Floriculture and Ornamental Crops Production, Post-Harvest and Value Addition

Floriculture and ornamental horticulture have emerged as one of the most dynamic and economically significant sectors of Indian horticulture, contributing substantially to income generation, employment creation, export earnings, and aesthetic enrichment of human environments. Recognizing this potential, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), through its 6th Deans’ Committee recommendations, has emphasized outcome-based education, experiential learning, climate-smart production systems, and entrepreneurship-oriented curricula in agricultural and allied sciences.

The present textbook, Floriculture and Ornamental Crops: Production, Post-Harvest, and Value Addition, has been systematically developed in accordance with the ICAR 6th Deans’ Committee curriculum framework for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in Agriculture and Horticulture. The book integrates fundamental principles of floriculture with advanced production technologies, protected cultivation, post harvest management, value addition, marketing, and sustainability perspectives.

Special emphasis has been placed on skill-oriented learning, climate-resilient practices, nursery and protected cultivation technologies, and floriculture-based entrepreneurship, in line with national priorities and institutional mandates. The content has been structured to support core courses, practical training, and experiential learning programmes, making it equally relevant to students, teachers, researchers, extension professionals, and entrepreneurs.