Tissue Culture Banana Plants in Jiffy pots / bags / pellets

‘Jiffy’ is a planting pot (jiffypot.com) made from compressed peat packed in desirable sizes of biodegradable net materials for aeration of roots that would guarantee optimum growth without transplant shock. They are available as hard pressed handy pellets and by just adding water grows up to 7 times the size in a few moments. The growing medium are bio-based materials such as peat, coir, pulp and other bio-mass and plant starches that are fully sterilized and devoid of harmful pathogens and Nematodes.

Advantages of using plants grown in ‘Jiffy’ grow bags / pots / pellets:

Description	Plant in black Poly-bag	Plant in Jiffy pot / bag
Nature of nursery bags	Recycled black colour polythene bags. Environmental hazard as they are discorded in the field itself.	‘Jiffy’ is an imported grow-bag. The net like bag holding the root zone of the plant is of biodegradable material.  Environmental friendly.
Growing medium	Contains soil normally infected with harmful pathogens and Nematodes.	Sterilized bio-based materials without harmful pathogens and Nematodes.
Planting	Have to remove the bag before planting.   Increased labour cost. Damage to roots. Transport shock	No need to remove the net like bag. Can be planted as  such. Saving in labour cost.  No damage to roots. No Transport transport shock
Root system	Normal root growth.  Normal establishment in soil.	More roots than soil media plant. Faster establishment in soil.
Rate of growth	Normal	Faster
Size of bag.	Dia 3.25 inches          Height 5 inches	Diameter 2 inches           Height 2.5 inches
Plant Height	4 to 5 leaves with 1 Feet height including bag	4 to 5 leaves with 1 Feet height including bag
Transport cost	Have to transport them in exclusively hired vehicle which is costlier. Cumbersome to  purchase small quantity of plants or for gap filling from the far away supplier.	Since about 200 plants can be horizontally packed in a  corrugated aerated  box, transporting them by bus or omni bus is very cheap. Just 6 boxes is enough for an acre.
Cost	Cost is ‘High’ because of the cost of bag, cost of growth medium and the labour for mixing and  filling it.	Cheaper.  Available as ready to use material.

                          DRY JIFFY PELLETS IN TRAYS

SWOLLEN JIFFY PELLETS AFTER WATER ADDITION

                      

 BANANA PLANTING IN JIFFY POTS / BAGS

  HARDENED BANANA PLANTS IN JIFFY POTS/BAGS

  BANANA PLANTS IN JIFFY POTS READY FOR PLANTING

Instructions to be followed on the receipt of Banana Jiffy Plants:

1. Tissue culture Banana Jiffy Pot / bag Plants are normally supplied to farmers in Corrugated Carton boxes. On receipt, immediately open the carton boxes, take out the plants carefully and keep them in standing position in the ‘Jiffy holding trays’ that are provided along with the plants (or) on moist soil bed under shade to avoid over crowding. 
2. At the time of receiving the plants, the stem may be slightly bent due to horizontal packing. This is no cause for worry as the stem will get straightened within 48 hours after vertical arrangement in the holding tray. 
3. The Plants have young white roots entangling the root ball which needs to be moistened always before planting into the field. Therefore water the plants by a Rose can intermittently. 
4. Plants should be kept in a place where there is partial shade and avoid exposure to direct sunlight. It is advisable to plant them within 48 hours of as the plants are very young. 
5. Please ensure the presence of following items at the time of planting:Neem Cake 200 grams/plant, Carbofuran-3G (Furadon) 5 grams / plant. D.A.P: 50 grams/plant and Vermicompost - 1 kg. The above items should be thoroughly mixed with the soil in the planting pit. 
6. Start planting in the well prepared field preferably in the evening hours and irrigate them immediately. Deep planting should be avoided. Press the surrounding soil with hands firmly for compaction of ground and irrigate immediately. 
7. Maintain the root zone at the field capacity level (moist condition) for 10-12 days.

The emergence of new leaves indicates the establishment of plants in the soil. Now the fertilizer application schedule as given in this blog must start.

Regards,
A.Vishnu Sankar

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Posted in: 08. Tissue Culture Banana Plants in Jiffy pots / bags / pellets