questions: asking about selection and pre-treatment of suckers 
 answers: select sword suckers of 1.5 to 2.0 kg weight which are free from diseases and nematodes. trim the roots and decayed portion of the corm, cut the pseudostem leaving 20 cm from the corm and grade the suckers to size. to avoid wilt disease in rasthali, monthan, virupakshi and other wilt susceptible varieties, infected portions of the corm may be pared and dipped for 5 minutes in 0.1% emisan solution (1 g in 1 lit of water). pralinage is done with 40 g of carbofuran 3 g granules per sucker. (dip the corm in slurry solution containing 4 parts clay plus 5 parts water and sprinkle carbofuran to control nematodes).