CHRYSANTHEMUM Guldaudi
Botanical Name : Dendranthema grandiflora
Family : Asteraceae
Origin : Northern hemisphere in China
National flower of Japan
Classification of chrysanthemum
- Inflorescence
- Temperature
- Photoperiod
Classification based on inflorescence
- Single
- Anemone
- Korean
- Double
- Decorative
- Pompon
- Incurved
- Incurving
- Reflexed
- Quill
- Fuji
- Spider
Classification based on Temperature
Thermo-positive: low temperature between 10-27oC inhibit or delay bud initiation which occur more consistently at 16oC. High temperature over 27oC accelerates bud initiation but delay flowering.
Thermo-negative: Bud initiation occurs at low to high temperature (10-27oC) but high temperature delays development of buds.
Thermo-zero: Flowering occurs at any temperature between 10-27oC, more consistently ay 17oC night temperature.
Classification based on Photoperiod
Based on short days requirement cultivars are classified as 6 weeks to 16 weeks.
Important cultivars
Standard: Snow ball, Snow Don White, Mountaineer, Sonar Bangla, Bright golden, Anne, Lehmans, Sonali Tara, Poornima, Tata Century, Thai Ching Queen, etc.
Spray: Ajay, Birbal Sahni, Chandrama, Flirt, White Bouquets, Nanako, Surf, etc.
Off-season cultivars
April-June: Himanshu, Jawala, Jyoti
July-Aug.: Phuhar
Sep.-Oct.: Ajay, Sharda
Oct.-Nov.: Makhmal, Megami, Mohini, Sharad har
Nov.-Dec.: Normal season cultivars
Jan.-Feb.: Jaya, Lilith, Suneel, Vasantica.
Feb.-Mar.: Maghi.
Optimum planting density and spacing
- Greenhouse cut flowers: 40-54 plants/m2
- Loose flowers: 30 x 20 cm or 20-25 plants/m2
- Standards: 20 x 20 cm
- Sprays: 30 x 30 cm
- Pot mums: 3-5 cuttings/pot (15 cm)
Optimum level of nutrients
N (4.5-6%), P (0.26-1.2%), K (3.5-10%), Ca (0.5-4.6%), Mg (0.14-1.5%), S (0.30-0.75%), Mn (195-260ppm), B (25-200ppm), Cu (10ppm) and Zn(7.3ppm).
Optimum dose of nutrients
- FYM: 3-5 kg/ m2
- N:P:K::30:10:15 (50-60g/m2 )
- Loose flowers: FYM: 10-15 ton, N: 150kg, P: 100kg, K:120 kg/ ha)
- Spray of light solution of cake + SSP at bud developing stage is very beneficial.
- Apply nitrogen through CAN source as urea causes phyto-toxicity.
Important Diseases
- Wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. chrysanthemi)
- Stem and foot rot (Rhizoctonia solani)
- Root rot (Pythium, Phytophthora spp.)
- Bacterial rot (Erwinia chrysanthemi)
- Powdery mildew (Oidium chrysamthemi)
- Leaf spot and flower blight (Alternaria, Septoria spp.)
- Gray mould (Botrytis cinerea)
- Viral diseases ( chrysanthemum stunt, tomato spotted wilt, tomato aspermy, flower distortion, chrysanthemum mosaic and chrysanthemum rosette)
Important Insect-pests
- Aphids
- Red spider mites
- Hairy caterpillars
- Thrips
- Grubs
- Leaf miners
- Nematodes
Important Disorders
- Premature budding
- Quilling of florets
- Crown bud formation
- Heat delay
- Petal burn
Stages of Harvesting
Standards : When outer row of florets start unfurling for distant market and for local market half opened flowers.
Sprays : Harvested for local market when two flowers have opened and others have shown colour, while for distant market when 50% flowers have shown colour.
Loose flowers : Fully open flowers
Pot mums : 50% buds have developed colour.
Packaging of Cut flowers
- In bunches of 10, 20 or 25.
- In corrugated card board boxes of 91 x 43 x 15 cm (L x W x H) accommodates about 80-100 cut flowers of chrysanthemum.
- Wrap flower bunches in cellophane sleeves.
Optimum yield of chrysanthemum
- Standard: 2.5 to 4.5 lakh/ ha
- Spray: 1.5-1.75 lakh/ ha
- Loose flowers: 8-15 ton/ha
- Greenhouse yield 150-250 flower stems/m2/year.
