PRAYAGRAJ, Oct. 3 -- Around 350 rural women in Prayagraj will be trained to raise seedlings in nurseries set up in their home courtyards. This initiative aims to expand green cover, promote eco-friendly farming practices and provide an additional source of income by selling saplings to local farmers. The horticulture department is implementing the initiative under the Integrated Horticulture Development Mission for women associated with self-help groups (SHGs). The women will be trained as 'Nursery Sakhis' to raise seedlings in specialised pro-trays, with training kits and trays provided free of cost, officials said. The first batch of 70 women has completed training at the Horticultural Research and Training Centre in Khusro Bagh. They were trained in raising seedlings in pro-trays, which offer several advantages over conventional nursery beds, said VK Singh, in-charge of the training centre. "Traditional nurseries are vulnerable to soil-borne diseases such as wilt, nematodes and root rot. Pro-trays help protect seedlings from these pathogens by allowing each plant to grow in a separate cell, preventing their roots from becoming entangled," Singh said. He added that when seeds are sown directly in the ground, 30-40% may be damaged or rot due to excess water. In contrast, the germination rate in pro-trays can exceed 90%. The technique also enables healthy seedlings to be raised under controlled conditions. Geeta Devi, a member of the Om Mahila self-help group from Balakaranpur village in Phulpur, who attended the training, said the initiative would allow women to raise multiple trays of seedlings in their courtyards without having to leave their villages in search of work. "The saplings can be sold to local farmers, providing an additional source of income for women associated with self-help groups," she said. The department also plans to take the initiative beyond conventional seed-based nursery raising by introducing grafting techniques in the next phase. Deputy director (Horticulture) Kaushal Kumar Neeraj said, "The women will also be trained in grafting. Grafted seedlings, particularly those of vegetables, can develop stronger root systems and offer improved resistance to certain diseases, helping reduce crop losses. Their use could also reduce farmers' dependence on chemical pesticides, lowering cultivation costs and the risks associated with excessive chemical use."...