Understanding Crops (Groupwise) Propagation Methods

Understanding Crops (Groupwise) Propagation Methods

In this blog, we will cover the propagation methods of crops which can be used by a farmer for Nursery purposes as well as for his own farm as well.

The important methods of propagation are provided under the direct headings or column and rarely used methods of propagation are provided in the "Remarks" headings or column.

• Seeds
• Cutting (Root cuttings, Leaf cuttings, Stem cuttings)
• Layering (Air layering, Ground layering)
• Grafting (or) Budding (Approach grafting, Tongue grafting, Saddle grafting, Veneer grafting, Wedge grafting, Whip & Tongue grafting, Softwood grafting, Stone grafting, Side grafting, Epicotyl grafting, T-budding, Shield budding)
• Division (or) Separation (Stolons & Runners, Offsets, Bulbs, Corms, Crowns, Suckers, Rhizomes, Tubers)

Cereals

Crop Name	S	C	L	G	D	Remarks
Rice	Y
Wheat	Y

Fibre Crops

Crop Name	S	C	L	G	D	Remarks
Agave						Suckers or Bulbils is used
Cotton	Y
Jute	Y

Flower Crops

Crop Name	S	C	L	G	D	Remarks
Anthurium						Suckers is used
Carnation		Y				Terminal cuttings or Plantlets/suckers is used
China Aster	Y
Chrysanthemum		Y				Terminal cuttings or Suckers is used
Crossandra	Y	Y				Terminal cuttings is used
Cut Chrysanthemum		Y				Terminal cuttings is used
Cut Rose		Y		Y		Rooted cuttings is used
Dendrobium Orchid					Y	Division of clumps, keikis, back bulbs is used
Gerbera					Y	Division of Suckers is used
Gladious						Corms is used
Golden Rod					Y	Suckers or Division of clusters is used
Jathimalli (Pitchi)		Y	Y			Terminal cuttings or Rooted cuttings is used
Lilium						Bulbs is used
Malligai		Y	Y			Rooted cuttings is used
Marigold	Y
Maruvu		Y
Mullai		Y	Y			Semi hard wood cuttings or Rooted cutting is used
Nerium		Y				Hard or semi hard wood cuttings  or Rooted cuttings is used
Rose		Y
Tuberose						Bulbs is used

Forage Crops

Crop Name	S	C	L	G	D	Remarks
Cumbu Napier		Y				Rooted slips or Stem cuttings is used
Deenanath Grass	Y
Fodder Cholam	Y
Fodder Cowpea	Y
Fodder Cumbu	Y
Fodder Maize	Y
Guinea Grass	Y	Y				Rooted slips is used
Kolukattai Pullu	Y	Y				Rooted slips is used
Kudirai Masal	Y
Muyal Masal	Y
Soundal	Y
Veli Masal	Y

Fruit Crops

Crop Name	S	C	L	G	D	Remarks
Acidlime	Y
Amla	Y			Y		Budded plants is also used
Annona	Y			Y		Budded plants is also used
Apple	Y			Y
Apricot	Y		Y	Y
Avocado	Y			Y		Budding plants is also used
Banana						Suckers is used
Ber	Y			Y		Budded plants is used
Bilimbi	Y	Y
Bread Fruit		Y	Y			Root suckers is also used
Carambola	Y		Y	Y
Durian	Y			Y
Egg Fruit
Fig		Y	Y	Y
Grapes	Y	Y				Rooted cuttings is used
Guava	Y		Y			Air Layering is used
Jack	Y			Y		Soft wood or cleft grafting is used
Jamun	Y			Y
Karonda	Y	Y	Y
Kiwi		Y		Y
Lemon	Y	Y	Y	Y		Budded plants is used
Litchi			Y	Y
Loquat			Y	Y
Mandarin Orange	Y			Y		Budded plants is used
Mango	Y			Y		Approach and epicotyl grafts  is used
Mangosteen
Mulberry	Y	Y
Papaya	Y
Passion Fruit	Y	Y		Y
Peach	Y			Y		Budded plants is used
Pear	Y	Y		Y		Rooted cutting is used
Persimmon				Y		Budded plants is also used
Phalsa	Y	Y	Y	Y		Budded plants is used
Pineapple						Suckers and Slips is used
Plum	Y			Y		Budded plants is used
Pomegranate	Y	Y	Y			Rooted cuttings or Air layering is used
Rambutan	Y
Sapota	Y			Y		Approach grafting is used
Strawberry						Runners is used
Sweet Orange	Y			Y		Budded plants is used
West Indian Cherry	Y

Medicinal Crops

Crop Name	S	C	L	G	D	Remarks
Aswagandha	Y
Gloriosa						Tubers is used
Phylanthus	Y
Senna	Y
Stevia		Y				Stem cuttings is used
Periwinkle	Y
Pyrethrum	Y
Digitalis	Y
Medicinal Dioscorea
Medicinal Solanum	Y
Aloevera		Y				Suckers or Pubs are used as well as Leaf cuttings is used
Medicinal Coleus		Y				Terminal cuttings is used
Tippili		Y				Rooted cuttings is used

Millets

Crop Name	S	C	L	G	D	Remarks
Cumbu	Y
Kudiraivali	Y
Maize	Y
Panivaragu	Y
Ragi	Y
Samai	Y
Sorghum	Y
Tenai	Y
Varagu	Y

Oil Seeds

Crop Name	S	C	L	G	D	Remarks
Castor	Y
Gingelly	Y
Groundnut	Y
Niger	Y
Safflower	Y
Sunflower	Y

Plantation Crops

Crop Name	S	C	L	G	D	Remarks
Arecanut	Y
Betelvine		Y				Stem Cuttings or Setts is used
Cashewnut			Y	Y		Soft wood grafting, Epicotyl grafting or Air layering are used
Cocoa	Y
Coconut	Y
Coffee	Y
Oilpalm	Y
Palmyrah	Y
Rubber				Y		Green budding, Brown budding and Crown budding are used
Tea		Y				Semi Hard Wood cuttings is used

Pulses

Crop Name	S	C	L	G	D	Remarks
Bengalgram	Y
Blackgram	Y
Cowpea	Y
Field lablab	Y
Garden lablab	Y
Greengram	Y
Horsegram	Y
Redgram	Y
Soybean	Y
Swordbean	Y

Spices

Crop Name	S	C	L	G	D	Remarks
Allspice	Y		Y			Air Layering is used
Cardamom	Y					Suckers is used
Cinnamon	Y	Y				Semi hard wood cuttings is used
Clove	Y
Coriander	Y
Fennel	Y
Fenugreek	Y
Garlic					Y	Bulbs is used
Ginger	Y					Rhizomes is used
Mustard	Y
Nutmeg	Y			Y
Paprika	Y
Pepper						Runner shoots is used
Tamarind	Y			G
Turmeric	Y					Rhizomes is used
Vanilla		Y				Stem cuttings is used

Sugar Crops

Crop Name	S	C	L	G	D	Remarks
Sugarbeet	Y					Pelleted Seeds Tubers or Roots is used
Sugarcane		Y				Setts is used
Sweet Sorghum	Y

Vegetables

Crop Name	S	C	L	G	D	Remarks
Amaranth	Y
Annual Moringa	Y	Y
Ash Gourd	Y
Asparagus	Y					Crowns is also used
Babycorn		Y
Basella	Y	Y				Stem cuttings is used
Beetroot	Y
Bellary Onion	Y					Setts or Bulbs is also used
Bhendi	Y
Bitter Gourd	Y
Bottle Gourd	Y
Brinjal	Y
Broadbeans	Y
Brussels Sprout	Y
Butter Bean	Y
Cabbage	Y
Capsicum	Y
Carrot	Y
Cauliflower	Y
Celery	Y
Ceylon Spinach		Y				Stem cuttings is used
Chakravathi Keerai	Y
Chekurmanis		Y
Chickpea		Y
Chillies	Y
Chinese Cabbage	Y
Chinese Potato		Y				Tubers or stem cutting is used
Chow chow	Y					Fully matured and sprouted fruits are used
Cluster Beans	Y
Coccinia		Y				Stem cuttings is used
Colocasia	Y					Cormels is used
Cucumber	Y
Curry Leaf	Y
Dioscorea						Tubers or Mini Setts is used
Elephant Foot Yam						Setts or Corms or Tubers is used
French Bean	Y
Gherkin	Y
Knol-khol	Y
Lablab	Y
Lettuce	Y
Mint	Y	Y				Stem cuttings is used
Musk Melon	Y
Palak	Y
Paprika	Y
Peas	Y
Potato	Y					Tubers is used
Pumpkin	Y
Radish	Y
Rhubarb		Y				Rott cuttings is used
Ribbed Gourd	Y
Small Onion	Y					Setts or Bulbs is also used
Snake Gourd	Y
Soybean	Y
Sweet Potato	Y	Y				Terminal Vine cuttings or Slips is used
Tapioca		Y				Stem cuttings or Setts is used
Tinda	Y
Tomato	Y
Turnip	Y
Vegetable Cowpea	Y
Watermelon	Y
Winged Bean	Y

Misc

Crop Name	S	C	L	G	D	Remarks
Tulsi	Y	Y				Terminal cuttings is used

Choosing the Right Number of Crops - Approach One

Choosing the Right Number of Crops - Approach One

We have discussed previously about

• Choosing the Right Crop
• Choosing the Right Variety within a Crop

In continuing with the similar topics, we are going to discuss about the Right Number of Crops.

Generally, it is advised to go for 20 to 40 range of Crops for diversification.  How is this number arrived at?

If we need to maintain the diversity as well as minimize the risk, it is better to allocate only 2.5% to 5% of the total land available for farming (excluding land for Fences, Livestock etc).

In this case, some of the crops may get more money for the same land allocated, while some others may get less money and hence it will average it out by itself and also there will be a continuous flow of cash in our hands. (Will be discussed further in future topics)

While the % or the range may be easily valid for long duration crops like Plants, when it comes to short duration crops like Vegetables or Floriculture, we need to have another 20 to 40 range of crops within these.  The reason being Vegetables or Floriculture produces more in a short time and hence there may be over production if we have only 1 Vegetable or Floriculture crop and hence the risks of market will be there.

As a thumb rule, keep the above in mind.  Its not that we have to strictly maintain this range. Depending on the specific situation of the farmer, it may go up or come down.  A farmer having a small holding (1 Acre) cannot go for 20 different Plants but may be possible to go for 20 different Vegetables including Green Leafy Vegetables.

We have seen the general model, but what about Integrated Farming?  Lets for a moment assume we want to go for Integrated Farming. In Integrated Farming, we normally would have atleast some of the following in our farm.

1. Cattle (Cows, Sheep, Goats etc)
2. Poultry (Chicken, Ducks, Pigeons etc)
3. Fisheries
4. Apiculture and may be more depending on the interest of the farmer.

If we plan to include one or more of the above options, we may need to allocate enough land for hosting them as well as enough land for producing the feed.  After subtracting the land needed for the Livestock, use the remaining land for other crops.

We need to keep in mind that Cereals, Millets etc are also need to be considered as a crop and hence they can be part of the 20 to 40 ranges of crops.

Choosing the Right Number of Crops - Approach Two

Choosing the Right Number of Crops - Approach Two

We will approach the "Choosing the Right Number of Crops" topic in a slightly different way and the readers can choose the one which suits them best.

The different approaches are namely

1. Keeping the Area Fixed and the Numbers in a single Crop Variable
2. Keeping the Numbers in a single Crop Fixed and the Area Variable
3. Keeping the Tonnage / Money in Sight while keeping others variable

We will discuss each of the topics in detail.

Option 1: Keeping the Area Fixed and the Numbers in a single Crop Variable

In this option, we keep the Area Fixed and allow the numbers in a Crop (specifically for trees, plants) to be variable.

To make it easy for the readers, I am giving an example below:

Lets assume a 250 Sq Ft (250 X 1) fixed area.

In this, we can plant every 25 feet 1 Coconut Tree which comes to 10 or 11 Coconut Trees if we squeeze in 1 at the beginning and 1 at the last.  If we go for Timber Trees, we can plant 1 Melia Dubia Tree every 6 feet which comes to 42 or 43.


Option 2: Keeping the Numbers in a single Crop Fixed and the Area Variable

In this option, we keep the Numbers in a Crop Fixed and the Area be allowed to vary based on the numbers.

Assuming we want to plant 25 Trees for every Crop.  Lets see how this works out.

Taking the same example of Coconut and Melia Dubia, we arrive at the numbers below for the land requirement.

For Coconut Trees, we require 601 Sq Ft.  For Melia Dubia, we require 145 Sq Ft.


Option 3: Keeping the Tonnage / Money in Sight while keeping others variable

In this option, we keep a set target in mind and we calculate back to get the results.  This may look easy in paper while difficult to achieve in real terms.  The reason being neither the yield nor the market rate is fixed and hence fluctuations may occur and if still want to go for this, use the historical data and use the averages to achieve it while factoring in a 10% (+/-) margin of error as a percentage to the base.

For example, we would like to achieve Rs.50,000/- or 1 Tonne every crop.  So, we need to understand what is the yield of the crop and based on the yield we can calculate how many numbers in a crop are required.  Here the area does not make sense at all for calculation.

To give an example, assuming 1 Mango Tree yield 100 Kgs per season, we may need to go for 10 Mango Trees for achieving 1 Tonnage.

The formula would be Number of Trees = Target Tonnage /  Yield Per Tree

Using the same example for Target Money, assuming 1 Mango Tree yield 100 Kgs per season and keeping 100 Kgs @ Rs.2,000/- , we may need to go for 25 Mango Trees for achieving Rs.50,000/-.

The formula would be Number of Trees = Target  Money / (Yield Per Tree X Rate)