100 varieties of chrysanthemum on display

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 7

The 22nd Chrysanthemum Show began at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) here today.

Flower lovers, hobbyists and growers thronged the show, where nearly 2,000 pots of more than 100 varieties of chrysanthemum belonging to diverse categories have been displayed.

The Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, and the Estate Organisation, PAU, have organised the show in the memory of Bhai Vir Singh, a renowned Punjabi poet and an ardent lover of chrysanthemums.

Inaugurating the show, Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon, Vice-Chancellor, PAU, said flower shows were annual feature of the university and encouraged growers to adopt floriculture for income enhancement.

Flowers beautify the surroundings and bring peace to the mind, he remarked. Dr Dhillon called upon the visitors to grow more flowers and consult the department ecperts for commercial cultivation.

Dr HS Grewal, Head, Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, said the department had released 17 varieties and the PAU was a leading centre of the ICAR for the development of new varieties and production technologies for chrysanthemum. In all, 200 entries had been received from educational institutions, individuals, government organisations for the competition, he said.

Dr RK Dubey, Assistant Professor of Landscaping, said visitors could buy chrysanthemum flowerpots during the show till December 9 or from the Research Farm of the department and PAU nursery after the show.

Varieties namely Alfred Wilson, Valiant, Thai Ching Queen, Boris Wilson, Cassa Granda, Obsession, Garden Beauty, Mother Teresa, Yellow Charm, and Kelvin Mandrain were major attraction for the visitors.