Pro-tray specifications, cavity sizes, and material types
Agricultural pro-trays are manufactured from durable UV-stabilized polypropylene or polystyrene plastic, featuring individual conical cells with bottom drainage holes.
Selecting the proper cell cavity count depends directly on the specific crop's root architecture and nursery growth duration.
- 50-Cavity Trays: Large cells suited for cucurbits (watermelon, melon, cucumber, bitter gourd) and papaya seedlings requiring extensive root space.
- 72 to 98-Cavity Trays: Medium cells widely preferred for solanaceous vegetables like tomato, chilli, capsicum, and brinjal.
- 104 to 126-Cavity Trays: Compact cells suited for cabbage, cauliflower, onion, and flowering annuals.
- Drainage design: Bottom drainage hole prevents root waterlogging and promotes natural air-pruning of taproots.
Growing media preparation and nursery management
Successful pro-tray seedling production requires a sterile, lightweight soilless growing medium rather than heavy field soil.
The standard growing medium consists of washed, decomposed cocopeat enriched with neem cake, vermicompost, and beneficial bio-fungicides like Trichoderma.
Seedlings raised in soilless media develop dense, conical root balls that do not suffer root breakage or transplanting shock upon field establishment.
- Cocopeat medium: Washed, low-EC cocopeat mixed with vermicompost and microbial inoculants for moisture retention and aeration.
- Germination stacking: Stack planted trays together covered with plastic sheets for 3 to 4 days to maintain uniform humidity and warmth until emergence.
- Shade net protection: Move emerged trays onto raised nursery benches inside 50% shade net houses to protect against rain and insect vectors.
Government subsidy under MIDH and commercial benefits
Raising seedlings in pro-trays saves expensive hybrid seed costs, reduces nursery space by 80%, and yields uniform, vigorous transplants ready for transplanting in 25 to 30 days.
Under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), state horticulture departments provide capital subsidies for setting up modern hi-tech vegetable nurseries equipped with pro-trays and shade netting.
- Zero root damage: Conical root ball slides out intact, ensuring immediate field establishment without transplanting shock.
- Hybrid seed economy: Sowing one seed per cavity ensures complete utilization of expensive hybrid vegetable seeds.
- MIDH subsidy: Financial assistance available for small and commercial hi-tech nurseries through state horticulture portals.
Official source
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Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) ↗Related on KisanPe
Common questions
What are the benefits of using pro-trays over traditional soil seedbeds?
Pro-trays prevent soil-borne damping-off, ensure uniform seedling growth, save expensive hybrid seeds, and eliminate transplanting shock.
Which pro-tray cavity size is best for tomato and chilli seedlings?
72-cavity and 98-cavity pro-trays are considered optimal for raising vigorous tomato, chilli, and brinjal transplants.
What growing medium is used inside seedling pro-trays?
Sterilized, low-EC cocopeat mixed with vermicompost, perlite, and Trichoderma bio-fungicide is the standard soilless growing medium.
General guidance, not personal advice. For your farm, ask your local Krishi Vigyan Kendra or agriculture officer.
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