Introduction

Dried flowers and plants have two third share of the market, followed by cut flowers (17%) and live plants (13%).  Presently the total area under floriculture has drastically increased from 34,000 ha in 1988 to 1,06,478 ha.  Himachal Pradesh, endowed with different agro-climatic conditions ranging from sub-tropical to dry temperate zones, has premium potential for growing cut flowers, which are off-season w.r.t. plains as well as bulbs and seed multiplication.  Area under floriculture crops in the state has arisen to 509.82 ha in 2007-08 from 30 ha in 1993-94 and the trade has increased from 137.11 lacs in 1993-94 to 19 crores during 2007-08.

The Department of Floriculture and Landscaping was carved out from Vegetable Crops and Floriculture in November, 1987.  After its formation, the department actively engaged in Teaching (Undergraduate and Postgraduate level), Research and Extension education activities.  Today, the discipline of Floriculture and Landscaping in the Dr. Y. S.  Parmar University of Horticulture & Forestry, Solan has made significant progress and ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) has identified this center as National Repository for Carnation under All India Coordinated Floriculture Improvement Project.

The department offers specialization in the following areas at the post graduate level :

• Agro-techniques

• Bioaesthetic Planning

• Bio-diversity

• Biotechnology

• Breeding

• Flower regulation

• Post harvest technology

• Propagation

• Protected cultivation

Important Commercial Flower Crops

     i)    Alstroemeria    ii)    Aster     iii) Antirrhinum   iv)   Bird of Paradise   

    v)    Carnation      vi)    Chrysanthemum      vii)    Daffodil      viii)      Freesia   

    ix)    Gladiolus    x)   Godetia     xi)    Gerbera   xii)  Iris  xiii)  Lilium  xiv)  Marigold 

    xv)  Ornithogalum   xvi)  Orchids  xvii)    Rose  xviii)  Tuberose

Student Thesis List and Abstracts