Thinning seedlings for healthy plant stands-
Thinning is usually carried out within 2-3 days after the first true leaf has appeared, or about 5-7 days after sowing. Some recommendations for doing thinning:-
- Remove the mulch that you have laid onto the seedbed after sowing.
- Pull out weak and diseased seedlings from the soil.
- Make sure that the remaining seedlings are about 5 cm apart within the row.
- Transplant the seedlings that you have removed into containers with the soil. These can be used for gap-filling in the field later in the season.
Damping Off:
Moist and poorly drained soil causes damping off disease. It is a soil borne disease. Water soaking and shrivelling of the stem occurs. Seedlings killed before emergence. If it appears in a nursery the entire lot of seedling may get destroyed. It is a serious disease of brinjal.
Before sowing, do seed treatment with Thiram@3gm per Kg of seeds. Do soil solarisation of nursery soil. If damping off is observed in the nursery. Drained out water and drenched soil of the nursery with Copper Oxychloride@3gm/Ltr of water.
Hardening of seedlings-
Hardening refers to the gradual exposure of the seedlings on seedbeds to a harsher environment. This increases their resilience and chances of survival after transplanting. Hardening can be done in different ways, using light, higher temperatures, or withholding irrigation.
- Gradually expose seedlings to higher light intensities and/or higher temperatures over a period of 7-10 days prior to transplantation.
- Reduce or withhold irrigation 4-5 days before transplanting.
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