This book deals with 43 chapters. Part I deals with 29 most commonly cultivated ornamental crops such as Amaranthus, Annual Chrysanthemum, Asclepias & Calotropis, Barlelia, Celosia argentea, Crossandra, Dahlia, Dianthus, Eranthemum, Ervatamia divaricata, Gaillardia, Gomphrena, Helianthus, Hibiscus, Hymenocallis, Ixora, Jasminum, Lawsonia inermis, Nelumbo, Nerium, Nyctanthes arbortristis, Nymphaea, Paeonia, Pandanus, Polianathes tuberosa, Rosa, Rudbeckia, Tagetes and Thevetia. Each crop is described with its nomenclature, origin, brief history & importance, botany, classification, species and varieties, methods of propagation, cultural practices, manipulation of growth and flowering, postharvest management, and insect-pests, diseases & physiological disorders in a very lucid term. Part II contains 14 chapters on general aspects necessary either for flower growing cum improvement or for value addition cum processing of certain plant-based products. Each crop and aspect is supported with pertinent global works.
This is the first book of its kind written worldwide which deals exclusively with Traditional and Loose Flowers as is most prevalent in the Asian countries. However, in western countries though they prioritize the cut flower crops but for garden decoration, bedding, borders, container planting, hedges, rock gardens and pools, and for greenhouse & conservatory plantings they depend largely on such plants. Moreover, ICAR (New Delhi) has also devised curricula for graduate and postgraduate students of floriculture & landscaping, that is why this book has been prepared to act as a ready reckoner not only to the students but also to the teachers, professors and scientists engaged in floricultural activities. This will also prove a comprehensive guide to the horticultural development officers and flower growers worldwide.