Tuesday, 17 June 2025
The Chief Guest, Dr. T. Janakiram, Assistant Director General (Horticulture Science – I), ICAR outlined the ICAR’s initiatives to strengthen the Agriculture and Floriculture in particular and the importance of documentation of technologies’ impact. He also highlighted the impact of Tuberose variety – Arka Prajwal in floriculture in the country.
Importance of Indigenous Ornamentals
Dr. Janakiram also stressed on the importance of indigenous ornamentals in the country, reducing the plastics in agriculture as well as the changing demographic profile of the country. He urged all those involved in floriculture for channelizing the research in the designated direction.
He opined the AICRP on Floriculture for studying the extent of impact of various varieties released through the AICRP on Floriculture. He accentuated upon the release of varieties through CVRC and registration of elite germplasm with National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi on priority basis.
Floriculture – an evolving field of agriculture
Dr. R. Chandra Babu, Vice-Chancellor, Kerala Agricultural University emphasized on the importance of floricultural crops across the globe. He also regarded the floriculture as an evolving and easily adapting field of agriculture to the climate change and urbanization.
Dr. Indira Devi, Director (Research), KAU stressed on the importance of incorporating floriculture, especially as inter-crop in the plantation crops for reviving the agriculture in the flood affected Kerala.
Release of special issue on Indian Horticulture
Dr. K.V. Prasad, Director, ICAR-DFR and Project Coordinator, AICRP on Floriculture presented the Project Coordinators’ report. A special issue of Indian Horticulture on Beautiful World of Indigenous Ornamental Plants from Directorate of Knowledge Management in Agriculture, ICAR along with 2 Technical Bulletins – “Recent Technologies in Commercial Floriculture” and “Diagnostic Guide for Ornamental Crop Diseases and Pests” from ICAR-DFR were released during the occasion.
