BISHNUPUR, 11 April 2020: The vegetables seeds mostly are small in size. They are first sown in the nursery beds for better care and then transplanted in the fields. Some vegetables require special care during their early growth period.

The production of quality planting materials or vegetable seedlings is important for having good yield. The Bishnupur District, Manipur is considered as a vegetable hub of the state due to the farmers’ indigenous and innovative ideas about farming.

The farmers need to boost the productivity of various crops by practicing advanced technologies to feed the burgeoning population.

The integration of indigenous and scientific technical knowhow may help in boosting the production of quality planting materials and to meet the rising demand for vegetables. The low investment in the vegetable production will enhance the net profit.  

An innovative farmer, Ningthoujam Ingocha Singh of Kumbi Terakha Village, Bishnupur District owns 0.5 ha of land where he has been practicing the integration of traditional and scientific cultivation packages of various crops mainly vegetables.

He has an innovative idea on raising the vegetable nurseries by using the Corrugated Galvanized Sheet for covering the nursery beds after the sowing of seeds. The method developed by him:

• First, the underutilized farm area is selected as nursery site and cleaned before ploughing; clods, stubble and other unwanted materials are removed.
• The nursery beds are prepared by manual ploughing with the help of spade. The size of the nursery beds varies according to the availability of selected land.
• Well decomposed FYM and river bed sand is added to bring the seedbed to fine tilth (that is, 3 kg of FYM and2 kg of sand per 1m² seedbed, 1 kg of FYM is kept to broadcast over the seedbed after the sowing of seeds) and mixed thoroughly.
• The seed beds are leveled properly before the sowing of seeds. The lines at spacing of about 8 cm are marked on the top layer of the seedbed by using wooden stick and the seeds are sown in lines for the proper development of the seedlings.
• The seeds are covered with thin layer of FYM after sowing and watered with the help of Rosecan.
• Afterwards, the seedbeds are covered with Corrugated Galvanized Sheets that help to increase the soil temperature as well as retain the soil moisture.
• The watering of the seeds beds is not done again till the seeds are germinated, which help in minimizing the frequency of watering before germination.
• After the germination of seeds, the covered material “Corrugated Galvanized Sheets” are removed and kept for reuse in future.

The main objective of the development of this innovation was to minimize the investment cost during the vegetable production. Covering the vegetable nursery beds by Corrugated Galvanized Sheets has many advantages than covering with gunny bags, straws, etc.

The Galvanized Corrugated Sheet has longer durability than covering with other materials; therefore, the innovation could decrease the cost of cultivation and maximize the profit.  

This innovation helps in fast germination of seeds, retention of soil moisture and the temperature is increased and also reduces the frequency of watering before germination of seeds than other covering materials.

Singh is producing high quality vegetable seedlings and selling to the local markets and neighbors. The economic impact and benefit cost ratio of some of the selected vegetable nurseries are:

Shri Singh has attended various programmes conducted by the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Bishnupur on high value vegetable production. From the integration of the innovative ideas and scientific technology of various horticultural crops, he could earn a net income of Rs. 5.25 lakh from his vegetable farm during the Year - 2018-19.

Recently, Singh bought a two wheeler. Now, he is leading a comfortable life and could manage all his family expenses from his farming enterprise. Inspired by his success, many unemployed youth and practicing farmers showed interest on innovative farming methods and advice from the KVK, Bishnupur.

(Source: Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Bishnupur, Manipur)