Plant propagation- course content

1. Introduction- objectives, history, definitions, classification: macro &

micropropagation
2. Macropropagation: Basic requirements- growing media, tools, materials,
structures
3. Environmental requirements- light, temperature, water, air, photoperiodism
4. Sexual propagation- principles of seed development, seed structure,
germination, etc
5. Principles of seed production- pollination, fertilization, etc
6. Seed collection, processing and handling techniques
7. Seed dormancy and viability
8. Factors affecting germination
9. Seed treatment and storage
10. Commercial production of seedlings- soil solarisation, nursery bed
preparation, sowing, use of pro trays, etc
11. Care of seedlings (watering, manuring, plant protection), hardening and
transplanting
12. Artificial seeds
13. Asexual reproduction- importance, clone and types
14. Importance of plant hormones in propagation
15. propagation by specialized stems and roots
16. Propagation through cuttings- types of cuttings, anatomical and physiological
basis of rooting
17. Processes of selecting, handling, and preparing cuttings
18. Propagation through layering- factors affecting regeneration by layering
19. Types of layering
20. Use of stolons, runners and offsets as propagules
21. Bulbs, corms, rooted crowns, etc as propagules
22. Grafting and budding - anatomical and physiological basis of formation of
graft/bud union
23. Time of grafting/budding, preparation of rootstock and scion/ bud wood
24. Different types of grafting
25. Rootstock-scion relationship- incompatibility, interstock, study of rootstocks
26. Top working, rejuvenation and renovating grafting
27. Different types of budding
28. Micropropagation/tissue culture- history, principles and applications
29. Media components, sterile technique, and laboratory equipment
30. Plant growth regulators and stocks preparation
31. Selection of explants- different type of cultures
32. Incubation, multiplication, organogenesis and regeneration
33. Acclimatization and planting out- care of tissue cultured plants in the field
34. Production of virus free planting materials- meristem culture, virus indexing
35. Post harvest handling, packaging and transport of tissue cultured plants
Practical
i) Familiarization with the media, tools, materials and structures for plant
propagation
ii) Techniques in seed production
iii) Seed anatomy and germination
iv) Study of seed dormancy and viability
v) Seed treatment
vi) Commercial production of seedlings in the nursery
vii) Study of specialized stem and root as propagules
viii) Preparation of plant hormones for treating cuttings and layers
ix) Techniques in cutting and layering
x) Grafting technique
xi) Budding technique
xii) Visit to a commercial nursery
xiii) in vitro propagation and preparation of media
xiv) Callus induction and subculturing
xv) Production of artificial seeds
xvi) Visit to commercial tissue culture lab

Days Content Remarks

1 Registration, orientation to the course
EDP 1
2-13 1. Introduction- objectives, history, definitions, Theory notes will be
classification: macro & micropropagation sent to the candidates
2. Macropropagation: Basic requirements- growing
media, tools, materials, structures
3. Environmental requirements- light, temperature,
water, air, photoperiodism
4. Sexual propagation- principles of seed development,
seed structure, germination, etc
5. Principles of seed production- pollination, fertilization,
etc
6. Seed collection, processing and handling techniques
14 Test 1: 15 min
Discussion: 30 min
EDP 2: 1 hour
Practicals:
i) Familiarization with the media, tools, materials and
structures for plant propagation
ii) Techniques in seed production
iii) Seed anatomy and germination
15-27 7. Seed dormancy and viability
8. Factors affecting germination
9. Seed treatment and storage
10. Commercial production of seedlings- soil solarisation,
 nursery bed preparation, sowing, use of pro trays, etc
11. Care of seedlings (watering, manuring, plant
protection), hardening and transplanting
12. Artificial seeds
28 Test 2: 15 min
Discussion : 30 min
EDP 3: 1 hour
Practicals:
iv) Study of seed dormancy and viability
v) Seed treatment
vi) Commercial production of seedlings in the nursery
29-41 13. Asexual reproduction- importance, clone and types
14. Importance of plant hormones in propagation
15. propagation by specialized stems and roots
16. Propagation through cuttings- types of cuttings,
anatomical and physiological basis of rooting
17. Processes of selecting, handling, and preparing
cuttings
18. Propagation through layering- factors affecting
regeneration by layering
42 Test 2: 15 min
Discussion : 30 min
EDP 4: 1 hour
Practicals:
vii) Study of specialized stem and root as propagules
viii) Preparation of plant hormones for treating cuttings
and layers
43-55 19. Types of layering
20. Use of stolons, runners and offsets as propagules
21. Bulbs, corms, rooted crowns, etc as propagules
22. Grafting and budding - anatomical and physiological
basis of formation of graft/bud union
23. Time of grafting/budding, preparation of rootstock and
scion/ bud wood
24. Different types of grafting