UPMSP Vocational Plant Nursery flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Nursery bed size

Standard raised nursery beds are about 1 m wide and 10-15 m long, raised 15-20 cm, with 30-45 cm paths. The width lets a worker reach the centre from either side without stepping on the bed.

Windbreak spacing rule

Rows of windbreak trees are spaced at about half the tree height apart, with individual trees one-quarter to one-third of tree height apart within the row, to give dense, effective shelter without overcrowding.

Shade net percentages

Shade nets are graded by the light they block: 25-50% for acclimatised stock, 50-75% for tender seedlings and tissue-culture plants, and 75-90% for very sensitive shade-loving species or newly potted material.

Tetrazolium viability test

A seed viability test in which live embryos stain red because dehydrogenase enzymes reduce the tetrazolium salt. It gives a viability percentage faster than a germination test and does not require sowing.

Stratification for dormancy

Moist chilling of seed, usually at 4-7 degrees Celsius for 4-12 weeks, to break physiological dormancy of species such as apple and many temperate forest trees, so that germination becomes uniform.

T-budding timing

T-budding or shield budding requires active sap flow so the bark slips and the bud shield can be inserted under the flaps. It is done in the growing season, unlike chip budding, which works when bark does not slip.

Rootstock sucker removal

Shoots growing from below the graft or bud union are rootstock suckers and must be removed, because they divert vigour and, if left, can overgrow and replace the scion cultivar entirely.

C:N ratio rule

Compost materials with a carbon-to-nitrogen ratio below about 25:1 release nitrogen, while those above 30:1 such as straw and sawdust tie up nitrogen during decomposition and slow the pile.

Cocopeat water holding

Cocopeat holds water at roughly eight to nine times its own weight and has near-neutral pH, but it is low in nutrients and high in potassium and sodium, so it must be buffered and fertilised before use.

Soil pH nutrient availability

Most plant nutrients are most available between pH 6.0 and 7.0. Above pH 7.5 iron and manganese become unavailable, and below pH 5.5 phosphorus locks up and aluminium may become toxic.

Compost maturity signs

Mature compost is dark, has an earthy smell, sits at ambient temperature, has a C:N ratio near 15-20:1, and passes a germination test showing no phytotoxicity to seedlings.

Irrigation water EC limits

Irrigation water with electrical conductivity below about 1 dS/m is safe for nursery use; 1-2 dS/m needs leaching, and above 2-3 dS/m is risky, especially for germinating seed and young seedlings.

Container air-filled porosity

A potting medium should keep roughly 20-30% of its volume as air at container capacity. Less air means waterlogged roots, poor oxygen supply and yellowing or wilting despite wet medium.

Roof water harvesting yield

Each millimetre of rainfall on one square metre of roof yields about 0.8 litres of collectable water, so a 100 square metre nursery roof gives roughly 80 litres per millimetre of rain.

Mist propagation humidity

Intermittent mist systems keep leaf surfaces wet and relative humidity at 80-95%, reducing transpiration from cuttings before roots form. Mist timing is adjusted to weather, not kept fixed.

Tool sterilisation between plants

Grafting and pruning tools are disinfected with 70% alcohol or sodium hypochlorite solution between plants to stop transmitting viruses and bacterial pathogens through contaminated blades.

Polyhouse day temperature

A polyhouse is managed to hold daytime temperature near 25-30 degrees Celsius. Above about 35 degrees with high humidity, growth and pollination decline, so ventilation, shading or fogging is used for cooling.

Damping-off causal organisms

Damping-off of seedlings is caused mainly by Pythium, Rhizoctonia and Phytophthora. It is prevented by sterilised media, avoiding overwatering and overcrowding, good airflow, and labelled fungicide drenches.

Sticky trap colours

Yellow sticky traps attract whiteflies and aphids, while blue traps attract thrips. Traps are used for early detection and mass trapping and are part of the physical component of integrated pest management.

Trichoderma use in nurseries

Trichoderma is a biocontrol fungus applied to potting media or as a drench that antagonises soil-borne pathogens such as Pythium and Rhizoctonia, reducing damping-off and root rot in nursery stock.

Nematode gall symptoms

Root-knot nematodes cause galls or swellings on roots, with stunted growth, yellowing and wilting under stress. Control uses solarisation, neem cake, rotation, resistant rootstocks and clean planting material.

Root trainer air pruning

Root trainer cavities have vertical ribs and open bottoms that air-prune roots, producing a fibrous root system instead of a circling one, which improves survival and reduces transplant shock after field planting.

Hardening nursery stock

Before dispatch, plants are hardened over 7-14 days by reducing irrigation and shade, cutting nitrogen, and exposing them to full sun, so they survive field conditions after transplanting.

Fruit plant grading criteria

Grafted fruit plants are graded on rootstock and scion cultivar identity, union quality, plant height and stem diameter, age, healthy foliage, and a firm intact root ball free of pests.

Bare-root versus container stock

Bare-root seedlings are lifted in dormancy and kept cool and moist in store, while container seedlings are lifted with the root plug intact and generally survive better on difficult planting sites.

Nursery dispatch labelling

Every consignment should carry cultivar name, rootstock, batch number, dispatch date, quantity and grower details. Mislabelling is a leading cause of customer disputes and rejection of nursery stock.

Pricing saleable plants

Nursery price should be set on saleable plants rather than plants propagated, because losses from germination failure, disease and unsold stock are high. Price equals cost plus overhead, wastage and margin.

Bare-root packing materials

Bare-root nursery stock is packed with moist cocopeat, sphagnum or similar material around the roots and kept cool, dark and moist in transit to prevent root desiccation before planting.

Nursery break-even point

The break-even point is the sales volume at which total revenue equals total cost, that is fixed costs divided by the contribution per plant, where contribution is price minus variable cost per plant.

Nursery working capital cycle

Nursery stock takes roughly 6-24 months from propagation to sale, so working capital must cover the whole production period plus a buffer of about 3-6 months for slow sales.

Nursery cash book record

A cash book records every receipt and payment with date, particulars and amount, and is reconciled with bank records. It is the base record from which the ledger and profitability statements are built.

Nursery risk diversification

Growing ornamental, fruit and forest crops together and staggering propagation dates spreads sales through the year and reduces the risk that one crop failure or market slump destroys nursery income.