Commercial Production of Flower Crops
Course Overview
Official detailed syllabus from the ICAR Sixth Deans’ Committee curriculum.
Course Objectives
Imparting knowledge about climatic and soil requirements, commercial varieties/hybrids, sowing/planting times and methods, nutritional and irrigation requirements, intercultural operations, weed management, physiological disorders, postharvest management, plant protection measures of major flower crops.
Theory Syllabus
Scope and importance of flower cultivation. Soil, climate, varieties, propagation, special intercultural operations, fertilizers requirement, irrigation, use of growth regulators, weed management, plant protection measures, harvesting, grading, packaging, and storage of rose, jasmine, carnation, chrysanthemum, gladiolus, marigold, tuberose and cut foliage crops under open/partial shade. Seed production of flowering annuals.
Practical Syllabus
Introduction of flower crops. Identification of commercial varieties, propagation techniques, bed preparation, soil decontamination, planting and layout, training, pruning, staking, growing media, potting and repotting. Containers for growing flowers for exhibition. Fertilizer calculations and application, growth regulator application. Weed management and plant protection measures. Special horticultural practices in cut flower and cut foliage crops. Determination of harvest indices, harvesting methods and postharvest handling. Commercial Standards, Packing methods. Project preparation. Visit to commercial flower market and progressive growers having high-tech farms.
Suggested Readings
1. Arora J S. 2016. Introductory Ornamental Horticulture. Kalyani Publishers.
2. Aswath C, Bose T K, Dutta K, Reeta Bhatia and Saha T N. 2021.Commercial Flowers. (Vol. II). Daya Publishing House, New Delh.
3. Bose T K, Maiti R G, Dhua R S, Das P. 1999. Floriculture and Landscaping. (Vol.I). Calcutta: Naya Prokash.
4. Purohit S S and Bhardwaj Prasad R A. 2016. Textbook of Production Technology of Vegetable and Flower Crops. Agrobios (India).
5. Randhawa, G. S. and Mukhopadhyay Amitabha. 1986. Floriculture in India. Allied Publishers, 660p.
6. Singh A K. 2006. Flower Crops: Cultivation and Management. New India Publishing, Gardening, 480p.
7. Vishnu Swarup .1967. Garden Flowers: Buy Garden Flowers. National Book Trust, India, 261p.