Floriculture

ABSTRACT Floriculture is commercial production, marketing and retail sale of cut flowers and potted plants as well as home gardening and flower arrangement. Arunachal Pradesh has started to promote floriculture, especially orchids for export oriented cut-flower industries. The diverse agro-climatic condition provides an ideal opportunity for growth of agro-based industries. Floriculture is one of such industry having great potential in the state. In this paper an attempt has been made to analyze the problems and prospects of floriculture in Arunachal Pradesh with a focus on orchids. A comprehensive survey and interview was conducted for the existing orchid research and development centers to derive suitable conclusions. The study reveals about 550 species of orchids in the state, out of which about 100 species are ornamental belonging to genera Aerides, Ascocentrum

Nineteen gladiolus germplasms were characterized and evaluated in the Research Field of the Department of Horticulture, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, during November 2017 to May 2018 for identifying suitable line(s) to release as a variety for commercial cultivation. The accession G 8 produced the highest number of shoots (3.3) and effective shoots (3.0) per hill. The accessions that produced flower stalk within 75 days of planting included BARI gladiolus-3 (G 1 , 58.7 days), G 2 (62.3 days), G 3 (65.7 days), BARI gladiolus-5 (G 4 , 61.3 days), G 5 (55.7 days), BARI gladiolus-6 (G 7 , 71.3 days), G 10 (74.0 days), G 14 (73.3 days), G 15 (75.0 days) and G 19 (67.3 days). The highest rachis length was recorded in BARI gladiolus-3 (53.7 cm) which was statistically similar with the rachis length of G 6 (46.0 cm), G 10 (46.3 cm), G 11 (47.0 cm) and BARI gladiolus-1 (G 12 , 46.3 cm) but significantly differed with other accessions. Most of the accessions in general, produced more than 10 florets per spike. Vase life of the accessions varied and G 11 had the highest vase life of 9-11 days and this was close to 9-10 days in G 9 and 8-9 days in BARI gladiolus-3 (G 1), G 8 , G 10 , G 17 , G 18 and G 19. The highest number of corm per hill was recorded in G 8 (10.3) followed by G 5 (8.7), G 16 (8.3), G 17 (7.7) and BARI gladiolus-3 (6.7). Number of cormels per hill ranged from 9.0-941.7 with an average of 237.0. Based on various plant, flower colour, corm and cormel production characters, the gladiolus accessions G

This is an empirical research with an overall objective of studying the sustainability of green supply chain systems in the floriculture industry in Kenya. The floriculture industry is a crucial sector in the country since it is a key export contributing a significant percentage of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and creates employment for tens of thousands of workers. There have, however, been pressing concerns in the country about the non-sustainability of green supply chain systems in the industry. This study focused on local environmental regulations as one of the study variables and employed survey design where a total of 127 flower farms were sampled; 14 during the pilot study and 113 during the main research. The data collection was done with the aid of questionnaires, observation guides and interviews. The resultant data was analyzed to test the hypotheses. The study, ultimately, came up with recommendations based on the research findings to solve the research problem.

In order to quantify the shelf-life response of cut roses when stored in aqueous ozone solutions, cut ‘Pascha’ roses were stored in either de-ionised water or aqueous ozone solutions containing an initial dissolved ozone residual of 5.5 mg l–1. The results showed that storing cut roses in aqueous ozone solutions (5.5 mg l–1; renewed daily) can extend vase- life approx. three-fold, from 5 d to 13 d, with a corresponding improvement in their aesthetic appearance throughout the vase-life of the cut rose stem. Results suggest that vase-life improvements are achieved through a reduction in bacterial populations present in the storage solution. Bacteria accumulate on the cut surface of the stems, thereby reducing their water uptake capacity. Microbial accumulation was reduced by 1.15 log10 CFU g–1 FW when stems were stored in holding solutions containing 5.5 mg l–1 dissolved ozone, with a corresponding increase in water uptake. Roses stored in ozonated water exhibited higher numbers of functional xylem vessels, water uptake, relative water content, relative fresh weight, acid fuchsin uptake rate, leaf stomatal conductance, and net CO2 assimilation rate, compared to those stored in de-ionised water. The results suggest that ozone can extend cut rose vase-life.

Der Beitrag gibt einen historischen Überblick über die unterschiedlichen Möglichkeiten, die Flüchtigkeit von Tanzbewegung mit der Transitorik von Blumen zu verschränken. So wird im Bühnentanz das Auf- und Verblühen von Blumen verkörpert, etwa im Romantischen Ballett (»Théa, ou La Fée aux Fleurs«, 1847) oder in diversen Blumenchoreographien des Ausdruckstanzes. Umgekehrt erfahren Blumen trotz ihrer Sessilität eine kulturelle Zuschreibung von Tanzbewegungen, etwa bei William Wordsworth (»I wandered lonely as a cloud«, 1807) oder Hans Christian Andersen (»Die Blumen der kleinen Ida«, 1835), und fast immer wird auch hier die besondere Vergänglichkeit von Blumen mithilfe der Metapher des flüchtigen Tanzes reflektiert.

The experiment on effect of storage period and GA3 soaking of tuberose bulbs on growth, flowering, flower yield and quality was conducted at Junagadh Agriculture University, Junagadh during 2010-11. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design (FRBD) with three replications and four treatment combinations of storage comprising : S0 - Fresh uplifted, S1 - One month storage (uplifted during 2nd week of January, 2010), S2 - Two months storage (uplifted during 2nd week of December, 2009), and S3 -  Three months storage (uplifted during 2nd week of November, 2009). These tuberose bulbs were planted in 3rd week of February, 2010 with four GA3  soaking treatments for 12 hours viz. G0 - Control (soaking in distilled water), G1 - 100 mg/l, G2 - 200 mg/l and G3 - 300 mg/l. The bulbs soaked with different concentration of GA3 were kept in shade for half an hour before planting. The results revealed that one month storage period after uplift of bulbs and GA3 200 ppm soaking before planting treatments significantly improved growth parameters (days to sprouting, sprouting percentage and plant height), and floral characters (days to spike emergence, days to first spike harvested and length of spike, number of florets per spike and diameter of floret) over a control treatment.

The study was conducted on performance of 30 genotypes of marigold under semi-arid climatic conditions of Haryana.  Experiment was laid out in randomized block design (RBD)
with three replications, at Research Farm of Department of Horticulture, CCS Haryana
Agricultural University, Hisar during two winter season of 2011-12 and 2012-13. All the
genotypes showed significant variations for growth, flowering and yield parameters. The
genotype Hisar Jaffri-2 exhibited best performance in terms plant spread (77.72 cm), numbers of secondary branches per plant (150.97), number of buds per plant (217.10), duration of
flowering (76.53 days) and flower yield per plot (20.99 kg). The genotype MGH-148-3-3 recorded maximum stem diameter (2.14 cm) and dry weight of plant (130.72 g), whereas it
was minimum (0.61 cm and 9.91 g, respectively) in Hisar Beauty. Maximum diameter of  flower (8.21cm) was recorded in MGH-09-276, while it was minimum (4.01 cm) in Hisar  Jaffri-2. The maximum dry weight of flower (2.04 g) was recorded in MGH-09-271.

Present study was conducted to study the differences in flowering behavior of twenty different ornamental winter annuals, mostly used for landscaping purpose under different agro-climatic conditions, in the Terai region of West Bengal, India under open field and protected condition. Flowering parameters such as Days required for flower bud initiation (FBI), Days required for flower bud development (FBD), Days required for blooming, Days required for wilting of flower were recorded in each plot and their average was calculated. Calendula officinalis showed earliness in FBI (23.25 DAT), FBD (32.88 DAT), blooming (35.50 DAT) and wilting (43.00 DAT) under open condition and the late flowering was found in Antirrhinum majus (74.67 DAT), whereas, the delayed wilting was observed in Helichrysum bracteatum (94.30 DAT) both under protected condition. Iberis umbellata required minimum time period (6.17 days) to reach flower bud development from flower bud initiation stage. The shortest period for wilting of flowers was recorded in Eschscholtzia californica (2.00 days) under protected condition, while, Helichrysum bracteatum required the maximum time period (21. 84 days) from blooming to wilting.

The study was undertaken with a view to establish a protocol for in vitro plant regeneration from shoot tip explants of banana. Different concentrations of BAP (0.0, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 6.0 and 7.0 mg/l) and IBA (0.0, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 mg/l) was used in MS medium to assess the influence on in vitro shoot regeneration and subsequent root formation of Amritasagar and Sabri banana cultivars. Maximum single shoot formation (50.0% and 30.0%), number of single shoot (3.50 and 2.00 in), longest shoot (2.64 cm and 2.16 cm) were found from 0.5 mg/l BAP while maximum number of roots (3.83 and 2.50) and longest root (3.60 cm and 3.10 cm) was found from 0.3 mg/l IBA in Amritasagar and Sabri respectively. The survival of the plantlets of both cultivars was more than 82% under ex vitro condition. 0.5 mg/l BAP and 0.3 mg/l IBA can be used with MS media for shoot and root formation of Amritasagar and Sabri banana cultivars through shoot tip culture.

Rosa spinosissima (also known as R. pimpinellifolia), the wild Scots Rose, has the widest natural geographical distribution of any rose species, extending from the coastal fringes of western Europe to Siberia. It has also become naturalised in North America and parts of the Southern Hemisphere. Its many vernacular names include 'Scots Rose' or 'Scotch Rose' (because of its association with Scotland), 'Burnet Rose' (because its leaves resemble those of the Burnets Sanguisorba) and 'Dune Rose' (because coastal sand-dunes provide one of its main habitats). Most of the common names used in mainland Europe also reflect these concepts and include translations of 'Scots Rose'. 'Scots Rose' is the preferred name in English. The adjective 'Scotch' is not favoured in Scotland -it should only be applied to whisky! Rosa spinosissima itself was cultivated in British gardens from at least the 16 th century and illustrated in the printed 16 th and 17 th century European Herbals. The flowers of British wild forms are normally white or cream and sweetly scented. Its fruits are such a dark purple that they appear black. The first form of the species with coloured flowers was found and described in Scotland in the 17 th century by Sir Robert Sibbald -one of the Founders of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Robert Brown raised the first coloured Scots Roses with 'double' flowers near Perth, Scotland in the late 18 th century. However, by 1830, hundreds of single, semi-double and double flowered coloured 'Scotch Roses' had been raised by Robert Brown, Robert Austin of Glasgow, Scotland and other nurserymen. The colours available included white, cream, yellow, pink, red, mauve and purple with combinations in veined, striped, marbled and tinged flowers. Some varieties were bicoloured in the same sense as Rosa foetida 'Bicolor' with the front of the petals being one colour and the back of the petals being a different colour.

Bougainvilleas (Bougainvillea spp., family: Nyctanginaceae), are evergreen climbing ornamental shrubs which are extensively used in tropical and subtropical gardens. Its attractive foliage (variegated in some of the mutants), colourful bracts and wider adaptability to various soil and climatic conditions makes it one of the soughtafter plant for diverse landscape uses, viz. shrub, climber, pot plant, hedge, specimen plant, topiary, cascade, bonsai, arches and pergolas. There are many bougainvillea cultivars which show only minor differences in leaf shape, variation in flower colour and are difficult to identify perfectly based on morphology. Traditionally, all efforts for improvement of bougainvillea were based on bud sports followed by use of chance seedlings. But now, efforts have been shifted to induced mutations and also crosses made among important 1 Ph D Scholar ABSTRACT The present study was undertaken to determine the genetic relatedness and molecular characterization of fifty bougainvillea cultivars that belong to four major species of bougainvillea namely B. glabra, B. spectabilis, B.peruviana and Bougainvillea × buttiana. Five microsatellite (simple sequence repeat; SSR) markers with high PIC values were used to characterize these bougainvillea cultivars. A total of 28 alleles were detected at an average number of alleles of 5.6 alleles /locus. The PIC values varied widely among primers and ranged from 0.364 to 0.891 with an average of 0.716 per locus and the size of the amplified products ranged from 90bp to 250bp. Primer BOUG-1 showed the highest polymorphism index content (0.891) thus reflecting it's ability to differentiate these cultivars much better at molecular level. A total of 18 rare alleles were identified among which the cultivar (Blondie) had maximum number of rare alleles (3). An unweighted pair group method cluster analysis (UPGMA) based on similarity values revealed five main clusters with Cluster I being the largest one encompassing 18 cultivars while cluster IV and V emerged as the smallest ones comprising 3 cultivars each. The pair wise estimates of genetic distance ranged from 0 (Cherry Blossom to Mary Palmer Special) to 1.0 (Blondie to Shubhra, Partha, Lady Hope, Gloriosus, Red September, Zakiriana, Lady Richards and Spledens). The present investigation is first of its kind in using microsatellite markers for phylogenetic analysis and molecular characterization in bougainvillea cultivars. The study proved the efficiency of SSR markers in documentation, identification and tracing out the molecular origin among unknown cultivars of bougainvillea.

Roses from different continents travel long distances to reach the international flower market in Holland and result in them reaching the market while they have aged thus reducing vase life and quality which are vital for consumer satisfaction. An experiment was carried out to assess the effects of five different pulse solutions (distilled water, aluminium sulphate + HTH + V90, aluminium sulphate + pentakill + V90, 3% sucrose solution + aluminium sulphate + V90, and water acidified with citric acid to a hydrogen potential of 4.2) on preserving the vase life of three rose (Rosa hybrid L.) varieties (Amore, Escimo and Calibra). The experiment was arranged as a 3×5 factorial treatment structure laid out in a completely randomised design (CRD). There was an interaction (p<0.001) between the three rose varieties and the five different pulse solutions. Escimo and Amore recorded the highest vase life days in solution containing 3 % sucrose averaging 19 and 18 days respectively. Calibra recorded the least vase life (17 days) in water acidified with citric acid to a hydrogen potential of 4.2. It was concluded that pulsing solutions prolong vase life of roses.

Roses from different continents travel long distances to reach the international flower market in Holland and result in them reaching the market while they have aged thus reducing vase life and quality which are vital for consumer satisfaction. An experiment was carried out to assess the effects of five different pulse solutions (distilled water, aluminium sulphate + HTH + V90, aluminium sulphate + pentakill + V90, 3% sucrose solution + aluminium sulphate + V90, and water acidified with citric acid to a hydrogen potential of 4.2) on preserving the vase life of three rose (Rosa hybrid L.) varieties (Amore, Escimo and Calibra). The experiment was arranged as a 3×5 factorial treatment structure laid out in a completely randomised design (CRD). There was an interaction (p&lt;0.001) between the three rose varieties and the five different pulse solutions. Escimo and Amore recorded the highest vase life days in solution containing 3 % sucrose averaging 19 and 18 days respectively. Calibra ...

Floriculture is commercial production, marketing and retail sale of cut flowers and potted plants as well as home gardening and flower arrangement. Arunachal Pradesh has started to promote floriculture, especially orchids for export oriented cut-flower industries. The diverse agro-climatic condition provides an ideal opportunity for growth of agro-based industries. Floriculture is one of such industry having great potential in the state. In this paper an attempt has been made to analyze the problems and prospects of floriculture in Arunachal Pradesh with a focus on orchids. A comprehensive survey and interview was conducted for the existing orchid research and development centers to derive suitable conclusions. The study reveals about 550 species of orchids in the state, out of which about 100 species are ornamental belonging to genera Aerides, Ascocentrum, Calanthe, Cymbidium, Dendrobium, Epidendrum, Paphiopedilum Phaius, Renanthera, Rhynchostylis, Vanda, etc. So far five hybrid genus -Renades "Arunodaya" Arachnocentron "Tipi Jubilee star", Esmeranda "Millennium Dawn", Cymbidium Sessa "Green Beauty" and Ascocenda "Tipi Blue Boy" were successfully introduced in the state.

Edible flowers help us gain pleasure from the way our food is presented by paying attention to details like color, shape, flavor and aroma. Consumed since ancient times, edible flowers are regaining popularity in today’s cuisines. This paper 1) introduces edible flowers consumed in different countries and cultures around the world, 2) reports some medicinal and nutritional properties, and 3) lists issues related to its market and possible solutions. By learning and sharing the knowledge about edible flowers, we are able to revive the traditional knowledge accumulated by our ancestors that may prove valuable from medicinal and nutritional aspects. Development of edible flower market will rely on reviewing the legislation and standard of production that must differ from ornamental flowers. This is to ensure the health and safety concerns of customers. If specific measures are taken by all stakeholders to educate, convince and comfort consumers, edible flower market has the potential to grow as a new commodity in local markets around the world.

The present investigation entitled, “Effect of different combinations of NPK and biofertilizers on loose flower production of China aster (Callistephus chinensis (L.) Nees) cv. ‘Kamini’” was carried out at the Research Farm of the Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, (HP) – 173 230 during June 2015 to November 2015 to find a suitable combination of NPK and biofertilizers for maximizing flower yield in China aster. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design (RBD) with 12 treatment combinations replicated thrice. Half dose of N and whole of the P and K were incorporated in soil four days before planting according to the treatment. The remaining half dose of N was given after 35 days of planting. Azotobacter and phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) were applied immediately before planting by dipping the roots of the seedlings for 30 minutes in the slurry prepared by dissolving 200 g of single biofertilizer or 100 g of both biofertilizers in one litre water. The observations on various growth and flowering parameters were recorded. Results revealed that maximum plant height (56.67 cm), number of leaves per plant (103.93), flowering branches per plant (8.23), plant spread (32.32 cm), number of flowers per plant (28.58), number of flowers per plot (428.67), duration of flowering (27.20 days), flower yield per plant (73.21 g), flower yield per plot (1098.20 g), shelf life of flowers (6.43 days) at ambient conditions were recorded in plants receiving 75% NPK (22.5:11.25:7.5 g NPK/m2) + Azotobacter + PSB. Plants supplied with 100% NPK (30:15:10 g NPK/m2) + Azotobacter + PSB were noticed with maximum leaf area (15.76 cm2), whereas, largest flower diameter (5.41 cm) and fresh weight of individual flower head (2.70 g) were found in plants receiving 50% NPK (15:7.5:5 g NPK/m2) + Azotobacter + PSB.

Abstract: Gerbera is one of ten popular cut flowers in the world which occupies the fourth place, according to the global trends in floriculture. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the effects of chemical, hormonal and essential oil substances in preservative solutions to improve its postharvest qualitative characteristics. Two pulse treatments including distilled water (pulse1) and 4% CaCl2 + 3% sucrose (pulse2) for 24 hour were applied before long-time treatments. Long-time treatments were comprised of (1) Hormonal treatments: 0, 25, 30 mg*l-1 Gibberellic acid, 0, 150, 250 mg*l-1 Benzyl adenine and 0, 100, 200 mg*l-1 5-Sulfosalicylic acid (2) Chemical treatments: 0, 0.4, 0.8 mM Silver thiosulphate, 0, 5, 10 mg*l-1 Nano-silver particles, 0, 4, 6 mM Aminooxy acetic acid and 0, 200 and 400 mg*l-1 8-hydroxyquinoline sulphate (3) Essential oils: Thymus essential oil and Stevia essential oils (0, 0.1 and 0.2 mg*l-1). Data were subjected to analysis of variance based on the factorial experiment model in the layout completely randomized design. Mean comparison was performed using the Duncan’s multiple range test. Parameters of fresh weight, stem bending, capitulum diameter, carotenoid pigments of petal and vase-life longevity were evaluated during 12 days. The highest fresh weight was obtained when cut flowers were held in a solution containing pulse1 + 250 mg*l-1 BA. Among all treatments, 8-HQS treatment showed the best effects on preventing stem bending, increasing capitulum diameter and also on prolonging of vase-life, but nonetheless, the effects of pulse treatments and 8-HQS concentrations were insignificant. To conclude, 200 mg*l-1 8-HQS without pulse treatment has the potential to be used as a commercial preservative solution to improve the keeping quality and vase-life of this important cut flower. 

Keywords: cut flower, gerbera, longevity, postharvest, preservative solution

ABTSRACT A pot experiment was conducted at the Skills Demonstration Plot of Organic Agriculture, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta between January and May, 2012 to study the growth and flowering response of French marigold (Tagetes patula) to poultry manure (PM). Two varieties of French marigold (Petit and Glowing embers) received PM at rates equivalent to 10 and 20 tons/ha. Plants that did not received any PM served as control. The two factors were combined in a 2 x 3 factorial. The treatment combinations were fitted into a Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications. Plant height, number of leaves, number of branches, fresh and dry matter yield, number of flower buds, number of flowers, flower surface area and flower weight per plant increased (p≤0.05) with application of 10 tons PM/ha compared with control. Further increase to 20 tons PM/ha did not significantly (p>0.05) enhance these parameters. 'Glowing embers' was significantly superior (p≤0.05) to 'Petit' with regards to plant height, total dry matter yield and flower production. However, Significant (p≤0.05) interaction of variety x PM was observed in flower surface area, leaf dry weight and root fresh weight. 10 tons/ha of PM for enhanced growth and flower production of either variety of French marigold is recommended.

Corporate flower farms are based along the shores of Kenya’s Lake Naivasha, a Ramsar Convention protected wetland. Kenya suffers from high unemployment and relative poverty and prioritises economic development. Corporate flower farms are polluting the Lake with the use of agrochemicals and depleting its waters to irrigate this thirsty crop. The influx of people seeking work is also affecting the Lake as wastewater pollution is problematic. This paper will consider the issue of trying to determine who is responsible for the harms associated with any industry, and will also discuss existing and prospective methods of regulating corporate flower farms.

It has been portrayed a cherished picture of the love of Rabindranath for flora in a number of reminiscences. The poet's intelligence was overjoyed with the sweet scent of the flowers. He was well au fait with plant's growth and development, nursery management, manure requirement, training of beautiful climbers, landscape gardening and plant dominated architecture. His dearly loved creature Santiniketan was the abode of a diversity of flora in a sustainable and eco-friendly mode. He perhaps placed his wisdom while planting his choice trees and creepers in the premises of Santiniketan. He named of avenues there signified with plants, made a sylvan related framed for its gardens and groves and transformed it into an environment of natural foliage away from the hustle and bustle of metropolis. He adopted several exotic flowers with their vernacular names, re-named a few others in his peerless chic to tally into the Indian context. Besides his work he suitably mentioned all the plants of his mind-land in his perpetual works like lyrics, poems, short stories and novels. The readers of those treasures get the unique nous of the author who enjoyed the aroma of flowers and savoured their beauty. Keeping these in mind it was worthwhile to undertake a study to travel in the richness of the plant diversity in the novel "Maklancha" of Rabindranath written in the year 1934. The glittering milieu of the tale is a flower garden. The emotion and conflict of the characters; their psyche and interrelationship in a triangular love and their stream of consciousness along the path of flori-lore and business are the focal theme of the story. The hero, Aditya, is a successful nursery man here. Ab initio creation of flower-beds by using farmyard manure, separation of rhizome of orchids for propagation, flowering seasons of varieties of plants made a family bond in between Aditya and Neeraja. The author's narration is, virtually, a tale of a psycho-analysis while he is compelling the dialogue pertaining to that gardenon psychopathic patient, Neeraja who is subsequently devoid of love and affectionate from her counterpart, during the verge of her death. The concept of the Jeebanbriksha has attained a special dimension in this novel. Aditya is illustrated as a wild plant and his darling Sarala is depicted as a flower and they are created indispensible to each other. The fourth significance entity of the story is Ramen who is a friend, philosopher and guide of this triad. Sarala, the heroine of the novel, is shaped as Banalakshmi or nature Goddess and she is worshiped by Ramen. With the advancement of the narrative numerous flowers, fruits and ornamental plants have been mentioned in the dramatic panorama. The typical horticultural items like fernery, orchid house, rosary, seed beds and lawn have been well described. The horticultural practices like semi-hard wood cutting of rose, grafting between pumelo and mandarine orange, seed propagation technique, live fencing, harvesting of cut flowers, plant introduction are accurately adopted in necessity of the story. The precaution and the harmful effects of the obnoxious weeds in relation to socio-cultural perspective make the tale lively. The novelist hints about the biodiversity walk and the concept of total greening in the farm house withal. The present study pursues the objective of knowing the entire plant diversity and understanding the appropriate package of practices of a nursery house brilliant with Tagore's immense knowledge in horticulture and gardening in the novel.

Widely regarded as the first gardening book in European history, and currently the only translation available in English, this book was written in the ninth century by Walafrid Strabo, Abbot of the Carolingian monastery at Reichenau Island. It tells us what our medieval gardener is growing in his garden, explains the benefits and medicinal properties of the plants, and gives an idea of how they are to be looked after. James Mitchell introduces and translates this classic from the original Latin hexameters, and S.F. Bay Area gardening columnist Richard Schwarzenberger provides a foreword.

Society of Krishi Vigyan is regularly publishing its Journal of Krishi Vigyan having a NAAS rating of 4.41 w.e.f. 1/1/2017  and there is a gradual increase in the number of papers published in each issue . May I request our colleagues to publish their good work in this upcoming journal for the  welfare of farmers as well as scientific community.

The investigation entitled "Evaluation of standard carnation cultivars under protected conditions" was carried out at experimental farm of the Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni-Solan (H.P.) during the year 2007-2008. Twenty one cultivars were planted in Completely Randomized Design in a plot size of 1 x 1.20 m and spacing 20 x 20 cm. Analysis of variance showed highly significant variation among cultivars for all the traits studied. Cultivar 'Master' recorded maximum plant height (85.66 cm), stem length (76.72 cm) and fresh cut flower weight (41.20 g). Leaf area was recorded maximum (12.65 cm 2 ) in cultivar 'Firato'. The cultivar 'Riberra' recorded maximum values for three traits viz. number of flowers (7.17), flowers size (7.26 cm) and stem thickness (14.79 mm). Maximum duration of flowering was recorded in cultivar 'Lady Green (19.23 days) which was at par with cultivar 'Riberra' (16.93 days). Maximum vase life of 12.4 days was observed in cultivar 'Farida'. Cultivar 'Sunrise' was late flowering as it took 173.77 days to come into flowering while cultivar 'Lavender Lace' took minimum days (142.97 days) to come into flowering. The sturdiest stems were recorded in cultivar 'Dona' (5.07 o ) while the stem strength had the minimum value for cultivar 'Baltico (18.73 o ). Strong positive association was recorded for plant height and flower weight with number of flowers per plant. Also, plant height and stem length exhibited positive perfect correlation. The cultivars 'Master', 'Riberra' and 'Farida' were promising as they possessed majority of the desirable traits. _____________________ *Scientist, Floriculture Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) belonging to the family caryophyllaceae is one of the leading commercial cut flower crop in the world florist trade and ranks seventh among the top cut flowers of the world (Flora Culture International, 2008). Perpetual flowering standard carnations are more popular and mainly grown as cut flower due to its excellent keeping quality, wide array of colors and forms. Important carnation producing countries of the world are Columbia, Kenya, Israel, Holland, USA, France, Italy, Spain and Japan. India has also got the potential for growing quality carnations as it is bestowed with a wide range of climatic conditions to grow carnations all the year round with places like Pune, Bangalore, Kalimpong, Shimla, Solan, Kullu, Srinagar, Ooty, Kodaikanal etc. being the most suitable areas. Carnations are being commercially grown in Himachal Pradesh in areas having mild climate like Narkanda, Chail, Sirmour, Mandi, Chamba and Bilaspur which have proved to be a hub of carnation production in the recent past.

Sustainable agriculture has become a burning issue due to “energy crisis” and
“environmental protection”. One aspect of sustainable agriculture is Integrated Nutrient
Management (INM). Many regions in India like Kashmir, Himachal and other hilly
regions have huge potential for quality flower production. Since floriculture is energy and
cost intensive type of farming, the input cost of fertilisers is very high, which can be
avoided by going for alternative methods like INM. There is scant information available
concerning the use of organic fertilizer as the sole source of nutrients in flower production,
especially in the cultivation of flowers has made its applicability more difficult. INM is a
practice that is being rapidly adopted by growers, combines the use of adjusted nutrient
rates, more efficient fertilizer sources, organic matter and soil inoculation. INM holds great
promise in exhibiting the growing nutrient demands of intensive farming like Floriculture
and maintaining productivity at its optimum with holistic improvement in the quality of
resource base, which is very much important in-case of cut and bulbous flowers.
Investigations by many researchers have revealed the beneficial influence of INM, on
vegetative (plant height, leaf area, leaf number), floral (first bud appearance, floral
diameter, weight of flower) and yield attributes (seed weight, seed production) of many
flower crops, reduced the cost of fertilizer inputs and increased the B/C ratio, despite
maintaining a good soil physico-chemical environment. It can be concluded that by
reducing the levels of chemical fertilizer and optimizing the dose of different organic
fertilizer can improve yield and quality in ornamental crops without adversely affecting the
edaphic and environmental features. Therefore this discourse will mainly discuss on the
integrative approaches on production and management of many flower crops,
commercially grown in India and Kashmir valley.

Tuberose occupies a very selective and special position among the ornamental bulbous plants for its beauty, elegance and sweet pleasant fragrance. It is also gaining priority in the loose flower trade. For prolonging the shelf life, tuberose florets (in bud) were harvested from cv. Prajwal, Arka Niranthara and Mexican Single and the shelf life of the harvested buds was studied with Boric Acid (2%, 3% and 4%) and citric acid (150, 300 and 450 ppm). The treated buds were kept in polypropylene (PP) bags with or without vent (0.2%) at 40C. It was found out that in cv. Arka Niranthara had maximum number of open flowers (45.33 %) after five days of treatment in citric acid at 450 ppm with the vented polypropylene bags. The fresh weight loss of the same variety was minimum (14.628 %) in the vented PP bags with 2% boric acid. In cultivar Mexican Single, 150 ppm citric acid and 2% boric acid were at par for shelf life of flowers opening (11.56 and 11.5 days, respectively) in non vented PP bags. The cultivar Prajwal also produced maximum percentage (30.67 %) of bud open after 5 days in 450 ppm citric acid i.e. with vented polypropylene bags. The maximum CO2 rate (129.04 ml CO2/kg/l) with zero bud rotting was also observed in cv. Prajwal in the treatment of 450 ppm citric acid with vented polypropylene bag.

PURPOSE The main purpose of this survey is to know the opinion of traders of West Bengal on the issues related to Floriculture Information System. To understand the marketing system of flowers in the district of Purba Medinipur in West Bengal, the survey is conducted at Kolaghat Flower Market. METHODOLOGY In order to investigate the purpose of the study, a survey was conducted to know the ground reality of flower traders of the Purba Medinipur district in West Bengal. Data was collected by means of interview and live recording. FINDINGS Findings are drawn based on analysis of gathered data in the survey. The data related to the marketing pattern of flower traders, information flow in the flower market, day to day business strategy of flower traders, exploiting role of intermediaries, poor infrastructural condition of flower market are collected and presented in this paper. VALUE This paper tries to present the current scenario of flower markets in West Bengal which is helpful to develop Floriculture Information System in West Bengal.

In the recent days Sub-Saharan African counties look at floriculture as a viable alternative to boost their foreign earnings through export of cut flowers. However, while the sector is second largest contributor to foreign earnings for Kenya, Tanzania is yet to fully exploit the potential for both production and export of cut flowers. This paper was set with an aim to make comparative assessment of performance of floriculture industries in Kenya and Tanzania. The study relied mainly on secondary data obtained from International Trade Centre (ITC) database, published previous survey reports and several national policies and strategies. The findings revealed that Kenya was performing better than Tanzania in terms of quantity of cut flowers exported to different destinations in the World and in-terms of value of earnings from export of those flowers. It was observed that while the floriculture sector for both countries had been growing in the past nine years, Kenya’s performance was far beyond Tanzania’s. Among the major hurdles to the growth of Tanzania’s floriculture industry included lack of efficient air transportation, absence of a National Horticulture Policy in place, unorganized farming systems without clusters and foreigners domination of the sector. The paper recommended for a number of measures to improve performance of floriculture industry in Tanzania including need to: (a) formulate national horticulture policy to guide expansion of the sector (b)engage in strategic negotiations with big cargo Airline Companies so that they can frequently land at Kilimanjaro International Airport for easy transportation of cut flowers to the different destinations in the world and (c) launch coordinated efforts by experts from the Tanzania’s ministries of agriculture, trade, transportation and finance to draw lessons from Kenya on how to grow floriculture in the country.

The study was conducted in rose growing pockets of Kannauj district of Uttar Pradesh with an objective of estimating the cost of production and marketing and margins in the trade of loose rose flowers by the farmers. The study indicated that cost of production is the highest in the first year as expenses on field preparation. Gross pro duc tion cost per hect are is es ti mated to be ` 89550 in first year. The to tal cost of mar ket ing of rose flow ers is es ti mated to be ` 9.60 per ki lo gram. La bour charges, quan tity loss, trans por ta tion, com mis sion and pack ing are im por tant con stit u ents of mar ket ing costs. To tal cost in clud ing pro duc tion and mar ket ing was cal cu lat ed to be ` 89550/ha. Pro ducer got only ` 12.68/kg at the profit mar gin i.e. merely 26.66 per cent of the "con sumer ru pee", whole saler and re tail ers saved a large part of the price paid by the con sumer. Profit year for farm ers was also cal cu lated and it was found that farm ers start earn ing profit from the fourth year.

This study was conducted in Yapo-Abbe forest in South-Eastern Côte d'Ivoire. It aims to assess the diversity of timber species, listed on the IUCN Red List (2018). The surface survey method was used for the inventory and identification of these species in the three blocks of the forest. The results show that Yapo-Abbe forest is rich in 22 species of timber listed on the IUCN Red List (2018). These 22 species are divided into fifteen vulnerable species (68.2%), five species of low concern (22.8%), a near-threatened species (4.5%) and another species at risk of extinction (4.5%).). The frequency of occurrence of species has resulted in three groups of species; group 1 (constant species) has one species, group 2 (accessory species) consists of six species. As for group 3 (rare species), it’s composed of fifteen species. The three biotopes of Yapo-Abbe forest are poorly diversified, hence the need to enrich them with the group 3 species, especially forest plantation and fallow blocks for sustainable management of this massif.

Global turnover of Essential Oil Industry business is estimated to around US$14 billion. In this turnover India's share is just about 10% though potential is much more. Based on population ratio, the potential is estimated to be 18%. The lack of coordination is responsible for not exploiting the potential to the full extent. There are 400,000 plant species of both aromatic and medicinal plants known to the scientists. Of these about 2000 species come from nearly 60 botanical families of essential oils. Total production of essential oils in the world is over 100,000 tonnes. India's share is estimated to be about 15%. India is one of the few countries in the world having varied agro climatic zones suitable for the cultivation of a host of essential oil bearing plants. Due to increased awareness of health hazards associated with synthetic chemicals coupled with the increased cost of petroleum products, the use of essential oils have been gradually increasing. The consumers are showing increasing preference for natural material over the synthetic. During the last few years with the spurt in the production of essential oils it is emerging as a potential agro based industry in India. With the increase in production of above essential oil, it would be possible for the country to save more valuable foreign exchange in the coming years.

Anthurium (Anthurium andreanum Lind.), one of the most valued ornamentals is propagated conventionally through
vegetative means which is very slow and need attention to develop elite, genuine, true-to-type quality planting materials at
a faster rate. The present study attempts the micropropagation of Anthurium through callus culture followed by
organogenesis and rhizogenesis in vitro including subsequent acclimatization using leaf, petiole and inflorescence explants
at Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India during 2013-16. Results revealed that
immature coppery leaf lamina of Anthurium were highly responsive towards callus production than that of petiole and
inflorescence explants. Culture of leaf explants in MS medium supplemented with 2,4-D (2.0 mg/l) and TDZ (0.1 mg/l)
showed better response in respect of earliness in callusing (52.28 days), percentage of callusing explants [78.67%
(62.50%)] and weight of produced calli at 15 (0.404 g) and 30 days (2.944 g) after culture. Young growing calli when
cultured in MS medium containing Kinetin (3.0 mg/l) + BAP (1.0 mg/l) developed in vitro regeneration in greater
percentage of explants [98.07% (83.67%)] with higher number of micro shoots (17.27) per culture. Earlier regeneration
(26.93 days) was observed with MS culture medium having Kinetin (2.0 mg/l) and BAP (1.0 mg/l). Length of microshoot
(9.00 cm) and leaf production (20.67) were found higher with the culture medium MS + BAP (1.0 mg/l) whereas, higher
leaf length (2.07 cm) with greater width (1.52 cm) was obtained from the culture media MS + Kin (2.0 mg/l) + BAP (1.0
mg/l). In vitro regenerated microshoots when cultured in rooting medium containing MS + IBA (1.0 mg/l) + NAA (1.0
mg/l) initiated earlier (32.98 days) in vitro rooting in cent percent of microshoots with higher number of roots per shoot
(7.36) having greater length (5.29 cm) and diameter (1.225 mm). Coconut husk was found as the effective hardening media
showing earlier acclimatization (11.77 days) with greater survivability [92.75% (74.89%)].