Horticulture

Horticulture is more or less a smaller version of agriculture. While agriculture deals with cultivation on a large scale, Horticulture is gardening done on a smaller scale. The name 'Horticulture' is derived from the Latin terms 'hortus' (garden) and 'cultura' (cultivation) which means garden cultivation. Horticulture is the Science and art of gardening which is associated with the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, flowers, spices, ornamental plants, plantation crops, tuber crops, medicinal and aromatic plants. Plants play a major role in everyday life, from the fruit and vegetables we eat, to the trees that make our parks and streets beautiful, through to flowers that brighten up our gardens and homes. Therefore, Horticulture the study of the cultivation of plants is of great importance in an agrarian economy like India. Horticulture is an applied science, relying upon many other disciplines such as chemistry, physics, engineering, art, meteorology, economics, entomology, botany and many more. Horticulturist uses the basic information and theories of these related fields and tries to find an application for these ideas for the benefit of people and the environment.

The field of horticulture not only involves knowledge or beautification of surroundings, but also the study of plants and their significance. Horticulture deals with plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, preparation of soil, plant breeding and genetic engineering, plant biochemistry and plant physiology. This branch of agriculture supplies food products to man, feed to animals and many raw materials of plant origin to numerous industries (food, mixed-feed, textile, pharmaceutical, and perfume industries). Hence, Horticulture is closely associated with animal husbandry. It includes vegetable growing, fruit growing, viticulture (science of grape growing), meadow management, forestry and floriculture. Food production is the largest and fastest growing area of horticulture.

Horticulture is the best choice for those who love outdoors and greenery. Horticulture industry encompasses various fields such as fruit and vegetable industry, spice industry, floriculture industry, gardening and nursery industry, and other related fields such as landscaping. Horticulturists work and conduct research in various areas of horticulture, to improve crop yield, quality, nutritional value, and resistance to insects, diseases, and environmental stresses. Now Horticulture has entered the field of medicine also by the name Horticulture Therapy. It is the practice of engaging people in various therapeutic horticultural practices for the improvement of their mental and physical well being. Horticultural Therapists use horticultural activities and environments to positively influence human well-being, emotions, health and behaviour.

Horticulture involves five major branches of study. These branches are floriculture, landscaping, olericulture, pomology and postharvest physiology. Floriculture is the study of growing and marketing flowers and foliage plants, persons working in this field are called floriculturists. Landscaping include design, construction and maintenance of landscapes. Olericulture is the study of the production and marketing of vegetables. Those who work in this field are called olericulturists. The study of the production and marketing of fruits is called pomology and those who work in this field are called pomologists. Postharvest physiology include areas of maintaining quality and preventing spoilage of horticultural crops.

Eligibility & Course Areas

Educational: The level of education that you need depends upon the type of horticultural occupation that interest you and the rank to which you wish to advance. Entry to this field starts from undergraduate level. Candidates who have passed 10+2 in Science stream (class 12th) with physics, chemistry and maths/biology/agriculture as the subjects can opt for Bachelors degree in Horticulture as a separate discipline or as a subject of B.Sc Agriculture Science. The same basic qualification is required for doing diploma programme. After doing B.Sc in Horticulture one can continue his/her further study in the field by doing M.Sc in Horticulture. Post Graduates in Horticulture are eligible for M.Phil. For admission to Ph.D Program different agricultural universities exercise different modes of admission. Most of the State Agriculture Universities and ICAR Institutes conduct Entrance Examinations for Ph.D. admissions.

Horticulture courses include subject areas of plant propagation, plant materials, tissue culture, crop production, post-harvest handling, plant breeding, pollination management, crop nutrition, entomology, plant pathology, economics, and business.

Personnel attributes: A love of nature and the outdoors is essential for anyone interested in this field. Other personal qualities depend on the specific career path you choose. If your area of interest is research or teaching you require the ability to communicate, to provide practical and factual information in simple language, patience and ability to infuse enthusiasm for learning in students, work for long periods with intense concentration, a keen analytical mind, and a strong scientific bent, eye for detail etc. is essential. Advisory or supervisory work requires ability to work on one's own as well as part of a team, ability to get on well with people, as also tact and diplomacy. Horticulturists must also have practical ability, good powers of observation to detect early signs of disease in plants. In general, Horticulturists need to be curious about the world around them and to be creative in solving problems.

Job Prospects & Career Options

Horticulture is a very diverse area with career opportunities for almost any person interested in the field. Job exist for almost everyone, from those with no formal education in horticulture to those with Ph.D. and other degrees in horticulture.The nature of many of the career fields in horticulture allows horticulturists to open their own business. Scope for career advancement are determined by the career choosen and it is limited by the educational qualification, ambitions and skills of the person pursuing the career.

Due to its significance, there are ample job opportunities for graduate and post graduate of the discipline in India as well as abroad. Horticulturists can enter into various fields in industry, government or educational institutions or private concerns. Horticulturists work in a wide range of areas in agribusiness, arboriculture (planting and care of woody plants), botanical gardens, conservation, crop management, floral design, food chemistry, fruit and vegetable production, garden centers, greenhouses, grounds management, landscape construction and management, nurseries, management and sales, marketing/public relations, research and development, teaching/instruction, technical writing and publishing. Horticulture institutes and colleges, vegetable farms, fruit orchards etc. always look for skilled horticulturists. Those in government sector are responsible for the maintanence of parks, public gardens, official lawns etc.

Both public and private sectors offer employment to qualified and trained horticulturists with attractive remuneration. In Govt. Sector one can work as Horticulture Inspector, Fruit and Vegetable Inspector, Training Assistant in Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), District Horticulture Officer/ District Agriculture Officer, Marketing Inspector, Farm Supervisor, Section Officer and Agriculture Inspector. Option of a career as Lecturer and Assistant Professor, Associate Professor in Agriculture Universities and Colleges or Technical Assistant/Technical Officer in Agriculture Universities can also be accessed. One can also work as Agriculture Development Officer or can become Scientist. Self employment option is available as Horticulture Consultant or Horticulture Therapist, Floral decorator/ florist shop, Fruit/ Vegetable / Flower grower etc. One can choose to be a horticulture entrepreneur also by setting up a horticulture farm for growing fruits, vegetables or flowers or a horticulture nursery for nursery production of horticultural plants. Horticultural professionals can get in Civil Services sector too through competitive examinations.

With the commercialisation of agriculture and horticulture there are varied opportunities for salaried jobs as well as entrepreneurship. While salaried jobs with various government and private concerns provide a regular income, entrepreneurship can generate handsome profits. Many horticulturists take up independent profession as landscape designers. Horticulturists are hired by hotels, health farms, and holiday resorts to beautify their surroundings. Students completing horticulture courses in India are offered placements as farming experts in vineyards, plantations, and fruit groves. City planners appoint horticulture experts for town beautification. There is a vast employment opportunity in the commercial or environmental sectors as well as in research and journalism. Horticulture with its offshoot floriculture has become a focus of export activity. In the field of fruits and vegetables too, India has tremendous export potential. Now, computers are widely used in the horticultural field. Special areas of computer application in horticulture include: designing plants, crop modeling and soil modeling equipment automation, public information, record keeping and databases.

Horticultural therapy is an exciting and challenging field. Horticultural Therapists often work in conjunction or liaison with other professionals such as psychologists, occupational therapists, physicians and social workers. Horticultural Therapists treat those who have physical disabilities, mental health problems and learning difficulties, those recovering from major injuries or illnesses, and elderly people. Programmes can also be developed for the rehabilitation of offenders or those suffering from drug or alcohol abuse.With more and more people opting for naturopathic treatment of diseases, growing of medicinal plants has become significant, which provide attractive business opportunitiy to horticultural nursery/gardens.

Institutes

Courses in horticulture are offered by almost all state agricultural and horticultural universities and some private institutes. A bachelor in horticulture is a four year course while a post graduate programme is a two year duration course.

Click on the following link for the details of Indian Institutes :

» B.Sc. Horticulture

» M.Sc. Horticulture

» Post Graduate Diploma in Horticulture

» Ph.D. Horticulture

Institutes Abroad

» USA

» Canada