Horticulture: Ornamental Crops, MAPs, and Landscaping

• Here are detailed study notes based on the provided text:

Hort. 4.4 Production Technology

• Study notes cover ornamental crops, MAPs (Medicinal and Aromatic Plants), and landscaping

Theory

• Importance and scope of ornamental crops, medicinal and aromatic plants, and landscaping are key concepts
• Principles of landscaping should be understood
• Landscape uses of trees, shrubs, and climbers are important
• Production technology of important flower crops includes: rose, gladiolus, tuberose, and chrysanthemum under open conditions
• Packages of practices for loose flowers include: marigold, jasmine, gaillardia and spider lily under open conditions
• Production technology of medicinal plants covers: Aswagandha, isabgol, guggle, and senna for major medicinal plants; asparagus, aloe, and periwinkle for minor medicinal plants
• Production technology of aromatic plants includes: rose, for major aromatic plants; mint, lemongrass, citronella, palmarosa, ocimum, geranium, and vetiver for minor aromatic plants
• Processing and value addition in ornamental crops and MAPs are crucial

Practical

• Identification of ornamental plants and seasonal annuals is a key practical skill
• One must be able to Identify medicinal and aromatic plants
• Understanding garden adornment and features is necessary along with training and pruning of ornamental plants
• Planning and layout of gardens are an important practical aspect, together with special practices of ornamental plants and intercultural operations in flowers and MAPs.
• One must understand harvesting and post-harvesting handling of cut and loose flowers
• Processing of MAPs is an essential step
• Visits to commercial flower/MAP units are recommended

Definitions

• Ornament: Adds grace or beauty to something
• Ornamental: A plant grown for ornament or beauty
• Floriculture: The art and science of growing flowers to perfection; a specialized branch of horticulture dealing with the cultivation of flowers, foliage, climbers, trees, shrubs, cacti, succulents, marketing, and producing value-added products
• Ornamental Horticulture: Branch of horticulture dealing with the cultivation of flowers, decorative foliage plants, trees, shrubs, climbers, creepers, lawns, cacti, succulents, palms, ferns, bonsai, marketing, and producing value-added products
• Commercial Floriculture: Floriculture based on flower production, especially high value-added flowers; export-oriented floriculture
• Cut Flower: A flower with its stalk; examples include: rose, gerbera, chrysanthemum, gladiolus, tuberose, carnation, anthurium, heliconia, bird of paradise; typically fetch high prices and are exported, used in arrangements, bouquets and for show
• Loose Flower: A flower without its stalk; examples include: marigold, jasmine, gallardia, spider lily, China aster; generally fetch less market price, sold locally, used for floral gardens, gajaras, venis and worship.
• Foliage Plants/Trees: Plants with attractive leaves or branches used for indoor decoration or outdoor gardening; examples include shrubs like asparagus, arelea, croton, difenbekia, eranthemum, pothos/money plant, ferns; trees like Christmas tree, ashopalav, ashoka, casurina, peltophorum
• Garden: An area adjacent to a house or building designed for refreshment and recreation
• Landscape: An area, large or small, designed with plant material, landforms, water, and stones to mould a view or design
• Landscape Gardening: The application of garden forms, styles, methods, and materials to improve the landscape
• Medicinal plants: Plants rich in secondary metabolites that are potential sources of drugs; examples include: Ashwagandha, guggal, senna, safed musli
• Aromatic Plants: Plants with essential oils consisting of odoriferous steam volatile constituents; examples include: rose, jasmine, lemongrass, citronella, palmarosa, mint

Importance of Ornamental Crops

• Important for aesthetic value and environmental purity.
• Floriculture has economic, aesthetic, and social significance

Economic Aspects

• Floriculture is a fast emerging major venture.
• Growing flowers and ornamentals for domestic and export markets increases return per unit area
• The gestation period for flower crops is short
• Demand for flower arrangements and floral baskets has increased
• Current trends include dry flowers, natural colors, and essential oils
• Demand for good quality flower seeds and planting materials is high
• Floriculture generates self-employment, offering opportunities as farm managers, plantation experts, supervisors, and project coordinators
• Teaching, research, and extension in SAUs are avenues of employment
• Marketing of floriculture products is a potential segment.
• Opportunities exist as consultants, landscape architects, and entrepreneurs
• Service careers include floral designers, grounds keepers, landscape designers, architects, and horticultural therapists

Aesthetic Aspects

• The health of a nation is linked to its people, and providing open spaces through bio-aesthetic planning and landscape gardening is critical
• Horticultural therapy uses garden plants to heal psychic debility and restore rhythm and harmony
• Horticultural therapy is utilized in psychiatric, general hospitals, rehab centres, homes for elderly, prisons & schools
• Patients can achieve personal development and satisfaction

Social Aspects

• Flowers are symbols of purity, beauty, peace, love, adoration, innocence and passion.
• Essential for expressing feelings
• No social functions are complete without flowers and arrangements
• Used in gatherings, parties, welcoming friends and relatives, and birthdays
• Flowers are fundamental to religious offerings, especially for Hindus
• Floral garlands, gajras and venis are used in marriage ceremonies, especially in South India
• In modern times, well-wishers offer cut flowers for speedy recovery and flowers say farewell to the dead
• "Any Indians born with flowers live with flowers and finally dies with flowers"

Bio-aesthetic planning & environmental factors

• Bio-aesthetic planning uses available flora and fauna for beautification
• Parks are considered the lungs of a city and check noise, dust, and air pollution
• Landscape gardening contributes to human welfare and provides people with beauty and nature
• There is a moral duty to provide citizens with parks and gardens for relaxation and peace

Scope of Ornamental Crops in India

• India has diverse agro-climatic conditions, good soil, and water suitable for floriculture
• Strategically located between Europe and East Asia
• Mild winter provides potential to export flowers when demand is high in temperate countries
• Low labor costs compared to Netherlands, Israel, and Japan
• Government of India has identified floriculture as "Extreme Focus Thrust Area" for export
• Implementation of GATT reduced import duties on floricultural products to 15%
• The international market is growing 8-10% annually
• The Indian government has set up floriculture infrastructure in major cities
• APEDA provides financial assistance for export activities
• Easy bank financing for hi-tech floriculture, with 100% EOUs allowed to sell 50% in domestic markets
• 100% tax exemption on implements/raw materials used in greenhouse
• Minimized import and export regulations
• Floriculture products have high foreign exchange earning potential, and attracts progressive farmers
• India's ample sunlight and optimum winter temperatures reduce the need for artificial greenhouse lighting
• The government has identified product-specific zones for floriculture research and development
• APEDA and GOK have established flower auction centres
• APEDA has set up a marketing centre in Aalsmeer, Netherlands to promote Indian produce

Medicinal Plant Importance in India

• India can cultivate nearly all known medicinal plants in some part of the country
• Opium poppy, sapogenin bearing yams, senna, psyllium husk, cinchona are in great demand
• The ancient Indian system of medicine (ISM) relies heavily on native plants, catering to rural populations where modern healthcare is scarce
• ISM offers first line therapy against jaundice, asthma, arthritis, and diabetes, where allopathic medicines may not have a cure and often produce side effects, so Western societies are increasingly interested in organic drugs
• India has a vast geographical area, high production potential, and varied agro-climatic conditions supporting 2,000 species of medicinal plants that thrive under stress
• Cultivation of medicinal plants provides rural employment and export opportunities

India as a major exporter

• Estimated Rs. 1060 crore worth of raw materials and drugs are exported
• Monopoly in psyllium and senna production, second largest exporter of opium latex
• Conservation is needed as many medicinal plants are gathered from the wild, depleting vegetation and endangering species
• Herbal gardens and gene-banks should be established to conserve medicinal plants

Aromatic Plant Importance in India

• Aromatic plants are increasing demand in essential oils, aroma chemicals, drugs and pharmaceuticals markets
• Aromatic compounds are present in plant parts like roots, wood, bark, foliage, flower, fruit, and seed
• Aromatic plants produce essential oils, perfumes, and flavors
• Commercial cultivation is possible in different regions due to varied agro-climatic condition
• Essential oils and aroma chemicals are indispensable in cosmetics, soaps, pharmaceuticals, perfumery, confectionery, ice-cream, aerated waters, disinfectants, and agarbatti

India position

• Lemon grass, Citronella, Palmarose, Vetiver, Geranium, Lavender, and Dawana have great demand in India
• India historically held a pre-dominant position as a supplier of natural perfumes like sandalwood and lemon grass

Landscaping Importance & Scope

• Landscape gardening helps in aesthetics, modernization, and combats pollution in cities, roadways, airports, and educational institutions
• Bio-aesthetic planning has a wider role in landscape and gardening
• Landscape gardening increases awareness towards nature, develops eco-friendly concepts, and promotes responsible attitudes towards plants, birds, and animals
• Landscape serves as a source of live medicines
• It helps in soil-moisture retention, preventing erosion, modifying air temperature, creating microclimates, and removing noise and pollution
• Landscape provides habitat for birds and animals
• A large tree can change microclimate and lower temperature by 2 to 5°C
• Vegetated areas have lower average temperatures than concrete urban areas
• Well-planned landscapes around buildings increase aesthetic and real estate value by 30%
• Landscaping makes human life more elegant, satisfying, eco-friendly, and productive

Scope in landscape

• Scope exists to develop attractive parks, landscaped grounds, and pleasant backyards
• The landscape flora industry employs many people in nursery, rental plant services, and landscape designing
• Landscape gardening improves tourist business by enhancing historical sites, beaches, rivers, and hill stations

Principles of Landscape Gardening

• Axis: An imaginary line around which the garden is balanced
• Unity: Important for the artistic look of the garden, achieved through mass planting and repetition
• Mass Effect: Using single plant species in large numbers, ensuring arrangements are not monotonous
• Repetition: Repeating features like plants with identical shape, form, texture, and color
• Focal Point: A centre of attraction, such as a statue or fountain, that draws visual observation
• Space: Garden design should make the garden appear larger than its actual space, using open spaces and peripheral plantings
• Balance: Equilibrium and visual attraction, achieved with correct positioning of plants and features
• Rhythm: Repetition of the same object at equal distance
• Divisional Lines: Soft division that screens compost pits or vegetable gardens from the rest of the garden
• Proportion and Scale: Proportion refers to the size of design parts relative to each other, and scale to the size of an object in relation to its surroundings
• Texture: Surface quality of an object, including buildings, walks, ground covers, and plants
• Time and Light: Considering seasonal movement of sun shade and light in different areas
• Colour: Used to direct attraction, with basic schemes including monochromatic, analogous, and complementary
• Mobility: Gradual or sudden changes; achieved through arrangements of varying textures, forms, and sizes
• Garden Style: Selecting a style based on purpose, types, landform, owner's interest, maintenance capacity, region, and building structure, with styles being formal, informal, or free/wild

Formal vs Informal Gardens

• Formal Gardens: Emphasis on symmetrical balance, using geometric shapes for symmetry
• Informal Gardens: Emphasis on nature balance, using principles for asymmetrical forms
• Formal Gardens focuses on figures (shapes) and informal gardens focuses on ideas
• Formal Gardens prefer leveled land and informal gardens prefer unleveled land
• Formal Gardens value straightness whereas informal garden values curves and round masses
• Formal gardens consider both annual & perennials as equals. Informal gardens prioritize perennials
• Formal designs stick to the design plan, and informal designs adapt to the landscape

General Principles of Garden Design

• Simplicity: Simple designs to avoid complexity, ensuring visitors catch the effect and purpose
• Ideal Space: Avoid overcrowding; use space effectively
• Judicious Planting: Use more varieties/species instead of only few to increase aesthetics and scientific value
• Drive: Garden path/drive should not be linear or overlong
• Comfort: Garden layout should prioritize owner comfort and convenience
• Greens: Take natural grades of greens into consideration
• Harmony: Harmonize all garden features, select plants careful and ensure appropriate arrangements

Use of Trees, Shrubs and Climber in the landscape/Garden

• Trees: Essential feature of landscapes for roadside, public parks, railway lines, schools, colleges, and private gardens that provide shade, shelter, and aesthetics. Trees are beneficial due to pollution control, beautification, and are refreshing
• e.g., flowering trees: Gulmohar, Bottle brush, Ashoka, Pride of India, Spathodea campanulata, Bahunia, Begonia, Palash, Casia fistula
• e.g., foliage trees: Ashopalav, Silver oak, Peltophorum inerme, Sharu, Siris, Rain tree, Eucalyptus, Vad, Pipal, Rubber tree
• Shrubs: Chief attraction, smaller, and need little care. They are used for topiary, suited for formal garden or landscape design. Plant as specimen, can secure privacy. Use as shrubbery border, can break monotony

Climbers & Creepers

• Climbers uses support through special hook-likes thorns. Creepers lack structures and climb because of weak stems.
• Climbers are grown for attractive Foliage
• Climbers can be screens
• Climbers are used on arches and bowers
• Bare building can be covered beautifully
• Climbers used to maintain privacy
• Can be trained on trellis, pergolas, arbours, pillars
• Suitable for roof garden

Climbers vs Creepers

• Climbers: grows vertically, possess structures to climb on their own
• Creepers: spread horizontally, requires support

Rose (Rosa spp.) - Cultivation Under Open Conditions

• Belongs to family Rosaceae and originated in the Himalaya region, West Asia, China, Europe, & North America
• Rose is the most popular flower, known as the "king of flowers"
• It symbolizes love, adoration, and innocence
• Some countries have adopted rose as their national flower
• Classified into Hybrid Tea, Floribunda, Polyantha, Climber/Ramblers and Miniature
• Dr. B.P. Pal is known as "Father of Indian Roses"
• Production in Gujarat is 32135 metric tons over 4106 ha area.
• Major Gujarat producers are Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Bharuch, Kheda, Anand, Surat, Navsari, and Valsad

Rose Importance and Uses

• Shrub or bushes, standard roses, climbers, hedges and edges, rockery, pot plant and hangers.
• For cut flower
• For perfume and allied products
• Rose water
• Source of Vitamins
• Other value added products

Rose Types and growing practices

• Shrub/Bush Roses: Budding desired cultivars on rootstock, planted in groups

• Standard Roses: Tree known features in rose garden, full/half standards

• Climbers: Cover walls and fence. The climbing rose can be used on arbours & arches and fencing or use on walls of house

Rambler vs Climber Roses

• Ramblers: Produce flowers once, for several weeks & heavy crops of small flowers in clusters.
• Climbers: Produce flowers perpetually, singly or in groups over the season, medium sized
• Vigorous Floribundas are useful as a hedge

Roses

• Pot Plants: rose cultivars like Baby Darling
• Hangers: Grown in hanging basket
• Cut Flower: regularly import rose cut flowers
• Source of vitamins – rose hips

Rose petals as processed foods

• Gulkand
• Pankhuri
• Oil extractions

Rose classification

• Teas
• Polyanthas
• Cabbage roses
• Hybrid perpetual
• Bourbon roses
• Local/Desi
• Miniatures
• Ramlers

Hybrids

• Crossing between hybrid perennials & tea roses
• They are the most popular & have Large center flowers
• ‘La France’ the first of hybrid Example like Dr.B.P pal

Floribunda

• Develop of hybrid tea crossed with polyantha.
• Combine beautiful forms of hybrid teas the perennial habit of polyanthas. Example New Delhi princes, rupali Very dwarf having smaller flowers Predecessors for Floribumda’s

Rose Climate

• Grow successfully in many climates with high light is most ideal. Best during winter to spring because light good & low temperture. Himalayas flower summer
• Need any soil with drainage, if not there can be saline
• Ideal pH 6 to 7.5

Planting details for Rose plant

• Dig soil at 60cm by 60cm and mix with dry soil, for planting ensure not dry, if too wet then still mix in and the burr should be just above union

Propagation

• Budding for Hybrid Teas and Floribunda
• Air layering or cuttings For desi roses or polyantha or miniature - Stem cutting for the buds

Fertilizer and irrigation

• Organic applied in two split dose, begin and end of monsoon. Also to be added with manure 250kg/plant cake,
• Irrigation weekly under normal conditions, in winter to 10 days

Rosa sp practices

• Horing: Effective so to keep moisture
• Mulding important to conserve soil and reduce weed
• Runing: Once a year for the rose bushes
• In gujrat second week Oct
• Disbudding: Increase in flower size
• Pincling and bending

Rose Harvest

• In bud stage. For foreign markets various steam sizes. Yield vary between 8-10 ton hectare

Rose post-harvest

• Storage at freezing points
• Using 2 percent of sucrose

Introduction to Gladiolus

• Gladiolus grandiflorus from the Iridaceae South Africa. From Latin means sward
• Queen of bulbous crops

Gladiolus Properties

• Important as a flower in cut domestic
• Easy to grow

Floral Biology of Gladiolus

• One side flower 10 to 25 florets each
• Cross pollination

Types of Gladiolus

• Pink- American beauty
• Orange- Auutmn Gold
• White- Friendship White
• Yellow Golden Heart
• and many more

Climate of Gladiolus

• Needs good exposure to light but not other blasting
• long day better

Propagation in Gladiolus

• through corns ,
• 1 to 3 flowers a session
• 10 to 50 corns is a average

Nutrition needs

• Tons of FYM then in N to K fertilizer of 200kg

Tuberose properties

• Very rare and valuable

Soil for cultivation

• Very wide soil with deep and moist Climate
• Best for growth tropical but not frost tolerant Planting
• Month are February and March

Multiplication (Tuberose)

• Tuberoses propagate by bulbs and bulbelts and seeds
• Can be by tissue
• Common method commercial multiplecation
• Remove bulls and wash properly of rot

Chrysanthemum characteristics

• Is in almost all types flowers
• Chrysanthemum is popular flower
• Second main economic impact
• short day in the sun

Classification

• On the base size, shape of, & arrangement flower
• small. Large based on plant

Management

• Staking, the use of supports
• Pinched the the buds of the the leaf

Package of MarigGold Loose Flower properties

• Loose flowers are the marigolds
• It is adaptable
• xanthophylls

Usage/Type of plant and climate

• Looses flower worship
• There different types french or African, French is light while African is heavy and black.

Harvests

• The correct climate is is spring cold
• A plant one, to one and to one point

Jasmine notes

• It easy to grow
• Used extract oil

Soil cultivation

• Soil with dry or sandy Spaping

Jasmine fertilizer

• Organic fertilizer spread
• Water is essential flowering season

Jamine harvest

• Only harvest if fully open or dried for 30 kg of oil