and stiff rather than succulent. Three phases of crop development

12. Sow crops using germination and propagation. -Propagation Mulberry propagation -Germination using red chili Activity: