Resource Book on Horticulture Nursery Management

� Discard nuts having irregular shape and size.
4. Standards for Production of Tissue Culture Plants
The standards have been set by the Department of Biotechnology for production of
different tissue culture plants like banana, apple, citrus, black pepper and vanilla.
Requirements for Banana Tissue Culture Production
1. All micropropagation and greenhouse facilities should have a changing area between
double doors.
2. Laboratory and greenhouse facilities used for production of plantlets shall be
maintained free of pests or vectors of banana pathogens.
3. Hygienic conditions shall be strictly observed during micropropagation, potting,
planting, irrigating, movement and use of equipment and other laboratory and
greenhouse practices to guard against the spread of diseases or pests in the facilities
used for banana plant multiplication.
4. The greenhouse must be „insect proof‟. It must be equipped with a double-door
entrance, provision for footwear disinfection prior to entering the protected
environment and insect proof ventilation screening on intakes and exhaust openings.
5. The material being initiated must be of a notified variety and confirmed identity. It
must be duly documented with respect to origin of plant material.
6. All samples of banana varieties being initiated should be tested in an accredited
laboratory and be free of Banana Bunchy Top Virus, Cucumber Mosaic Virus,
Banana Bract Mosaic Virus, Banana Streak Virus and other endophytic or epiphytic
fungi.
5. Minimum Quality Standards for growing of plants inside greenhouses/polyhouses
1. Effective sanitation practices for insect and disease prevention must be adhered to.
2. No field-produced banana plants can be grown in the protected environment along
with tissue cultured plants.
3. Varieties must be separated by physical barriers such as proper tagging, which will
prevent varietal mixture.
4. Before dispatch to the farmers, the tissue-cultured plants growing in the nursery
should be tested for the absence of the Banana Bunchy Top Virus, Cucumber Mosaic
Virus, Banana Bract Mosaic Virus, Banana Streak Virus and clonal uniformity.
5. If testing performed by an accredited laboratory reveals the presence of banned
viruses, fungus or bacteria the tissue-cultured plants should not be dispatched from
the premises of the production lab and the entire material should be destroyed.
� Government Support for Nursery
The Central Government and the State Government have different development
schemes for developing the supply of nursery plants from nurseries and provide
support for development of infrastructure as well as promote exports of plants
through nurseries.
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