Resource Book on Horticulture Nursery Management

lemongrass, khus etc are important crops which are processed for their medicinal and
aromatic value. Many plants like mint, citronella, lemongrass, safed musali are grown
as commercial plantation by the farmers. Such plants are traded for their high value
oils and tuber powder.
Most of these medicinal and aromatic plants are supplied through nurseries of State
Agricultural Universities and nurseries established under the support of National
Medicinal Plants Board or under National Horticulture Mission.
� Wholesale and Retail Nurseries
The wholesale nurseries prepare the seedlings and grafts of various ornamentals and
fruit plants on a large scale and supply them to different small retail nurseries. Retail
nurseries procure these plants from the wholesalers in bulk quantities. They supply
these plants to individual customers after adding transportation, maintenance and
profit margins to the cost.
� Plant Tissue Culture and Secondary Hardening Nurseries
Various Plant Tissue Culture Laboratories produce tissue cultured plants of Banana
Gerbera, orchids, etc for commercial cultivation. The tissue culture plants are
produced aseptically under environmentally controlled conditions in glass jars and
bottles. The production of such tissue culture plants is called micropropagation. Most
of the tissue culture plants are highly sensitive to environmental stress and different
diseases and pests.
Such plants should therefore be hardened in shade net house conditions before they
are planted in the field. The rearing of such tissue culture plants at secondary stage is
called Hardening and the nurseries undertaking such hardening of tissue culture at
secondary stage before plantation are called Secondary Hardening Nurseries. The
secondary hardening nurseries are an important source of supply of tissue culture
hardened plants in different parts of the country. Additionally, it has become an
important source of employment for entrepreneurs.
� Plant Library Nurseries
The establishment of plant libraries is relatively a new concept. It is the supply of
different ornamental plants which is similar to the issue of books for the readers from
a library. The plant library supplies plants in to various landscapers and event
managers for cultural and social events, gatherings and functions. The customer pays
a fixed sum for the plants in order to beautifying the venue of the function. The plants
are returned back to the library after their purpose is served.
Different office establishments require ornamental plants, potted plants and bouquets
of flowers for beautification. This service is provided on rental basis. Such a system
of supply of ornamental plants to various office establishments generates employment
opportunities for entrepreneurs and nurserymen.
� Landscape Gardeners
Landscape gardener is a master gardener who supplies and undertakes plantation of
flowering trees, ornamental plants, shrubs, bushes etc for beautification of
surroundings, terrain or landscape based on shape, slope, location, type of soil etc.
The landscape gardeners provide basic groundwork for plantation of various
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