E-Paper
Blooms galore: Annual flower show draws visitors in droves
MS Randhawa Memorial Flower Show at PAU dazzled visitors with a breathtaking array of flowers and innovative arrangements, showcasing the growth of India's floriculture industry.
The MS Randhawa Memorial Flower Show and Competition commenced with a burst of colours as flower enthusiasts flocked to the grounds near Manmohan Singh Auditorium at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU). Organised by the department of floriculture and landscaping at PAU, in collaboration with the Estate Organization, the two-day event dazzled visitors with a breathtaking array of flowers and imaginative arrangements.
Inaugurating the event, Satbir Singh Gosal, vice-chancellor of PAU, paid homage to the late MS Randhawa, former vice-chancellor of the university, acknowledging his key role in campus landscaping. Highlighting the Indian floriculture industry’s role from social, cultural, economic, and environmental perspectives, he emphasised the cultural significance of flowers in Indian traditions and ceremonies, floriculture’s economic contribution through employment generation and foreign exchange earnings, and its role in rural development by providing alternative income sources for farmers.
The V-C touched upon the emerging trends in the floriculture industry in India. The rise of e-commerce, urbanisation, and the adoption of floriculture gardens as a lifestyle choice were noted as contributing factors. Additionally, the demand for the wedding and hospitality industry, the surge in entrepreneurship, and the acceptance of an environment-friendly lifestyle have propelled the industry forward.
Gosal shared that India successfully exported 21,024.41 metric ton of floriculture products, amounting to a value of ₹707.81 crore during the fiscal year 2022-23. Recognising floriculture as a possible solution for crop diversification, he proposed seizing emerging opportunities by focusing on genetic resource utilisation, cultivar development, production technology, efficient water use, plant architecture engineering, management, protection technology, and value addition.
Parminder Singh, head of the department of floriculture at PAU, underscored the burgeoning status of floriculture in India, identifying it as a high-growth industry. He drew attention to commercial floriculture’s increasing significance, particularly in exports. Singh noted that the liberalisation of industrial and trade policies has facilitated the development of export-oriented production, specifically in cut flowers.
Beyond the cut flower and dry flower sectors, Singh explained that other segments such as fillers, indoor plants, landscaping plants, seeds, planting material, turf grass, and value-added products also play a crucial role in driving the overall growth of the floriculture sector. Enumerating key floricultural crops in the flower trade, he listed rose, carnation, chrysanthemum, gladiolus, gypsophila, orchid, anthurium, and lilium as the most sought-after cut flowers in the market.
Simrat Singh, scientist in floriculture and landscaping and the coordinator of the show, shared that the event witnessed substantial participation, with approximately 800 participants and 1,200 entries registered across various sections. Participants included individuals, private institutions, amateurs, government and semi-government institutions, as well as nurseries. The competition features nine distinct classes, covering fresh/dry flower arrangements, seasonal flowers, foliage plants, cacti, succulents, ferns, and bonsai.
The flower show is set to culminate with a prize distribution function on February 29 at 3.00 pm. The event is open to the general public, providing an opportunity for everyone to indulge in the beauty of meticulously arranged blooms and innovative displays.
PAU vegetable scientists and students bring laurels
A team of vegetable scientists and students of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) won laurels during the 42nd All India Group Meeting of Vegetable Crops and Golden Jubilee Seminar of India Society of Vegetable Science (ISVS), IIVR, Varanasi, held at Acharya Narendra Dev University of Agriculture and Technology (ANDUAT), Ayodhya, Kumarganj, from February 22 to 26.
A PAU developed variety of round gourd, namely Punjab Tinda 1 was released at the national level for cultivation in zone –IV.
In ISVS seminar, Dr Sat Pal Sharma, principal vegetable breeder, was selected as fellow of ISVS; and Tejpal Singh Sran, a student of Salesh Kumar Jindal, got Dwarka Nath Memorial Best Thesis Award. Four posters presented by the PAU students were adjudged as the best posters under different themes. Mohinder Kaur Sidhu, Bhumika, , Monisha, and Rakesh Kumar Belludi won best poster prize awards.
