NURSERY DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION OF QUALITY PLANTING MATERIAL
Vivekananda Institute of Biotechnology (VIB) has been developing its nursery activities with the objective of producing and supplying quality planting materials of ornamental, flowering, horticultural and other economically useful plants. The nursery serves as an important demonstration and extension facility for promoting improved plant propagation techniques and making quality planting material available to farmers, growers, institutions, rural entrepreneurs and interested individuals.
VIB has been producing and supplying a wide range of ornamental and flowering plants from its own nursery. Plantlets and planting materials are supplied to interested growers and individuals for plantation, landscaping, homestead gardening and commercial cultivation. These include Chrysanthemum cuttings, Dahlia planting materials, layers of China rose in different colours, Bougainvillea, grape planting materials, gladiolus corms, and a variety of indoor plants and ornamental species.
Recent Nursery Activities
In recent years, VIB has further strengthened its nursery-based activities with greater emphasis on the production of healthy, vigorous and plantation-ready plantlets. The nursery programme is being linked with VIB's expertise in plant propagation, tissue culture, organic inputs and sustainable crop production so that growers can obtain planting materials with better establishment potential.
Particular attention is being given to:
Integration with Tissue Culture and Plant Propagation
The nursery programme is also being strengthened through the integration of VIB's plant tissue culture and conventional propagation expertise. Tissue-cultured plantlets, after appropriate acclimatization and hardening, can be transferred to nursery conditions for further growth before being supplied for field plantation. This step is particularly important for ensuring that delicate in vitro-produced plantlets develop adequate root and shoot systems and become sufficiently robust to withstand transplantation and external environmental conditions.
The nursery therefore functions as an important bridge between laboratory-level plant production and successful field or landscape establishment. Proper hardening, nursery management, nutrition, irrigation and plant protection practices are adopted to improve plant survival and establishment.
Nursery as a Training and Demonstration Facility
In addition to production and supply, VIB's nursery provides an opportunity for practical training and demonstration on plant propagation and nursery management. Interested farmers, rural entrepreneurs, students and other stakeholders can learn about different propagation methods, mother-plant selection, preparation of planting materials, nursery management, hardening, plant nutrition and basic plant health management.
The facility can also support aspiring nursery entrepreneurs by demonstrating low-cost and practical methods of plant multiplication, thereby creating opportunities for self-employment and small-scale commercial nursery enterprises.
Future Focus
The future focus of VIB's nursery programme is to expand the range and volume of quality planting materials, strengthen mother-plant and germplasm maintenance, improve propagation and hardening protocols, and introduce additional commercially promising ornamental, flowering, horticultural and fruit plants according to demand.
Greater emphasis will also be placed on developing healthy, uniform and plantation-ready plantlets, reducing mortality after transplantation, promoting sustainable nursery practices through the use of organic inputs and bio-inputs, and strengthening linkages with farmers, growers, SHGs, rural entrepreneurs and institutional buyers.
Through these activities, VIB aims to establish its nursery as a reliable source of quality planting material, a centre for propagation technology demonstration and training, and a platform for promoting nursery-based entrepreneurship and livelihood generation.