Nursery Management and Propagation Techniques
Domain 5 tests how to raise uniform, healthy planting material and how to propagate plants safely. The exam links nursery layout and media with sexual and asexual methods, including grafting and budding.
Core rules
- Choose a nursery site with reliable water, good drainage, sunlight and clean soil. Raise beds to avoid waterlogging during monsoon.
- Nursery media should drain well yet hold moisture. Sterilize or solarize media when disease history is a risk.
- Sow seed at the correct depth and thin or prick out seedlings to reduce competition. Label seed lots and record dates.
- Asexual methods include cuttings, layering, grafting, budding, division and micropropagation. Each preserves the parent genotype.
- In grafting, the rootstock supplies roots and the scion supplies the canopy. Cambial layers must align and the union must be protected from drying.
- Harden nursery plants before field planting by gradually reducing shade and water.
Worked example
A nursery worker grafts mango. A healthy seedling rootstock is selected, a scion stick of the desired cultivar is prepared, and matching cuts expose the cambium on both parts. The scion is inserted, tied firmly and covered to reduce moisture loss. The union succeeds only if the cambium is in contact and the graft is kept from drying. Once new shoots emerge from the scion, the rootstock shoots below the union are removed.
Traps that cost marks
Do not reverse scion and rootstock. Do not use diseased scion wood. Do not expose a fresh graft to full sun. Do not confuse budding with layering. Do not skip hardening before transplanting.