FL20103 Plant Production Technology: Mini project

General guidelines for plant production mini project

The mini project is a practical exercise conducted throughout the semester by applying
the various techniques of plant production technology. Select one or more plants to
demonstrate each propagation method. You are required to do additional reading and
reference on the type of plants that you have selected and the different method of
propagations used. The plants selected can be planted in grow bags, containers,
propagation beds, etc. Regular monitoring and maintenance of the plants such as
watering, weeding, and removal of dead or diseased plants, weed, pest and disease
control, and fertilizing should be conducted. You are required to work in a group of 5 to
6 persons. You are expected to bring in your own materials in addition to making use of
available materials at the nursery. All students are responsible for maintaining their
project, making your own arrangements to borrow or utilize existing materials and
facility, and to allocate time in your schedule to conduct the project.
Propagation Journal
The group is required to keep a journal throughout the whole project. A science journal
is the objective account of what you have done and the observed results. The writing
should be such that someone else could replicate your project and expect to obtain
similar results. Keep a photographic record of your activities to help you keep track on
the progress of your propagation. Your propagation journal should include the following:

Introduction and Purpose of the project

Methodology: Procedures and materials
- describe method of propagation and technique
Results and discussion: Daily record of your observations, analysis-results,
discussion-what happened, why propagation succeed or fail.
- describe the plant, method of reproduction, requirement for plant growth
- discuss and compare different propagation methods
Project summary Conclusions and suggestions
References

Materials Needed
You can make use of materials available in the nursery. You are encouraged to bring in
sample materials for your propagation projects.
i.

Propagation by Seeds
A seed consists of an embryo, nutrients, and a protective seed coat. If the
appropriate conditions for germination are provided: growing medium, appropriate
temperature, and adequate moisture, most seeds germinate to continue the life
history of their species. Some seeds have very specific requirements for
germination, which may include exposure to a period of cold or soil moisture
before germinating. Such requirements are generally listed on seed packets, along
with advice on planting depth and seed spacing. If you plan to transplant your
seedlings, it is best to start them in a porous soil to minimize root damage when
you move them. Start with at least a number of seeds, including different kinds, in
your propagation flats.
e.g. Acacia seeds, rubber seeds, etc.

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FL20103 Plant Production Technology: Mini project

ii.

Vegetative Propagation

A. Cuttings
1. Herbaceous Stem Cuttings
The most common way to propagate plants vegetatively is by stem cuttings. This
method is especially effective with many common houseplants such as
Philodendron, Begonia, Coleus and traditional herbs such as Orthosiphon
stamineus (misai kucing), Cosmos caudatus. With a sharp knife, cut off a 4-inch
to 6-inch growing shoot tip of Coleus, Begonia or the plants just below a node
and remove the lower leaves so that about one third of the stem is bare. If
available, dip the cut end in a root-inducing powder, such as Rootone, to speed
up root growth, and then insert it in moist coarse sand mixture. You can even
start many herbaceous cuttings in water.
2. Semi-woody Cuttings
Semi-woody plants, such as rubber plants, curry leaf tree (Murraya koenigii),
Hibiscus can be propagated by stem cuttings that include a single node, a single
leaf, and its axillary bud. Insert each cutting in moist Sphagnum moss or soil in a
clear plastic bag, with the leaf left exposed outside. Then tie the bag firmly
around the stem and place it out of direct sunlight. When roots can be seen
inside the bag, pot the new plant.
3. Leaf Cuttings
Some plants, such as Cyrandromoea (Setawar) and Sansevieria (Lidah Jin) can
be propagated by leaf cuttings. Place leaflets or base of leaf cuttings on to damp
top soil or coarse sand. Compare your results as the term progresses. Maintain
water levels while waiting for results.
4. Root Cuttings
Many plants with good taproots can produce new shoots from root cuttings, for
example carrot, potato. Place a carrot top (about 1 - 2 cm) in water using
toothpicks to balance it on the rim of the container. Make sure that the carrot
rests in sufficient water. New roots and shoots should develop within a few
weeks. Be sure to change the water frequently to minimize the growth of bacteria
and molds. Suspend half of a sweet potato with toothpicks in a jar so that most
of the sweet potato is into the jar. Fill the jar with water and set aside. Change
the water twice a week.
B. Tuber Propagation
Tubers are various types of modified plant structures that are enlarged to store
nutrients. There are stem tuber that forms thickened rhizomes or stolons. The
tops or sides of the tuber produce shoots that grow into typical stems and leaves
and the under sides produce roots. Some examples are begonias, potatoes and
ginger. A tuberous or storage root is a modified lateral root enlarged to function
as a storage organ for example. To propagate, divide the plant to several
sections in the soil. Shoots should develop within weeks.
C. Division
Plants that grow in clumps or with multiple stems can often be divided at their
base such as Sansevieria (Lidah jin) and Cymbopogon citratus (serai). Daffodils

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FL20103 Plant Production Technology: Mini project

and other bulb plants often have clumps of bulbs and bulblets that are easily
separated. Remove part of plant with roots from original plant and plant
separately.
D. Air Layering
Some relatively large plants, such as rubber trees, fig trees, tropical fruit trees
and some forest trees are propagated by air layering. With a sharp knife, cut
partway into the stem of an available plant at a steep angle and insert a match or
other object into the wound to keep it open. Mold a wad of wet Sphagnum moss
around the cut, wrap a sheet of plastic around it, and tie the plastic to the stem at
the top and bottom. In about four weeks the moss should be permeated with
roots. Cut off the stem below the roots and pot the new plant. The old plant
should also continue to grow.
E. Runners
Runners, or stolons, are long slender stems that grow along the surface of the
soil and produce new "plantlets" (shoots and roots) when nodes on the runner
come in touch with soil. They are important in strawberry and Centella asiatica
(pegaga) propagation. Remove a plantlet from the plant and plant it in soil mix.
To ensure maximum success, you can keep the runner attached to the parent
plant and place the plantlet in a pot adjacent to the parent. The runner can be
severed in 4 - 5 weeks.
Cleaning Up
Keep the nursery or green house clean and tidy, and restrain yourselves to the
space allotted to our section. Equipment should be cleaned before and after use,
and the dried before storage to avoid damage.
Evaluation of mini project (20%)
Field checks (twice) 5%
Oral presentation 5%
Journal written report 10%
Submissions
Written report on 17 Nov. 2015, 5p.m.; type-written and original hand-written journal
Oral presentation on 24 Nov. 2015

Session 2015/16; Mandy Maid