PROJECT REPORT

ON

ESTABLISHMENT OF SHADE NET NURSERY FOR PRODUCTION

OF HYBRID VEGETABLE SEEDLINGS

Principal Investigator

Dr. V. SUNDARAM
Associate Professor (Horticulture)

PANDIT JAWAHARLAL NEHRU COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND

RESEARCH INSTITUTE,
Serumavilangai, Nedungadu (PO), KARAIKAL 609 603.
 PROJECT REPORT

ON

ESTABLISHMENT OF SHADE NET NURSERY FOR PRODUCTION OF

HYBRID VEGETABLE SEEDLINGS

Principal Investigator

Dr. V. SUNDARAM
Associate Professor (Horticulture)

Department of Horticulture
PANDIT JAWAHARLAL NEHRU COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND
RESEARCH INSTITUTE,
Serumavilangai, Nedungadu (PO), KARAIKAL 609 603.
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Realising the importance of production and distribution of quality planting materials

of vegetables, the Department of Science, Technology and Environment (DSTE),
Government of Puducherry had readily accepted the project proposal on "Establishment of
shade net nursery for production of hybrid vegetable seedlings" at PAJANCOA &RI and
sanctioned a Grant in Aid of Rs.70,000/-. I owe my special gratitude to them.
I place on record my sincere thanks to Dr. G. Mohamed Yassin, Professor and Head,
Department of Horticulture and one of the co-principal investigators of the project for his
guidance and motivation in submission and execution of the project. I express my sincere
thanks to Dr. K.A. Shanmuga Sundaram, Assistant Professor (Horticulture) and
co-principal investigator of this project for his valuable suggestions and continued support in
timely completion of the project.
I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. E. Suburayalu, Associate Professor of
Agricultural Engineering for his immense help in fabrication of the frame work of the
structure.
My thanks are also due to the Collector cum Dean of this Institute, my department
colleagues and all the other members of staff who have directly and indirectly contributed for
the success of this project.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Place: KARAIKAL
Date:
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page
S.No. Particulars
Number

1 Introduction 01

2 Objectives of the project 02

3 Methodology adopted 03

4 Budget utilisation 05

5 Activites undertaken 06

6 Expenditure Statement 06

Photographs

News report / Publication

 PROJECT REPORT ON
"ESTABLISHMENT OF SHADENET NURSERY FOR RAISING HYBRID
VEGETABLE SEEDLINGS"
FUNDED BY THE DSTE (GOVERNMENT OF PUDUCHERRY)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I. INTRODUCTION
Vegetables play a significant role in providing quality food and nutritional security as
well as poverty alleviation. They are embedded with vitamins, proteins, minerals,
carbohydrates and fibers. The population of the country is constantly increasing day by day.
Therefore, the daily requirement of the vegetables will also grow simultaneously. Hence,
there is need for overall development and expansion in vegetable production. It has now been
realised that to achieve higher production levels, productivity has to be increased through the
adoption of hybrid varieties and improved production technology. Presently, the commercial
vegetable growers are quite aware about the importance of hybrid varieties as they are high
yielding, uniform in maturity and can tolerate the impact of abiotic and biotic stresses
and have better quality produce as compared to standard varieties / cultivars. Though the
seeds of many hybrids are made available to the farmers, they lack the technical know how of
producing quality seedlings. Hence the production and timely distribution of quality seedlings
of vegetables would pave a better way to achieve the targeted production.
With this back ground the present project entitled "Establishment of Shade net
nursery for raising hybrid vegetable seedlings" was submitted to the DSTE by the
Department of Horticulture of PAJANCOA&RI, Karaikal and the same was sanctioned with
a grant in aid of Rs. 70,000/-. A brief report of the project activities is summarised.

Name and address of the Principal investigator of the project

Dr. V. Sundaram
Associate Professor (Horticulture)
Department of Horticulture
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru College of Agriculture and Research Institute
Serumavilangai, Nedungadu (PO)
KARAIKAL 609 603.
Phone Number: (O) 04368 261372 (Ext. 409) / Mobile 9486767090
e mail: sundaramsvn@yahoo.co.in

1
Name and addresses of the Co Principal Investigators
1. Dr. G. Mohamed Yassin
Professor and Head (Horticulture)
Department of Horticulture
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru College of Agriculture and Research Institute
Serumavilangai, Nedungadu (PO)
KARAIKAL 609 603.
Phone Number: 04368 261372 (Ext. 409)

2. Dr. K.A. Shanmuga Sundaram

Assistant Professor (Horticulture)
Department of Horticulture
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru College of Agriculture and Research Institute
Serumavilangai, Nedungadu (PO)
KARAIKAL 609 603.
Phone Number: 04368 261372 (Ext. 409)
e mail: kassundaram@yahoo.co.in

II. OBJECTIVES
The production of good quality seedlings is very much essential for getting higher
yield and quality of any crop. In the past, the farmers themselves used to produce the
seedlings required for transplanting at a lower cost, as most of the vegetable varieties were of
open pollinated types. Now a days, intensive vegetable cultivation using high yielding F1
hybrids is being taken up by many progressive farmers to augment productivity. As the seeds
of hybrids are sold at very high price, converting every individual seed into a healthy seedling
becomes essential and this requires intensive nursery management. Vegetable seedling
production is taken up by specialised companies or as a specialised activity in most of the
advanced countries.
In India too, the production of vegetable seedling is gradually changing from open
field nurseries to protected raised bed or seedling tray production in some of the intensive
vegetables growing areas. Seedling production as a specialised practice is also fast catching
up. However, establishment of shade net nursery by every individual farmer owning a small
piece of land under vegetable cultivation is not practically feasible and economically viable.
Such farmers had to depend only on commercial nurseries for getting hybrid vegetable
seedlings to meet their requirement. Establishment of a shade net nursery for production of
seedlings of F1 hybrids of vegetables would be of greater help to meet the growing demand
for vegetable hybrid seedlings in and around Karaikal and with this major objective the
project was proposed.
2
The establishment of a protective shade net nursery at the Department of Horticulture of this
Institute will serve the following benefits.
1. Production and distribution of healthy, uniform, disease free hybrid vegetable
seedlings to the farming community in and around Karaikal
2. To serve as a Training cum demonstration unit for unemployed youth to motivate
them for establishing community nurseries
3. Encourage and equip the students of Agriculture to start their own small scale
ventures in hybrid seedling production under protected structures leading to self
employment and to generate more jobs.
4. Generation of additional income to the Institute by sale of seedlings.
III. BUDGET ALOTTED
Rs.70, 000/- Grant in Aid
IV. PROJECT DURATION
One Year (2008-09)

V. METHODOLOGY ADOPTED

a. Establishment of a shade net nursery

A shade net nursery of 20 m x 10m dimension was erected using GI pipes as a
support. UV stabilized HDPE shade net of 50 per cent shade intensity is used to cover the
nursery area at a height of 6.5 feet. Wire grid is provided at the top of the structure as support
for shade net. To prevent insect entry, 40 mesh UV stabilized nylon insect proof net is fitted
on all the four sides of the nursery. Provision is also made to pull polythene sheet over the
pro-trays in the event of rainfall by way of making low tunnel structure. For preparing low
tunnel structure, 3/4" LLDPE pipes and 400 gauge UV stabilized polyethylene sheet were
used.
b. Seedling production using seedling trays
Seedling production of F1 hybrids of tomato, Chillies, capsicum, cauliflower and
brinjal as well as flowering annuals, using seedling trays with coco peat as media could be
used. Presently the seedlings of vegetables are raised and distributed to the beneficiaries
under Precision Farming Project of Government of Puducherry at Karaikal, which would
realise income to the Institute farm. Sterilized commercial coco peat is being used as growing
media, as it reduces the incidence of seedling diseases and contains right amount of moisture
in it. The coco peat is a by-product of coir industry and it has high
3
water holding capacity. As it contains low nutrients and high lignin content foliar feeding of
water soluble fertilisers is practiced.

c. Raising and Management

The seedling tray (pro tray) is filled with the growing medium (coco peat)
A small depression (0.5 cm) is made with fingertip in the center of the cell of the pro
tray for sowing.
One seed per cell is sown and covered with medium.
Coco peat with 300 to 400 per cent moisture is used and hence no immediate
irrigation is required until germination.
After sowing 10 trays are kept one over other for 3 to 6 days, depending on the crops.
The entire stack will be covered using polyethylene sheet to ensure conservation of
moisture until germination. The stacked trays are spread once the germination
commences to avoid etiolation.
The trays are shifted to net house on germination of seedlings and spread over the
beds
The trays are irrigated lightly every day depending upon the prevailing weather
conditions by using a fine sprinkling rose can or with hose pipe fitted with rose..
Drenching the trays with fungicides as a precautionary measure against seedling
mortality is also being done.
Spraying of 0.3 per cent (3g / litre) water soluble fertilizer using poly feed (19 all
with trace elements) twice (12 and 20 days after sowing) is practiced to enhance the
growth of the seedlings.
The trays are provided with protective cover from rain by covering with polyethylene
sheets in the form of low tunnel whenever it rains.
The seedlings at right stage of planting are hardened by withholding irrigation and
reducing the shade before transplanting or selling to the growers.
Systemic insecticides are sprayed 7 - 10 days after germination and before
transplanting for managing the insect vectors.
The seedlings would be ready in about 21-42 days for transplanting to the main field
depending upon the crop.
4
Training programmes organised
One of the objectives of establishing the structure being developing entrepreneurship
skill among the students, unemployed youth and progressive farmers, a training programme
was organised on 26.03.2009 in which 32 farmers of various communes of Karaikal had
participated. The Department of Agriculture, Karaikal had communicated the selected
beneficiaries for attending the training programme. The technique of raising pro tray
seedlings in different stages were explained and demonstrated to the trainees. The cost of
production of seedlings was also explained to them. The trainees were not only given class
room teaching but were taken to the nursery for demonstration of pro tray seedling
production. The trainees were also involved in raising the seedlings through pro trays.
The undergraduate students especially those attending the cafeteria course on nursery
management are also intensively trained on pro tray nursery raising of vegetables to build
their confidence in starting commercial venture on nursery.
VI. BUDGET UTILISATION
Quarter wise fund utilisation
I quarter - Nil
II quarter - Rs.27, 285/-
III quarter - Rs.19, 826/-
IV quarter - Rs.22, 889/-

Pattern of Utilisation
Budget from the Project
1. Purchase of materials for erection
of the frame work as well as for
laying foundation
Contribution by the institute
1. Cost of the shade net for the structure
(200 m2)

2. Labour for fabrication work
2. Labour for erection of the frame work,
construction of a protective base
structure, painting work, stitching and
spreading of shade net and insect proof
net

3. Cost of insect proof net, protray 3. Cost of Seeds, Fertilisers and Plant
(250 No. of 98 cell and 50 No. of Protection Chemicals for raising the
50 cell) and 500 kg of coco peat seedlings

4. Purchase of training materials and 4. Care and maintenance of the seedlings till
printing of a booklet in Tamil on sale / planting
protray nursery management
5
VII. QUARTER WISE WORK DONE

QUARTER WORK ACCOMPLISHED

I Site selection, designing the structural frame work, gathering information on
the availability and cost of materials to be procured.
II Assembling materials for erection of the structure has commenced.
III Skeleton structure for the shade net nursery was formed.
Shade net nursery erection work was completed. Materials required for raising
IV seedlings were assembled. Training handout in tamil was prepared and training
to farmers and students were organised.

VIII. STATEMENT SHOWING THE EXPENDITURE INCURRED TOWARDS

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECT

Expenditure
S.No.
Item Amount (Rs.)
I Construction of the structure
01 Cost of GI pipes 20,985.00
02 Cost of GI wire 6,300.00
03 Cost of Flat / 'L' angle 613.00
04 Cost of Iron rod 570.00
05 Cost of Bolt, nut, GI coupler and end cap 782.00
06 Cost of Cement, sand, Jally 13,241.00
07 Cost of Insect Proof Net 5,010.00
08 Cost of Paint, emery sheet, brush, cutting 635.00
09 rod, hack
Labour saw blade,
charges cemwork
for lathe etc. 2,830.00
10 HDP yarn 412.00
Total (A) 51378.00
II Purchase of nursery materials
01 Cost of Protrays 4,400.00
02 Cost of Polysheet for rain proof covering 1,900.00
03 Cocopeat 3,950.00
Total (B) 10,250.00
III Organising Training Programme
01 Printing of booklet in Tamil 3,500.00
02 Stationaries / training materials 2,132.00
Total (C) 5,632.00
IV Miscellaneous 3,065.00
Grand Total 70,325.00*
*Amount in excess of 70,000 was utilised from the accrued interest

6
1. ENGINEERING THE STRUCTURE STAGES OF CONSTRUCTION

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8

9 10 11

12 13

1- SELECTED SITE / 2 PITTING IN PROGRESS / 3 FASTENED GI PIPES / 4 FOUNDATION /

5 TO 7 FASTENED GI PIPES / 8 OVER HEAD GI WIRE NET WORK / 9 AND 10 LEAN SUPPORT /
11 FRAME WORK OF THE STRUCTURE / 12 SHADE NET SPREADING /
13 COVERING SIDES WITH INSECT PROOF NET
 2. STAGES OF SEEDLING PRODUCTION INSIDE THE STRUCTURE

3
1

4 5 6

7 8 9

10 11 12

1- RAISED BEDS INSIDE THE STRUCTURE / 2 PROTRAY FOR SOWING / 3 FILLED TRAYS /
4 SOWING OF SEEDS IN TRAYS / 5STACKING OF TRAYS /
6 COVERING STACKED TRAYS WITH POLY SHEET / 7 GERMINATING SEEDS / 8 ARRANGING ON BEDS /
9 11 SEEDLINGS / 12 WELL DEVELOPED ROOT SYSTEM
 3. TRAINING OF FARMERS AND STUDENTS

1 2

3 4

6
5

1 AND 2 - TRAINING TO FARMERS IN PROGRESS / 3 - FARMERS INSIDE THE STRUCTURE /

4 DEMONSTRATION ON PROTRAY SOWING / 5 DOING WHAT HE HAS LEARNT
6 TRAINED STUDENTS AT WORK INSIDE THE STRUCTURE
4. A PANORAMIC VIEW OF THE SHADE NET STRUCTURE