In a first-of-its-kind innovation, a Mettupalayam-based gardener has developed a new technology to grow plants from shredded leaves.

S. Rajarathinam, the proprietor of Eden Nursery Gardens from Mettupalayam and the inventor of the method, has named it ‘Leaf Culture’.

Explaining how simple the new technique is, Rajarathinam said that it can be easily used by farmers to grow varieties of plants. The technology approved by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) was sanctioned an Rs.6.25 lakhs for perfecting the technology.

“Farmers can usually grow limited amount of plants using methods like seeds, stem cutting, soil method, and tissue culture. But this technology can be very effective and will give more yields,” he added.

He said that the method was very simple – take a leaf filled with alluvial soil in polythene cover and maintain the soil humidity by covering them with a snow tent at a temperature between 28◦c and 32◦c. Humidity should be below 60%. “The leaves should be drenched with tender coconut water for 10 minutes before putting them under the tent and the roots would sprout within four weeks and leaves would emerge in another four weeks’ time,” he said.

He added that the farmers can yield 100 – 200 buds using this method, while the normal method gives only 40 buds. “This method makes it possible for farmers to find leaves with the same quality of the mother plant, which will give high yields. This method is equal to tissue culture, but the cost is lower than it,” he claimed.

He has used the technology in plants including big coriander, guava, betel, novel, crossandra, kakkata, and Noni. “Ongoing progresses are senjothan and mulseetha,” he said.

He added that he is keen on taking the technology to global levels in the coming days.