Preface

The cultivation of ornamental plants such as cut flowers, potted flowers, and flowering geophytes has become an emerging commercial sector due to the continuously rising demand for flowers throughout the world. This sector also provides enough opportunities for employment generation as well as foreign earnings. The global trade of florists' crops has been projected to be more than $100 billion annually. Medicinal plants are essential to human life and are utilized in both ancient and modern medical practices all over the world. India is a rich habitat for medicinal and aromatic plants, and accounts for about 9.18 lakh tonnes of production annually. Similarly, aromatic plants assume eminence and economic significance for containing high-value aromatic compounds. However, diseases in these plants are major factors, which destroy around 10-20% of crop produce during pre-harvest and post-harvest stages. A book presenting exclusive and comprehensive information on “Diseases of Ornamental, Aromatic and Medicinal Plants” is lacking in the market, as a result, potential readers are deprived of having up-to-date relevant information. The present book aims to fulfill the gap of knowledge and embodies nine chapters covering major diseases and nematode problems in ornamental (such as, anthurium, azalea, begonias, caladium, carnation, china aster, chrysanthemum, coleus, cyclamen, daffodils, gardenia, gerbera, gladiolus, lily, marigold, poinsettia, tulip, turfgrasses, etc.), aromatic (such as, basil, citronella, eucalyptus, Geranium, mint, rose, orchid, tuberose, etc.) and medicinal crops (such as, aloe vera, ashwagandha, asparagus, isabgol, liquorice, noni, patarchur, safed musli, rosa grass, turmeric, etc.), highlighting the aetiology, symptoms, disease cycle, economic importance, distribution, and management aspects with advanced and sustainable approaches. The present book shall serve as an important reference source to UG/PG students, academics, professionals, scientists, researchers, kitchen gardeners, horticulturalists, and extension personnel dealing with plant diseases in the above crops.