INPUT MANAGEMENT IN ORGANIC FLORICULTURE- AN OVERVIEW

Organic farming indicates a food production system where traditional wisdom and ancient knowledge of Indian Farming such as crop rotations, mixed cropping, mixed farming, organic manuring, residue recycling, agro-forestry systems are amalgamated with modern practices of crop cultivation and livestock management to enhance profitability without dependence on off-farm resources. In India, Uttaranchal, North-East States, Chhatishgarh have taken initiatives for promoting organic farming. The potential organic sources of plant nutrients are green manure crops, crop rotation, crop residues, organic manures, FYM, Night soil, sludges, oilcakes, blood meal, compost, phospho-compost, vermin-compost, biogass slurry, agricultural wastes, press mud, Biodynamic preparations, biofertilizers etc. Major organic produce dominate exports for developing countries include plantation commodities viz. tea, coffee, spices, high value fresh and processed fruits and vegetables, oilseeds, cotton, cereals, pulses and meat/poultry and fish products. In floriculture, organics are used as substrate media, as a component in plug plant production, in preparation of nursery for flower seeds, as a component for pot mixture for foliage plants, as important media for greenhouse crops to improve the soil physical properties, as a soil drench of bulb soaking or foliar spray, in propagation of ornamental crops, in the hardening of tissue cultured plants and as a plant protection.