41 new strains of carnation developed

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, March 11

In a major breakthrough, scientists from the Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, have developed 41 new strains of carnation for commercial cultivation. 

Being a significant  international flower crop, it  has proved to be a money-spinner for state farmers. The varied agro-climatic conditions offer a great scope for its cultivation in the state.

In the mid-1980s under the AICFIP of the ICAR, the flower was introduced at the department of vegetable crops and floriculture. Barring the districts of Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti, carnation is being grown under protected conditions throughout the state. 

The state offers huge potential for this avocation owing to its apt climatic conditions  and market linkage.

Since its inception in November 1987, the department of floriculture and landscaping architecture is actively engaged in the research and extension on various aspects of carnation cultivation. 

This has helped the  department  standardise  all-year flower production technology with pinching techniques.

Propagation and production of healthy planting material, post-harvest technology and diseases and insect pest management in carnations has also been dealt with effectively by university scientists.

“Work on the development of new cultivars through in vitro mutagenesis started in 2003, which resulted in the development of nine carnation mutants. In 2013, an ambitious project on 

in-vitro mutations of carnations for the development of new varieties was sanctioned by the department of science and technology (DST). Under this project, 35 new 

flower colour mutants have been developed and are being tested for commercial traits to provide the indigenous varieties to state farmers of the state”, said Dr YC Gupta, head of the department.

A research undertaken by Dr YC Gupta and the principal investigators, Dr SR Dhiman and Dr Puja Sharma, has helped develop the new strains.

 Lauding the work of the university scientists, Dr HC Sharma, Vice-Chancellor, said: “These new strains  can be commercialised on a large scale in the state because of the prevalence of  apt   climatic conditions. This vocation can  usher the state in  a floriculture revolution.”

Carnations are among the top 10 cut flowers of the world. At present, carnation flowers from Himachal are being sold in Delhi, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Mumbai and Chennai. 

The department also has the status of ‘National Repository of Carnation’ from the ICAR and maintains elite varieties of the flower available throughout the country.  

At present, 74 cultivars of carnation are being maintained in this repository. 

The department was rated as an ‘Excellent Centre’ of the AICFIP in 2013. A national distinctiveness uniformity and stability testing centre for carnation was also established in the department.