Floriculture Today July 2017

Floriculture Today July 2017

July 2017

Floriculture Today

Floriculture Today July 2017

July 2017

Floriculture Today

8

Editorial

Contents

v Current Issues 10 GST Impact on Protected Cultivation

Greenhouse items need special treatment to promote Hi-Tech Farming

16

12 Exemption for Plants in Gst

Suggests Changes in GST Law v

Exhibition

16 Spectacular Display Of Thematic Gardens

Wide appreciation for Indian participation

— S Jafar Naqvi 17

v 20

Plant Nutrition Bio Fertilizers A Boon for High Yield and Quality in Flower Crops — Alka Singh, A.N. Sabalpara and Neelima Palagani

v Environment 26 Improving Indoor Air Quality Using Interior landscape plants

— Dr. Prativa Anand, Dr. Babita Singh and Dr. S. S. Sindhu

24

v Greenhouse 34 Nematode management in greenhouse crops

— Dr. N.L. Mhase, Dr. M.S.Patil v Rare Bloom 36 Stinky Pair ‘Titan Twins’ Bloom at Chicago Botanic Garden

Flowers unleash disgusting whiff but attracts a line of visitors 28

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Floriculture Today July 2017

v v

Orchid

46 India: “High Potential For Orchid Cultivation In Odisha”

v

Pre-Event

48 New Developments and Innovations at Display

38

v Roof Garden 38 Make a Roof Garden

— G. Sathish

v 50 50 51 52 52 54

News White is the Key to Spring Combinations Sainsbury’s Launches Edible Flowers Line in Uk Stores China: Horticulture Knowledge Centre for Shandong Province India: Government Gives 50% Subsidy on a Poly House USDA Gets Serious about Saving Bees Swedish Midsummer Boosts Dutch Flower Trade

July 2017

Floriculture Today

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Chief Editor: S Jafar Naqvi Consulting Editor T.V. Satyanarayanan Chief Coordinator: M.B. Naqvi

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Floriculture Today July 2017

O

Edit orial

n June 5, nations across the globe observed the ‘World Environment Day,’ the theme chosen for this year being “Get Closer to Nature.”

This is probably the appropriate occasion to take stock of how India has fared in protecting its green cover. It is heartening to know, as per the latest survey up to 2015, India has bucked the global trend of depleting forest reas. Central India and Arunachal Pradesh in the North East are in the forefront in terms of total forest area. State-wise, Madhya Pradesh has 77,462 sq km of area under forests and Arunachal an area of 67,248 sq. km. Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Odisha come next, in that order.

If we consider forest cover in terms of percentage of total area, Mizoram tops with 88.93 per cent, followed by Lakshadweep with 84.56 per cent and Andaman and Nicobar Islands with 81.84 per cent.

In the global ladder of forest cover, India ranks 10 th , with a total of 0.7 million sq. km of green cover. . India’s addition to the forest cover between 2013 and 2015 has been 3,775 sq .km The performance is in keeping with othe country’s commitment to increase the forest cover from 24 per cent to 3 per cent of the total geographic area.

Definitely, the figures look impressive, but the fact remains that pressures on forests remain high in India as elsewhere in the world and there is widespread degradation in the name of development. The growing urban areas are the main culprits of deforestation. Take the case of fast developing city of Gurugram (Haryana) falling in the national capital region.

The depletion of green cover there is a matter of unending concern for the environmentalists and city forest officials.

The National Capital city of Delhi takes pride in having large areas under agencies, with VIPs participating in them. However, many questions remain: What is the percentage of survival of lakhs of saplings planted, often with much publicity and fanfare? Are we planting the right trees suited to the climate and soil conditions? How much of planning is done before undertaking plantation programmes, keeping in mind the spacing between saplings, water requirements and so on.

Interestingly, an 18-member Delhi University team, comprising three Assistant Professors and students -- has done research and has identified five trees as most effective in sucking up and trapping harmful gases due to their height and leaf characteristics. Dr Vijay Kumar, Assistant Professor of Botany of Shivaji College under Delhi University says his team’s study found that areas dominated by peepul, Saptaparni, Jamun, Deodar, and Champa registered lower levels of pollution. Some areas dominated by trees such as Vilayati Kikar registered high levels of pollution.

Delhi, or, for that matter any other place, should get trees which feel happy there, adivises Pradip Krishen, environmentalist and author. “We should plant those trees which should be happy where they are planted.” The Vilayati Kikar came to India in the 1980s and since then “it has run amok, out-competing native trees.”

To save our environment it is most important to inculcate in children the love for plants and trees. An example of children’ commitment to protecting environment was seen in the districts of Kolar, Chickballapur, Ramnagar nd Bengaluru (rural). Children there are on a tree planting and protection mission. Showing total commitment to the cause, Rahul for his fifth birthday, cut a water melon, instead of a cake and spent the money his parents had kept for the celebration on planting and maintaining a plant. With a sense of pride, he says he waters the plant every day. Many groups of school students in those districts are fully involved in their green movement.

Comments are welcome at: editorialmtpl@gmail.com

Views expressed by individuals and contributors in the magazine are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Floriculture Today editorial board. Floriculture Today does not accept any responsibility of any direct, indirect or consequential damage caused to any party due to views expressed by any one or more persons in the trade. All disputes are to be referred to Delhi Jurisdiction only.

.....Editor

July 2017

Floriculture Today

Current Issues

GST IMPACT ON PROTECTED CULTIVATION Greenhouse items need special treatment to promote Hi-Tech Farming

A

griculture has always been the base of the Indian economy.

‘Agriculture’ means all its grammatical variations and similar expressions, including floriculture, horticulture, the raising of crops, grass or garden produce and also grazing. India has by tradition been an agrarian economy and more than substantial number of the rural households depend on agriculture as their principal means of livelihood. It contributes approximately one-fifth of the total gross domestic product (GDP).

Agricultural sector is one of the largest contributing sectors to Indian GDP and imposition of GST. With that in mind, the government has been exempting many food items such as meat, eggs, coarse grains, fruits, and vegetables from the CENVAT (Central VAT), even though cereals and food grains are associated with a state VAT (Value Added Tax) of 4 percent.

The Goods and Service Tax ‘GST’ did certainly take mass sentiment into account while framing the broad parameters of the GST Law. GST is the biggest reform in India’s indirect tax structure.

Rise in prices of farm products The implementation of GST covers all the indirect taxes associated with agriculture. It is bound to see an increased tax base (more products will now become taxable), and this increase (along with an increase in the tax rate from 4% to 12-18%) will contribute to a rise in the prices of agricultural products and services.

“Our Greenhouse industry or to rightly say ‘Protected Cultivation Industry’, supplies poly house and net houses to farmers for growing crops under climate control systems. This gives them protection against sun, wind, rain, hail and other climatic issues”, said Chetan Dedhia, M.D., J J Overseas. These structures, he points out, generally use Galvanized Pipes and Plastic products such as Extruded films on top for Rain and Hail Protection, Warp Knitted Shade nets for protection of Sun Radiation, Insect

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Floriculture Today July 2017

The implementation of GST covers all the indirect taxes associated with agriculture. It is bound to see an increased tax base (more products will now become taxable), and this increase (along with an increase in the tax rate from 4% to 12-18%) will contribute to a rise in the prices of agricultural products and services Nets for protection of Sucking Pests, Woven Laminated Films as Weed Mats for stopping Weed Growth.

Enabling farmers to invest in Hi-Tech structures

All these items are heavily taxed, which makes it costlier for farmers to invest in Hi-Tech structures and making them vulnerable. Every year, thousands of crores of rupees is given away as Crop Compensations and Loan Waivers.

Currently farmers of major Agriculture Advanced states such as Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh,

Rajasthan, etc. are all at logger heads with the Government to get Farm Loan Waivers.

Everyone knows that it is unattainable for State Government to waive of these loans as it will cost them more than 1 lakh crore rupees.

Dedhia also appealed to the GST Committee to look into the issue from the other end, focusing on questions like does it want to spend money every year on giving Crop Compensations and Loan Waivers or to spend the same money as Subsidies and Insurance Cover for farmers? We have to save our farmers, so that they are protected from Natural calamities, and for that Protected Cultivation is the only solution. However, since it is a expensive proposition and most of the farmers can’t go ahead with their own funds, we suggest waiver of all Taxes from the Plastic and Steel components which are widely used by farmers. This way, the cost of final structures will come down and farmers will be more than willing to go for protected cultivation along with the help of banks and subsidies.

Once the farmer’s income is secure by means of these structures, they will have more money to spend on upgradation of their lifestyle and other requirements.

They will buy more and subsequently pay more Indirect Taxes.

Separate classification needed Praveen Sharma, President of Indian Society of Floriculture Professional believes that GST for Green/Shade/ Net houses is classified as prefabricated buildings covered under chapter 9406 0011 and rate is 18%. It may be classified separately as part of Agriculture/ Horticulture system, as these are part of “Environmental Controlled Agriculture/ Horticulture”. Being agriculture, it should be taxed at maximum 5%. Similarly all Agriculture and Irrigation services should classify separately. And maximum rate should be 5% only. Else it will attract 18% rate. Representation must be made.

Immediate actions is necessary.

While the scope of agriculture for the

Current Issues

The Agriculture sector in India has enjoyed a special treatment in the current taxation regime and has been granted various tax exemptions and concessions both by the Central as well as the State Governments purpose of GST seems to have been limited - the removal of restrictions from definition of ‘Agriculturist’ in the CGST Bill, 2017 has somewhere given us a glimpse of the intention of GST with regard to said sector viz. actual population engaged farming and supplying such produce needs to be excluded from the ambit of GST. Impact on consumer As per the GST council recommendations it appears that essential commodities such as farm produce will be taxed under GST at zero rate. Given this, irrespective of whether the essential

commodities farm produce is procured from agriculturist or co–operative societies or private limited organizations, they shall have the same effect with regard to GST for the end consumer.

Transparent supply chain With the changing economic scenario, the agricultural sector has also been evolving. Farmers are using Hi Tech machineries and technologies in Agriculture, and getting more and more organized day by day. On a cautionary thought, limiting the scope of Agriculturist only to Individual / HUF the government could de-motivate the process of agricultural sector getting more

organized.

The Agriculture sector in India has enjoyed a special treatment in the current taxation regime and has been granted various tax exemptions and concessions both by the Central as well as the State Governments. Concessional rates of VAT have been levied by various states on agricultural machinery and implements, agricultural tractors, trailers and trolleys, harvesters, threshers, including attachments, components and parts thereof.

A better supply chain mechanism would ensure a reduction in wastage and cost for the farmers/retailers.

GST would also help in reducing the cost of heavy machinery required for producing agricultural commodities.

The implementation of GST would have a major impact on transportation of agriculture products across state lines across the country.

GST will provide each trader, the input credit for the tax paid on every value addition, which will create a transparent supply chain and lead to free movement of agri-commodities across India.

July 2017

Floriculture Today 11

Current Issues

Exemption for Plants in GST Suggests Changes in GST Law

T

he Indian Nurserymen Association which is established in 1987 for the benefits of Nurserymen. In National level it is proved once again under the Leadership of the President Palla Subrahmanyam and his team by resolving the Model G.S.T Issue. The worth and zeal of the President created a new path to the association and its members. Due to his great tasks and achievements many members are showing interest to join in the association.

Now the doubt of “What is the use of being a member in Indian Nurserymen Association” was cleared to each and every member who wishes to join in the association.

As we all know that in the proposed model G.S.T. on the Agricultural Income etc., is divided into two parts as follows :1. The definitions of agriculture and agriculturists are given in Sections 2(7) 2(8) of the Model G.S.T. Act. While agriculture is defined to include rising of crops, grass or garden produce and grazing and also Floriculture, horticulture, sericulture, the definition of agriculturist is very narrow and includes only a person who cultivates the land personally for the purpose of agriculture”.

It is further stated in the said Model GST Law that “Activities such as dairy farming, poultry farming, stock breeding, the mere cutting of wood or grass, gathering of fruit; raising of man-made forest or rearing of seedling or plants are not regarded as agriculture under the revised Model GST Law”.

2. The last line where “rearing of seedling or plants” are not considered as agriculture, is very misleading regarded. For example, rice cultivation (which is the rearing of rice seedling) or sugarcane cultivation (which is the rearing of sugarcane plants) would, by this

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Floriculture Today July 2017

3.

4.

definition, not be considered as agriculture and this be taxed under GST. This confusing definition of Agriculture will lead to unnecessary litigation as per Model GST Bill. It is said as confusing because the total Nursery Sector in India is based on this “Rearing of seedlings or plants”.

Due to this confusing definition the total Nurserymen throughout India were confused about this particular introduction. If that is introduced the Nurserymen have to write two sets of accounts one is agricultural income and other for Nursery Activities.

This doubt was raised by our G.C Members and they suggested our President Palla Subrahmanyam & Sr. Vice President Samir Vashi to follow up this issue in advance to clear the problem. They took it as a challenge to resolve this confusion and clear the burden on us because of Model GST a representation is also send to our Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi and to Amit Shah, President, BJP.

By getting the complete information of this Model GST Law an immediate action was taken by the President and Sr. Vice President and they had directly met C.R Patil, Member of Parliament, Surat and the representation for Modifications has given to him.

5.

In a view to solve this challenging issue at the earliest our president had taken out his hidden influence for the benefits of the total Nurserymen in India. He planned to meet all the great personalities directly and decided to give them representations. So he started his action plan from the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N. Chadra Babu Naidu and explained the situation by giving the representation. The Chief Minister had responded very positively and he said that he will surely help in this issue and told that he will suggest the concerned committee for modifications. Then he met Yanamala Rama Krishnudu,

Current Issues

6.

Finance minister of A.P, Murali Mohan, Member of Parliament Rajahmundry, Thota Narasimham, Member of Parliament Kakinada, Gorantla Buchiah Chowdary, MLA, Rajahmundry Rural, Somu Veerraju, MLC, President & Secretary of BJYM, A.P. and many more leaders in Andhra Pradesh.

Leaving all his personal works and business activities he immediately went to Delhi Parliament office to handover the representations to all the required Leaders. He had gathered some of the Nurserymen in Delhi and moved to the Parliament, there he met Sujana Choudhary Minister of State for Science, Technology & Earth Science, C.M Ramesh, K.V.P. Ram Chandra Rao Member of Rajya Sabha and along with-them and their support he met Venkaiah Naidu, Urban Development Minister and Arun Jaitely, Union Finance Minister. He requested them for the modification

7.

8.

of the confusing definition and exempting the Nursery Sector from the Model G.S.T Law. He also encouraged the total G.C Members and Members of INA to give representations to their M.P’s to bring a movement from all over the India. With his words G.C Members from different states like Kerala, Gujarat, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Chattisgarh, West Bengal etc., had given representation to their M.P’s and requested them for their support.

Our Association personally represented before the above Ministers and also M.P’s of all States and after considering our difficulties and after discussion with others our Finance Minister of India, Arun Jaitely amended the agricultural income as follows

Proposed in G.S.T. Model Bill “Agriculture is defined to include raising of crops, grass or garden produced

and grazing and also floriculture, horticulture, sericulture.

Activities such as dairy farming, poultry farming, stock breeding, the mere cutting of wood or grass, gathering of fruit, raising or man-made forest of REARING OF SEEDLING OR PLANTS ARE NOT NOW IN THE G.S.T. ACT UNDER SECTION (2) OF CENTRAL GOODS AND SERVICES TAX ACT, 2017.

We are thankful to our President Palla Subrahmanyam and Samir Vashi, Ravi Kumar, all our G.C. Members and state representatives of association. We also thank Naseem Ahmed, Y.P. Singh, Rajeev Kumar and Nizar Ahmed, who represented to various M.P’s, Ministers etc., and with the Co-operation of the Members. We specially thank our Auditors V.S. Prakasa Rao and Krishna. We also thank Narendra Modi, Arun Jaitley, Venkaiah Naidu, Srujana Choudhary and everyone who supported us by solving our problem.

You will be in our hearts forever.

n

July 2017

Floriculture Today 13

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Floriculture Today July 2017

July 2017

Floriculture Today 15

Exhibition

Royal Bhutan Flower Exhibition 2017

Spectacular display of Thematic Gardens Wide appreciation for Indian participation

— S Jafar Naqvi

T

hematic gardens prepared by specialist participants from Bhutan and abroad, including India, presented an enthralling experience to the VIP invitees and other visitors to the 3rd Royal Bhutan Flower Exhibition 2017 held in Thimphu.

The eight-day exhibition, which concluded on June 11 at the National Memorial Chorten in the kingdom’s capital city was conceived as a tribute to his Majesty -- the Third Druk Gyalpo, Jigme Dorji Wangchuk. The exhibition was also instituted to memorialize the Birth Anniversary of her Majesty the Gyaltsuen Participants, among them, the armed forces, private florists, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests (MoAF) and Green Bhutan, designed beautiful thematic gardens for display at the exhibition. The gardens developed by foreign participants, India, Thailand and Japan, were equally a big draw. The exhibits displayed by Bhutan focused on the rich and unique varieties of indigenous plants and herbs as well as a large variety of ornamental flowers. Cut flowers and souvenirs such as Pictorial Book on Exhibition, Caps

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Floriculture Today July 2017

and Cups etc. were available on sale, and experts were at hand to provide useful information and share gardening tips.

Bhutan’s Princess Mako of Akishino

attended the ceremony as the Guest of Honour at the invitation of the Government of the Kingdom of Bhutan, along with Kenji Hiramatsu, Ambassador

Exhibition of Japan to Bhutan and Mrs. Hiramatsu.

The King and Queen of Bhutan, the Fourth King and Queen Mothers, members of Royal Family, and Ministers and high dignitaries of Bhutan, were other VIP invitees. All the dignitaries were taken around the exhibition, including the Indian Garden, Japanese Garden, and Thai Garden, which were designed at the exhibition premises.

King’s collection of Bonsai As the dignitaries walked along the Japanese Garden, Shigeji Nakada, a landscape designer from Ishikawa Town, Fukushima Prefecture of Japan, explained in detail the style of the Japanese Garden (Japanese Rock Garden), and its concept, which is the outcome of collaboration between Japan and Bhutan. The VIP visitors got an opportunity to see on this occasion the King’s collection of Bonsai trees, which were presented by Masashi Hirao, a Bonsai Master, specially dispatched from Japan last year for the 2nd Royal Bhutan Flower Exhibition 2016.

The King’s collection looked unique and most attractive.

The Royal Bhutan Flower Exhibition organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests began under the inspiration of the King of Bhutan, as an exhibition on Horticulture. It initially was held on the Royal Command of the King, as a landmark community event to promote and create beautiful spaces, foster community action and encourage the growth of a vibrant entrepreneurship in floriculture across the nation.

The event’s popularity grew as the Japanese and Thai representatives participated in the event for the first time.

The new attraction was the bonsai displays of the Thai and Japanese styles, each with a prominent expert on the site.

Bhutan’s biodiversity treasure Bhutan has more than 5,400 species of plants. The Eastern Himalayas have been identified as a global biodiversity hotspot and counted among the 234 globally outstanding eco-regions of the world in a comprehensive analysis of global biodiversity undertaken by WWF. The Kingdom has received international acclaim for its commitment to the maintenance of its biodiversity. All of Bhutan’s protected land is connected to one another through a vast network of biological corridors, allowing animals to migrate freely.

Environmental conservation is not treated as a sector

but rather as a set of concerns that must be mainstreamed in Bhutan’s overall approach to development planning and buttressed by the force of law.

Although Bhutan’s natural heritage is still largely intact, the government has said that it cannot be taken for granted and that conservation of the natural environment must be considered as one of the challenges that will need to be addressed in the years ahead. The government aims to promote conservation as part of its plan to target Gross National Happiness. While the entire country collectively produces 2.2 million tons of carbon dioxide a year,

the immense forest covering 72% of the country acts as a carbon sink, absorbing more than four million tons of carbon dioxide every year.

Pressures on the natural environment include population pressures, agricultural modernization, poaching, hydro-power development, mineral extraction, industrialization, urbanization, sewage and waste disposal, tourism, competition for available land, road construction and the provision of other physical infrastructure associated with social and economic development.

Indian Participation in Bhutan Exhibition wins kudos New styles of gardening unveiled

I

ndian participation in the Royal Bhutan Flower Exhibition 2017 received wide appreciation. It would be remembered for introducing a new concept or product for the first time in that country -- the concept of carpet grass. The novelty of carpet grass there, should not, of course, cause any surprise, considering the topography and climatic conditions of a country located in the eastern Himalayan mountains.

The technicalities were explained by Dr. Krishna Chavan, Designer at the Indian Pavillion with a humble approach.

Carpet grass for the exhibition was imported from Kolkata. The grass was the native one available in all Indian states. It was developed on coco-peat media, i.e., without soil. Because of soil-less media for growing it, it didn’t come across any quarantine issues while importing.

Additionally, India illustrated in the exhibition the widely popular trends of new styles of gardening like Vertical Gardening, drawing minimal space and providing maximum greenery. The exhibition showed typical cheap buckets vertically arranged and other such styles. There were many more new styles -- sustainable vertical gardens, for example. This involves vertical use of space by making use of fabrication work and adopting creeper varieties.

Proper use of the technique can make best use of limited space. Many more innovative ideas, at minimum cost, were offered, like making use of buckets and other containers for plants, decoration bottles and hanging them vertically.

Vertical Gardening has engendered much public interest because of watering and quality specializations for the common household garden lovers. The automation systems technically built, using pots, is of great assistance for tackling watering troubles. It is astonishingly conventional to revive the air & greenery, providing maximum oxygen to one and all. Moreover, presence of experts in field of vertical gardening has expanded the scope for landscapers, floriculture, and horticulture industry. The accessibility of digital support is another plus point.

Sandeep Singh at the Indian embassy said the exhibition was amazingly well prepared. Japan and other countries also worked hard, but most people were all praise for Indian gardens. This year’s event was highly rewarding for all. All in all, the exhibition was a great place to visit for nature lovers, gardening enthusiasts and others. The Indian Pavillion got much more acknowledged with the visit of the PM of Bhutan Tshering Tobgay.

In Bhutan, Royal Flower Exhibition is the most prestigious fair. The environment is eco-friendly and royal, i.e., much disciplined and maintaining nature’s balance.

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Plant Nutrition

Bio Fertilizers A Boon for High Yield and Quality in Flower Crops microorganisms that are required to benefit the crop. In the present context of high profits and less soil health concern, bio fertilizers shows the healthy pave for sustainable floriculture.

Dr. Neelima P

Dr. A. N. Sabalpara

Alka Singh, A.N. Sabalpara and Neelima Palagani Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat

20

C

Dr. Alka Singh

ommercial Floriculture has, in recent times, emerged in the form of lucrative flora Industry, an economical viable option in Agri-business. In the last two decades, the area under flower cultivation has been tripled and shifted from mere cultivation of traditional flowers to modern hi-tech export oriented units producing high quality cut flowers in India. Growing demand in national and international markets, enthusiasm of entrepreneurs, focused attention and support of Government, has resulted in unprecedented growth of floriculture.

Flower quality and yield play a greater role to augment Floriculture industry. Affordability of fossil fuel based chemical fertilizers at the farm level has been ensured only through imports and subsidies and that too at the cost of soil health. In this context a ray of hope in the form of bio fertilizers has been diffusing all over the horticulture, including floriculture. Bio fertilizer is a large population of beneficial microorganisms either living or latent cells, which enhance the productivity of the crop, when applied to seed, plant surfaces or soil colonizes the rhizosphere or the interior of the plant and promotes growth by increasing the supply or availability of primary nutrients to the host plant through fixing, solubilizing or mobilizing. Bio fertilizers play a crucial role in shifting the fortunes of farming from cost ineffective to cost effective. Bio fertilizer is a complete natural and organic fertilizer that helps to maintain the optimum nutrients and

Floriculture Today July 2017

Identification and Commercialization of Bio-fertilizers The bio-fertilizers were initially identified by a Dutch scientist in 1888. The commercial history of bio fertilizers began with the promotion of ‘Nitragin’ by Nobbe and Hiltner, a laboratory culture of Rhizobia in 1895, followed by the discovery of Azotobacter and then the Blue Green Algae (BGA) and a host of other microorganisms. Azospirillum and Vesicular- Arbuscular Micorrhizae (VAM) are relatively new discoveries than the former. In India the first study on legume Rhizobium symbiosis was conducted by N. V. Joshi and the first commercial production started as early as 1956. However the Ministry of Agriculture under the Ninth Plan initiated the real effort to popularize and promote the input with the setting up of the National Project on Development and Use of Bio fertilizers (NPDUB).

Broad Benefits Successful cultivation of flower crops either open or protected conditions to a major extent depend on the major elements like nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. High crop requirement and susceptibility to gaseous and leaching losses make the nitrogen a highly demanded fertilizer extended by phosphorous.

Even the air atmosphere contain about 80% nitrogen plant cannot utilize it. In this context, fixing and solubilizing the unavailable form of nutrients to available form by the microbes is a great boon to the farming. In the field of floriculture the use of bio fertilizers is restricted to very few species for the major nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous. Bio fertilizers offer a wide range of advantages over the chemical fertilizers. Along the supply of nutrients, they richer the soil with growth promoting substances like hormones, vitamins, amino acids etc. Bio fertilizers supply the nutrients continuously to the plant under the favourable conditions, in contrast to the chemical fertilizers under which the nutrients are repeatedly get replenished. The strategy of bio fertilizers

Plant Nutrition

RDF

25% reduced chemical forms of N and P along with bio-feritlizers (Azatobacter and PSB)

Biomass and sucker production in control vs. bio fertiliser treatment in chrysanthemum plants

has been found to be significantly superior over the other chemical means.

In horticulture especially, the search for alternatives to inorganic fertilizers is essentially needed for floriculture not only due to the likelihood of future price increases but also by the obligation to maintain long term soil productivity and ecological sustainability. Despite the high cost of cultivation of flowers under protected conditions, bio fertilizers make the nutrient supply at cheaper cost along the soil health management.

Type of Bio-fertilizers There are different types of bio fertilizers depending upon the type of element they fix or solubilize or mobilize or oxidize. Azotobacter spp. are Gram negative, free-living, aerobic soil dwelling, oval or spherical bacteria that form thick-walled cysts (means of asexual reproduction under favourable condition.)

These bacteria utilize atmospheric nitrogen gas for their cell protein synthesis. This cell protein is

Chrysanthemum plants without biofertilizers(T3) and with biofertilizer (Aztobacter and PSB) inoculation(T10)

Bio fertilizer treatment RDF+ NC + PSB +Azotobacter.

Tuberose plants (research done JAU,Junagadh)

Control (chemical fertilizers)

then mineralized in soil after the death of Azotobacter cells thereby contributing towards the nitrogen availability of the crop plants. Azotobacter spp. is sensitive to acidic pH, high salts, and temperature.

Azotobacter has beneficial effects on crop growth and yield through, biosynthesis of biologically active substances, stimulation of rhizospheric microbes, producing phyopathogenic inhibitors.

Mycorrhiza is the mutualistic symbiosis (non-pathogenic association) between soil-borne fungi with the roots of higher plants. Two types of mycorrhiza are known today: ecto and endomycorrhizas. The increased efficiency of mycorrhizal roots versus nonmycorrhizal roots is caused by the active uptake and transport of nutrients by mycorrhizae.

Mycorrhizae are

Increased Flower diameter in bio fertilizers treated plants (T5) of Chrysanthemum

described as improving the absorption of several nutrients.

Phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) are beneficial bacteria that are capable of solubilizing inorganic phosphorus from insoluble or inorganic compounds.

P-solubilisation ability of rhizosphere microorganisms is considered to be one of the most important traits associated with plant phosphate nutrition. It is generally regarded that the mechanism of mineral phosphate solubilisation by PSB strains is associated with the release of low molecular weight organic acids, through which their hydroxyl and carboxl groups chelate the cations bound to phosphate, thereby converting it into soluble forms.

These organisms are ubiquitous but

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Floriculture Today 21

Plant Nutrition vary in density and mineral phosphate solubilizing (MPS) ability from soil to soil or from one production system to another.

In soil P solubilizing bacteria constitute 1-50% and fungi 0.1-0.5% of the total respective population. Recently, lot of emphasis has been given on the possibility of utilizing indigenously available rock phosphate. By the addition of PSB the

unavailable forms of P is converted to the available forms, increasing P uptake and leading to increased yield.

Microorganisms play a key role in the natural K cycle. Some species of rhizobacteria are capable of mobilizing potassium in accessible form in soils.

There are considerable population of Potssium Solubilizing Bacteria (KSB) in

soil and rhizosphere. Silicate bacteria were found to dissolve potassium, silicon and aluminium from insoluble minerals. It has been reported that most of potassium in soil exists in the form of silicate minerals.

The potassium is made available to plants when the minerals are slowly weathered or solubilized.

Bio fertilizers for macro nutrients N2 fixing bio fertilizers

a. Free-living

Azotobacter, Beijerinkia, Derxia, Nostoc

b. Symbiotic

Rhizobium, Frankia, Anabaena azollae

c. Associative Symbiotic

Azospirillum, Gluconoacetobacter diazotrophics

P solubilizing bio-fertilizers

a. Bacteria

Bacillus megaterium var. phosphaticum, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus circulans, Pseudomonas striata

b. Fungi

Penicillium sp, Aspergillus awamori

P mobilizing bio-fertilizers

a. Arbuscular Micorrhizae

Glomus sp., Gigaspora sp., Acaulospora sp., Scutellospora sp. and Sclerocystis sp.

K mobilizing bacteria

Frateuria aurantia

Sulphur oxidizers

Thiobacillus thiooxidans, Thiobacillus ferrooxidans

Bio fertilizers for micro nutrients 1.

Silicate solubilizers

Erwinia, Pseudomonas sp., Bacillus sp

2.

Manganese solubilizers

Pencillium citrinum

3.

Iron solubilizers

Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

4.

Zinc solubilizers

Bacillus sp., Pseudomonas sp., Aspergillus niger

Others Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria

a. PGPR Bacteria

Pseudomonas fluorescens, Bacillus sp. Burkholderia, Herbaspirillum

b. PGPR Fungi

Piriformospora indica

Bio-filmed bio-fertilizers

Fungal-Bacterial Bio-films (FBB),

Fungal-Rhizobial Bio-films (FRB)

with 20 kgs of dried and powdered farm yard manure or vermicompost and then broadcasted or applied in the pits of main field just before transplanting. Eg., VAM, PSB Seed treatment Microbial inoculant is mixed with 200 ml of rice kanji or jaggery solution to make slurry. The required amount of seeds is mixed in the slurry so as to have a uniform coating of the inoculant over the seeds and then shade dried for 30 minutes. The shade dried seeds should be sown within 24 hours. This method of application is highly suitable for annuals as most of the annuals are raised through seeds. Eg., Asospirillum.

Bio fertilizers inoculated (Azo + VAM) Uninoculated

Variation in number of suckers per plant of Gerbera

Methods of application Seedling root dip This method is used for transplanted crops. Microbial inoculant is mixed in 20-40 litres of water. The root portion of the seedlings required is dipped in the mixture for 5 to 10 minutes and

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Floriculture Today July 2017

then transplanted. This method can be useful in greenhouse grown crops. Eg., Azotobacter, Azospirillum, Phosphate solubilising bacteria.

Main field application Microbial inoculant

is

mixed

Precautions v Bacterial inoculants should not be mixed with insecticide, fungicide, herbicide and fertilizers. v Seed treatment with bacterial inoculant is to be done at last when seeds are

July 2017

Floriculture Today 23

Plant Nutrition planting material with good diameter and weight of the bulb and corm, which in turn provides healthy flower yield in the next season. v Higher Economic returns l Reports have revealed that the production cost of bio fertilizer is 20 paisa through rhizobium and 50 paisa through blue green algae, in contrast to the nitrogenous fertilizer which costs about Rs. 6/Kg. Bio fertilizers inoculated (Azo + VAM) Uninoculated Effect of bio fertilizers on diameter and anthocyanin content of gerbera plants

Effect of bio fertilizers on stalk length of gerbera Highest length in bio fertilizer (Azo + VAM) treated plants (B1C7) (research done NAU, Navsari)

treated with fungicides. A thumb rule to give different treatments if FIB (First fungicide, then treat the seed with insecticide and finally inoculated with bio fertilizers) General Dose 1 kg of biofertilizers per acre or one litre per acre of area Effect of bio fertilizers on growth, yield and quality of flowers Different bio fertilizers also provide growth-promoting factors to plants and some have been successfully facilitating composting and effective recycling of solid wastes. Use of bio fertilizers can save 20-40 kg/ha of fertilizer nitrogen and 10-20 kg/ ha of phosphoric acid per one cropping season. So, the bio fertilizers reduce the cost of cultivation under both open and protected conditions there by increase the net returns to the farmers. Flexibility in application , offer easy handling as they can be given as seed treatment, root dipping, drenching, direct soil application etc. Application of bio fertilizers alone and along with inorganic fertilizers effectively influence the vegetative characters of the plants including height, plant spread, number of flowering shoots, dry matter content in many flower crops

24

Floriculture Today July 2017

viz., chrysanthemum, rose, gerbera, china aster, carnation, gladiolus, tube rose, crossandra, tulip etc. Response of various flower crops to biofertilizer application is given below: v Flower Quality l Bio fertilizers inoculation influence the early flowering and at the same time flower quality parameters like in-situ longevity, stalk length of cut flowers, post-harvest life and diameter of many loose and cut flowers has been enhanced. l Intense flower colour with higher retained petal pigments like anthocyanins and carotenes have been found with bio-fertilizer application. l In marigold application of bio fertilizers increase the xanthophyll content in the flowers.

Yield Flower yield per plant increases with bio-fertilizer application owing to good vegetative growth of plants as observed in tuberose, gerbera, chrysanthemum and marigold l In the crops like tube rose and gladiolus adoption of fertilizer technology yielded the quality

v l

v Soil Health l Soil nutrient status increase many fold through bio fertilizer application as a component of INM in different flower crops viz., rose, chrysanthemum, gerbera, china aster, gladiolus, carnation, etc. v Environmental Moderation l Application of bio fertilizers effectively maintain and improve the quality of landscapes which includes soil, water, biota and aesthetics, protect the environment from water and soil pollution. Bio fertilizers are cost effective and environmental friendly. They are economically viable and socially acceptable.

Basically, India is a country with organic agriculture back ground, but the constant pressure of high yield in all crops for higher economy returns have been shifting it to inorganic. The constant demand of higher yield of high quality of flowers through chemical fertilizers has been a cause of soil deterioration.

Bio fertilizers as an input conjunctive to inorganic forms can efficiently justify the growing imbalances and can combat the adverse conditions of the soil to a greater magnitude. Besides, providing high quality flower yield, integration of bio-fertilizers can reduce input cost of chemical fertilizers. Further, there is need to conduct more research regarding use of combinations of bio fertilizers for high quality flower production especially for export market. Thus, a positive vision of bio fertilizers can aid in establishing a healthy environment with blooming n flowers at an inexpensive cost.

(Authors: Dr. A. N. Sabalpara, Director of Research and Dean PG Studies, NAU, Navsari, Dr. Alka Singh, Associate Professor and Head (Floriculture), Ms. Neelima Palagani, PhD Scholar ACHF, NAU, Navsari)

July 2017

Floriculture Today 25

Improving Indoor Air Quality Using Interior landscape plants – Dr. Prativa Anand, Dr. Babita Singh and Dr. S. S. Sindhu

I

ndoor Air Quality (IAQ) is a term which refers to the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants. Indoor Air Quality is an international health issue, since city dwellers spend 90% of their time indoors. Indoor air in cities has been reported to be as much as 100 times more polluted than outdoors.

Typical samples of urban air contain thousands of chemicals, approximately 10% of which are classified as carcinogens. Collectively pollutants result in a signification reduction in indoor air quality that can affect the health and wellbeing of those exposed.

Sources of indoor pollution include mold, bacteria, tobacco smoke, household products, volatile organic compounds, gases such as radon and carbon monoxide, materials used in the building such as asbestos, formaldehyde and lead. Some health effects from indoor air pollutants may show up shortly after a single exposure. These include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Soon after exposure to some indoor air pollutants, symptoms of some diseases such as asthma may show up, be aggravated or worsened.

Other health effects which include some respiratory diseases, heart disease and cancer may show up either years after exposure has occurred or only after long or repeated periods of exposure.

Deterioration of indoor air quality can result in “multiple chemical sensitivity”, “new house syndrome” and “sick building

26

Floriculture Today July 2017

syndrome”.

Technological advances for improving IAQ are often expensive and not widely used. Biological methods for improving indoor air quality, such as the use of plants, are increasingly being tested. Houseplants together with the medium in which they are grown can reduce components of indoor air pollution, particularly volatile organic compounds (VOC) such as benzene, toluene, and xylene. The plants filter out certain harmful compounds in the air and make it much healthier to breathe. NASA researchers suggest efficient air cleaning is accomplished with at least one plant per 100 square feet of home or office space.

List of houseplants for improving indoor air quality 1. Aloe Vera Many people have Aloe Vera in their homes because of its healing ability.

Aloe Vera

The gel inside the leaves is excellent for helping to heal burns and cuts. Aloe Vera however, is also a great plant to improve your indoor air quality. It is easy to grow and it helps to keep home free from benzene which is commonly found in paint and certain chemical cleaners.

2. Peace Lily The Peace Lily is a beautiful plant and one that can improve the indoor air quality by as much as 60 percent. It helps to reduce the levels of mold spores that grow in the home by absorbing those spores through its leaves and then circulating them to the plant’s roots where they are used as food.

In bathrooms, the Peace Lily can help to keep shower tiles and curtains free from mildew and the plant can absorb harmful vapors from alcohol and acetone.

3. Spider Plant The spider plant is a commonly found

Peace Lily

Environment Chart of Air Filtering Plants Botanical Name Common Name Benzene Formaldehyde Trichloroethylene Xylene and Ammonia Toluene

Toxic to dogs, cats

Aloe vera

Aloe vera

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Aglaonemamodestum

Chinese evergreen Yes

Yes

No

No

No

Yes

Chamaedoreaseifrizii

Bamboo

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

No

Chlorophytumcomosum

Spider plant

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

No

Chrysanthemum morifolium

Florist’s chrysanthemum

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Dendrobium spp.

Dendrobium orchids

No

No

No

Yes

No

No

Dieffenbachia spp.

Dumb canes

No

No

No

Yes

No

Yes

Dracaena fragrans’ Massangeana’

Cornstock Dracaena

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

Yes

Dracaena marginata

Red-edged dracaena

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Dypsislutescens

Areca palm

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

No

Epipremnumaureum

Devil’s ivy Money plant

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

Ficuselastica

Rubber plant

No

Yes

No

No

No

No

Hedera helix

English ivy

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Nephrolepisexaltar a ‘Bostoniensis’

Boston fern

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

No

Phalaenopsis spp.

Moth orchids

No

No

No

Yes

No

No

Philodendron cordatum

Heartleaf philodendron

No

Yes

No

No

No

No

Philodendron domesticum

Elephant ear philodendron

No

Yes

No

No

No

Yes

Phoenix roebelenii

Dwarf date palm

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

No

No

No

July 2017

Floriculture Today 27

Environment

Spider Plant

houseplant and is one that is really easy to grow. Within just two days, this plant can remove up to 90 percent of the toxins in the indoor air. The leaves grow quickly and help to absorb harmful substances like mold and other allergens so it is the perfect plant for those who have common dust allergies. It also helps to absorb

Heart Leaf Philodendron

English Ivy

and the Boston Fern is one that offers beauty and healthy benefits. These plants act as humidifiers and can help to restore

Fern are very popular houseplants and the Boston Fern is one that offers beauty and healthy benefits.

These plants act as humidifiers and can help to restore moisture in the air so they are perfect for those who suffer from dry skin and other cold weather problems. They can also help to eliminate traces of formaldehyde and they look beautiful hanging from baskets all around the home. Keep Boston fern in direct sunlight and mist the leaves with water regularly.

Boston Fern

moisture in the air so they are perfect for those who suffer from dry skin and other cold weather problems. They can also help to eliminate traces of formaldehyde and they look beautiful hanging from baskets all around the home. Keep Boston fern in direct sunlight and mist the leaves with water regularly.

6. Heart Leaf Philodendron The Heart Leaf Philodendron is a climbing vine that is often best for homes without small pets or children. If eaten, the plant is toxic. However, it is an excellent choice for removing formaldehyde like what is commonly found in particle board. They are relatively easy to care for but again, should be kept high enough that pets and small children cannot access them.

7. Broadleaf Lady Palm With a maximum height of approximately six feet, Lady Palm is the

small traces of formaldehyde and carbon monoxide.

4. English Ivy The English Ivy plant is perfect for those who have pets in the home as it can reduce the amount of airborne fecal matter.

It can also absorb formaldehyde which is commonly found in some household cleaning products and furniture or carpeting treatments. Studies show that keeping an English Ivy plant on the desk will help to give better focus because it can also absorb trace amounts of benzene which is a chemical.

5. Boston Fern Fern are very popular houseplants

28

Floriculture Today July 2017

Broadleaf Lady Palm

Red Edged Dracaena

July 2017

Floriculture Today 29

Environment perfect fan palm to have in a dark corner of home. They are able to tolerate low-levels of light, high amounts of water and a wide range of temperatures. This evergreen perennial small palm can thrive in both indoor and outdoor environments. It is one of the best houseplants in cleansing the air of formaldehyde, ammonia, xylene and toluene.

8. Red Edged Dracaena This low-maintenance plant is very popular just because it looks cool, but also because it takes little work to keep it alive.

Keep it in an area with indirect sunlight and keep the soil slightly moist. It is one of the most efficient plants at removing formaldehyde as well as other VOCs including benzene, trichloroethylene, and xylene. However, keep pets away from this plant, as it can be toxic to animals when ingested.

9. Chinese Evergreen The Chinese Evergreen is very easy to care for and can help your home to get rid

30

Floriculture Today July 2017

of a number of air pollutants. It produces tiny red berries that are lovely to look at and can help to remove toxins from the air that are commonly found in chemical based household cleaners. The longer the plant, the more toxins it will remove. So plan on keeping Chinese Evergreen for many years for optimal benefits.

10. Chrysanthemum Mums are beautiful flowers that can be commonly found at most nurseries or floral shops. The colors alone make them a wonderful choice for a houseplant but they offer great benefits to air quality as well.

Chrysanthemums can

help to filter out benzene, a chemical that is very commonly found in many household detergents as well as paints, plastics and some glue products. They prefer direct sunlight and work well as hanging plants near windows.

Summary Indoor plants have the potential to significantly improve the quality of indoor air. Indoor plants represent a portable, flexible, beautiful, useful, effective, and a relatively low-cost, standard installation to improve Indoor Air Quality. n Authors: Dr. Prativa Anand, Dr. Babita Singh and Dr. S. S. Sindhu Division of Floriculture and Landscaping, ICAR-IARI, New Delhi

July 2017

Floriculture Today 31

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Floriculture Today July 2017

July 2017

Floriculture Today 33

Greenhouse

Nematode management in greenhouse crops — Dr. N.L. Mhase, Dr. M.S.Patil

W

orldwide annual yield loss in ornamentals due to plant parasitic nematodes is 11.1 per cent. In India, on an average, a national loss of Rs. 21,068.73 millions has been estimated due to plant parasitic nematodes. An overall average annual yield loss in major horticultural crops due to nematodes goes up to 60 per cent under protected cultivation. The nematode menace is a challenging problem to floriculture industry in India, causing enormous losses every year. The loss in yield varies from 27 per cent in carnation to 30 per cent in gerbera due to root knot nematode. In case of vegetables, the loss varies from 10 to 40 per cent in tomato 20 to 70 per cent in cucumber due to root knot nematode.

Since, nematodes alone are not responsible for this havoc, certain fungi and bacteria also play an active role in making the disease problem very complicated. The perennial nature of most of the flowering plants too makes congenial environment for nematode development.

Therefore, authors have advised to follow all the methods - cultural, chemical and biological to control nematodes effectively.

An integrated approach is also advised to combat this burgeoning problem.

Cause or means of spread: v High day temperature and relative humidity within the greenhouse. v Low tunnels.

Fig. Root knot nematode

Gerbera plant affected by root knot nematode

v Poor plant hygienic conditions inside and outside the greenhouse. v Contaminated soil or soil mixture used as growing medium. v Mono/ sole cropping and crop homogeneity. v Infested planting materials v Continuous cultivation in same field.

render certain bulbs unmarketable. The exporting plant materials also carry many nematodes which are of quarantine importance. Therefore, nematode control in flower crops is essential for quality flowers and high yield. Most common plant parasitic nematodes associated with ornamental crops are mentioned in Table.1.

Generally, nematodes do not cause direct damage to flowers but their association results in deterioration of the quality. Further, the roots infected by nematodes incite the other soil-borne pathogen-fungi and bacteria-which may lead to disease complexes. Since, most of the flowering plants are perennial in nature, they act as harbor providing congenial environment for nematode species. If nematode population is not checked initially, it wipes out the whole crop.

The low population build-up may

Losses caused by nematodes: Nematode problems on all these crops under protected conditions have assumed alarming proportions leading to huge crop losses (up to 80%) in select crops.

The nature of symptoms produced on ornamentals parasitized by plant parasitic nematodes varies with plant species.

The common symptoms are chlorosis of leaves, stunted growth, reduced vigour, delayed germination, defoliation, reduced size and number of flowers, browning of roots, gall formation on roots and die back of twigs. The infected plants sometimes

Table. 1 Plant parasitic nematodes associated with ornamental crops in India Crop Nematodes Rose

Meloidogyne incognita, M. javanica, Pratylenchus penetrans, Hemicycliophora labiata and Xiphinema basiri

Gladiolus

M. incognita and Trichodorus spp., M. incognita, M. javanica, R. reniformis

Carnation

Aphelenchoides ritzemabosi, Meloidogyne incognita, M. javanica, Pratylenchus spp. Helicotylenchus dihystera, Criconemoides curvatum and Criconema xenoplex.

Chrysanthemum

Pratylenchus coffeae, Apheloechoides ritzemabosi, M. arenaria, M. avanica and Tylenchorhynchus vulgaris

Jasmine

M. incognita, Tylenchulus semipenetrans and Rodopholus similis

Tuberose

M. incognita, M. arenaria, M. javanica and Rotylenchulus reniformis

Dahlia, Salvia & zinnia

A. ritzemabosi

Crossandra

M. incognita, M. delattrei, Heliocotylenchus dihystera and Longidorus africanus

Philodendron

M. incognita

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Floriculture Today July 2017

Greenhouse show wilting during dry periods because of malfunction of infected root system. M. incognita infection makes the plants highly susceptible for the attack of Fusarium oxsporum f.sp. dianthi. Phytophthora parasitica + M. incognita interact to produce a disease complex in gerbera leading to reduction in the yield around 40 to 60 per cent. In capsicum a pathogenic bacteria Ralstonia solanacearum gets entry into the roots infested by root-knot nematode and together produce wilting disease that reduces yield to 60-70 per cent.

Generally, nematodes cause severe damage to crops on coarse textured sandy soils particularly during dry periods and also pose severe problems in sandy clay loam and loamy sand soils.

Management: The ornamental crops are high value crops. The chemical control of nematodes is no doubt highly effective but it has certain limitation-high cost, difficulties in application and non-availability of effective chemicals. Therefore, cultural, biological and physical methods could be easily adopted to check their population. v Keep greenhouse clean. v Paths should be free of soil, organic matter, weeds and algae. v Benches should be disinfected. v Water sources should be pathogen free. v Unhealthy plants should be removed. v Sanitation, proper fertilization, organic supplements and monitoring should be taken. v Balance use of fertilizer containing major and minor elements. v Need base irrigation/ watering. v Proper spacing. v Pasteurized medium with disease suppressive mixtures. v Application of beneficial fungi in medium. a. Cultural practices: Selection of healthy and tolerant planting material is cheapest and effective method.

Crop rotation with monocots and dicots. Summer ploughing, organic manuring, mulching, watering, etc. are very effective. In areas with hot intense summer, 2-3 summer ploughings at 10 days interval before planting can considerably reduce

b.

c.

d.

e.

f.

their infestation. Use of trap crop such as cowpea. Intercropping crossandra with marigold reduces Pratylenchus and Meloidogyne spp. significantly.

FYM or compost @ 20 to 25 T/ ha.

Fumigation with formalin @ 10% (40 % Formaldehyde) i.e. 250 ml /litre of water with polythene mulch for 15 days before sowing/ transplanting.

Add recommended doses of fertilizers. Also add carbofuran or phorate @ 50g/sq.m + 200g neem/ pongamia/ mahua cake enriched by bio-pesticides per sq. m. To one ton of Farm yard manure mix 2 kg of each of Pseudomonas fluorescens + Trichoderma harzianum + Paecilomyces lilacinus.

Soil solarization: Covering a thin transparent colourless polythene sheet on moist infected field for 4-5 weeks could be effective for reducing soil-borne nematodes. This kills nematodes, weeds, fungi and bacteria.

Hot water treatment: The infested material may be treated with hot water when it is in dormant stage.

Differential thermal sensitivity is to be standardized for successful control of nematodes in planting materials. For example, treating gladiolus corms at 57.80C for 30 minutes is ideal to get nematode free planting material.

Nematicidal treatment: The systemic nematicides can be used for bare root dip treatment of dormant buds of rose rootstock for 60 minutes in 0.01% Nemacur. Seedling root dip treatment in Aldicarb (0.05-0.1%), Carbosulfan (0.05% for 12 hrs), Fensulfothion, Fenamiphos for 8 hours protects crossandra seedlings for 30 days after transplanting.

The organic formulation containing Pseudomonas fluorescens and Trichoderma harzianum has to be sprayed on the plants at regular intervals of 20 days at a dosage of 5g/ lit or 5ml/ lit. Alternately, take 20 kg of neem/ pongamia/ mahua cake enriched in the above mentioned manner and mix it in 200 litres of water, leave it for a period of 2-3 days. Filter this suspension and use it for spraying by mixing 250 ml of suspension in 1 lit. of water at

g.

h.

regular interval of 20 days Biological approach: Seed treatment @ 5-10 g/ kg seed with fungi such as Paecilomyces lilacinus, Pochonia chlamydosporia, Trichoderma viride, Trichoderma plus, Verticillium spp., Fusarium spp. And bacteria such as Pseudomonus fluorescens, Bacillus thuringiensis, Pasteuria penetrans. And soil application @ 10 to 20 g/m2 or 10 to 20 kg/ha with 100 kg FYM (field).

Integrated approach: A combination of all the methods may be practiced wherever possible for combating nematode problems in floriculture.

The strategy of nematode management requires identification of nematode species in the planting materials in fields, regular assay of soil sample, selection of tolerant hosts, pre-plant treatment of sites where susceptible crops must be grown. Above all, good management including fertilization, mulching and watering during droughts reduce the nematode damage. The biocontrol agents include antagonistic soil fungi, bacteria, nematodes and newer nematicides may play an important role in future for successful management of nematode problems in flower crops.

Summary: The plant parasitic nematodes cause 11.1% losses to ornamental crops the world over. Their management by applying chemicals or through cultural practices and biological means is of utmost importance.

n

Authors: Dr. N.L. Mhase Associate Professor of Nematology, Department of Agril. Entomology, College of Agriculture, Pune Dr. M.S.Patil Project Manager, Hi-Tech Floriculture and Vegetable Project, College of Agriculture, Pune

July 2017

Floriculture Today 35

Rare Bloom

Stinky Pair ‘Titan Twins’ Bloom At Chicago Botanic Garden

Flowers unleash disgusting whiff but attracts a line of visitors

T

he Chicago Botanic Garden got scheduled to observe the corpse flowers with great interest. Two seven-foot-tall corpse flowers -- natures biggest, rarest, not to mention smelliest -- at the Garden attracted thousands of visitors, regardless of the smell of rotting flesh that the flowers emit to attract pollinating beetles and flies. Witnessing two blooms at one time was rather a rare experience.

The flowers, officially called titan arum, naturally occur only in one place on Earth — the Indonesian island of Sumatra.

They are threatened by deforestation, and botanic gardens around the world are cultivating and preserving them. It takes up to 10 years for one plant to flower, and then it does so for about one day. “Having twin corpse flowers, both blooming at the same time is very rare. This is one of these plants that are just so exciting,” said Greg Mueller, Chief Scientist at the botanic garden.

The Chicago Botanic Garden checked with its counterparts around the world and found only a handful of times that such an event had happened, and it has never before occurred in North America.

The garden continued to display the plants, and drew many more thousands of enthusiasts to observe the huge structures, even though the flowers already closed back up, and began to wilt.

For the fourth time in less than two years, the Garden awaited for the putrid bloom of the titan arum - two plants named Java and Sumatra, after islands in their native Indonesia that were in their bloom cycle. The dual potential blossoming was extremely remarkable. “I’ve never heard of two blooming simultaneously,” said Patrick Herendeen, a Garden Senior Director. Herendeen said if they do bloom together, the aroma could be twice as powerful. “If they open simultaneously, it ought to be stinkier. It’s possible that the

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Floriculture Today July 2017

plants signal each other through gas they emit, or by other signaling mechanisms, and they could coordinate the blooming,” he said.

Widespread interest Corpse flowers can reach 8 feet in height and are supposed to emit an overpoweringly nasty smell akin to rotting meat when they bloom, according to the Garden. The Garden began collecting corpse flowers in 2003, and they’ve drawn widespread interest as they entered their bloom cycle. Spike, however, failed to bloom in August 2015, but Alice did so a month later, followed by Sprout in April

Having two plants blooming at nearly the same time allowed doing an experiment to answer a question about what happens to the inflorescence just after pollination

2016. Outdoor floriculturist Tim Pollak said, the garden’s first coprse flower, Spike, never opened in 2015. But two others have bloomed since.

Herendeen said an advantage of two plants possibly blooming at the same time is that one will be pollinated and the other won’t. That would allow Garden scientists to determine whether pollination influences the duration of odor production. “The plants go through a rapid growth phase before they slow down just prior to opening. While the duration of the rapid growth remains to continue as uncertain,” Herendeen said.

Java and Sumatra came to the Garden in 2008 through a donation from the University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley, Garden officials said. When and if they will bloom was uncertain, but just overnight, Java grew five inches and expanded by two inches, while Sumatra grew four inches and expanded by 2.25 inches. Jean Erickson of Chicago said, she saw Sprout last year and got intrigued by the plants, which took a decade to develop but then only bloom for 24 to 36 hours. “I think it is fascinating that something like this blooms for such a short period of time,” Erickson said. “They’re so beautiful

Rare Bloom when they are open.”

The Botanic Garden’s “Titan Twins,” named Java and Sumatra, emitted a smell that was described as a combination of “limburger cheese, garlic, rotting fish and smelly feet.”

These corpse flowers got nicknamed as the Titan Twins because they grew from seed from the same parent plant. It smells like rotting flesh and is almost two metres tall.

Rare blooming The blooming of corpse flowers was rare, only happening every seven to 10 years.

Java was nearly 52 inches tall and 34 inches wide, while Sumatra was 45 inches tall and 40 inches wide. The Titan Twins were the fourth and fifth corpse flowers to initiate their bloom cycles at the Botanic Garden out of a collection of 17 such plants. Both plants had been at the Botanic Garden since 2008. The bulbs of the Titan Twins were more than 110 pounds each, double the size of the bulbs of previous titan arums on display, and may possibly end up being either taller or wider than previous titan arums.

The corpse flower (Amorphophallus titanum), also known as the stinky plant, is very rare. Humans may find it unpleasant, but it certainly attracts pollinating beetles and flies.

The corpse flower does not have an annual blooming cycle. The titan arum emerges from, and stores energy in, a huge underground stem called a “corm.” The plant blooms only when sufficient energy is accumulated, making time between flowering unpredictable, spanning from a few years to more than a decade.

CBS 2’s Charlie De Mar explained that the awful smell is actually what draws people to them. Bright, beautiful exotic flowers filled the Botanic Garden in the north suburbs.

The corms of the Titan Twins were almost identical in weight when they were measured several months ago; the young inflorescences emerged from the soil within 24 hours of each other, and until recently, they were within an inch of each other in height.

Two at a time

Having two plants blooming at nearly the same time allowed doing an experiment to answer a question about what happens to the inflorescence just after pollination.

It is possible that when pollination takes place, it signals the plant to save energy and stop these energetically expensive processes. After all, pollination of the female flowers basically signals to the plant, “job well done.” Perhaps at that point, there’s no need to continue with the energy-intense display. With two plants from the same parentage

blooming at nearly the same time, we can do the experiment that could answer this question. We will not pollinate Java, the first plant that came into bloom, and then pollinate Sumatra, assuming it does open. We will record heat at regular intervals through use of a thermal camera and determine if the un-pollinated inflorescence produces heat for a longer period than the pollinated one. Measuring odor production will be a bit more subjective—that will require sniff tests, and an abundant supply of fresh noses.

n

July 2017

Floriculture Today 37

Roof Garden

Make A Roof Garden

Y

ou don’t need a ground-level site to experience the joys that gardening can bring all that is necessary is a suitable roof and a little ingenuity.

The benefits that a roof garden can offer include a warm environment that will appeal to both plants and gardener alike; peace and privacy; and if you are fortunate to an unhindered view.

Here we introduce our own design, and later on we describe the formation of the basic features. To create a garden on a roof means a departure from normal gardening techniques, and often involves an entirely new set of rules. As the height above ground increases, so, too, do the difficulties seemingly in direct ratio; access, shelter, irrigation and weight; all will assume quite new proportions.

Certain problems are peculiar to roof gardens. A common one is how to hide the rash of pipes that always seems to be in the most awkward position. Another frequently concerns weight before under taking any work you should be absolutely certain that the existing structure is sound and capable of supporting the proposed garden.

Apart from technical considerations though, the chief factor affecting your roof

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Raised beds and wooden seat form focal point of design, while a rigid PVC roof and slatted wall provide shelter.

garden is likely to be the wind. In a built up area clam is normally taken for granted.

However, what may seem a gentle breeze in the street can be a biting wind three floors up. Providing adequate shelter is therefore of paramount importance, both from you plants’ point of view, and your own.

Plan and design As far as design is concerned, you should tackle the initial survey exactly

— G. Sathish

as you would for a ground level garden.

View, direction of prevailing wind, aspect position of doors and windows, and the total dimensions must all be drawn on your basic plan, together with any other relevant information. If you do this on squared paper it will be easy to establish a scale and ensure that the features are correctly related to one another.

It would be wise to position heavy features around the perimeter, where the underlying framework will transfer the load onto the surrounding walls. As soils are usually the heaviest, your planting area will be strictly regulated.

Paving, in the conventional sense, will also present a weight problem. It is usually to find either asbestos tiles or some kind of specially laid bituminous surface where access has been previously planned, but neither would be particularly attractive over large areas.

The limitations and possibilities should now be falling into some form of pattern, possibly similar to that shown on our detailed ground plan.

Roof garden, in general, are small and ours is no exception, measuring approximately 10.5 x 6 m (35 x 20 ft). It has a high wall on one side, and a lower wall topped by chimney pots on the other.

The main view is from directly in front of the doorway leading to the house below.

The floor was originally laid with asbestos tiles and unsightly pipes were visible in a number of places. A television aerial hung

Roof Garden from the higher wall, and the prevailing wind tended to sweep over the lower wall making sitting outdoors impossible in all but the calmest weather.

Our first task, then was to provide some form of shelter. To this end, we constructed a strong wooden canopy and used clear corrugated rigid PVC to form the root.

We left the front open, but fitted, the side facing the wind with open horizontally arranged slats to form a protective screen.

The latter, while breaking the force of the wind, still allows sound movement of air through the garden. So helping to keep the temperature reasonable on hot days. It also hides the pipes and creates the small utility area that houses the tiny shed and the invaluable water butt for irrigation.

A timber handrail ran along the front of the roof. As children might use the garden we decided to close it in for safety, using plate glass wit bevelled edges. This way we retain the view and reduce wind velocity within the garden even more.

Structurally, in addition to the supporting walls around the perimeter, we were lucky enough to have a wall running along the line of the horizontal slats. So we were able to plant along the edges of the roof, and also incorporate a planting feature in virtually the middle of the design. This led to the creation of an interesting composition involving planting on split levels, and a seat that gives definition to the main relaxation area.

Next we turned our attention to the floor. The asbestos tiles measured 23 cm (9 in) square and covered the whole root.

After we had scrubbed them with a strong detergent their colour was a uniform grey that, although not unpleasant in moderation, was distinctly oppressive over the entire area.

As already mentioned, pre-cast paving is normally far too heavy for a roof, likewise the more traditional natural stone. Thinner paving bricks and quarry tiles are lighter, although where a large area is involved the weight would still be considerable.

In our design we divided the garden area into squares and worked out a simple geometric pattern. Some parts we left as the original surface, and others we edged with black paviors 25 mm (1 in) thick.

The resulting panels we filled with a thin

covering of loose chippings just enough to cover the tiles. As the stones were laid loose, drainage was unaffected, the occasional joint being left open in the brick surround to allow water to flow on its way to the main gutter. One word of warning: chippings come in a range of colours, but you should exercise particular care over your choice. It is advisable to steer clear of white as it can prove extremely dazzling in such an open situation; the same goes for painted surfaces. Buffs and browns

are particularly restful and form a good back-ground for planting.

We had a bit of fun on the high wall.

When the house was being converted a new front door was hung and its predecessor was due to be carted away with the rest of the rubbish. Instead, we rescued it and screwed it into position on the wall.

We laid chippings over the area in front of the door and placed stepping stones to lead up to a small and quite obvious step. With a handle fitted, the door fooled

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Roof Garden numerous visitors, who either asked what was on the other side, or actually tried the handled. We fitted the wall on each side with squared trellis, and trained climbing plants over this.

Planting your roof garden A special lightweight variety of soils is available that you can actually mix in your own home. If you are thinking of using pots or tubs make sure they are of ample size, for they will dry out far quicker on a roof than at ground level, with the combination of greater heat and drying wind in that situation.

It is essential that you water pots every single day in summer, which can lead to obvious problems at holiday time.

Raised beds on the other hand, will holder greater depth of soil and thus retain moisture longer. You could use timber as a construction material, although it will be costly and require protection from damp on the inside by polythene or asbestos.

A far easier method is to use lightweight concrete block such as thermalite, from

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Cistus

Cystisus

Potentilla

colour and interest throughout the year.

We have not outlined the advantages of high-level gardens, introducing our own roof Garden design as an easy-tofollow example. We go on to detail the basic features of the design, and give instructions for making the glass screen and creating split level planting areas.

The view towards the ‘false door’ is shown below:

Senecio Yucca

which you can build beds of any shape; simple bore holes through the blocks for drainage. To protect the blocks from the weather you can render them on the outside, or give them a coat of suitable stone paint, such as sandtex.

Choose plants that will enjoy a hot sunny position. Cistus, Potentilla, Senecio, Cytisus and Yucca will all thrive in a roof setting, provided with erect shelter while bulbs and annuals will also grow quickly. You can group your plants in the same way as you would in a ground level garden, choosing species to provide

Tackle initial survey as for ground level garden and draw basic plan on squared paper to establish. Scale and ensure features relate correctly to one another.

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Roof Garden The chief factor affecting your roof garden will probably be the wind. Here we look at the construction of the two features in our own design that break the force of the wind and provide shelter for both you and your plants.

Making the canopy The canopy protects the relaxation area from the wind and is built in three stages. First you construct a framework of beams and supports; then you add the slatted screen that acts as the principal windbreak; finally you top the whole structure with a clear, rigid corrugated PVC roof.

Use 150 x 25 mm (6 x 1 in) timbers, planed all round, to construct the main framework. Make it in the form of a box, and bolt it to the two load-bearing walls with special expanding masonry bolts.

The beams should finish flush with the top of the wall, allowing the corrugated PVC sheet to continue to the gutter beyond.

These PVC sheets, such as novolux, are normally available in a standard width of 75 cm (2 ½ ft), and can be bought with a tinted finish that is useful for cutting down

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glare. To ensure adequate fixing, you should space the 150 mm (6 in) beams at 35 cm (14 in) centres, but remember to drill through the high ribs of the corrugated sheets before screwing them into position.

Standard fixing accessories that is, screws, washers and caps are usually sold along with the PVC sheets.

Use a 100 mm (4 in) softwood post for the single down support, and fix it to the root with either angle brackets or a single shoe. An important point to remember when about to drill a hole in your roof is that you might cause dampness, or even leaks in the room below if you are not careful. Therefore, make as few holes as possible, and be sure always to use a sealer like mastic or bitumen.

For the horizontally arranged wooden slats of the screen on the open side of the canopy, you can also use 150 x 25 mm (6 x 1 in) timbers; screw them into the down support at one end, and to a simple 50 x 50 mm (2 x 2 in) batten (screwed into the wall) at the other.

Erecting glass screen Erecting the glass screen at the front of

Section of main canopy showing framework topped with rigid PVC sheet.

the garden is a comparatively simple job.

A handrail and hardwood posts were already in position on our roof top area, so we simply had to fit brass lugs to accept the carefully measured 6 mm (1/4 in) plate glass panels. A glazier will be able to bevel the edges and drill the glass for you. Use brass nuts and bolts with fibre or plastic washers to protect both sides of the glass from abrasion.

Building the raised beds Timber will not be the best material for building the raised beds, for it is expensive and involves complicated construction techniques. Lightweight concrete blocks such as thermalite, are what you need.

Buy them measuring 80 x 230 x 450 mm (3 x 9 x 18 in), and lay them in a stretched

Roof Garden bond (lay blocks lengthways and stagger the joints). Where corners are involved ‘closer’ cut to fit will be needed to adjust the bonding. An advantage of these blocks is that they can be sawn, producing neat joints.

The main feature in our garden comprises the seat and split-level beds and is built up from block work two, three and four courses high respectively; the tops of the walls are neatly finished with glazed paving bricks, 25mm (1 in) thick.

As lightweight blocks are porous you with have to render them with sand and cement, and then apply a stone paint such as sandtex. You needn’t render the inside of the bed as three coasts of a bituminous paint will be satisfactory.

The highest bed is 90 cm (3 ft), but it would be both unnecessary and unwise to fill with soil to this depth: 45 cm (18 in) will be sufficient. Fit a false asbestos floor which you can support with 6 x 50 mm (½ x 2 in) steel strips bedded into the block work two courses from the top. Drill 25 mm (1 in) holes, spaced at 23 cm (9 in) centres, into the floor for drainage and similar sized holes through the blocks just above roof level, to allow water to drain into the main gutters.

Insert plugs into the block work forming the bottom of the seat, and fit a 50 x 50 mm (2 x 2 in) timber frame. Screw three 200 x 20 mm (8 x 7/8 in) slats into this, and chamfer and carefully sand them, prior to painting.

Bedding the paving bricks Glazed paving bricks, similar to those used on the top of the beds, are ideal for forming the retaining edges that define the areas of chippings. Bed the bricks in mortar, making sure that the joints are carefully pointed, and leaving an occasional gap to drain any trapped water. Stepping stones through the chippings will need to be approximately 25 mm (1 inch) thick to match the bricks, and this rules out most pre-cast slabs that are normally in excess of 38 mm (1 ½ in).

Natural stone is often available in thinner gauges, however, and slate in particular will look very handsome against the paler surround surface. Bed the stones in mortar in the same way as the paving bricks.

In this design we have placed stepping stones to lead up to the old front door that we screwed to the wall on the left. With a handle fitted, the door to nowhere fools

numerous visitors, who either ask what is on the other side, or actually try the handle. We fitted a squared trellis to the wall on each side of the door and trained climbing plants over this.

Soil mixture for raised beds The soil to use in raised beds in a roof garden is a specially prepared mix, lighter than that in an ordinary garden.

An ideal mix would be made up (by loose bulk) from 2 parts medium loam and 1 part each of peat, vermiculite granules and well rotted manure. You could also add an additional 85g of superphosphate of lime per 50 kg of soil mix, although this is not essential. The vermiculite is a very light insulation material, giving the mixture bulk and reducing the overall weight of the soil.

Before adding the soil to the beds spread a layer of broken crocks over the bottom, making sure that the holes are protected and won’t become clogged with soil. Add the soil in layers, wetting each as work progresses; this will enable the rocks of the plants to take up moisture evenly as soon as they are in position.

You can plant in exactly the same way as you would in a garden at ground level but pay particular attention to the staking and tying plants, remembering that the wind can easily uproot young specimens.

Walls and beams can be neatly wired to take climbing plants, but the wire should be closer to the wall then normal to combat the force of the wind.

Maintenance of a roof garden is very important, water being the key to healthy plant development.

Few people realize how quickly beds and pots dry out, and during hot weather it is prudent to use the watering can daily, little and often being a better rule rather than sporadic floods. Try also to water in the morning or evening, avoiding the extreme heat of the middle of the day.

Section of plate glass attachment to post

Section of gravel area with chippings and stepping stone retained by glazed paving brick

Seat and split level raised beds

Author: G. Sathish, Assistant Professor (Horticulture), ICAR-KVK, Tirur- 602 025, Tiruvallur dt., Tamil Nadu

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Orchid

India “High potential for orchid cultivation in Odisha”

T

he majority of the orchids in India are being imported from Thailand and Malaysia, but this could change in the future. Research claims that the climate along the coastline of Odisha, an eastern Indian state on the Bay of Bengal, is good for growing orchids.

This in combination with the governmental subsidies, is motivating growers to start up an orchid farm. However, there are still some bottlenecks that need to be tackled to make it a success. Hobby flower and fruit grower Prashanta Rout, who is eager to establish an orchid farm in India, shows the potential and problems of growing orchids in this country.

Orchid cultivation in India In India, the majority of the orchids are being imported from Asian countries like Thailand and Malaysia.

According to Rout, there are orchids that are being cultivated in the country, but this is just on a small scale.

“Only two or three Indian growers are cultivating orchids on 10 to 15 acres land for just about four years. They supply the domestic market”, he says. However, the acreage of orchid cultivation is increasing. A large farm from Bangkok recently started cultivating orchids on 40 acres of land.

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Potential Lately, a survey, of which no official report is available yet, has been conducted in Odisha to examine the potential for orchid cultivation. “According to the survey, the 500 kilometer coastline of Odisha has a high level of humidity, which creates a good climate for orchids to grow.” And even though they cannot grow as many varieties as Thailand and Malaysia, they can reach the same quality. “In these countries, they can produce about 12 to 15 varieties and here in Odisha about 6 to 8 varieties can be produced. Due to the climate, a same level of quality can be reached and as the majority will be supplied to the domestic market, the flowers are often fresher”, says Rout.

On top of that, as land is expensive, the government gives subsidies to growers who are eager to start up a farm of 1 acre or less. “The government supports local production for the domestic

market. So, orchid cultivation on a commercial basis is not being subsidized.” However, this does not prevent large foreign growers from establishing a commercial farm, like the large 40 acre farm of this Bangkok company, mentioned earlier.

“And as buying the land is too expensive, leasing is a good alternative. A grower can lease land for about 10 years and it will have a payback period of two years”, says Rout.

Bottlenecks Next to the high potential of establishing orchid farms in Odisha, there are some bottlenecks. According to Rout, there are 4 major setbacks; lack of knowledge, high cost for orchid plants (saplings), lack of proper infrastructure and lack of access to local and international markets. “As it is quite a new sector for India there is not that much knowhow about how to cultivate orchids. Therefore, not that many growers are eager to start in this business. Besides

that, there is still much that can be improved regarding the storage, packaging and transport of orchids. Finally, the plants (saplings) are being imported from Thailand; which is very expensive. The plants are produced through tissue culture technology which is not carried out in India. About 30 to 40 percent of the total costs of the project goes to the imported tissue cultured plants. So, as well as a setback this can also be an opportunity for farms to start producing saplings through tissue culture process in India.”

Starting up farm And Rout is also eager to enter the orchid sector.

Currently, he grows a variety of flowers and fruits as a hobby and is very interested and immersed himself in the cultivation of orchids. “My partner and I want to start up a 1 acre farm each and want to let it grow into a commercial farm over the years. Besides that, we want to start tissue culture cultivation. However, for all of this we need proper consultancy and this is something difficult to find at the moment. In about three years, we hope to grow the first orchids for the domestic market. Then we are eager to export and eventually start tissue culture cultivation.”

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Pre-Event

New developments and innovations at display

A

gri Intex is one of the fairs organised by CODISSIA (The Coimbatore District Small Industries Association) since the year 2000.

CODISSIA has always been contributing towards Agriculture by exposing the farmers to the latest technologies and other advancements available in this field through its International Agri Expo - AGRI INTEX. Being an annual event, this fair keeps the farming community updated at all times.

Sixteen editions have gone by and we are pleased to mention that the 17th edition is well poised to be showcased from 14th to 17th July 2017 at our CODISSIA Trade Fair Complex, Coimbatore. Presently, Agri Intex has grown to such a stature that it is being recognised as India’s Prime Agricultural Trade Fair.

Agri Intex 2017 is supported by Govt. Institutions like ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research); State Govt. Institutions like TNAU (Tamilnadu Agricultural University), TANUVAS (Tamilnadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University) and TNFU (Tamilnadu Fisheries University) in addition to having the support of private bodies like AMMA (All India Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers’ Association).

This fair is approved by ITPO, Govt. of India (India Trade Promotional Organisation).

More than 350 companies from across pan India and also from countries like Sweden, China, Germany, Japan, Italy, France, Switzerland and Israel have taken part in this fair. The gross display area of this fair is about 22000 sq mt making it India’s Prime Agricultural Fair. There will also be an Automated Aeroponics system in an area of 3750 sq ft demonstrating how modern technology can promote urban agriculture and reduce dependency on fossil fuel. There will also be a live Integrated Model Farm to create awareness amongst the small and marginal farmers on sustainable agriculture. All these can be seen live at Agri Intex 2017.

The highlights of Agri Intex 2017 will be: v Participation by implement and

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v

v

v

v

machinery manufacturers’ from across Pan India providing solution to small and marginal farmers to offset the shortage of skilled and trained farm labour.

Targeted business networking for all foreign companies looking out for new business opportunities in India.

Technical Seminars conducted by senior and experienced scientists/ Industry personnel from various institutions in an endeavour to give thrust on post harvest technology, food processing and export. We are sure that this will be a credible step towards transforming Indian agriculture and also in supporting the cause of farming community.

Conference on best practises in farming for Farmers & Aspiring farmers on 15.07.2017 Conference on Game Changing Trends in Dairy Farming on 16.07.2017.

We have tried to include many programs to add as much value as possible to both the exhibitors as well as visitors.

We have done extensive publicity about this event by speaking directly to about 8

lakh farmers. The Govt of Tamilnadu will also bring progressive farmers from all districts of the state in an effort to expose them to the latest technology. We hence expect about 2 lakh farmers / farm owners to visit this event.

Agri Intex 2017 will be a perfect platform for farmers to source the right choice of equipments and inputs and also for traders to have an excellent networking session. As a visitor to AGRI INTEX 2017, this fair will enlighten you with the latest developments and innovations in products and processes.

R Soundararajan, Chairman on behalf of of the event AGRI INTEX cordially invites the visitors and delegation to enhance the show’s value.

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News

White is the key to spring combinations

“White is the key to spring combinations”, said Rick van Luijk when presenting the new single flowering pot chrysanthemum Breeze White of Dümmen Orange during the FlowerTrials. This new white Breeze variety enables growers to combine all seven colors in the series and make spring combinations as they all have uniform growth habits.

the colours mainly offered possibilities for end summer and autumn colour combinations. This was mainly because we were missing one important ‘color’: white. White seems to be the key to spring

we were proud to show all materials to interested growers, distributors and retailers during the FlowerTrials.

The presentation in a 7 color bowl is a successful way to present a new product and show the uniformity of the individual varieties as a combination, which could also be used to make 3 color combinations

Uniformity of the Breeze series.

Rick van Luijk of Dümmen Orange presenting new white pot Chrysanthemum Breeze White.

More on this later on FloralDaily.

White in combinations According to Van Luijk, white is needed to make spring combinations.

“The varieties in the Breeze series all have uniform growth and flowering habits.

So, the series has always offered growers the possibility to offer combinations, but

combinations.”

Trials So, after introducing the Breeze White, Dümmen Orange started to trial different combinations and they seem to grow well in different areas. “We conducted trials with our Breeze series in North America and Western Europe (the main production areas) and in both regions, they proved to be similar in growth and flowering”, says Van Luijk. For FlowerTrials, they set up trials in the Netherlands and Germany.

“The combinations grew very well and

Dümmen Orange during the FlowerTrials. focused on the different seasons spring, summer and autumn.”

Popularity combinations Van Luijk has high hopes for Breeze combinations, in particular in the USA. “In the USA, people adore plant combinations.” However, also in Europe, the combinations seem to gain more popularity by consumers.

Sainsbury’s launches edible flowers line in UK stores

F

lower lovers will soon be able to take their admiration to another level in the UK with Sainsbury’s announcing the

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launch of its own range of edible flowers.

Vanessa Rider, Sainsbury’s Buyer for Edible Flowers said: “I’m really pleased to announce the launch of our edible flowers range especially during British Flower Week.”

“It’s great to see the first colourful buds going into our edible selection and onto our shelves in the coming weeks – I’m confident customers will love the instant summer glamour that they will add to their dishes.”

The flowers will be sold in punnets which

will cost £3 each with consumers able to choose between varieties including tagete marigold, monkey flowers, viola and dianthus.

The flowers will be available in stores soon. According to the supermarket, social media and popular cooking shows, have sparked a demand for pretty edible flowers.

News

China: Horticulture Knowledge Centre for Shandong Province The Chinese delegation from Shandong Province arrived at Demokwekerij Westland to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), together with AgriGarden, Lentiz and Demokwekerij Westland.

The goal of the MoU is to jointly develop a Horticultural Knowledge and Demonstration Centre where Dutch companies and knowledge institutes can share their experience and expertise with Chinese researchers, students and growers, in order to stimulate the high tech horticultural production of the Shandong Province and to contribute with this strategic goal to sustainability, food security and profitability.

The Shandong Province is located

below Beijing, near the coast, with roughly 97 million inhabitants. The World Horti Center that is now under construction in Westland will act as an inspiring example for this project and will be connected to the Chinese centre for exchange of knowledge and experiences and to enhance economic

activities between the Dutch and Chinese companies and organisations. The four parties have started the elaboration of the concept and will make the first actual steps within a short period with the design of a joint training program in horticultural practises.

In presence of Westland mayor Sjaak van der Tak, the MoU was signed by (on picture, from left to right): Frits Veltkamp (Director International Projects Lentiz), Wei Lingling (President of Agrigarden), Yang Tongzhu (Deputy Director of Demonstration Area of Agricultural High-tech industry in Yellow River Delta) and Peet van Adrichem (Director Demokwekerij Westland).

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News

India: Government gives 50% subsidy on a poly house

A

gainst the general perception that agricultural growth has slowed down in Punjab in the past few years, experts at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, are of the view that technology and policies backed by state and central governments still drive agriculture, the ‘mother of economic growth’.

Sangrur horticulture department lends all help to farmers of the district who opt for diversification. Besides beekeeping, the department is also promoting installation of poly houses for off-season vegetable cultivation and floriculture.

Horticulture Development Officer (HDO) Hardeep Singh said, “It depends on the land holding of a farmer, before we suggest to him what subsidiary occupation he should opt for under the diversification scheme. In the case of a small farmer or landless individuals, the department

advises them to go in for beekeeping and in case of big farmers the department suggests poly houses.”

He said, “The government gives Rs 80,000 as subsidy on maximum of 50 honey bee boxes whose total cost is around Rs 2 lakh. Moreover, PAU gives five-day training to the bee keeping farmers, as well as to those interested in poly houses. Mostly, it is the young farmers who are showing interest in these two occupations.”

Talking about poly houses, he said, “The government gives 50% subsidy on a poly house whose actual cost is Rs 33 lakh, per acre. Yet, in Sangrur a total of 20 acres of land is under poly houses. Mainly these are in Malerkotla and Ahmedgarh sub-divisions. In poly houses, farmers grow Gerbera flowers, seedless cucumber, yellow and red capsicum. In all poly houses drip irrigation is used by the farmers.”

Talking about Gerbera farming, Hardeep Singh said, “Sowing starts in August and plucking starts in January.

Around 25,000-26,000 plants are planted in one acre of poly house. The cost of one plant is Rs 35 and total cost comes to Rs 22 lakh. One Gerbera plant gives approximately 20 flowers in a year and the age of one plant is three years. The farmers get Rs 2-6 per stick increases even up to Rs 8 in the marriage season.”

USDA gets serious about saving bees

P

ollinators are a vital part of agricultural production. In the United States, more than one-third of all crop production – 90 crops ranging from nuts to berries to flowering vegetables - requires insect pollination. Managed honey bee colonies are the country’s primary pollinators, adding at least $15 billion a year by increasing yields and helping to ensure superior-quality harvests.

Secretary Perdue and Karen Pence

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unveil a honey bee hive at the Vice President’s residence. Steps like this, combined with research, are vital to pollinator health.

However, beekeepers have been steadily losing colonies. The number of honey bee hives in this country has decreased from 6 million in the 1940s to about 2.5 million.

Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue declared June 19-25 as “National Pollinator Week” to help call attention to these losses, which are caused primarily by biological and environmental stressors.

Secretary Perdue joined Karen Pence, wife of Vice President Mike Pence, to announce the installation of a honey bee hive on the grounds of the Vice President’s residence in Washington. They encouraged Americans

to also consider setting up hives where possible, or at least to plant bee-friendly flowers and flowering herbs in their gardens and yards.

The USDA’s Agricultural Research Service is conducting research to improve the nutritional health of bees, to control the Varroa mite and other pests and pathogens, and to understand the effects of pesticides on colonies. They are setting up long-term studies to determine causes and evaluate treatments for Colony Collapse Disorder and other kinds of bee mortality, and they are establishing a bee gene bank to help breed traits such as resistance to pests or diseases and pollination efficiency.

The National Institute for Food and Agriculture is funding important research at land-grant universities in this

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News

area. For example, University of Nevada researchers have are experimenting with a virus that attacks a bacterial disease that affects honey bees. Meanwhile, Michigan State University scientists are developing sustainable pollination strategies such as enhancing the effect of bee-friendly

wildflowers.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service, working with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service have begun taking a nationwide survey of bee health that sets baseline values for pest and disease prevalence. The U.S. Forest

Service and the Farm Service Agency has been creating and restoring hundreds of thousands of acres of pollinator habitat, while the Natural Resources Conservation Service has provided financial assistance to landowners to protect or restore 30,000 acres of private lands.

Swedish Midsummer boosts Dutch flower trade

R

ed, white and blue flowers were in high demand at Dutch ornamental exporters in the run-up to the Midsummer festivities celebrated in Sweden. In addition to what’s probably the most important national holiday in Sweden, on which people put flowers in their hair, there were another two moments to give flowers recently: Mother’s Day (May 28) and the end of the school year.

Although flower consumption in Sweden is below the levels of many other European countries, exporters are satisfied with the three top holidays. However, line rider Ronald Eekhof, a wholesaler who visits garden centers with a truck full of flowers, has been seeing lower sales in

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recent years around the end of the school year, when pink is the most popular flower color. But Mother’s Day, he says, did bring extra revenue, with decent prices in the Netherlands and Sweden.

Chrysanthemums, gerbera, germini and red spray carnation were in high demand. Prices at the eve of Midsummer (the day of the summer solstice) were lower than last year, Cees de Boer of Beau Flowers Aalsmeer notes. And sales remained roughly at the same level. “My clients performed well,” he says. “The weather on the days leading up to the festival haven’t been too warm, unlike in the Netherlands.”

Cornflowers are

a traditional favourite in Sweden, but the country produces most of those themselves. “Poppies also used to be a popular choice to wear in one’s hair, they just grow by the roadside,” Eekhof says.

“Nowadays you’re seeing less of those.”

Wim Kuin of APH Produkter sees that sales around Midsummer were exactly according to expectations. That means plenty of additional revenue, but at a lower price level this year. Although the latter didn’t apply to red germinis, he says, which are becoming a bit scarce.

“We’re seeing growers switching to other varieties. Now they’re doing that quicker than before.” APH Produkter supplies to Swedish wholesale, retailers and flower shops.

The weather was also mild in Sweden at the eve of Midsummer, stimulating sales. “But generally in Sweden it’s not as warm as elsewhere in Europe, and heat is terrible for flower sales,” De Boer says.

Of all ‘flower days’, the exporters say Midsummer (Midsommar in Swedish) takes the cake. Traditionally, people dance around the maypole with flowers in their hair, during festive parties with music and herb drinks.

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Date of Publishing 25-26 Every Month Date of Posting 3-4 Every Month

Postal Regn. No. DL (S) - 17/3212/2015-17 R.N.I. Regn. No. 63761/96