Author(s): P. KUMARI, S. K. BORDOLUI AND R. SADHUKHAN

Abstract: India has immence potential for generating gainful employment among small and marginal farmer. In the recent years it has emerged as a profitable agri-business in India and worldwide as improved standards of living and growing consciousness among the citizens across the globe to live in environment friendly atmosphere has led to an increase in the demand of floriculture products in the developed as well as in the developing countries worldwide. Production of flower seeds is one type of preservation of germplasm. Seed propagated genotypes are maintained by keeping selected amount of seeds for next season or next year. Flowering annuals have become very popular because they can be grown conveniently from seeds. With the above consideration, the present investigation has been undertaken to evaluate of ten flower crops such as Candytuft, Flox, Dimorphotheca, Saponaria, Dianthus, Cornflower, Annual chrysanthemum, Scorodynum, Lupin and Poppy and document there storabilty during 2014- 2015 at Seed testing laboratory, BCKV, West Bengal, India. Immediately after harvesting among the winter annuals Cornflower was highest germination percentage (90%) and no germination was found in annual Chrysanthemum and poppy. After viability test it can be confirmed that Chrysanthemum and poppy have the dormancy. Both Annual Chrysanthemum and Poppy dormancy period is two months, confirmed it after TZ test. Five months after harvesting highest germination percentage was found in cornflower (72.667), lowest was found in Saponaria and Lupin (64.667). The significant variation among the flower crops for the trait germination percentage. Highest pool germination percentage over season was found in cornflower (81.883) and lowest was found in annual chrysanthemum (46.722). Highest pooled vigour index over season was recorded in acroclynium (659.046) and lowest was found in poppy (222.558). According to seed standard of flower crops the minimum germination percentage is 60%. From the experiment it has been observed that all the ten winter annuals have germination percentage maintained 60% up to five months of storing (i.e next sowing season) in desiccators.

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