ChrysanthemumArea Under Cultivation

Chrysanthemum is mainly grown in Madhupur and Deoghar districts (Bihar); Anand, Vadodara,

Surat, Navsari and Valsad (Gujarat); Bangalore, Dharwad, Belgaum, Hosur and Malur

(Karnataka); Indore, Ratlam and Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh); Ahmednagar and Pune (Maharashtra);

Ajmer, Pushkar; Udaipur and Kota (Rajasthan) and Madurai, Chingleput and Coimbatore (Tamil

Nadu)

It is a partly woody erect perennial herb or sub shrub upto 1m in height with alternate thick leaves.

The inflorescence consists of many flower heads. Each flower head has numerous florets - the

disk florets and ray florets.

Centre of Origin : Northern hemisphere mainly europe and asia

Pollination System : Cross pollinated

Chromosome No. : 2n=36,45,47,51

Botanical Name : Chrysanthemum morifolium

Family : Asteraceae

Plant Discription :

ChrysanthemumDiseases

Wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. chrysanthemi) : Initial symptoms are in the form of yellowing and browning of leaves. Affected leaves die from the base

of the plant upward. Infected plants are stunted and often fail to produce flower. Wilting may cause

rotting of root or the base of the stem.

Control : Since the disease is a soil borne it is difficult to control with chemicals alone. Drenching the

soil with Dexon or Carbendazim is very effective. Before planting dipping the rooted cuttings in a

solution of Thiram @1.5g/litre of water. Since the disease spreads mostly through cuttings, it is

important to use disease free planting material. Disease can further be minimised by following strict

sanitation; periodical monitoring; crop rotation and roughing of infected plants.

Rust (Puccinia crysanthemi) :Rust is a serious disease especially in the early spring. The disease symptoms are in the form of brown

blister-like swellings, which appear on the undersides of leaves. These burst open releasing masses of

brown, powdery spores. Severely infected plants become very weak and fail to bloom properly.

Control : Early removal of infected leaves/plants helps to prevent the further spread of the disease.

Spraying the plants with Karathane @0.025% or dusting with Wettable Sulphur @0.2% is effective in

controlling the disease.

Septoria Leaf Spot (Sepotria chrysanthemella) :Leaf spots occur during cool-wet periods of the rainy season. Since the pathogens are spread through

rain splashes the lowermost leaves get infected first. Serious infection may result in premature

withering of the leaves; the dead leaves hang to the stem for some time. When flowering starts the

infection occurs on flower buds, which rot completely.

Control : These disease can be controlled by spraying Bavistin @0.05% six times at 15 days intervals

from the end of July or spraying Benomyl (0.1%) followed by Captafol (0.2%) and Carbendazim

(0.1%). Destruction of disease debris and avoiding excessive irrigation is recommended.

Stem Rot (Fusarium solani) : The disease is noticed in cuttings, stock plants and flowering plants. It is serious during rainy weather.

The affected plants show different symptoms such as leaf chlorosis, necrosis, decay and discoloration

of internal portion of the stem. When the flower buds are about to open, small dark streaks are seen at

the base of the stem. Root decay is noticed only in advanced stages of infection. In many cases the

infection is devoid of any external symptoms and roots also look healthy. In some cases stem and root

rot are confined to one side of the stem, the other side remaining healthy.

Control : Cuttings should be taken from healthy plants. Following strict field sanitation, roughing of

infected plants and crop rotation helps to minimize the disease incidence. Spraying with Bavistin

(0.1%) or Bordeaux mixture (1%) and avoiding excessive moisture in beds help in checking the

disease.

Powdery Mildew (Oidium chrysanthemi) :Infection is more severe in older plants under humid conditions. The growth of the fungus on the

leaves appears as powdery coating. Infected leaves turn yellow and dry out. Infected plants remains

stunted and fail to flower.

Control : Disease can be effectively controlled with Sulphur fungicides or Captan (0.2%). Good

ventilation and proper spacing for free circulation of air is recommended.

ChrysanthemumHarvesting

The correct stage of harvesting depends upon the cultivar, marketing and purposes etc. The flowers

are harvested 3 months from the date of planting at an interval of 4 days.

For floral decoration and garlands, fully opened flowers are plucked with or without the peduncle.

Flowers are packed loose in bamboo baskets or gunny bags and sent to retail markets for sale.

Harvesting of Cutflowers:

Generally harvesting is done early in the morning. The stems are cut 20 cm from the ground and are

collected in trays or buckets containing cold water (15-18°C) and a floral preservative (Silver nitrate 25

ppm). Alternately, the harvested stems are kept in 1000 ppm Silver nitrate, for 10 seconds-10 minutes

followed by placing in deionized water to prevent the blockage of xylem by the microorganisms

Yield : The yield of flowers varies according to types of cultivars, growing region, plant density and other

management practices. The average yield of loose flowers varies widely from 8-15 tonnes/ ha.

In southern states, the crop remains in the field for about ten months if it is ratooned (six months for

plant crop an four months for ratoon crop). Ratooning is seldom done now days. Improved varieties like

CO.1 and CO.2 yields upto 1 t/ha in Tamil Nadu.

Types of Chrysanthemum Period of Harvest

Standard variety When 40-50% of the bloom is fully open.

Dwarf variety When 80-85% of the blooms has opened.

Spray variety When 40-50% of the bloom has opened.

Single When the maximum number of flowers open, but before the

pollen shed from the outer row of the disc florets.

Anemone Before the central cushion in the top most flowering fully

developed.

ChrysanthemumIntercultural Operations

Weed Control :Weeding and hoeing are yield generally done manually as and when required, normally 8-10 times

yearly. Crop suffers heavily if timely weeding is not given. Besides, control of weeds the soil is made

loose porous to provide aeration.

Pinching : Pinching is one of the most important operations in chrysanthemum culture. Pinching refers to the

removal of the growing tips of the plant to induce the growth of vegetative laterals. It reduces the plant

height, promotes axillary branching, delays flowering and helps in breaking rosetting. Pinching is

performed both in suckers and in cuttings. It is normally done with thumb and forefinger. Pinching is

most essential for small flowered chrysanthemum. First pinching is done when the plants reach a

height of 15-20 cm with 3-4 pairs of leaves. A second pinching may be necessary if the plants make

straggly and lean growth. Two types of pinching are performed in chrysanthemum. In soft pinching the

soft tip of the shoot along with 2-3 open leaves is removed while in hard pinching a longer portion upto

hard shoot is removed.

In case of standard chrysanthemum only single bloom on a branch is usually allowed to produce. The

pinching is not done if only one central bloom is desired on the main branch. Single pinching is done, if

two flowers are desired, whereas double pinching is done for four flowers. In spray chrysanthemum

numerous small to medium sized flowers are produced, therefore, two pinchings are required to

encourage lateral growth. As a general rule rooted cuttings are pinched 2 weeks after planting or

approximately 100 days before full bloom.

Disbudding :This operation is mostly performed for large flowered and decorative type chrysanthemum.

Disbudding method vary according to the type of chrysanthemum grown. Many of the varieties are

disbud or standard types, in which the largest terminal bud is retained and all axillary buds are

removed. Disbudding of spray varieties is very easy because in this case only the large apical bud is

removed and the axillary buds are allowed to develop. There is no specific rule for disbudding of spray

varieties; it varies with the type of spray produced. When growers want to develop three blooms per

plant or one bloom per plant these operations are most essential. Disbudding operations is an

important factor in the maintenance of high-quality product

De- suckering :During the vegetative growth phase, plants grow upwards. New suckers continue to develop from

base of plants. For proper and vigorous growth of plants, suckers are removed from time to time.

ChrysanthemumIrrigation

Chrysanthemum requires frequent and thorough irrigation. If rains are delayed irrigation is given twice

a week in the first month and subsequently at weekly intervals.

Plant Growth Regulators :Crop growth regulation and flowering can be modified or controlled by use of growth regulators. Flower

quality and yield can be improved by the use of regulators. Spraying GA (50ppm) at 30, 45 and 60 3

days after planting increases the flower yield.

ChrysanthemumManuring & Fertilization

Chrysanthemum is a heavy feeder and requires large amount of both Nitrogen and Potassium.

Nitrogen is required at early stage and the plants need P throughout the growth period. As the buds

appear, the proportion of K should be increased and N should be reduced.

Recommend doses for various centers -

Centre Recommended Dose kg/ha

N P K

Pune 200 200 200

Ludhiana 400 400 200

Kalyani 400 400 400

(Source: AICFIP Progress Report, 1991)

ChrysanthemumPests

Aphids (Macrosiphoniella sanborni) : Greenish-black nymphs and chocolate brown adults suck the cell sap from growing shoots and lower

surface of leaves. Damage by aphid's results in loss of vigour, yellowing and premature leaf fall and

stunted growth of attacked plants. Honey dew secreted by aphids favours development of sooty

mould. The pest also acts as a vector of viral diseases.

Control : Spraying of Monocrotophos @0.05% or Phosphamidon @0.02% at 15-20 days interval

controls aphid population effectively. Grubs and adults of Coccinellid beetles prey upon the aphids and

effectively wipe out their population.

Thrips (Frankliniella sp.) : Slender, white coloured nymphs and black adults feed on tender leaves causing silvering, mottling and

distortion of leaves. Damaged flowers look discoloured, withered and dried due to scorching. Severe

infestation adversely affects quality and quantity of flower production.

Control : Spraying with Monocrotophos (0.04%) twice or thrice at 15 days interval controls thrip

population. Drenching the soil with good insecticide also helps in reducing the population.

Leaf Folder (Hedylepta indicata) : It occasionally attains a status of serious pest on chrysanthemum. Pale-white coloured eggs a laid

singly or in small groups on lower side of leaves. Green coloured larvae with brown head fold leaves

together and feed on chlorophyll. The affected leaves get skeletonized and dry. The larvae also

damage flowers.

Control : Cutting and burning infested plant parts reduces pest infestation. Two or three sprays of

Methyl Parathion or Quinalphos @0.05% gives effective control of leaf folders.

Bud Borer (Helicoverpa armigera):

Female adult deposits round, cream coloured eggs singly on bracts and petals of buds. Larvae feed on

growing flowers resulting in considerable flower loss.

Control: Collection and destruction of damaged buds and flowers reduces further damage. Setting of

light traps helps to control adult population by attracting them. Sprays of Endosulfan (0.07%) or Methyl

Parathion (0.05%) taken up at the appearance of eggs on buds and tender foliage controls borer

damage.

Hairy Caterpillar (Spilosoma obliqua) : Female moth lays eggs in clusters on lower side of leaves. Black coloured matured larvae feed

voraciously on leaves and buds and cause severe defoliation.

Control : Collection and destruction of egg masses and leaves infested with early larval instars of hairy

caterpillar reduces pest build up. Deep ploughing in summer exposes pupae to predators.

Termites (Microtermes obesi) : Termites mainly feed on roots. In case of severe infestations they spread to stem portion of the bark.

Attack by the pest becomes severe under dry soil conditions. Damaged plants wilt, dry and finally die if

infestation is very high.

Control : Deep ploughing destroys the termite colonies. Proper irrigation and avoiding dry soil

conditions prevents pest build-up. Drenching the soil with Chlorpyriphos @0.05% or Endosulphan

@0.1% before planting protects plants from termite attack.

Lesion Nematode (Pratylenchus coffeae) :The nematode causes heavy rot damage, which subsequently leads to poor growth of

chrysanthemum. The symptoms are in the form of stunting of plants with premature yellowing and

drying of leaves, reduced flower size and dark lesions on the roots.

Control : Application of neem cake @ 1ton/ha or Carbofuran @ 2kg/ha reduces the nematode

population.

Bud and Leaf Nematode (Aphelenchoides ritzemabosi) :The nematode causes considerable damage to the foliage of chrysanthemum. Interveinal

discolouration of leaves and their death is the characteristic symptom.

Control : Hot water treatment of suckers at 46°C for 5 minutes and spraying 0.02% Thionazin or

0.01% Methyl Parathion on aerial parts is recommended.

ChrysanthemumPost Harvest Technology

Grading : Chrysanthemums are graded based on the stem length, flower appearance, number of flowers, stem

straightness, colour and freshness of flowers. Standard chrysanthemum are graded into Blue, Red,

Green and Yellow, whereas spray types are graded into Gold, Silver and Bronze based on the quality

parameters. In Dutch market, spray chrysanthemums are graded into extra grade and shorter grade.

The lower leaves are stripped off upto 15-20 cm and bundled in units of 5 stems and secured with a

rubber band.

Export Standards for Chrysanthemum

Packaging :Most of the Standard chrysanthemums are placed in sleeves and packed in display boxes measuring

91 x 43 x 15cm. They are placed in the boxes according to the grades. For bulk packing of the spray

chrysanthemums, 10, 15 or 20 stems are placed in sleeves according to the grades. Six sleeves, three

at each end, are generally packed in each box, measuring 80 x 50 x 23cm.

Cold Storage : The stems in the buckets (after grading) are given a cut using sharp blade and precooled at 1°C

minimum of 2 hours before packing. Chrysanthemum can be stored for 3-6 weeks period at 0-3°C.

Parameters Standard Spray Dwarf

Stem length 88-100cm. 77-88cm. 25-38cm.

Weight 30g/stem of 90cm. 30g/stem of 85cm. 30g/stem of 30cm.

No. of flowers Only 1flower with 5 buds. 10 flowers. 10-12 flowers.

Diameter 60-80mm. 35mm for half bloom. 30mm.

45m m for full bloom.

ChrysanthemumPlanting

The field is thoroughly ploughed before planting. After ploughing of F.Y.M. @40 tones per hectare is

applied at the time of field preparation. Planting on ridges is recommended to avoid excessive

moisture during the rainy season.

Rooted cuttings are planted at a spacing of 30x30cm in the month of July.

ChrysanthemumPropagation

Chrysanthemum is propagated vegetatively either through root suckers or terminal cuttings.

Suckers : Suckers arise from the underground stem and these are separated and planted in prepared nursery

beds during January for stock plants. Regular pinching is performed in these plants for vigorous and

profuse branching. Some of these stock plants are used for preparation of cuttings. The first pinching is rdperformed in April, followed by monthly pinching upto June. After 3 pinching in June, cuttings are

taken from these mother plants.

Terminal Cuttings : Cuttings of 5-7 cm in length are taken form healthy stock plants in June. The cuttings are prepared by

removing basal leaves and reducing the leaf area of remaining leaves to half. The basal portion (less

than half inch) of cuttings are dipped rooting hormone (1000 ppm solution of IBA.) for better rooting.

Sometimes the lower portion of cuttings is treated with some copper fungicide to avoid fungal growth.

These rooted cuttings are ready for planting in the field.

ChrysanthemumSoil & Climate

Soil : The ideal soil for chrysanthemum growing is a well-drained sandy loam of good texture and

aeration. The soil should be neutral or slightly acidic with pH 6.5 to 7.0 having high organic content.

Very light sandy soils are not recommended owing to their poor moisture holding properties.

Climate :Light : Light is one of the most important climatic factors influencing the growth and flowering. The

flowers of chrysanthemum are very much influenced by the quantum and quality of light; most of

the cultivars require shorter days for flower bud initiation and development. Under long day

condition, chrysanthemum tends to remain vegetative. As it is a short day plant, it naturally flowers

in autumn and winter.

Temperature : Based on the temperature requirements chrysanthemum cultivars are classified into 3 groups

1. Thermozero cultivars: Varieties, which flower at any temperature between 10-27°C, but most

constantly 16°C night temperature.

2. Thermopositive cultivars: A minimum of 16°C required for initiation and at 27° C there will be

rapid initiation but delayed flowering.

3. Thermonegative cultivars: Bud initiation occur at low or high temperature between 10°C and

27°C but continuous high temperature delay bud development.

Altitude : It can be successfully grown upto an altitude of 1200 m elevation.

Relative Humidity :A relative humidity of 70-90% is optimum for growing chrysanthemum.

ChrysanthemumVarieties

Ajina Purple :This variety is developed by NBRI, Lucknow. It is a regular incurve type of chrysanthemum with very

large flowers. Ray florets of this variety are narrow to broad. Florets are very smoothly incurved in a

pattern to form a perfect ball. Disc is not visible.

Snowball :This variety is developed by NBRI, Lucknow. It is a regular incurve type of chrysanthemum with very

large flowers. Ray florets of this variety are narrow to broad. Florets are very smoothly incurved in a

pattern to form a perfect ball. Disc is not visible.

Potomac :This variety is developed by NBRI, Lucknow. It is a single large flowered type of variety. Ray florets of

this variety are long, elongated and straplike. Number of whorl of florets restricted upto four. The disc is

conspicuously visible.

M-24 :This variety is developed by NBRI, Lucknow. It is a large flowering variety of spoon type. Ray florets of

this variety are tubular with spatula like open tips. The size of open portion varies. Disc visible.

Agnishikha : This variety is developed by NBRI, Lucknow. It is a gamma ray induced new mutant. It is a small

flowering variety of decorative type producing erythrite red flowers. Ray florets are strap-like. Number

of whorls of ray florets is more than five. Disc is not visible due to developed ray florets.

Batik :This variety is developed by NBRI, Lucknow. It is a gamma ray induced new mutant, which produces

unique colour combination of yellow stripes on red background.

Harvest Home :This variety is developed by NBRI, Lucknow. It is a small flowered variety of stellate type. Ray florets of

this variety are strap-like but both the side of ray florets are reflexed downward. Florets may not be

twisted. Disc flat with short florets.

Gypsy Queen :This variety is developed by NBRI, Lucknow. It is a large flowering variety of sipder type. The ray florets

are tubular and elongated with tips open or closed. Tips may be open or closed but in either case they

are coiled or hooked. The rays may either fall or spread.

Navneet Yellow :This variety is developed by NBRI, Lucknow. It is a gamma ray induced new mutant, which produces

yellow flower heads.

Gamit : This variety is developed by NBRI, Lucknow. It is a large flowering variety of reflexed type. Ray florets

of this variety are narrow to broad. Ray florets bent backward and downward. Inner florets remain

incurved at the early stage concealing the disc florets of the bloom. Outer florets turn outward away

from the central tuft. Blooms look globular but may be somewhat flattened. Average bloom size 15-20

cm.

Nanako :This variety is developed by NBRI, Lucknow. It is a small flowered variety of pompon type. Ray florets

of this variety are short, broad and very systematically and uniformly arranged to give bloom a contact

hemispherical shape. Width and breath almost equal. Ray give florets may be incurved or reflexed.

Disc normally covered or inconspicuously open.

Gauri : This variety is developed by NBRI, Lucknow. It is small flowered variety producing whit flowers with

yellows heads in the centre. A gamma ray induced new mutant of this variety has also been developed

which produces yellow colour flowers.

Rosa :This variety is developed by NBRI, Lucknow. It is a small flowering variety of anemone type. Disc

florets of the flowers are well developed and prominent. Ray florets may be flat, twisted and quilled.

Shabnam :This variety is developed by NBRI, Lucknow. It is a small flowering variety of decorative type. The disc

is not visible due to developed ray florets. Ray florets regular or irregularly reflexed.

Taruni :This variety is developed by NBRI, Lucknow. It is a large flowered variety of reflex incurve. Ray florets

of the flowers are narrow to broad. Ray florets bent backward and downward. Inner florets remain

incurved at the early stage concealing the disc florets of the bloom. Outer florets turn outward away

from the central tuft. Blooms look globular but may be somewhat flattened. Average bloom size 15-20

cm.

Pournima :This variety is developed by NBRI, Lucknow. It is a large flower pompon type producing white flowers.

Ray florets of the flowers are short, broad and very systematically and uniformly arranged to give

bloom a contact hemispherical shape. Width and breath almost equal. Ray give florets may be

incurved or reflexed. Disc normally covered or inconspicuously open.