Cut flowers face the problem of short display life and lose their aesthetic value rapidly. In order to enhance the vase life of gladiolus, its cut spikes were subjected to different levels of gibberellic acid (GA3), viz., 0, 25, 50, 100 and 200 mg L−1 in vase solution, during two consecutive years 2010 and 2011. The GA3 treatment significantly influenced the vase quality attributes and antioxidants capacity of gladiolus cut flowers. Gibberellic acid at 25 mg L−1 caused the longest time taken to open the floret and increased the floret opening, vase life duration and fresh weight. The highest antioxidative activities of superoxide dismutase and free radicals scavenging were also recorded with GA3 at 25 mg L−1. The highest peroxidase, catalase activity and the lowest membrane leakage were recorded with GA3 at 50 mg L−1. Present study concludes that GA3 applied at lower concentrations (25 mg L−1) renders greater beneficial effects on vase life quality, membrane stability and antioxidant activities in gladiolus cut spike, and further higher application rates cause no improvement in the flower longevity.

Effect of gibberellic acid on the vase life and oxidative activities in senescing cut gladiolus flowers

Influence of gibberellic acid and different salt concentrations on germination percentage and physiological parameters of oat cultivars.

Fuelwood energy pattern and biomass resources in Eastern Himalaya

Does moringa leaf extract have preservative effect improving the longevity and postharvest quality of gladiolus cut spikes

Fuelwood is the principal energy resource for millions of households around the world, yet its use, availability and management remain poorly understood in many areas. We document fuelwood consumption, growth/yield and standing biomass in a Bhutanese village and alpine area used seasonally by villagers where the government is concerned about harvesting in a recently designated national park. Pinus wallichiana was the only fuelwood used in the village and assessments suggest 52 ha could sustain local needs at current consumption levels (54 m3/household/yr). In contrast, Rhododendron aeruginosum was used in the alpine site and at current consumption rates all will be consumed by 2023. Our findings emphasize the need to manage fuelwood based on site-specific consumption, growth and standing biomass criteria rather than single, nation-wide regulations. We provide methods to develop sustainable fuelwood harvesting and forest management guidelines that are applicable to government and community-managed forests in Bhutan and elsewhere.

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Fuelwood Use and Availability in Bhutan: Implications for National Policy and Local Forest Management

Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is a popular fruit of tropics and subtropics of the world. India is in the forefront of papaya producing nations. Papaya nursery is normally raised through seeds. There are improved varieties of papaya which are being used for commercial cultivation through out the country. But none of the varieties are commercially grown in the north eastern India due to undulating topography, high rainfall, poor transport, marketing facility etc. Hence, the present study was pursued in papaya with the objective of identifying cultivars suitable to north eastern region of India with better germination percentage, seedling growth and vigour. The experiment was executed at the Horticulture division of ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Barapani, Meghalaya during 2001-2002 with fourteen papaya cultivars comprising varieties and hybrids of red and yellow flesh types gathered from across the world. The indigenous collections comprised cultivars from Tamil Nadu Agriculture University, Coimbatore (Co-1, Co-2, Co-3 Co-4, Co-5, Co-6, and Co-7), cultivars from G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pant Nagar (Pant Papaya), Indian Agriculture Research Institute, New Delhi (Pusa Dwarf) and Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bangalore (Coorg Honey Dew and Pink Flesh Sweet) whereas Sunrise Solo, Thailand and Washington were the other varieties from foreign sources. The seeds were soaked overnight in different concentrations of gibberellic acid (0, 50, 100, and 150 ppm) and sown in perforated polythene bags containing potting mixture. The cultivars differed significantly with respect to their 1000 seed weight, seed germination, time taken for seed germination, seedling length including seedling vigour. Soaking the seeds with GA 3 had a significant effect in improving the germination percentage of papaya cultivars. Increasing the GA 3 concentration from 0 to 100 ppm significantly improved the germination (66.17%) over the control (42.40%) and above 100 ppm the seed germination decreased. GA 3 treatment had a favorable effect in hastening the germination of papaya and the time taken for germination was maximum in untreated control (31.86 days) whereas GA 3 at 100 ppm recorded the minimum period for germination (29.73 days). GA 3 treatment had a significant effect in enhancing the seedling length and it was maximum with GA 3 100 ppm (17.38 cm) as against control recording only 10.98 cm. It is concluded that the papaya varieties viz., Coorg Honey Dew, Pant Papaya, Co-2 and Co-7 possess better seed germination, seedling growth and vigour are highly suitable for commercial cultivation in north eastern region of India and their germination and seedling health can be improved by treating with GA 3 100 ppm.

Seed germination, seedling growth and vigour of papaya under North East Indian condition.

Quantitative analysis of 19 indigenous fuelwood species of Eastern Himalaya, India was carried out to identify trees with potential for firewood production. A fuelwood value index was the criteria for screening of the species and defined as the calorific value X density/ash content. Over-all rank sum index of the major firewood species was also assessed on the basis of firewood characteristics, fuelwood production, and availability in the region. The results showed that Castanopsis indica, Phoebe attenuata, Macropanax undulatum, Ixonanthes khasiana, Morus laevigata, Caryota urens, Lithocarpus elegans, and Litsea laeta are the most preferred firewood species.

Fuelwood Characteristics of Some Firewood Trees and Shrubs of Eastern Himalaya, India

Post Harvest Technology of Flowers and Ornamental Plants

Orchids account for a large share of global floriculture trade and are estimated around 10% of international fresh cut flower trade. They have taken a significant position in cut flower industry due to its attractiveness, diversity in forms, shape and color, high productivity, right season of bloom, and easy packing and transportation. Postharvest life of orchid cut flowers is influenced by pre-harvest factors like varietal or species differences, light intensity, sugar level of flowers, temperature and water loss. It is also affected by harvest factors such as time and stage of harvest and postharvest factors viz. ethylene production, precooling, pulsing, use of preservatives, packaging and storage. The hybrids of Dendrobium, Vanda and Mokara remain perfect from 7 days to 30 days. The flowers of Cattleya and Phalaenopsis remain fresh for 1 to 4 weeks whereas Aranda lasts for 18 to 28 days. Higher sugar levels of flowers improve longevity of cut flowers. The optimum harvesting stage of commercial orchids is fully open and mature flowers. In Cymbidium hyb. ‘PCMV’, harvest at two buds opened stage had maximum vase life (66.8 days). Ethylene is the main factor responsible for early senescence. In Cymbidium hybrid ‘Red Princess’ pulsing with 5% sucrose increases vase life upto 56 days. Pulsing with 4 mM STS for 10 minutes in Aranda and 0.5 mM STS for 24 hours in Phalaenopsis blocks the deleterious effect of ethylene. In tropical orchids like Dendrobium and Oncidium, AgNO3 (10-30 ppm) and HQS (50-100 ppm) extends vase life and bud opening of cut flowers. In Cymbidium, 1-MCP and AVG are superior to STS in prolonging the vase life of cut flowers. In Cymbidium ‘PCMV’, highest per cent of fully opened buds (75%) and maximum vase life (45 days) were recorded with the chemical combination of sugar 4% + salicylic acid 200 ppm. In orchids, cut spikes are inserted in tube containing water or water with preservatives and bunch of 5 or more or individual spikes are placed inside the CFB box in alternate fashion. Cool growing orchids are stored at lower temperature even at 5°C in cold chambers whereas tropical and subtropical orchids are stored at 7-10°C and 90-95% relative humidity.

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Post-Harvest Physiology and Technology in Orchids

Ornamental crops provide better income from a unit area with higher profitability. There is huge untapped flower production potential in our country which could benefit a large segments of the weaker sections of the society. Both the domestic market and the export potential of flowers and ornamentals are tremendous. Besides, earning foreign exchange and improving the national income, the floriculture business being labour intensive generates gainful employment to rural youth. Ornamental plants are appreciated by their ability to please the eye of consumers as garden or pot plants or when sold as cut material. The main emphasis in ornamental plant breeding is to improve variety traits, novel colour, form, size, number of flowers, flower vase life, repeat blooming, disease resistance, nutrient uptake capacity and growth habit. Various types of new varieties of ornamental crops have been produced for many years by cross hybridization and mutation breeding techniques, separately or in combination. Many ornamental plants have been originated from inter-specific and inter-generic crosses, which leads to high degree of heterozygosity in the resulting hybrids, often polyploidy and aneuploidy also occur. In the present review, origin, modes of reproduction, introduction, selection, hybridization, mutation and polyploidy breeding of various ornamental plants are discussed in details.

L. C. De

Papers

Seed germination, seedling growth and vigour of papaya under North East Indian condition.

Fuelwood Characteristics of Some Firewood Trees and Shrubs of Eastern Himalaya, India

Post Harvest Technology of Flowers and Ornamental Plants

Post-Harvest Physiology and Technology in Orchids

Improvement of Ornamental Plants - A Review