Cultivation Trends of Chrysanthemum and Marigold in Panskura

East Midnapore is a key floriculture region with about 5,000 ha under cultivation and production reaching 20,000 MT in 2015-16. PLP 2021-22 reports major outputs, including 12,875 MT of marigold and 7,432 crore cut spikes of chrysanthemum. Recently, climate stresses have intensified, and heavy rains submerged nearly 4,200 ha of flower-growing land, causing major crop and post-harvest losses. The area's clayey loam to sandy-loam soils are well drained and irrigated by the Kansabati and Rupnarayan rivers, supported by tube wells, canals, and tanks. Key cultivated taxa include chrysanthemum, gladiolus, tuberose, marigold, celosia, cosmos, coreopsis, Osteospermum spp., feverfew, and China rose. Most produce is sold locally and to nearby districts, including Kolkata, with a smaller share exported. Challenges persist from fungal diseases, insect pests, and wildlife damage, alongside high labour and equipment costs. Post-harvest losses remain a major issue due to limited shelf-life technologies. Changing climate conditions-such as fog and prolonged cloud cover-have also triggered fungal outbreaks in marigold and chrysanthemum during peak-demand seasons.

Autorentext

Konineeka Sen is a Plant pathology and Microbiology researcher focusing on sustainable agriculture and floriculture. She studies PGPR and beneficial fungi for crop growth, disease management, bioremediation,and stress resilience. She is Assistant Professor of Botany at Pingla Thana Mahavidyalaya,has published extensively, often with Chandan.