Ornamental plants play an important role in human society since flowers are considered a vital component due to their beauty, texture, color, shape and fragrance. To produce high quality ornamentals, growers in general have intensified the use of agrochemicals without considering their deleterious impact on floral attributes. Also, the agrochemicals (including fertilizers and pesticides) used in floriculture are expensive and their excessive application results in emergence of pathogens resistant to such chemicals. It has, therefore, become imperative to develop renewable, inexpensive and eco-friendly fertilizers without producing any disturbing impact on quality of ornamentals. In this regard, phosphate solubilizing microorganisms (PSM) among plant growth promoting rhizobacteria have been identified as an efficient alternative to agrochemicals in floriculture. Even though, there are adequate reports on the effect of PSM on growth and development of numerous plants, information on the impact of PSM on production and quality of ornamental plants is, however, critically scarce. Considering these gaps and success of PSM application in floriculture achieved so far, efforts have been directed to highlight the impact of PSM on the production of ornamentals grown distinctively in different production systems. Also, the role of PSM in the management of ornamental diseases is discussed and considered. The review will conclude by identifying several PSM for future researches aiming to improve the health and quality of ornamentals grown in different production systems. Use of PSM is also likely to reduce the use of chemicals in floriculture.

Growth stimulation and management of diseases of ornamental plants using phosphate solubilizing microorganisms: current perspective

Protected cultivation of ornamental flowers, as a commercial venture, becomes less profitable with excessive use of fertilizers. The present study examined the influence of microbial biofilm inocul...

Microbial biofilm inoculants benefit growth and yield of chrysanthemum varieties under protected cultivation through enhanced nutrient availability

MORPHOLOGICAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL, BIOCHEMICAL AND MOLECULAR VARIABILITY STUDY IN DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF GERBERA (Gerbera jamesonii Bolus) GROWN UNDER POLYHOUSE

STUDIES ON THE EFFECT OF PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS ON GROWTH, FLOWER YIELD AND QUALITY OF AFRICAN MARIGOLD (Tagetes erecta L.) UNDER CHHATTISGARH PLAINS

The growth and economy of a society is highly dependent on profitable utilization of bio-resource, plants and animals for livelihood and survival. This chapter discusses the efficient utilization of native plants, trees and other bio-resources as well as various abiotic stress factors affecting crop productivity under sustainable agriculture. Various innovative techniques, agrotechnology and organic fertilizers need to evolve for increasing productivity under sustainable agriculture. The reserve of organic carbon fixed in the soil by soil microorganisms is the long-term carbon that is released into the environment by increased burning of fossil fuels. It helps to limit the global changes that are continuously increasing due to rapid changes in the amounts of greenhouse gases. Certain tree species have the capacity to capture about 50 % of carbon, viz. Leucophyllum frutescens, Forestiera angustifolia, Bumelia celastrina and Acacia berlandieri which may be recommended for planting in highly contaminated areas to reduce pollution and carbon dioxide load in the atmosphere. This chapter urges the necessity for judicious utilization and conservation of native species and also the ethnic knowledge on plant uses inherited from generation to generation. Nature provides us a variety of goods and services, and for every moment of our life, we use the resources that it has provided. The air R.K. Maiti ( ) Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Carr. No 85, km 145, NL 67700 Linares, Mexico e-mail: ratikanta.maiti@gmail.com A. Kumari Department of Crop Physiology, Agricultural College, Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Polasa, Jagtial, Karimnagar 505 529, Telangana, India e-mail: arunasujanagcjgl@gmail.com encircling the earth enables us to breathe; the plants grown in the soil provide the food to eat, shelter to animals, vegetation and pastures. The energy provided by the sun, coal or fossil fuels are used for several purposes. In a similar manner, the water that falls to the ground in the form of rain is used for irrigation and to meet the various day-to-day needs. It is thus evident that we are dependent on nature to a large extent to meet all of our basic needs – air, food, water, shelter, energy, etc. The growth and economy of a society is highly dependent on profitable utilization of © Springer Science+Business Media Singapore 2016 R.K. Maiti et al. (eds.), Bioresource and Stress Management, DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-0995-2_1 1 2 R.K. Maiti and A. Kumari bio-resource, plants and animals for livelihood and survival. Native plants or trees and crops supply food, medicines, timber for furniture, firewood and various domestic necessities. Besides, we are highly dependent on honeybees for honey, fish and animals for meat, leather, wool, etc. There is a great necessity for efficient utilization of bio-resource and its genetic improvement. Efficient management of bioresource contributes to improve the economy of mankind worldwide. Therefore, the conservation and efficient utilization of bio-resource is a great necessity for the economy of our society. With respect to native plant species, there is a great necessity to develop efficient techniques for breaking seed dormancy and propagation of plants and trees. No efficient techniques are available except traditional methods. In this regard, in Northeastern Mexico, few native species such as Agave lechuguilla, Yucca spp., Euphorbia antisyphilitica and wild chilli (Capsicum annuum) are overexploited by the semiarid farmers for their economic importance, which may lead to the extinction of these species in the long run. Many cactus species are endangered and becoming extinct. Though simple techniques are available, no attempts are being made by scientists. It urges the necessity for judicious utilization and conservation of native species and also the ethnic knowledge on plant uses inherited from generation to generation. Since ancient times, many medicinal plants are being used to alleviate various diseases in rural villages as well as in urban areas. This knowledge on the use of medicinal plants is inherited from generation to generation. Many medicinal plants are used to cure a large number of diseases. Systematic studies on the macroand micronutrient contents of these medicinal plant species are limited. Our research is thus being confined to the selection and identification of the native tree species having a high efficacy of accumulation of macroand micronutrients into their biomass. These medicinal plants have high nutraceutical values as sources of supplementing the macroand micronutrients in medicines to the desired in curing a particular disease. There is a great necessity of interdisciplinary research on medicinal plants as ethnomedicine. In order to have a truly sustainable society, there is a need to understand the impacts of anthropic factors on the nature and the resources that are provided. Decisions are to be made in such a way that the impacts on these bio-resources are minimized, and these which are forming a part of our natural systems are continued to meet the requirements of the future generations too. Scientists, academicians, environmentalists, ecologists and biologists all over the globe are working together in finding better ways of management of the bio-resource as soil, water, vegetation as well as biodiversity. Soil forms the basis of life and survival of plants. Millions of insects, bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes and algae reside in the soil. Certain fungi as mycorrhiza help plants to retrieve phosphorous from the soil. Certain nitrogen-fixing bacteria such as Rhizobium, Azospirillum and Azotobacter enrich the soil nitrogen content. Certain phosphorous-solubilizing bacteria such as Pseudomonas and Bacillus and fungi Aspergillus and Penicillium enrich the soil phosphorus contents. Certain bacterial species such as Pseudomonas are useful in phytoremediation in removing the oil spills and other metal contaminants from the soil and water surfaces. Likewise, some bacterial and fungal species like Bacillus and Trichoderma are effective biocontrol agents against a number of harmful pests. Certain nematodes and mites also reduce the pest species by feeding on them. Developed and developing worlds are facing ever-increasing problems. Overcropping or abuse of mineral fertilization and pesticides is leading to the destruction of our soils, a valuable resource which is scarce. Nevertheless, this problem of soil fertility degradation may be relieved by the proper use of organic and inorganic fertilizers or by adoption of integrated nutrient management strategies. The organic residues not only enrich the soil microbial population but also influence the soil structure and the nutrient turnover, increase biodiversity and influence many physical, chemical and biological parameters. Nowadays, 1 Social Necessity of an Efficient Management and Conservation of Bio-resource and Stress. . . 3 a very interesting subject of investigation is the use of organic amendments so that the biological properties of the soil are properly maintained in enabling in the maintenance of soil functioning and structure. Indiscriminate use of fertilizers and pesticides are degrading the soil environment leading to its pollution. The soil biological activity is being lost due to significant amounts of contaminants that are accumulated in the soils. Organic manures or organic amendments can enrich the soil microflora and lead to a buildup of microbial biomass and increased microbial activity. The soil enzymes are very important and several researches have highlighted the increase in the soil enzymatic activities with the addition of organic amendments. In dry areas, the presence of soil fauna, litter decomposition and soil chemical and biochemical properties are very important in the organic resource management. Under the present conditions, there is a need for a transition towards durable and sustainable relations between humans and nature. An advance in scientific knowledge has given a platform for the efficient management of our natural bio-resource such as soil, water and biodiversity. An important agricultural and environmental component of soil is soil organic matter. It helps in the maintenance of plant nutrition, protects the soil quality and also controls the fate of contaminants in the soil. It is the only reservoir of organic carbon. The largest amounts of organic carbon on the earth’s surface are reserved in the soil. Thus, this reserve of organic carbon in the soil is potentially capable of fixing the longterm carbon that is released into the environment by increased burning of fossil fuels. It helps to limit the global changes that are continuously increasing due to rapid changes in the amounts of greenhouse gases. Thus, the science of sustainable management of bio-resource offers enormous opportunities for scientific development for the base interventions or formulation of policies for the conservation of these valuable resources or the adoption of a green technology, and sustainability of agro-environment is the need of the present day apart from meeting the demands of the increased population. Climate change is occurring due to increase of CO2 and other greenhouse gases, which have a direct impact on the growth, development and survival of tree species of a forest. The climatic factors prevailing in different semiarid, tropical and temperate regions affect the growth of trees. The change in climatic factors related to atmospheric condition are the solar radiation, light, wind, temperature, precipitation, relative humidity and intensity of light. Climate determines the distribution of vegetation in a forest ecosystem. There exists a good relation of the climate with the conservation and development of forest. It is essential for the foresters to have good understanding of the climate changes and its impact on forest produ

Bioresource and Stress Management

A study on the association of various morphological traits through correlation analysisin gladiolus ( Gladiolus x hybridus Hort.) showed that spike length had significant positivecorrelation with plant height, rachis length, duration of flowering and number of florets perspike, whereas it had negative correlation with number of shoots per plant, size of the floretand number of corms per plant at both phenotypic and genotypic levels. Number of florets perspike was positively and significantly correlated with number of leaves per plant, rachis length,leaf area, spike length and number and weight of cormels produced per plant at bothphenotypic and genotypic levels. The results of investigation revealed that spike length,number of florets per spike and floret size are important spike quality characters. Hence, thesecharacters may be considered as selection indices in gladiolus breeding programme.

Correlation studies in gladiolus.

A pot experiment was conducted in the screen-house of the Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during 2011-12 and 2012-13 to investigate the effect of different levels of nitrogen (0, 10, 20 and 30 g/m2) and biofertilizers (Azotobacter andAzospirillum) on growth, yield and nutrient content of Chrysanthemum. The interaction effect of different levels of nitrogen and biofertilizers on number of branches per plant was found to be non-significant during both years of experimentation. The fresh weight of plant was found to be significant during both the years. In the year 2011-12, the maximum fresh weight of plant (102.36 g) was noticed with the application of Azospirillum along with nitrogen 20 g/m2, whereas, in second year, it was maximum (103.45 g) with the application of Azospirillum in combination of nitrogen 30 g/m2. The maximum dry weight of plant (10.52 and 10.50 g) was observed in the application of Azospirillum along with nitrogen 20 g/m2, which was at par with Azospirillum along with nitrogen 30 g/m2 (10.06 and 10.40 g). The maximum flower yield per plant (59.16 and 67.22 g) was recorded with Azospirillum application alongwith nitrogen 20 g/m2. However, in second year, it was at par with Azotobacter in combination of nitrogen 20 g/m2 (61.70 g). In the year 2011-12, the maximum nitrogen content (4.79%) was recorded in Azospirillum along with nitrogen 30 g/m2, whereas, in the next year, it was recorded maximum (4.65%) in Azotobacter along with nitrogen 30 g/m2, which was at par with Azospirillum along with nitrogen 30 g/m2 (4.55 %). Interaction effect of nitrogen and biofertilizers on phosphorus and potassium content were found to be non-significant during both the years of investigation.

http://epubs.icar.org.in/ejournal/index.php/AAR/article/download/42187/18714

Effect of different nitrogen levels and biofertilizers on growth, yield and nutrient content of Chrysanthemum

Five genotypes of gerbera were evaluated to determine genetic variability,heritability, genetic advance and genetic gain for eleven contributing characters. Significantvariations were recorded for the various characters studied. Phenotypic and genotypiccoefficients of variation were highest for number of flowers per plant and leaf area index,indicating presence of sufficient genetic variability for selection in these traits. Highheritability and high genetic advance for number of leaves per plant and number of flowersper plant indicated the presence of additive gene effects in these traits and their amicabilityfor direct selection. The non additive gene effects were evident in number of suckers perplant, flower dry weight and flower stalk diameter thus warranting use of heterosis breedingfor these characters. The selection on the basis of number of flowers per plant will be moreeffective for further breeding programme.

Genetic variability studies in Gerbera

A pot experiment was conducted in the screen-house of the Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during 2011–12 and 2012–13 to investigate the potential effect of biofertilizers (PSB and mycorrhiza) and different levels of phosphorus (0, 10, 15 and 20 g/m2) on growth, yield and quality of chrysanthemum. The conjunctive effect of biofertilizers and different levels of phosphorus was found to be significant for both the years. The maximum plant height (31.77 and 33.33 cm), fresh weight of plant (100.90 and 96.77 g) and dry weight of plant (10.85 and 10.15 g) were recorded with PSB + phosphorus 15 g/m2 in the year 2011–12 and 2012–13, respectively. The minimum number of days taken for bud initiation (61.67 and 63.33 days) and number of days to first flowering (75.00 and 75.67 days) were also obtained with PSB + phosphorus 15 g/m2 in both the years, respectively. The maximum number of buds per plant (32.33 and 32.00), number of flowers per plant (29.00 and 29.33), the longest flower stalk (6.33 and 6.33 cm) were noticed with PSB + phosphorus 15 g/m2 in the year 2011–12 and 2012–13, respectively. The maximum number of days taken for bud initiation (79.00 and 80.33 days) was recorded with mycorrhiza application (alone) during both the years, respectively. The interaction effect between the biofertilizers and levels of phosphorous on number of suckers per plant was found to be non-significant during both the years of experimentation.

Growth, Yield and Quality of Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifoliumRamat.) cv. Dolly Orange as influenced by Biofertilizers in combination with Phosphorous

The study was conducted on performance of 30 genotypes of marigold under semi-arid climatic conditions of Haryana. Experiment was laid out in randomized block design (RBD) with three replications, at Research Farm of Department of Horticulture, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during two winter season of 2011–12 and 2012–13. All the genotypes showed significant variations for growth, flowering and yield parameters. The genotype Hisar Jaffri-2 exhibited best performance in terms plant spread (77.72 cm), numbers of secondary branches per plant (150.97), number of buds per plant (217.10), duration of flowering (76.53 days) and flower yield per plot (20.99 kg). The genotype MGH-148-3-3 recorded maximum stem diameter (2.14 cm) and dry weight of plant (130.72 g), whereas it was minimum (0.61 cm and 9.91 g, respectively) in Hisar Beauty. Maximum diameter of flower (8.21cm) was recorded in MGH-09-276, while it was minimum (4.01 cm) in Hisar Jaffri-2. The maximum dry weight of flower (2.04 g) was recorded in MGH-09-271.

Anop Kumari

Papers

Correlation studies in gladiolus.

Effect of different nitrogen levels and biofertilizers on growth, yield and nutrient content of Chrysanthemum

Genetic variability studies in Gerbera

Growth, Yield and Quality of Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifoliumRamat.) cv. Dolly Orange as influenced by Biofertilizers in combination with Phosphorous

Evaluation of marigold genotypes under semi-arid conditions of Haryana