Agriculture

Crop Production

Package of practices

Flowers

FLOWER SEED PRODUCTION

Flowering annuals are being grown commercially for seed production in northern states of country during the last two decades. The key component of area expansion under flower seed crops is mainly ideal climatic conditions, soils, natural resources and availability of labour. India covers about 1000 ha area in <a title="External website that opens in new window" href="https://egovernance.vikaspedia.in/viewcontent/e-governance/states/punjab?lgn=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-page-id="2514">Punjab</a>, <a title="External website that opens in new window" href="https://energy.vikaspedia.in/viewcontent/energy/policy-support/state-wise/haryana?lgn=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-page-id="1244">Haryana</a>, <a title="External website that opens in new window" href="https://egovernance.vikaspedia.in/viewcontent/e-governance/states/andhra-pradesh?lgn=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-page-id="150">Andhra Pradesh</a> and <a title="External website that opens in new window" href="https://energy.vikaspedia.in/viewcontent/energy/policy-support/state-wise/uttar-pradesh?lgn=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-page-id="3200">Uttar Pradesh</a> under flower seed production with more than 50 % share from <a title="External website that opens in new window" href="https://energy.vikaspedia.in/viewcontent/energy/policy-support/state-wise/punjab?lgn=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-page-id="25851">Punjab</a>. 
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Climate and Soil</h2> 
Most of the perennial flowers of temperate climate behave as annual crops in sub tropical climatic conditions of India and are grown as winter season crops. The ideal temperature range for growing these winter annuals is from 25-30°C during the day and 17-18°C at night for seed germination, growth and flowering. These annuals pass their juvenile phase in December-January, bloom profusely during February-March and set seed in March-April. These annuals prefer sandy loam, well drained neutral to slightly acidic soils with good water holding capacity. Addition of well rotten farm yard manure or leaf mould in the top provides adequate organic matter and improves the soil quality. 
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Agronomic Practices</h2> 
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">Seed Sowing and Transplanting</h3> 
The seeds are sown in well prepared nursery beds measuring 1 m wide and 15 cm high from the ground level. The seeds start germinating within one week in summer and two weeks in winter depending upon the nature of crop and prevailing environmental conditions. Seedlings are transplanted after 35-40 days of sowing at 4 leaf stage as per the planting distance recommended. Direct sowing is done in bold seeded crops like sweet peas, dimorphotheca, calendula, nasturtium and linum. In flowers with small seed like Papaver spp., Escholtzia californica, alyssum, nemesia, clarkia and ice plant, the seed is mixed with sand and sown in the field at required distance. 
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">Planting and Fertilizer</h3> 
<ol> 
 <li style="text-align: justify;">Coreopsis the Coreopsis lanceolata produces sulphur yellow flowers whereas Coreopsis tinctoria produces yellow flowers with maroon center, the optimum time for transplanting of Coreopsis lanceolata is the first week of November and of Coreopsis tinctoria is the third week of November for seed production, as the planting is delayed by mid November the seed yield decreases considerably, the seedlings are transplanted at 60 x 40 cm apart, the application of 40 kg P2O5 and 40 kg K2O per acre is done at the time of field preparation as basal dose, the urea is applied as 120 kg/acre in two splits after one month of transplanting and remaining half at appearance of bud in the end of February, the seed yield of Coreopsis lanceolata is 250-275 kg/acre and of Coreopsis tinctoria is 300 kg/acre.</li> 
 <li style="text-align: justify;">Phlox this is pale blue, violet, pink, bright red or white colored flower with slightly scented, the optimum time for transplanting is the first week of November for seed production, delay in planting after first fortnight of November results in reduction in seed yield, the seedlings are transplanted at 30 x 30 cm apart, the application of 40 kg P2O5 and 40 kg K2O per acre is done at the time of field preparation as basal dose, the urea is applied as 120 kg/acre in two splits after one month of transplanting and remaining half at appearance of bud in the end of January, the seed yield is 250-275 kg/acre.</li> 
 <li style="text-align: justify;">Helichrysum this is golden yellow, cream, pink and magenta coloured flower having shining papery petals, the optimum time for transplanting is first week of November for seed production, delay in planting results in reduction in seed yield, the seedlings are transplanted at 60 x 40 cm apart, this flower has a longer flowering duration from March till mid-May, the seed yield is 70-80 kg/acre.</li> 
 <li style="text-align: justify;">Gaillardia this is yellow, orange, scarlet, or combination of these colors with single or double flowers, the optimum time for transplanting is the third week of November, the seedlings are transplanted at 60 x 40 cm apart, the application of 40 kg P2O5 and 40 kg K2O per acre is done at the time of field preparation as basal dose, the urea is applied as 120 kg/acre in two splits February and March, the seed yield is 200 kg/acre.</li> 
 <li style="text-align: justify;">Antirrhinum this is yellow, red, pink, magenta, scarlet, cream and white colored flower, the flowering is at peak in April, the optimum time for transplanting is during October-November, the seedlings are transplanted at 40 x 40 cm apart, the application of 40 kg P2O5 and 40 kg K2O per acre is done at the time of field preparation as basal dose, the urea is applied as 100 kg/acre in two splits one and two months after transplanting, the seed yield ranges between 80-100 kg/acre.</li> 
 <li style="text-align: justify;">Nasturtium this yellow, orange to scarlet coloured flower with trailing habit, the seeds are directly sown in beds in mid November at 30 x 30 cm apart and plants come in bloom after mid-March, the flowering is at peak from end March to mid-April, the application of 40 kg P2O5 and 40 kg K2O per acre is done at the time of field preparation as basal dose, the urea is applied as 140 kg/acre in two splits one and two months after transplanting, the yield of seed is around 250 kg/acre.</li> 
 <li style="text-align: justify;">Petunia this is white, cream, pink, magenta, mauve or bicolor flower in single and double form, the right time for transplanting is from end October to first week of November, the seedlings are transplanted at 45 x 45 cm, this crop comes in bloom during March and has long flowering duration till June, the application of 50 kg P2O5 and 50 kg K2O per acre is done at the time of field preparation as basal dose, the urea is applied as 140 kg/acre in two splits one month after transplanting and February, the seed yield is around 70-80 kg/acre.</li> 
 <li style="text-align: justify;">Calendula it is orange and yellow colored winter season flower, the seedlings are transplanted in October-November at 45 x 30 cm distance, the plants have a long blooming period from December till April with peak flowering in March, the application of 40 kg P2O5 and 40 kg K2O per acre is done at time of field preparation as basal dose, the urea is applied as 120 kg/acre in two splits one month after transplanting and end of December, the seed yield of open pollinated varieties is around 160-170 kg/acre.</li> 
 <li style="text-align: justify;">Sweet Alyssum this is white or purple coloured flower with dwarf growth habit, the seedlings are transplanted from end October to first week of November, the plants are transplanted at 30 x 20 cm in raised beds, the flowering is at peak from end February to mid-March, the estimated seed yield of this crop is 50-60 kg/acre.</li> 
 <li style="text-align: justify;">Pansy this is violet or yellow colored flower with marking of contrast colour or blotches, the optimum time of transplanted is mid November, the seedlings are transplanted at 30 x 20 cm in raised beds, the flowering is at peak in March, the application of 40 kg P2O5 and 40 kg K2O per acre is done at the time of field preparation as basal dose, the urea is applied as 100 kg/acre in two splits one month after transplanting and end of January, the average seed yield is 70-80 kg/acre.</li> 
 <li style="text-align: justify;">Ice plant this is a dwarf plant bearing pink, magenta, purple, white, cream and peach flowers in March, the seedlings are transplanted from end October to first week of November, the plants are transplanted at 30 x 20 cm, the application of 40 kg P2O5 and 40 kg K2O per acre is done at the time of field preparation as basal dose, the urea is applied as 120 kg/acre in two splits one month after transplanting and end of January, the seed yield is 150 kg/acre.</li> 
</ol> 
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">Pollination behavior and Isolation distance</h3> 
The self-pollinated flowering annuals like balsam, lupin, sweet peas and clianthus do not require any isolation distance, often cross pollinated crops like antirrhinum, salvia, linum, linaria and aster have 5-10% chances of seed set due to cross pollination hence require at least 100 meter planting distance. In case of cross pollinated crops like sweet alyssum, calendula, Coreopsis lanceolata, Coreopsis tinctoria, gaillardia, helichrysum, corn flower, delphinium and verbena, 500 meter to one kilometer of isolation distance is required for maintaining the seed purity of a crop species and varieties. 
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">Seed Collection and Cleaning</h3> 
Method of seed collection depends on flowering behavior and maturity of flowering annuals. The mature pods with pale yellow to brown colour become dry and show the signs of splitting are picked individually or mass harvesting is done accordingly. In longer duration crops like coreopsis, gaillardia, helichrysum, the pods are picked in initial 3-4 pickings followed by mass collection from end April to mid-May. The pods of calendula, pansy, petunia, helichrysum and poppy are handpicked, kept under shady well ventilated place, followed by cleaning with sieving and winnowing. This is practiced in Coreopsis lanceolata, Coreopsis tinctoria, phlox, nasturtium, ice plant, phlox, lineria, gamolepis, candytuft, nemesia and alyssum, antirrhinum etc. However in crops like candytuft, phlox, nasturtium, ice plant and Coreopsis tinctoria, only single harvesting with sickle is done when the flowers start fading and petals droop down. The harvesting duration in each crop varies from 15 to 45 days. 
<a href="https://pau.edu/content/ccil/pf/pp_flower.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ORNAMENTAL CROPS-Communication Centre PUNJAB AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY LUDHIANA</a>

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