Production of quality planting materials

Fully ripened tree-burst fruits are selected for raising seedlings. The fleshy rind and the mace are removed before sowing. The seeds should be sown immediately after collection. If there is any delay in sowing, the seeds should be kept in baskets filled with damp soil. The seedbeds of 100-120 cm width, 15 cm height and of convenient length may be prepared in cool and shady places. A mixture of garden soil and sand in the ratio 3:1 may be used for preparing nursery beds. Over this, sand is spread to a thickness of 2-3 cm and the seeds dibbled 2 cm below the surface at a spacing of about 12 cm on either side. Seeds germinate within 50-80 days after sowing. When the plumule produces two elongated opposite leaves, the seedlings are to be transferred from beds to polybags.

Vegetative propagation of nutmeg through epicotyl grafting is recommended for all nutmeg nurseries.

Planting 

Since the nutmeg trees require shade, suitable fast growing shade trees like Albizia, Erythrina etc. are planted in advance. Banana can also be grown as a shade crop in the early stages. Pits of 90 x 90 x 90 cm are dug at a spacing of 8 x 8 m with the onset of southwest monsoon. The pits are filled with topsoil and compost or well-decomposed cattle manure and seedlings are planted.As nutmeg is cross-pollinated, considerable variations are observed in the crop. The plants differ not only for all aspects of growth and vigour, but also for sex expression, size and shape of fruit and quantity and quality of mace. An important problem in nutmeg cultivation is the segregation of seedlings into male and female plants resulting in about 50% unproductive male trees. The only alternative is to adopt vegetative propagation either by top-working male plants or using budded or grafted plants.

Epicotyl grafting

Due to sex problems and long prebearing period of seedlings, now-a-days grafts are preferred for planting. For raising rootstocks, naturally split healthy fruits are harvested during June-July. The seeds are extracted from the pericarp and sown immediately in sand beds of convenient length, 1 to 1.5 m width and 15 cm height. Regular watering is necessary for good germination. Germination may commence from about 30th day and last up to 90 days after sowing. About 20 days old sprouts are transplanted to polythene bags containing a mixture of soil, sand and cow dung (3:3:1).

The selected rootstock at the first leaf stage should have a thick stem (diameter of 0.5 cm or more) with sufficient length so as to enable to give a cut of 3 cm length. Scions from upright growing shoots with 2-3 leaves, collected from high yielding trees can be used for grafting. The stock and scion should approximately have the same diameter. A “V ” shaped cut is made in the stock and a tapered scion is fitted carefully into the cut. Bandaging at the grafted region may be done with polythene strips. They are then planted in polythene bags of 25 cm x 15 cm size containing potting mixture. The scion is covered with a polythene bag and kept in a cool shaded place protected from direct sunlight. After 1 month, the bags can be opened and those grafts showing sprouting of scions may be transplanted into polythene bags, containing a mixture of soil, sand and cow dung (3:3:1) and kept in shade for development. The polythene bandage covering the grafted portion can be removed after 3 months. During grafting, precautions should be taken to prevent wilting of scions and to complete the grafting as soon as possible. The grafts can be planted in the field after 12 months.