Comprehensive Floriculture: Commercial, Loose and Underutilized Flower Crops

Dr. Gandham Aditya obtained his B.Sc. (Hons.) in Horticulture from HC&RI, Venkataramannagudem, Dr. Y.S.R. Horticultural University, Andhra Pradesh, India (2012–2016), and his M.Sc. (2018) and Ph.D. (2024) in Floriculture and Landscape Architecture from COH, Anantarajupeta, Dr. Y.S.R. Horticultural University, Andhra Pradesh, India. His research focused on China aster genotype evaluation under shade-net conditions and improving growth, yield, flower quality, and heat tolerance in Marigold through innovative crop management practices. Currently, he serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Horticulture at Sri Krishnadevaraya College of Agricultural Sciences, Ananthapuramu. He has contributed extensively to scientific literature through research articles, book chapters, popular science articles, technical publications, and a book. His areas of interest include floriculture, landscape architecture, protected cultivation, and climate-resilient horticulture. He is proficient in AutoCAD, SketchUp, and ArchiCAD for landscape planning and design. Dr. Aditya has received several accolades, including Best Ph.D. Thesis, Best Master’s Thesis, and Best Oral Presentation Awards, along with a Government of India Design Patent. He actively participates in national and international conferences and is committed to research, teaching, extension, and farmer-oriented horticultural development.

Dr. Yegireddy Ashok is a Horticulture researcher specializing in Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, holding a Ph.D. from Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya. His research interests include ornamental crop improvement, flowering physiology, plant growth regulators, biofertilizers and molecular marker development. He successfully adapted Lycoris radiata to the subtropical Terai region of West Bengal and developed functional markers for key flowering genes. Dr. Ashok has qualified the ASRB–NET (ICAR-NET) in Floriculture and Landscape Architecture and was selected through the ICAR-SRF examination in 2020 for doctoral studies. He had completed Masters from Dr. Y.S.R. Horticultural University and Ph.D. from Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya. He has authored several research papers, book chapters and popular articles and has received prestigious recognitions including the Young Researcher Award (2024) and Student Scientist of the Year Award (2024). His work focuses on advancing sustainable floriculture and promoting innovative ornamental crops for Indian agriculture.

Dr. S. Deepti is presently working as a Subject Matter Specialist (Horticulture) at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Jagdalpur, Bastar, Chhattisgarh. She previously served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Horticulture, M. S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Centurion University of Technology and Management (CUTM), Paralakhemundi, Gajapati district, Odisha. She received her B.Sc. (Ag.) in 2015 from Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (IGKV), Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India. She qualified the ICAR-JRF in Horticulture in 2017 and completed her M.Sc. (Ag.) from Narendra Dev University of Technology and Management, Uttar Pradesh, India. She obtained her Ph.D. (Horticulture) in Floriculture and Landscape Architecture in 2021 from Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (IGKV), Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India. She has also qualified the ARS-NET in Floriculture and Landscape Architecture. Her areas of interest include floriculture, landscape architecture, protected cultivation, and horticultural crop production, with a strong commitment to research, extension, and farmer-oriented technologies.

Syed Ayesha received her undergraduate degree in Bachelor of Science in Horticulture from Sri Krishnadevaraya college of Horticultural Sciences, Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh (2018-22).  She completed her Master’s degree in Floriculture and Landscaping from Dr. Y.S.R. Horticultural University, College of Horticulture Anantharajupeta, Andhra Pradesh, India (2022-24), where her masters research focused on different times of pruning and effect of different defoliant chemical sprays on the growth flowering of Jasminum sambac. Presently she is a Ph.D. research scholar in Floriculture and Landscaping at Dr. Y.S.R. Horticultural University, Andhra Pradesh, India. She actively contributed to academic literature with multiple book chapters, research articles, review papers and more than twenty popular science articles. Also proficient in AutoCAD, SketchUp and ArchiCAD for landscape planning and design. She actively participated in national and international conferences, presenting her research through poster and oral presentations and received recognition for academic contributions.

Phurba Dorjey Tamang received his undergraduate degree in Bachelor of Science in Horticulture from Sikkim University, Gangtok, Sikkim (2018–2022). He completed his M.Sc. in Floriculture and Landscaping from Uttar Banga Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Cooch Behar (2022–2024), where his master's research work focused on the performance of gladiolus under staggered planting and the development of a semi-automatic corm-grading machine. He has contributed to the field through key publications. Notably, he secured the Best Oral Presentation Award (1st Position) at the National Conference on Agriculture, Environment and Sustainable Development 3.0 (NCAESD – 2026) for his work on staggered planting and PhenoGrad model validation in gladiolus. Currently, he is pursuing his Ph.D. at Uttar Banga Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, where he has been awarded the prestigious University Research Scholarship for his doctoral research.