This document provides information on irrigation, weed, nutrient, pest, and disease management for nursery plants. It discusses best practices for irrigation such as using sprinklers instead of flood irrigation. Weed management includes timely weeding and using decomposed organic matter instead of fresh compost. Nutrient management involves using organic fertilizers like compost and manures. Common pests like aphids, caterpillars, and diseases like damping off and powdery mildew are described along with symptoms and organic control methods.

1. PART 2
Dr. P.B. Dharmasena, National Consultant
European Union - Support to District
Development Programme (EU-SDDP)
February 2017

2. CONTENT - PART 2
Irrigation, weed and nutrient management
Management of pest, disease and natural enemies
Disposal of produce

3. Water is limiting factor under arid
ecosystem, meanwhile water is a
essential input of any commercial
nursery; therefore every care should be
taken for judicious utilization of every
drop of water.
No flood irrigation is recommended
under sandy soil.
 Sprinkler system of irrigation is suitable
for nursery plants. For a big nursery,
irrigation should be done in parts instead
of watering whole the nursery at a time.
If plants are raised in beds, the bed
should be kept fresh not wet. Too much
watering creates superficial root system.
The irrigation should be done either in
the morning or preferably in the evening.

4. The runoff collected in the ponds can
also be used for nursery. The waste
water containing pollutants, sediments,
debris and also saline water can be
recycled after necessary treatments.
Now a days, a better but costly method
of improving water quality is available
i.e. deionization process.
 The pH of irrigation water should be 6.5
to 7.5 and free from harmful salts.
For lowering down the pH, aluminum
sulphate and for increasing calcium
nitrate can be used.
Negligence of weeding may adversely
affect the health of the plants due to
competition for nutrients, moisture,
light and space.
Irrigation, weed and nutrient management

5. The weeds may also act as host for
different pest and disease.
Weeding in the nursery bed should
be done as early as possible. First
weeding is recommended soon after
germination, when soil is wet.
 Proper soil working and thinning
out of seedling in order to maintain
desired spacing should be done at
the time of weeding.
 Use of undecomposed compost or
FYM may also cause weed
infestation.
The frequency of weeding depends
upon intensity of weed population;
however, frequent weeding is
required during monsoon season.
Irrigation, weed and nutrient management

6. For development of healthy
stocks, proper nutrient
management is essential.
Fertility of seedbeds goes on
decreasing due to repeated
growing of plants in the beds,
which can be restored by
following proper rotation,
mixing of decomposed
materials, green manuring
and use of compost etc.
Irrigation, weed and nutrient management

7. Important organic manures, which
are used for nursery bed as: Farm
Yard Manure (FYM), compost, leaf
moulds, oil cakes and wood ash.
 The organic manure is incorporated
in to the soil beds or as filling
mixture for the containers before
sowing seeds.
Use of organic manures have added
advantages in sandy and degraded
soils. In recent years use of vermi-
compost is also becoming popular.
Application of inorganic fertilizers in
nursery is not so common but
initially small amount of N, P and K
can be given for fair growth and
development of nursery plants.
Irrigation, weed and nutrient management

8. These fertilizers are applied
only after irrigation because
due to lack of moisture, they
will become ineffective.
Foliar feeding up to limited
extent can also be given. Even
in cases of deficiency
symptoms, liquid fertilizers can
be applied.
 In nursery management, there
is additional advantage that the
waste materials can be
composted in a corner of the
nursery and utilized as and
when desired.
Irrigation, weed and nutrient management

9. (i) Pests
Termite
The termite is a major problem in arid
region. The damage by termite is
under­ground and mainly in upper
workable soil depth. They damage
the root portion; affected plants turn
yellowish showing wilting of leaves
and tender twigs and ultimately plant
dries. The symptom is judged by
dumbbell­shaped region near the root
collar and ring barking.
For control— keep the nursery clean,
no wood debris should be left in
nursery area, do not use
undecomposed organic manures

10. Pest and diseses in Nursery Management
Aphids Caterpillar
Mealy bugs
Spider mites

11. Pest and diseases in Nursery Management
Thrips White flies
Fungus Gnats Slugs

12. Pest and diseases in Nursery Management
Soft scales Bacterial diseases
Botrytis blight Crown and root rot diseases

13. Pest and diseases in Nursery Management
Damping off disease
Fungal leaf spots
Fusarium wilt Powdery mildew

14. Pest and diseases in Nursery Management
Rhizoctonia web blight
Rusts
Viruses

15. Cutworms (Agrotis ipsilon): Cutworms
are restless feeders and wander here and
there in search of food. They damage
the seedlings soon after germination.
Generally, they cut the young plants
during night. They also damage bud,
leaves and tender shots.
For control— remove the weeds from the
nursery, where cutworms hide,
irrigation and digging the soil also
reduce their population
Defoliators: There is a group of minor
pests causing defoliation of young
seedling, rolling of leaves, feeding on
leaf tissues etc.
Management of pest, disease and natural enemies

16. (ii) Diseases
Damping-off: The plants in nursery
are often affected by this disease. A
group of fungi is responsible for
damping off the seedlings. The
disease is so serious that it may
destroy the entire nursery stock in
one season. Mostly damping off
occurs at tender stage of seedlings.
The seedlings topple down and dry
up.
Collar rot: Some times nursery
plants affected by collar rot and root
rot problems. The fungus is air
borne and infects in collar region of
the plants.
Others: In arid region, there is
problem of rats and birds, which
should also be controlled as and
when desired
Management of pest, disease and natural enemies

17. Common diseases and pests, symptoms, prevention, and
treatment measures
Pest How To Monitor Prevention Signs and
Symptoms
Biological and Organic
Control Options
Aphids Monitor 2 times
weekly. Look on
underside of leaves
and on tips of new
stems.
Shoot prune vigorous
tender growth as
needed. Watch for
outbreaks in early
summer months.
Plants have distorted
new growth, sticky
honey dew, and sooty
mold.
Use aphid midges, aphid
parasites, lady bugs, Safer
soap applied every 6 days,
pyrethrins.
Bacterial
diseases
Inspect new plants
coming into
greenhouse. Look for
water-soaked,
dark brown to black
leaf spots on leaves
and wilted stem tips.
Confirm diagnosis
with a laboratory.
Increase spacing
between containers as
crop grows larger.
Water only in the
morning or use sub-
irrigation. Keep
humidity low
Plants are stunted
with swollen or
misshapen leaves.
Look for water-soaked
leaf spots or angular
lesions on the stems.
Remove infected leaves
as soon as problem is
detected. Isolate infected
trays of plants from the rest
of the crop.

18. Common diseases and pests, symptoms, prevention, and
treatment measures
Pest How To Monitor Prevention Signs and
Symptoms
Biological and Organic
Control Options
Botrytis
blight
Concentrate
monitoring where crop
is closely spaced and
air circulation is poor,
and on tender leafy
species. Look for die-
back, stem cankers,
and powdery gray
mold on leaves.
Increase spacing
between containers as
crops grows larger.
Water only in the
morning or use sub-
irrigation. Keep
humidity low
Plants have leaf
blights, stem cankers,
gray mold.
Apply Trichoderma
harzianum (Plant Shield),
Streptomyces griseoviridis
(Mycostop).
Caterpillars If moths are seen in
the greenhouse, look
for caterpillars. Look
for fecal droppings,
bites taken out of
leaves and webbing
(tent caterpillars).
Screening. If damage is seen,
look for caterpillars
under containers or in
growing media. Many
caterpillars feed at
night and hide during
the day.
Apply BT Bacillus
thuringiensis ssp. Kurstaki
(Pro DF) as needed,
pyrethrins.

19. Common diseases and pests, symptoms, prevention, and
treatment measures
Pest How To Monitor Prevention Signs and
Symptoms
Biological and Organic
Control Options
Crown and
root rots
Monitor weekly for
wilted, off-colored
plants with discolored
root systems. Pay
attention to media that
stays wet.
Check soluble salt
levels.
Do not overwater
crop. Increasing
spacing between
containers as crop
grows larger. Keep
humidity low.
Plants are stunted,
wilted, and off-color.
Roots are discolored
and turn
brown or black. Main
stem becomes weak
and water soaked in
appearance.
Apply Trichoderma
harzianum (Plant Shield,
Root Shield), Trichoderma
virens (Soil Guard),
Streptomyces griseoviridis
(Mycostop).

20. Common diseases and pests, symptoms, prevention, and
treatment measures
Pest How To Monitor Prevention Signs and Symptoms Biological and Organic
Control Options
Damping-off
disease
Monitor daily during
germination and
establishment phases.
Look for seeds that do
not germinate and
seedlings that collapse
at soil line just after
emergence. Discard
infected containers
immediately.
Cleanse seeds and
growing area.
Use sterile media and
containers.
Avoid over-sowing,
crowding of seedlings, or
planting seeds too
deeply. Keep green-
house and media
temperatures warm
during germination and
establishment. Keep
humidity low.
Seeds do not germinate;
seedlings collapse at
soil line just after
emergence.
Dark dead spots appear
on stems at soil line of
emerged seedlings.
Infected plants may later
develop crown and root
rot.
Use Trichoderma harzianum
(Plant Shield, Root Shield),
Trichoderma virens (Soil
Guard).

21. Common diseases and pests, symptoms, prevention, and
treatment measures
Pest How To Monitor Prevention Signs and Symptoms Biological and Organic
Control Options
Fungal leaf
spots
Monitor weekly for leaf
spots. With a hand lens,
look for small fungal
fruiting bodies. Confirm
problem with a
laboratory.
Use mesh benches to
encourage airflow.
irrigation. Keep
greenhouse floor clean
and free of pooled water.
Water only in the morning
or use sub-irrigation. Do
not overwater crop. Keep
humidity low. Increase
spacing between
containers as crop grows
larger.
Alternaria leaf spots
are usually brown
or black with a yellow
border. Septoria leaf
spots are small gray to
brown with a dark
brown edge.
Apply Trichoderma harzianum
(Plant Shield). Remove infected
leaves as soon as problem is
detected. Isolate infected trays
of plants from the rest of the
crop.

22. Common diseases and pests, symptoms, prevention, and
treatment measures
Pest How To Monitor Prevention Signs and Symptoms Biological and Organic
Control Options
Fungus gnats Monitor every other day,
especially during
germination and
establishment phases.
Look for tiny winged flies
near growing
media surface. Use
yellow sticky cards to
detect adults.
Keep greenhouse floor
clean and free of pooled
water and algae, do not
overwater crop. Use
yellow sticky cards and a
good seed mulch.
Plants have weak or
stunted growth, seeds
that do not germinate,
root damage on
seedlings.
Apply BT Bacillus thuringiensis
ssp. israeliensis Gnatrol)
applied every 7 days as a
drench, mite predators,
parasitic nematodes.

23. Common diseases and pests, symptoms, prevention, and
treatment measures
Pest How To Monitor Prevention Signs and Symptoms Biological and Organic
Control Options
Fusarium wilt Look for downward
bending leaves or
“cupping” of leaf
margins. Can be
confused with water
stress, root rot. Send
sample to laboratory to
confirm.
Use mesh benches
to encourage airflow. Do
not overwater crop. Keep
humidity low
Leaves cup downward
or stems bend in a
crook. In later stages,
brown streaks can be
seen on the leaves.
Orange spores may be
on stem.
Apply Trichoderma harzianum
(Plant Shield, Root
Shield),Streptomyces
griseoviridis
(Mycostop) as a soil drench.
Remove and isolate infected
plants as soon as problem is
detected.
Mealy bugs Look for small, ova l,
soft-bodied insects
covered with a white,
wax-like layer on the
underside of leaves.
Plants may have white
cottony residue. Sticky
honeydew on leaves and
sooty mold may develop
Use predatory beetles, parasitic
wasps; pyrethrins

24. Common diseases and pests, symptoms, prevention, and
treatment measures
Pest How To Monitor Prevention Signs and Symptoms Biological and Organic
Control Options
Powdery
mildew
Monitor weekly. Inspect
susceptible species.
Look in areas near vents
or any location with a
sharp change between
day and night
temperatures. Use a
hand lens to see white,
powdery threads and
spores.
Place susceptible species
where drastic changes in
temperatures do
not occur. Water only in
the morning or use sub
irrigation. Keep humidity
low . Increase spacing
between containers as
crop grows larger.
Plants may have white
powdery fungal growth
on upper or lower leaf
surfaces. If severe, white
coating can be seen on
foliage.
Remove infected leaves as
soon as detected. Move
infected plants to structure with
more constant temperatures.
Treat with Neem oil,
horticultural oil, Safer soap. Try
test tray first. Can also use
sulfur fungicide as an organic
fungicide. Some plants are
sensitive to sulfur injury so use
lowest rate recommended. Do
not apply within 2 weeks of an
oil spray treatment.
Rhizoctonia
web blight
Monitor leafy
herbaceous plants,
especially where they
are closely spaced. Look
for cob-webby growth
that mats leaves
Use mesh benches to
encourage airflow. Place
susceptible crops near
vents and fans. Increase
spacing between
containers as crop grows
Stems and leaves may
collapse and turn to
mush with fine, web like
fungal strands on the
plant tissue and at soil
line.
Use Trichoderma harzianum
(Plant Shield, Root Shield).

25. Common diseases and pests, symptoms, prevention, and
treatment measures
Pest How To Monitor Prevention Signs and Symptoms Biological and Organic
Control Options
Rusts Look for yellow and
rusty orange spots on
the upper and lower leaf
surface.
Group susceptible
species where
temperature and humidity
can be easily controlled.
Increase spacing
between containers as
crop grows larger. Keep
humidity low
Rust brown spots or
stripes may be seen on
lower and upper leaf
surface.
Isolate plants immediately.
Slugs Look for chewed holes
on leaves and trails of
slime. Slugs hide under
dense foliage and under
containers and benches.
Keep plants on
raised benches or pallets.
Space containers as
needed so that slugs can
be detected easily.
Plants may have
chewed holes on leaves
with smooth edges and
slime that dries into
silvery
trails on foliage.
Pick slugs off plants. Keep
containers on benches. Use
saucers filled with beer to
attract slugs away from plants.

26. Common diseases and pests, symptoms, prevention, and
treatment measures
Pest How To Monitor Prevention Signs and Symptoms Biological and Organic
Control Options
Soft scales Look for yellow brown to
dark brown scale insects
along veins and stems.
Honeydew and sooty
mold develop if scales
are present.
Plants may have light-
yellow Use predatory
mites, predatory
Use parasitic wasps, Safer
soap,
pyrethrins.
Spider mites Look on undersides of
leaves especially along
veins. Use a hand lens
to look for webbing, egg
clusters, and red adult
mites. Look in areas of
that are hot and dry,
near the heaters and
vents.
Lower greenhouse
temperatures and raise
humidity levels,
especially in the south
and west edges of the
greenhouse and near
vents and furnaces.
Plants may have light-
yellow flecking of leaves,
discolored foliage. Leaf
drop and webbing occur
during outbreaks and
severe infestation.
Use predatory mites, predatory
midges. Apply Safer soap every
6 days

27. Common diseases and pests, symptoms, prevention, and
treatment measures
Pest How To Monitor Prevention Signs and Symptoms Biological and Organic
Control Options
Thrips Use blue or yellow
sticky cards placed just
above canopy foliage for
detection.
Increase container
spacing on leafy crops as
needed to detect
problems early.
Plants may have
distortion of new leaves,
buds, and shoot tips.
White scars on
expanded leaves.
Use predatory mites, pirate
bugs, lacewings, Safer soap,
and pyrethrins.
Viruses Monitor weekly. Inspect
all incoming plants.
Send sample to
laboratory to
confirm.
Usually not a problem
with native plants; can be
a problem on cultivated
varieties, ornamentals,
plants grown by tissue
culture.
Look for mosaic patterns
on foliage, leaf crinkle or
distortion, streaking,
chlorotic spots and
distinct yellowing of
veins
and stunted plants.
None. Remove and discard all
infected plants immediately.
Thoroughly clean area of
greenhouse where infected
plants were growing.
White flies Use yellow sticky cards
to detect adults. Look for
adults on the uppermost
tender leaves. Immature
larvae are found on
the underside of leaves.
Plants may have
distorted new shoot and
leaf growth.
Use predatory beetles,
whitefly parasites, Safer
soap applied every 7
days; pyrethrins.
White flies Use yellow sticky
cards to detect adults. Look for
adults on the uppermost tender
leaves. Immature
larvae are found on
the underside of leaves.

28. Disposal of produce also requires skillful
management, otherwise whole efforts are futile. It
requires timely action so that users may get quality-
planting materials at proper time and at the same
time, producer may gain the desired returns.
Sometimes, planting materials remain unsold if
they are produced delayed in the season. Further,
keeping them for longer period in the nursery may
not only involve additional expenditure but the
quality of planting materials reduced due to coiling
of roots and over growth of plants.
The nursery manager must contact the users and
even he should do advance booking. The planting
stocks are delicate; hence they should be handled
carefully.

29. The planting materials raised either in beds or in polybags should be lifted
properly; unwanted foliage should be removed to minimize transpiration
losses.
They should be graded based on size, age, vigour etc. and packed in such a
way that roots remain moist.
For wrapping of the planting stocks, grasses, straw, perforated polythene,
gunny bags, moss grass etc. are generally used as packing materials.
Now a days wooden or perforated paper boxes are used for long distance
transit.
Disposal of produce

30. There should be
minimum time gap
between lifting of the
stock from the nursery
and planting at desired
site. To avoid exposure
to sun, the planting
materials should be
lifted from the nursery
in the evening and
planted on the next
day.
Disposal of produce