<p>Bengaluru: There is a need to locally develop hybrid flower varieties and reduce dependence on flower crop imports from other countries, experts said during a conference at the ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (ICAR-IIHR), Hesaraghatta, between January 9 and 11.</p>.<p>The three-day national conference dealt with 'Recent trends and future prospects of floriculture in India'. </p>.<p>Held in collaboration with the Society for Promotion of Horticulture, Bengaluru, and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, the conference had nine technical sessions, delivered both physically and virtually, with keynote speeches by researchers from the country's floriculture industry.</p>.<p>Nearly 240 researchers presented their research findings on topics such as conservation, cultivation, inland marketing, and overseas export in poster presentations.</p>.<p>Researchers opined that overcoming a few limitations such as industry players working in silos would help extract maximum potential from the sunrise industry.</p>.<p>In his keynote address at the inauguration, Dr T Janakiram, Vice-Chancellor, Dr Y.S.R. Horticultural University, Andhra Pradesh, highlighted the potential for integrating Artificial Intelligence, biotechnology, sensor and drone technology to advance the sector.</p>.<p>Dr SP Das, Director, ICAR-National Research Centre for Orchids, Sikkim, emphasised that the country needed to develop disease-resistant hybrid varieties of flower crops to compete globally rather than import from countries like the Netherlands or Thailand.</p>.<p>Dr P Naveen Kumar, Principal Scientist and Head, Division of Flower and Medicinal Crops, ICAR-IIHR, Bengaluru, emphasised the need for innovation to match growing demand, while Madhumathi Andrews, Manager, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), highlighted how the authority's schemes and export subsidies have helped advance the sector in the country.</p>.<p>“Floriculture can address unemployment and environmental concerns, having emerged as a definite commercial business sector in the past two to three decades,” said Dr Sudhakar Pandey, ADG (Flower/Veg/Spices/Med Plants), ICAR, New Delhi. He pushed for research on edible flowers and better diagnostics for plant diseases, besides suggesting that farmers must align their production with peak demand periods in the year to maximise exports.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: There is a need to locally develop hybrid flower varieties and reduce dependence on flower crop imports from other countries, experts said during a conference at the ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (ICAR-IIHR), Hesaraghatta, between January 9 and 11.</p>.<p>The three-day national conference dealt with 'Recent trends and future prospects of floriculture in India'. </p>.<p>Held in collaboration with the Society for Promotion of Horticulture, Bengaluru, and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, the conference had nine technical sessions, delivered both physically and virtually, with keynote speeches by researchers from the country's floriculture industry.</p>.<p>Nearly 240 researchers presented their research findings on topics such as conservation, cultivation, inland marketing, and overseas export in poster presentations.</p>.<p>Researchers opined that overcoming a few limitations such as industry players working in silos would help extract maximum potential from the sunrise industry.</p>.<p>In his keynote address at the inauguration, Dr T Janakiram, Vice-Chancellor, Dr Y.S.R. Horticultural University, Andhra Pradesh, highlighted the potential for integrating Artificial Intelligence, biotechnology, sensor and drone technology to advance the sector.</p>.<p>Dr SP Das, Director, ICAR-National Research Centre for Orchids, Sikkim, emphasised that the country needed to develop disease-resistant hybrid varieties of flower crops to compete globally rather than import from countries like the Netherlands or Thailand.</p>.<p>Dr P Naveen Kumar, Principal Scientist and Head, Division of Flower and Medicinal Crops, ICAR-IIHR, Bengaluru, emphasised the need for innovation to match growing demand, while Madhumathi Andrews, Manager, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), highlighted how the authority's schemes and export subsidies have helped advance the sector in the country.</p>.<p>“Floriculture can address unemployment and environmental concerns, having emerged as a definite commercial business sector in the past two to three decades,” said Dr Sudhakar Pandey, ADG (Flower/Veg/Spices/Med Plants), ICAR, New Delhi. He pushed for research on edible flowers and better diagnostics for plant diseases, besides suggesting that farmers must align their production with peak demand periods in the year to maximise exports.</p>
