Chrysanthemum show concludes

He said that this time the show drew a heavy rush of flower lovers, college students, housewives and teachers from schools besides amateurs nurserymen and entrepreneurs. 8220;Most of the visitors were keen to purchase the blooms after having an attractive array of chrysanthemum pots of varieties belonging to button, pompon, anemone, spider and spoon-type chrysanthemum. Chrysanthemum blooms with pretty colour patterns, refluxed and twisted petal forms drew the crowds.8221;

Dr Kumar said that the hybrid 8216;Mother Teresa8217; having mild fragrance and tiny blooms attracted one and all. Some visitors praised varieties like 8216;Sharad Shingar8217;, orange-coloured 8216;Calvin Mandrin8217; and the bi-coloured 8216;Bindia8217; with maroon ray-florets and yellow disc. Most of the queries were focussed around the availability of potted blooms and literature on floriculture.

The visitors to the flower show on the second day included Dr Harbans Singh, former principal, Khalsa College, Amritsar, Avtar Singh Dhindsa, member PAU Board of Management, Dr JS Arora, former, Head, Department of Floriculture, Dr. G.S.Sandhu, former Professor of Entomology, Dr. Amarjit Singh, former Head, Department of Agricultural Journalism, Languages and Culture, among many, said Dr. Kumar. He said that there was a demand to extend the show for a week.

Dr. Kumar said that ongoing chrysanthemum programme at PAU has been strengthened and that some good hybrids are in the pipeline of release. The PAU has already released six hybrids, seven introductions and three loose flowered varieties of chrysanthemum, said he adding that PAU has the richest collection of chrysanthemum germplasm in India.

The show was organised jointly by the Department of Floriculture and Landscaping and Estate Organization, PAU. Dr. N.S.Malhi, Director of Extension Education said that another spring season flower show dedicated to Dr. M.S.Randhawa will be organized in the end February, 2009.