Title : Protray nursery for establishing of hydroponics cultivation and crop suitable for Hydroponics and Vertical system

1. Protray nursery for establishing of
hydroponics cultivation and crop suitable for
Hydroponics and Vertical system
Dr.T. SHANMUGASUNDARAM,Ph.D.
Teaching Assistant (Hort.)
Horticultural College and Research Institute
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore

2. Protray Nursery
• A large number of seedlings can be
raised in minimum space & low cost to
get quality seedlings
• Commonly used to rise hybrid seedling,
since the hybrid seeds are more costlier.
• Popularity in urban cultivation (terrace /
roof garden vegetable cultivation)
• Very adoptive and easy technology to
growing vegetable seedlings in roof
garden compared to raised bed nursery.
• Raising raised bed nursery – land
requirement is essential
• Portray nursery it is not mandatory
Dr. T. Shanmugasundaram, Teaching Assistant

3. Advantages
• Natural damages to tender
seedlings - nursery stage -
minimized
• Vigour of seedlings is increased.
• Reduces transplanting shocks
• Plant mortality at the field is
extremely low
• Success rate of the planting
material is high
• Overall operating costs and labour
cost are less
• Inputs like water, fertilizers etc. are
low
• Enhanced germination and growth
rates Dr. T. Shanmugasundaram, Teaching Assistant

4. Merits of protray seedlings
• Expensive hybrid variety transplanting, could be
economic to a great extent
• Lower water consumption - transplanting period
• Long and branched root system
• Free of pests and their damage
• Healthy and fresh and intact plants organs
• Dark green leaves and short and thick shoots
Dr. T. Shanmugasundaram, Teaching Assistant

5. Protrays
Media & Pseudomonas
F1 hybrid seeds
Protected net house nursery
Materials required for raising protray nursery
Cont.,

6. Materials required for raising protray nursery
Bio-pesticides
Bio-fertilizers
Cont.,

7. Shade net
Mulching sheet
Dr. T. Shanmugasundaram, Teaching Assistant

8. Procedure of doing Protray Nursery
Dr. T. Shanmugasundaram, Teaching Assistant

9. Socked the required quantity of coco peat - a
day before night with the normal water in a
container

10. Removed the coco peat from the container
Pressing it lightly to remove the excess water
Keep it over the plastic sheet (avoid direct contact with the soil)

11. Minimum one hour – Mixed
it well in both the hands
Add 50% vermicompost in coco peat @ 2:1 ratio
Coco peat & vermicompost blended well & looks dark black in colour.

12. Filling of cocopeat in Protray
Fill the medium in the protray cavities (1.2 kg of cocopeat / one protray)

13. Sowing on Protrays
Dr. T. Shanmugasundaram, Teaching Assistant

14. Automated Protray filling and seeding machine
Dr. T. Shanmugasundaram, Teaching Assistant

15. Protrays
• The protrays of 98 cells (54 x 27cm) of 3.5 cm
diameter and 0.8mm thickness is normally used
and is ideal for seedling production.
Dr. T. Shanmugasundaram, Teaching Assistant

16. After sowing – watering the protray
Prepare the bed to keep the plug trays on it
Dr. T. Shanmugasundaram, Teaching Assistant

17. •Bed length - depends on the total number of protrays & space availability
•Kept in double row - easy operation
•Width of the bed - 3 feet
•Height of the bed - 6-8 inches
Dr. T. Shanmugasundaram, Teaching Assistant

18. •After bed preparation - spread mulching sheet over the bed (protect weeds &
prevent direct contact of soil)
•Keep the protrays over the bed in double rows –(easy handling)
•Putting nursery net over the bed (protect the seedlings from white fly, jassids &
aphids etc.) Dr. T. Shanmugasundaram, Teaching Assistant

19. Ten portrays were arranged one on the
other or arranged on the bed and
Covered by a polythene sheet
Kept as such for four days
Dr. T. Shanmugasundaram, Teaching Assistant

20. After seed germination – remove polythene sheet
Dr. T. Shanmugasundaram, Teaching Assistant

21. Winter Season – Remove polythene sheet (Day time)
Dr. T. Shanmugasundaram, Teaching Assistant

22. Cont.,
Dr. T. Shanmugasundaram, Teaching Assistant

23. Dr. T. Shanmugasundaram, Teaching Assistant

24. Dr. T. Shanmugasundaram, Teaching Assistant

25. Irrigate the nursery - once in a day - from 2nd day onwards (help of rose cane)
Number of irrigation - depends on the season & crop selection
Irrigation
Dr. T. Shanmugasundaram, Teaching Assistant

26. Protection of seedlings – Pest & Harmful environment
Dr. T. Shanmugasundaram, Teaching Assistant

27. Nursery - Overview
Dr. T. Shanmugasundaram, Teaching Assistant
Community Nursery

28. Nursery - Overview
Dr. T. Shanmugasundaram, Teaching Assistant

29. Correct stage of seedling - Transplanting
Dr. T. Shanmugasundaram, Teaching Assistant

30. Leafy vegetables Green Lettuce, Red Lettuce, Leek, Parsley,
Palak, Celery, Broccoli, Cabbage, Red
cabbage, Cauliflower, Leafy type Chinese
Cabbage etc.
Other than leafy vegetables Tomato, Chilli, Brinjal, Beet, Sweet pepper,
Cabbage, Cauliflower, cucumber, Melons,
Radish, Onion etc.
Crops suitable for hydroponics system
Lettuce cultivation through hydroponic system
Dr. T. Shanmugasundaram, Teaching Assistant

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43. Tomato cultivation
Dr. T. Shanmugasundaram, Teaching Assistant

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47. Brinjal cultivation
Dr. T. Shanmugasundaram, Teaching Assistant

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52. Dr. T. Shanmugasundaram, Teaching Assistant