Flower Market Research Articles

Postharvest Treatments Improve Quality of Cut Peony Flowers

Peony is one of the most important ornamental plants in the international flower market, but has a relatively short vase life in water. This study tested the effects of 8-hydroxyquinoline citrate (8-HQC) and nanosilver (NS) in combination with sucrose, as well as two commercial preservatives, on the longevity and some physiological and biochemical aspects of senescence of cut flowers of 14 cultivars. Responses varied both by cultivar and treatment. The preservatives extended the vase life in only five cultivars; however, in nine cultivars, preservatives increased the flower diameter and improved the general flower appearance. Blockages in xylem vessels started to appear soon after harvest. Both NS and 8-HQC with sucrose prevented tylose formation, while bacterial blockages were reduced only by the NS solution. Reduction in stem blockages did not translate into better water balance or flower longevity. The highest carbohydrate accumulation in petals was observed in the NS solution. Preservatives mitigated the rise in free amino acids, including free proline. They did not prevent an increase in H2O2 content but flowers in preservatives generally had higher catalase activity than in the control. As solutions with NS produced comparable or even better results than 8-HQC, we recommend the latter as a component of a preservative for cut peony flowers. However, cultivar-specific responses indicate that postharvest treatments must be individually tailored to each cultivar.

First Report of Soft Rot Caused by Aspergillus niger sensu lato on Mother-in-law's Tongue in China.

"Mother-in-law's tongue" (MLT) [Dracaena trifasciata (Prain) Mabb. (syn. Sansevieria trifasciata Prain.)], also known as "Saint George's sword", "snake plant", "tiger's tail orchid", etc., is an evergreen perennial ornamental plant grown worldwide. In September 2016, severe soft rot occurred on the leaves of MLT in a flower market in Nanyang city (32º56´N, 112º32´E), Henan province, China with 25% disease incidence (n=100). Water-soaked spots initially appeared on the leaf margin, enlarged rapidly, and became soft rot under excessively watered conditions. A blight zone was visualized at the margin of a developing lesion in backlit conditions. Severely affected leaves folded down from the lesions. Lesion expansion stopped under dry conditions. Grey or dark brown mycelia were frequently seen on the lesions. Tissue pieces (4×4 mm2) at the margin of lesions were cut out, treated with 75% ethanol for 10 s, followed by 70 s in 0.1% HgCl2, rinsed eight times with sterile water, and plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium. Pure Aspergillus cultures were obtained from the surface-disinfected lesions after 4 days of incubation at 26°C. Two single-spore-derived isolates (An-1 and An-2) were randomly selected and used for morphological and molecular identifications as well as pathogenicity tests. The isolates formed round dark brown colonies with a large number of conidia after 5 days of incubation on PDA at 28°C. Conidia were subsphaeroidal or oblate, unicellular, dark brown, 2.9-4.2(3.5) × 1.9-3.4(2.7) μm in size (n=100), developed from a two-series of strigmata born on a conidial head, with ridge or stab-shaped prominences. For pathogenicity tests, the two isolates were separately grown on oatmeal agar and incubated at 30°C for 6 days. Mycelial plugs (5 mm diam.) were inoculated on the scalpel incision X-shaped wounds of surface-disinfected leaves of MLT. The inoculated leaves were kept on a two-layer of wet napkin in a steel basin covered with a plastic film. Soft rot symptoms developed from the wounds 6 days after incubation, similar to those observed on naturally affected leaves. The An-1- and An-2-inoculated unwounded leaves remained symptomless during the pathogenicity tests. Fungal cultures with the same phenotypes as the inocula were consistently reisolated from the lesions of the leaves inoculated by each of the two isolates, verifying the isolates as the causal agent of the disease based on Koch's postulates. Both β-tubulin gene and rDNA-ITS (internal transcribed spacer) sequences of the two isolates were separately amplified and sequenced. Sequences were submitted to GenBank with accession numbers MN259522 and MN259523 for the β-tubulin gene sequences, and accession numbers MN227322 and MN227324 for the rDNA-ITS sequences of An-1 and An-2, respectively. Both An-1 and An-2 were clustered with members of Aspergillus niger van Tieghem in the phylogenetic tree of rDNA-ITS, clearly separated from other Aspergillus spp. In the phylogenetic tree of β-tublin gene, both An-1 and An-2 formed a subclade inside a large clade consisting of members of A. niger in strict sense. Based on the molecular and morphological results, both An-1 and An-2 clearly separated from other Aspergillus spp. and can be considered as A. niger sensu lato. Foliar diseases of MLT are known to be caused by a few fungal species such as Chaetomella spp. (Li et al. 2014) and Colletotrichum sansevieriae (Nakamura et al. 2006). This is the first report of A. niger sensu lato causing soft rot on MLT in China.

Ornamental plants in Chapecó: market characteristics and opportunities for family farms

Abstract Floriculture is very lucrative to small producers as it requires small land areas, with usually short production cycles. The region of Santa Catarina West in Brazil has growth potential in the cultivation of ornamental plants, although it is not practically observed, as the productive chain of this sector has little or no organization, making it imperative to study the causes of this problem. Therefore, the aim of this study was to characterize the productive chain, market, and commercialization of ornamental plants in Chapecó-SC. The proposed study was carried out in an integrated manner in Chapecó-SC, through structured interviews with farmers, traders, and consumers of flowers and ornamental plants. The study sample consisted of 45 consumers, 24 producers, and 18 commercial establishments. Only three producers of ornamental plants in Chapecó were identified among the participants interviewed, although 84% believed that the municipality has demand for floriculture products, and only 21% of the interviewees have thought about cultivating ornamental plants. The market and commercialization of flowers and ornamental plants in Chapecó are dependent highly on the supply of products from the state of São Paulo, especially form the region of Holambra. The commercialization is predominantly in supermarket chains, for ease of access to consumers. The primary factor affecting the commercialization of ornamental plants is the price, because a dearth of producers in the region leads to an increase in the price, especially due to the long transportation.

ANALISIS RANTAI PASOK BUNGA SEDAP MALAM (Polianthes tuberosa) DI KECAMATAN AMBARAWA

The purpose of this research is to find out the description of performance of the supply chain and analyze the marketing channels for Polianthes tuberosa based on margin calculation and marketing efficiency. The research method used was a survey. Respondents consisted of farmers and actors at the flower marketing agency as well as night. Polianthes tuberosa farmers in Baran Village who were respondents as many as 26 and the number of samples of marketing institutions as many as 30 people consisting of market traders, florists and consumers. The data analysis method used is descriptive qualitative and quantitative based on the supply chain development method in the Asian Productivity Organization (APO). The results of the study show that supply chain performance can be said to be quite good, marked by the fulfillment of demand for Polianthes tuberosa interest to consumers. Clear and directed supply chain goals, good supply chain structure, good supply chain management, sufficient and adequate resources and overall good supply chain performance. There are 3 marketing channels that are already efficient with the value of farmer share in marketing channel I that is 50.19%, marketing channel II which is 50.19% and marketing channel III which is 77.21%.

Job satisfaction of workers in a flower organization: a case study at the company "La flor de Catemaco"

Job satisfaction in flower organizations has been poorly addressed, although it is of great relevance for productivity management. The purpose of this research is to estimate the determinants of job satisfaction of the employees of the company "La Flor de Catemaco", a flower company, specialized in the production and marketing of natural flowers and ornamental foliage, located in Villa Guerrero, State of Mexico. The empirical evidence from the parameters obtained in this study suggests that the determining variables of job satisfaction are: Seniority in the position, motivation regarding the work being performed, recognition of the tasks performed and satisfaction with respect to the job. salary received. The study is temporarily circumscribed in 2018, using information from a survey applied to 20 workers, which is processed by methodological requirements using a logistic econometric model.

An Analysis of Carnation Cut Flower Market in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Carnation is an important cut flower commercially traded in Kathmandu Valley. It has high demand of floriculture market in the Kathmandu Valley due to its physical characteristics and also its suitability to be used singly or in combination with other flowers in different floriculture products. So, the study has attempted to analyze the market of carnation cut flower in Kathmandu Valley. Data were collected from sample of carnation producers, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers of the Kathmandu Valley. Simple random sampling technique was employed to select the respondents. Information from the respondents was generated through semi-structured interview schedule. Key informants were also interviewed for in-depth and related information. Data collected through personal interview and secondary sources was analyzed by applying descriptive statistical tools. Data analysis focused mainly on the market structure, conduct of marketing agents, and performance of carnation cut flower in the market in terms of returns to the marketing agents, present problems in marketing, and future prospects of carnation in Kathmandu Valley. Findings reveal that the market structure was well integrated and the conduct of the marketing actors was so far competitive to the large extent. The performance of the carnation cut flower in terms of price and profit seems satisfactory and sustainable. However, there were ample areas of improvements in the marketing system. Given the high degree of demand in the valley and increasing trend of imports of carnation cut flowers from other districts of the country as well as from foreign countries, concerted efforts must be made to reverse the situation and make the Valley self-reliant in fulfilling its demand alongside exporting to other districts and countries in the future.

Induction and characterization of polyploids from seeds of Rhododendron fortunei Lindl.

Most Rhododendron species are ornamental flowering species widely distributed in Asia, North America, and West Europe. Rhododendron fortunei, one of the endemic Rhododendron species in China, has beautiful flowers with bright colors and is being exploited to meet the needs of the flower market. Polyploid plants usually show superiority in growth, disease resistance, and adaption over their diploid relatives. Here, we report the first case of polyploid induction in R. fortunei. In order to induce polyploidy in R. fortunei, germinating seeds were treated with different concentrations of oryzalin for 16 h. By evaluating ploidy level with flow cytometry, a total of 34 polyploid R. fortunei lines, including 27 tetraploid lines and seven octoploid lines, were obtained. A comparison of treatments indicated that 7.5 mg L−1 oryzalin was the optimal concentration for polyploid induction in seeds of R. fortunei. Compared with diploid plants, tetraploid and octoploid plants exhibited slower growth rates and had thicker and rounder curled leaves with more leaf epidermal hairs. Moreover, larger stomata at lower density were also observed in the leaves of polyploid plants. Chlorophyll contents were also significantly increased in polyploid plants, which leads to a darker green leaf color. Both small and large individuals exhibiting the same characteristics were observed among the obtained tetraploid plants. Overall, our study establishes a feasible method for polyploid induction in R. fortunei, thus providing a basis for breeding new R. fortunei varieties.

Pattern and Constraints in the Marketing of Fresh Flowers

The present study was undertaken in the Ludhiana city of Punjab to examine the marketing pattern and problems faced while the marketing of fresh flowers. Simple random sampling technique was used for the selection of 60 florists. Stalls were the most commonly used type of shop by fresh florists in Ludhiana city. The fresh flowers were found selling the highest quantity in winter as compared to summer season. It was found that pucca shop florists had highest income (`556775) as compared to kutcha shop florists (`1369816) and stall florists (`287187) per annum. Majority of the florists were selling both (cut and loose) type of flowers. It was a profitable and convenient small business. Channel-I (Producer→ Wholesaler→Retailer→Consumer) was more prevalent in the study area. Unpredictable climate change was perceived as the main problem among the florists.

Digital images and in-person evaluation of Anthurium ‘Tropical’ postharvest quality

Abstract Accurate quality classification is one of the requirements of the flower market, which is becoming increasing more sophisticated and demanding. However, there is a lack of information regarding how such classification is performed, and it is often conducted in a less empirical and more subjective way. Therefore, this work aimed to compare the efficiency of personal classification (in-person) and using digital images to determine the quality of anthurium cv. Tropical (Anthurium andraeanum Lind.). Three experiments were performed regarding the recording of the images and the display mode of the images and comparing three methods of classifying postharvest quality of anthurium. It was concluded that measurements of colorimetric parameters can be performed anywhere on the spathe, but the period in which the parameters are measured does affect. Evaluators differ in the thoroughness with which they assign grades, and there is no need for prior knowledge to assess quality using images. The L* parameter measured by the colorimeter presented higher correlation with the evaluation of postharvest quality of Anthurium andraeanum Lind. ‘Tropical’. Classification by images can be performed using different electronic devices, and in-person classification is more rigorous than classification conducted using digital images.

A Survey on Knowledge and Use of Passiflora Species in Cluj-Napoca, Romania

The present study aims the degree of the Passiflora genus knowledge on the population level in Cluj-Napoca, after imports of ornamental plants. The study was based on a short questionnaire with 8 questions, applied to a sample of randomly selected respondents. The results obtained demonstrated that Passiflora, although an exotic plant recently appeared in the local flower market, has been remarked and appreciated among the indigenous ornamental plants. From the data obtained, recommendations can be issued for introducing Passiflora genus in the assortment of flowering plants grown in Romania and to promote them among the local producers of ornamental plants in order to be marketed locally and nationally.

STRATEGI PENGEMBANGAN AGRIBISNIS PRODUK BUNGA KRISAN (Chrysanthenum indicum L) DI KABUPATEN KARO

The study was done to see how chrysanthemum flower products developed from the way chrysanthemum flower production and marketing was developed. To know internal and external strategies and swot analysis support the development of chrysanthemum products in Karo regency. Adhesive control of research areas. The sample is a goatherd, a farm group, a chief of the service who endear the farm service, a goat merchant, and an entire agency of Suka village. Data retrieval through interview, documentation and observation questionnaire. The result of the study are internal factor : Stregth (natural resourches, human resourches, security strive) Weakness (limited markets, limited land, lack of government support), External factor : Opportunities (regional auotnomy, chrysanthemum flower derivatives, markets that are open locally and abroad, opening up new agrotourism) Threats (pests and disease, competitor flowers, chrysanthemum price fluctuations) and strategy of a swot matrix, which is to improve the natural resourches quality through training and expand its chrysanthemum farm effort, increase productivity and the quality of chrysanthemum flower and their markets, increase productivity and the quality of chrysanthemum flower to be able to compete with foreign market, open up new agrotourism with the support of natural resourches and regional autonomy.

Edible flowers: beauty, health and nutrition

The market for edible flowers is expanding worldwide, due to the greater interest of the population in foods with therapeutic properties and the need to conquer the market with different and innovative products. Flowers can be used in decorating and preparing food and drinks, adding aroma, flavor and color. However, the chemical composition of flowers must be known before human consumption. The objective was to discuss the most consumed species, their bioactive components and information on the quality, preservation and consumption of flowers. A bibliographic survey from 1992 to 2018 was carried out on the research platforms of ScienceDirect, SciELO and Periódicos Capes, where 40 articles were selected to serve as a database. Studies on consumer perception of consumption of edible flowers and their preparation are limited. The content of bioactive compounds is changed by the method of preparation. Consumer preference is for unprocessed or minimally processed forms (such as dried rose petals). Edible flowers are an entrepreneurial opportunity, whether for production for consumption, preparation of new products or extraction of bioactives.

Phalaenopsis orchid miniaturization by overexpression of OsGA2ox6, a rice GA2-oxidase gene

BackgroundPhalaenopsis orchids are one of the most common potted orchids sold worldwide. Most Phalaenopsis cultivars have long inflorescences that cause shipping problems and increase handling costs. Miniaturization of Phalaenopsis orchids not only reduces overall production costs but also can expand the appeal of the orchids to a different group of consumers who prefer to keep flowers on desks or tabletops. Although some miniature Phalaenopsis plants can be obtained via hybridization or mutation, they are unpredictable and limited in variety. We therefore used the transgenic approach of overexpressing gibberellin 2-oxidase 6 (OsGA2ox6), a rice GA deactivation gene, to investigate its functional effect in miniaturizing Phalaenopsis and to create a stable miniaturization platform to facilitate a supply for the potential demands of the miniature flower market.ResultsA commercial moth orchid, Phalaenopsis Sogo Yukidian ‘SPM313’, was transformed with the plasmid vector Ubi:OsGA2ox6 and successfully overexpressed the OsGA2ox6 gene in planta. The transgenic lines displayed darker-green, shorter, and wider leaves, thicker roots and much shorter flower spikes (10 cm vs 33 cm) than the nontransgenic line with a normal flower size and blooming ability and are therefore an ideal miniaturized form of Phalaenopsis orchids.ConclusionsWe demonstrated that the ectopic expression of OsGA2ox6 can miniaturize Phalaenopsis Sogo Yukidian ‘SPM313’ while preserving its blooming ability, providing an alternative, useful method for miniaturizing Phalaenopsis species. This miniaturization by a transgenic approach can be further expanded by using GA2ox genes from different plant species or different gene variants, thereby expanding the technical platform for miniaturizing Phalaenopsis species to meet the potential demands of the miniature Phalaenopsis flower market.

First Report of Powdery Mildew Caused by Golovinomyces bolayi on Torenia fournieri in Korea

Torenia fournieri E. Fourn., known as torenia or clown flower, is an annual plant in the Linderniaceae. In October 2014, typical powdery mildew symptoms were observed on torenia plants of an unknown cultivar in a private garden in Seongnam (37°26′50″N; 127°10′02″E), Korea. In August 2019, dozens of torenia of an unknown cultivar planted in shady borders of a roadside garden in Seoul (37°34′46″N; 127°01′25″E), Korea, were found to be infected with a powdery mildew with 100% disease incidence. Signs first appeared as circular to irregular white patches, which subsequently coalesced to develop into abundant hyphal growth on both sides of the leaves and also on flower stalks and calyxes. As the disease developed, affected leaves became wilted. Two voucher specimens have been deposited in the Korea University Herbarium (KUS-F28526 and F31142). Hyphal appressoria were nipple shaped or indistinct. Conidiophores were cylindrical, 110 to 240 × 10 to 12 µm, and had cylindrical foot cells, somewhat curved at the base, and 50 to 100 μm long, followed by two short cells and two to six immature conidia in chains with a sinuate outline. Conidia were hyaline, ellipsoid to barrel shaped, 26 to 38 × 16 to 22 μm (length/width ratio = 1.4 to 2.0), and devoid of distinct fibrosin bodies. Germ tubes were perihilar on the conidia. These morphological characteristics are consistent with those of Golovinomyces bolayi (Schwein.) U. Braun & R.T.A. Cook (Braun and Cook 2012). No chasmothecia were found during the growing season. To confirm identification, the internal transcribed spacer region of rDNA of KUS-F28526 was amplified with primers ITS1/ITS4 and sequenced. The resulting sequence was deposited in GenBank (accession no. MN420661). A GenBank BLAST search revealed a sequence similarity of 99.7% to G. bolayi ex Torenia fournieri (DQ538345). A pathogenicity test was performed by gently dusting conidia onto leaves of five healthy potted plants bought in a flower market. Five noninoculated plants served as controls. Powdery mildew colonies developed on all inoculated leaves after 7 to 10 days, whereas the control plants remained symptomless. The fungus present on the inoculated leaves was identical morphologically to that observed on the originally diseased leaves. The pathogenicity test was performed twice with similar results. Previously, G. bolayi on T. fournieri was known from Hungary (Braun et al. 2019). Two previous records of Oidium sp. on T. fournieri from Japan (Wada and Hirata 1977, figure plates uploaded on November 2008 and shown at www.naro.affrc.go.jp) and the United States (Holcomb 1999) are likely to be Golovinomyces, probably G. bolayi. To our knowledge, this is the first report of powdery mildew caused by G. bolayi on T. fournieri in Korea. Because powdery mildew infection detracts from the beauty and health of green leaves, control measures should be developed.

Freezing of edible flowers: Effect on microbial and antioxidant quality during storage.

Edible flowers are a new gourmet product; however, they are not always available all years. Thus, it is essential to find out technologies to guarantee this product for a longer time. Flowers of four species (borage [Borago officinalis], heartsease [Viola tricolor], kalanchoe [Kalanchoe blossfeldiana], and dandelion [Taraxacum officinale]) were subjected to freezing (in their natural form and in ice cubes) and analyzed in terms of visual appearance, the content of flavonoids, hydrolysable tannins, phenolics, antioxidant activity (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and reducing power), and microbial quality after storage for 1 and 3 months. Flowers in ice cubes showed similar appearance to fresh ones during the 3 months of storage, whereas frozen flowers were only equivalent up to 1 month with the exception of kalanchoe. Even though flowers in ice cubes showed good appearance after 3 months of storage, they had the lowest values of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity. On the contrary, when frozen, the content of bioactive compounds maintained or even increased up to 1 month of storage compared to fresh flowers, except for borage. Furthermore, in both freezing treatments, the microorganisms' counts decreased or maintained when compared to fresh samples, except in dandelion. In general, both treatments may allow keeping the flowers after their flowering times. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The market of edible flowers is increasing, although they are a very perishable product with short shelf-life. Edible flowers are stored in the cold (frozen or in ice cubes); however, the effect on the bioactive compounds and microbial quality that this treatment may have on borage (Borago officinalis), heartsease (Viola tricolor), kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana), and dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) flowers is unknown. So, the present study was conducted to increase the knowledge about the changes that freezing treatments may have in different edible flowers. The results of the present study underline that each flower has different behavior at frozen and ice cubes storage. However, freezing flowers maintain/increase the contents of bioactive compounds, while ice cubes not. Both treatments are effective in protecting flowers from microorganism growth. So, suggesting that both freezing treatments can be used as a preservative method and may allow keeping the flowers after their flowering times.

Proteomic Analysis of the Early Development of the Phalaenopsis amabilis Flower Bud under Low Temperature Induction Using the iTRAQ/MRM Approach.

Phalaenopsis amabilis, one of the most important plants in the international flower market due to its graceful shape and colorful flowers, is an orchid that undergoes vernalization and requires low-temperature treatment for flowering. There have been few reports on the proteomics of the development of flower buds. In this study, isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) were used to identify 5064 differentially expressed proteins in P. amabilis under low-temperature treatment; of these, 42 were associated with early floral induction, and 18 were verified by mass spectrometry multi-reaction monitoring (MRM). The data are available via ProteomeXchange under identifier PXD013908. Among the proteins associated with the vernalization pathway, PEQU_11434 (glycine-rich RNA-binding protein GRP1A-like) and PEQU_19304 (FT, VRN3 homolog) were verified by MRM, and some other important proteins related to vernalization and photoperiod pathway that were detected by iTRAQ but not successfully verified by MRM, such as PEQU_11045 (UDP-N-acetylglucosamine diphosphorylase), phytochromes A (PEQU_13449, PEQU_35378), B (PEQU_09249), and C (PEQU_41401). Our data revealed a regulation network of the early development of flower buds in P. amabilis under low temperature induction.

Enhancement of Methane Production from Vegetable, Fruit and Flower Market Wastes Using Extrusion as Pretreatment and Kinetic Modeling

Organic wastes from wholesale vegetable, fruit, and flower markets are one among the major sources of centralized waste generation in urban cities, which are predominantly disposed at dumpsites. Sustainable solution for the effective treatment and disposal of these wastes from Indian urban centers needs to be explored. Anaerobic digestion (AD) process coupled with extrusion as a pretreatment prior to AD was studied to increase methane production from vegetable, fruit, and flower market wastes. The detailed waste characterization and bio-methane potential (BMP) tests of vegetable, fruit, and flower market wastes were carried out. From the results of BMP tests, the highest specific methane yield (SMY) of 332.7 mLN/g oDM (31% increase) was obtained for extruded fruit market wastes compared with non-extruded wastes, which showed SMY of 253.9 mLN/g oDM. Similarly, the SMY of vegetable and flower market wastes was significantly increased (p < 0.05) to 319.6 mLN/g oDM (+ 35.5%) and 188.1 mLN/g oDM (+ 42.3%), respectively, as a result of extrusion pretreatment. Further, AD of extruded wastes showed 11.4–17.2% increase in the oDM reduction in concurrence with the increased SMY. The energy potential of extruded and non-extruded wastes varied between 6.4–10.9 MJ/kg DM and 4.7–9.4 MJ/kg DM, respectively. In addition, from the profile of bio-methane production, it is observed that the extruded wastes reached 95% of SMY in 14–17 days unlike non-extruded wastes, which took 17–23 days to reach the same value thereby attaining steady-state condition faster than non-extruded wastes. Among the three models used, the logistic model showed best fit with R2 value of 0.96–0.98 with minimum SMY deviation < 2.8% than first-order kinetic and modified Gompertz models. Results of the study revealed that extrusion pretreatment of wholesale vegetable, fruit, and flower markets wastes prior to AD was found to be effective in increasing the methane production during anaerobic treatment of these wastes from urban centers.

Marketing of gerbera flowers in Nagpur district of Maharashtra

The study was carried out on “Marketing of Gerbera Flowers in Nagpur District Maharashtra” in Kalmeshwar, Saoner and Nagpur (Rural) tahsils of Nagpur district during year 2014-15 based on primary data and the sampling design adopted for multistage sampling. The information about marketing of gerbera regarding total marketing cost, market margin, and price spread was computed on the basis of collection of data by selecting appropriate number of intermediaries from Nagpur market. The total capital investment in gerbera cultivation under polyhouse was worked out to Rs. 1271654.15. The cost of cultivation at Cost ‘A’, Cost ‘B’ and Cost ‘C’ were Rs. 444089.19, Rs. 625547.66 and Rs. 638049.66, respectively. The yield obtained by farmer for 1008 m2 was 338822th number of flowers with the gross returns was Rs. 950395.71. The per flower cost of production was Rs. 1.88. The net returns obtained at various costs were Rs. 506306.52 at Cost ‘A’, Rs. 324848.05 at Cost ‘B’ and Rs. 312346.05 at Cost ‘C’. The break-even point at monetary level without subsidy obtained at Rs. 1271654.00 and with subsidy was at Rs. 635827.00. The net price received by producer was Rs. 23.00 per bundle. The selling price of retailer was Rs.101.36 per bundle. The total marketing cost and market margin were Rs. 6.01 and Rs. 72.35 per bundle, respectively. Following important channel of distribution have been observed while marketing the gerbera flower under study area was ProduceràCommission agentàRetaileràConsumer. The market efficiency in channel operated in selected market for study was calculated to 15.86. In marketing problems displeasure expressed by the growers because of very low price realized in winter season (90.00 per cent) was major problem and it was followed by heavy commission charges (90.00 per cent).

An Overview of Orchid Protocorm-Like Bodies: Mass Propagation, Biotechnology, Molecular Aspects, and Breeding

The process through induction, proliferation and regeneration of protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) is one of the most advantageous methods for mass propagation of orchids which applied to the world floricultural market. In addition, this method has been used as a tool to identify genes of interest associated with the production of PLBs, and also in breeding techniques that use biotechnology to produce new cultivars, such as to obtain transgenic plants. Most of the molecular studies developed have used model plants as species of Phalaenopsis, and interestingly, despite similarities to somatic embryogenesis, some molecular differences do not yet allow to characterize that PLB induction is in fact a type of somatic embryogenesis. Despite the importance of species for conservation and collection purposes, the flower market is supported by hybrid cultivars, usually polyploid, which makes more detailed molecular evaluations difficult. Studies on the effect of plant growth regulators on induction, proliferation, and regeneration of PLBs are the most numerous. However, studies of other factors and new technologies affecting PLB production such as the use of temporary immersion bioreactors and the use of lighting-emitting diodes have emerged as new tools for advancing the technique with increasing PLB production efficiency. In addition, recent studies on Phalaenopsis equestris genome sequencing have enabled more detailed molecular studies and the molecular characterization of plantlets obtained from this technique currently allow the technique to be evaluated in a more comprehensive way regarding its real applications and main limitations aiming at mass propagation, such as somaclonal variation.

Inheritance and Dissemination of Cultural Collective Memory: An Analysis of a Traditional Festival

The traditional festivals in urban societies constitute public memory and are essential for constructing a sense of locality. Therefore, it is of great significance to study the collective memory of traditional urban festivals to promote the sense of locality. In this research, the Guangzhou Winter Jasmine Flower Market was selected as a case study. By examining the historical literature, and conducting field research and interviews, the collective memory of the Guangzhou Winter Jasmine Flower Market was classified and sorted from the perspective of the categories of collective memory. A collective memory graph of the Guangzhou Winter Jasmine Flower Market was constructed using Gephi complex network analysis software. By examining the rich memory content and hierarchical structure of the Guangzhou Winter Jasmine Flower Market, we can better understand and foster the function of traditional urban festivals as collective memory and achieve the sustainability of collective memory.