5.

2 COMMERCIAL GREEN HOUSEPRODUCTION OF ROSE

Roses are one of the most popular plants in the World as a symbol of love
and are undoubtedly the queen of all flowers.
Rose is an important flower of India as well as the world which belongs to
family Rosacea. Roses are woody shrubs with compound leaves 0ccurring
spirally on the stems along with the main flower. Commercial production
of roses can be done to both in open air and green house or
polyhouse.
Greenhouse cultivation of roses is more advantageous than open air because
in greenhouse cultivation, the environmental conditions are under control.
In the greenhouse cultivation, the higher quality roses with
more yield are
obtained.
Various environmental conditions required for the rose cultivation are
given
as below:
() Site selection: The first step is to select a site which should be free
from pollution and fulfil other criteria which is required for
such as water availability, electricity connection and plantation
availability of
labour. The soil should be perfectly levelled and well drained.
around the site should be left intentionally blank for further
An area
if needed. extension,
(ii) Direction of greenhouse: The sunlight and wind
should be receiveu
from every side in such a way that it should not
It should be ensured that the harm the greenhous
soil pH range is between 5.5 to 6.5 and
electrical conductivity range is 0.6 to 0.8. The
green house should be maintained. temperature ot
(iii) Greenhouse material: The green house
should be covered Dy
semi-transparent sheet such as poly-film, acrylic or polycarbonate
material. 80 to 90% transparency of greenhouse is ensured by
po",
films. It is manufactured in such a way that controlled environmental
conditions could be maintained.
(iv) Sterilization of soil: The soil is prepared by leveling the soil and
raising the beds appropriately. Sterilization can be done by using 4%
formalin at 15 liters for every square meter area. The same shouldbe
cOvered by a polythene film for around 5 days.
 After 5 days, the polythene film is removed and then land would be
left blank for 28 48 hours for proper circulation of air. This is done to
remove the chemicals.
() Bed preparation and planting: The soil or land is fused with manure,
sand, coil substance in the proportion of 2:1:1. The bed should be
raised at 50 cm height and 85 on breadth. Budded plants are planted
in lines separating 35 cm x 25 cm. The beds are watered completely
to keep up the ideal soil dampness condition.
(vi) Irrigation: The beds are watered routinely to keep soil moistened by
drip-irrigation.
(vii) Fertilizer: After 35 days of planting basic application of NPK fertilizer
is given through fertigation.
(vii) Pruning: Pruning is necessary at regular intervals as each rose stem
has extending buds typically outwards and inwards on inverse side.
Soduring pruning about a half centimeter cut is made over a fiery bud
which point towards the path of the newshoot.
(ix) Pest-management: Insecticides are used to control pests such as
thrips and mites.
(x) Harvesting: Red and Pink coloured rose flowers are harvested when
calyx is refluxed and first petal begins opening out (close bud stage)
leaving 4 nodes from the base. While yellow rose flowers should be
harvested slightly earlier and white rose flowers slightly later than red
and pink flowers.
i) Grading and sorting: Gradingand sorting of roses can be done
according toshape, size and colour of roses.
(xii) Packing and storage: After cutting the stem end should be dipped in
200 to 500 ppm aluminum sulphate or citric acid and placed in cold
storage at 10°C. Stem ends of the plant should be recut and a bunch
of 20 flowers is placed in a preservative solution of 2% sucrose.
(xii) Transportation: The stored flower stem are then transported where it
is in demand.

5.3 COMMERCIAL GREEN HOUSE CULTIVATION OF GLADIOLUS

Gladiolus is very popular bulbous ornamental plant. Amongst the cut flowers,
Gladiolus occupied third position in terms of both area and production.
The major Gladiolus producing states in the country are Uttar Pradesh, West
Bengal, Odisha, Chattisgarh, Haryana and Maharashtra.
 There are various environmental conditions required for Gladiolus
cultivation:
(i) Soil requirement: It can be grown in wide range of soils organie
varying
from light sandy to clay loam soils, well-drained and rich in
matter and nutrients. The pH of the soil should be between 5.5 to AE
(ii) Soil preparation: The first ploughing is done at a depth of 30 cm two
months before planting. About 2 to 3 weeks before planting, second
ploughing is done.
(iii) Planting material: Gladiolus is propagated by corms and cormels.
Cormels require two growing seasons to become corms that can yield
flowers. Corms of 2.5 cm and above are used for planting. So corms
of adequate size which are free from pathogens should be selected
for planting.
(iv) Spacing: Gladiolus is generally planted in ridges and furrow
system of planting with a distance of 30 cm between ridges and 15
cm between corms within the ridge.
(v) Irrigation: The water is essential at the time of spike development.
Either of much water or too little water is harmful and retards the
growth of the plant.
(vi) Ventilation: As the green house is covered from all around. So
temperature inside covered systems rises faster than it does outside.
Therefore, temperature is maintained consistent by proper Ventilation.
The vents are opened or closed according to the need of the day to
Conserve heat during cold nights while ventilate as early as warm
days.
(vii) Pest management: Pests or insects like Aphids, Thrips, mites, seeo
Corm maggot have to controlled by spraying pesticide or insecticide.
(vii) Harvesting: The spikes of gladiolus are ready to be harvested 6
120 days after the planting. The spike should be harvested at tight buo
stage containing one to five florets.
(ix) Grading and sorting: The cut spikes should be immediately put
water. The spikes are graded based on the length of the spike au
number of florets. The spikes are graded into three categories vie
A, B & C. Based on the above criteria, North America Gladiolu
Council has categorised the spikes into the following categories
(x) Packing: The spikes which are dipped in water should be taken out
only at the time of packing. The spikes are packed in corrugated
cardboard boxes. At the time of transportation, bundles of 60 dozens
of spikes are packed.
(xi) Storage: The spikes should be stored in upright position in containers
without water in aproperly ventilated cold store at 2-5°C. The storage
period should be as short as possible.
(xii) Transportation: The gladioli are loaded onto the trolleys in such a
way that no stems should protrude from the sides. It is now ready to
be sold in the markets.