eChapters

INTRODUCTION

Seed is one of the most vital and important inputs for increasing agricultural production. Commercial flower seed production is an international business involving highly specialized growers. Compared with the production of seeds of cereals, pulses oilseed even vegetable seeds, it is done on a relatively small scale. However, a large number of species are being produced under very different cultural conditions. It seems to have great scope for expansion in developing countries like India, especially under northern India climatic zones having favourable growing conditions, skilled and cheap labour.

Annual flowers like petunia, coreopsis, helichrysum, phlox, nasturtium, marigold, gaillardia, salvia, ice plant, verbena, nemesia, pansy, poppy, larkspur, chrysanthemum, etc. have been widely used for seed production. After release of a variety its seed have to be multiplied in sufficient quantity which takes 3-4 generations before it reaches to the farmers for commercial use. The Indian seed programme largely adheres to the limited generations system for seed multiplication in a phased manner. The system recognizes three generations namely breeder, foundation and certified seeds and during multiplication cycle care has to be taken so that variety does not degenerate but maintains its original characteristics.

Seed production of flower has undergone unrestricted revolutionary growth in term of number of crops and their varieties as well as production. This phenomenal development is the result of technological advancement in the production of flower seed and development in the area of production, packaging, handling, transportation and marketing of flower and ornamental plants all over the world. The world germplasm contains more than 1500 different varieties of flowers and ornamental crops. Each species of flower grown for seed has its own specific time, culture, problem of pollination and harvesting and storage requirements. Mild climate with moderate rainfall favour the growth and development of most flower and ornamental crops.

Production of seeds of annual flower is having immense impetus as regards the diversification in floribusiness. The flower seed industry is truly international, operating in many countries in the world. Large quantities of annual flower seeds are required both by developed and developing countries adding to the beauty of private and large gardens and also for cut flower production. Annual flower are indispensable in respect of beautification of gardens. In the world, many nurseries are engaged in the production of seed of seasonal flowers and are having a blooming business. The great diversity of flower seed crops is fascinating facet of the world seed industry and they are of high value and low volume in contrast to the high volume and low value seeds. The varied agroclimatic condition existing in India provides a vast scope for the production of a wide range of flower seeds of both tropical and temperate origin. With the availability of relatively inexpensive human labour, technical expertise, and other material, it is possible to organize a strong flower seed production programmed exclusively for export purpose.

This chapter introduces the biological and physiological foundations of forest ecosystems, focusing on the structure, growth, development, adaptation, and survival of trees. It examines tree growth and development, photosynthesis, respiration, water transport, nutrient uptake, and plant responses to environmental stresses. The chapter also explores forest biodiversity, forest–atmosphere interactions, forest ecology, microbiology, entomology, and pathology. Particular attention is given to physiological, morphological, and anatomical responses of woody plants to drought, flooding, temperature extremes, salinity, and other abiotic stresses. These concepts provide a scientific basis for understanding tree health, forest productivity, adaptation, conservation, and sustainable forest management.

1. Term biotechnology was coined by_____________. (Karl Ereky)
2. Applied use of molecular biology and recombinant DNA technology is _______. (Biotechnology)
3. Bacteria are present everywhere except in_____________. (Distil water)
4. The branch of science dealing with the study of microbes is known as _______. (Microbiology)
5. The unique properties of each amino acid are determined by its particular_____________. (R-groups)
6. Optical isomerism arises from the presence of a/ an_____________ atom. (Asymmetric carbon)
7. In the breakdown of glucose to pyruvic acid,_____________ enzyme catalyses the successive steps. (Eleven)
8. _____________ plants are used to accumulate pollutants from soil thus clears soil from pollutants. (Phytoremediation)
9. _____________ contains only one type of nucleic acid. (Virus)

1. _____________ is the main source of energy for the earth. (Sun)
2. The major cause of ‘Minamata’ disease in Japan was due to pollution by_____________. (Mercury)
3. _____________ method in water analysis is used for the quantitative estimation of dissolved oxygen. (Modified Winkler’s method)
4. Systematic scientific study of fresh water ecosystem is called as_____________. (Limnology)
5. The Earth Summit held in 1992, was organised at_____________. (Rio de Janeiro)
6. The altitude of troposphere in atmosphere is about_____________ kilometre. (Upto 11 km)
7. Bhopal gas tragedy took place in the year_____________. (1984)
8. The unit of noise pollution is measured in_____________. (Decibel)
9. Most important mitigation strategy for reducing global warming and climate change is _____________. (Carbon sequestration)

1. An imaginary line joining the points of equal elevation on the surface of the earth represents_____________. (Contour lines)
2. The vertical distance between consecutive contours lines is called_____________. (Contour interval)
3. When measured with a compass, the line of sight that run midway between due North and due West has a bearing of_____________. (N 45 degree W)
4. A survey of a large area which consider the earth’s curvature is called a _____________ survey. (Geodetic)
5. The distinctive feature of topographic maps is the_____________ of the land. (Shape or Contour)
6. The colour used to depict fence lines and important roads on a topographic map is _____________ and_____________. (Red and black)
7. A surveyor’s chain is divided into links and each link is_____________ long. (0.66 feet)
8. A body of water on a topographic map is presented by_____________ colour. (Blue)
9. On a topographic map a ploughed field would be sown as_____________ colour. (White)

1. The Indian Institute of Forest management is located at_____________(Bhopal)
2. First forest policy in independent India was enacted in_____________(1952)
3. A plan of operations for the management of the forest is known as_____________. (Working plan)
4. _____________ are the yields harvested as a matter thinning operation. (Intermediate yields)
5. Indian Wildlife Protection Act was enacted in the year_____________.(1972)
6. The present National Forest Policy envisages having_____________percent of forest and tree cover. (33%)
7. Forest conservation act was enacted in the year_____________. (1980)
8. Indian forest act was enacted in the year_____________. (1927)
9. Density of tree in a forest stand is normally expressed as__________________________. (Basal area of the stand in square feet.)

Mensuration is derived from Latin word mensura which means measure. It means measurement of length, mass, time, etc. It is an art and science of locating, measuring and calculating the length of lines, areas of planes, and volumes of solids.

Forest mensuration is one of the most fundamental disciplines within forest and related sciences. It concentrates on trees and forests or potentially forested locations and deals with the measurement of trees and stands and the analysis of the resultant information. Forest mensuration also includes measuring or calculating growth and change in trees and forests. Forest mensuration thus may be defined as the art and science of providing the quantitative information about trees and forest stands necessary for forest management, planning and research. Chaturvedi and Khanna (1986) defined forest mensuration as a branch of forestry which deals with the determination of dimensions (diameter, height, volume, etc.), form, age and increment of single trees, stands or whole woods, either standing or after felling. According to the Society of American Foresters, forest mensuration is the determination of dimensions, form, weight, growth, and age of trees individually or collectively, and of the dimensions of their products (Helms, 1998). It is a tool that provides facts about the forest crops or individual trees to sellers, buyers, planners, managers and researchers.

Forest mensuration provides quantitative information regarding forest resources that will allow making reasonable decisions on its density, use and management. Forest mensuration serves the following objects

1.      Callipers are used to measure_____________. (Diameter)

2.      Biltmore stick is used to measure_____________. (Diameter)

3.      Wedge prism with 5 BAF and tallied 50 numbers of trees/ acre then basal area per acre is_____________ __________. (250)

4.      A ring count is most accurate in aging tree by using increment borer on _____________ of the trunk. (Lower region)

5.      False ring is a/an_____________ ring for a given year. (Second)

6.      A formula to determine diameter quotient for each form class is called_____________. (Hojer’s formula)

7.      The instrument used to determine the age of a tree is_____________. (Pressler’s increment borer)

8.      _____________ ,_____________ and_____________ are the variables required for general volume table preparation. (Diameter, height and form)

9.      The sampling method used in non-random sampling are_____________ ,_____________ and _____________. (Selective, Systematic and Sequential)

10.  _____________ formula is used for determining increment per cent. (Schneider’s)

1. The process of harvesting, conversion and disposal of standing forest produce is called _____________. (Forest utilization)

2. Palmarosa grass oil is known as_____________. (Geranium Oil)

3. Terminalia chebula fruit tans is commonly called as_____________. (Myrobalans)

4. The gum resin_____________ is obtained from Garcinia morella. (Gamboges)

5. Black dammer is_____________. (Canarium strictum)

6. Rock dammer is_____________. (Hopea odorata)

7. White dammer is_____________. (Vetaria indica)

8. True dammer is_____________. (Agathis loranthifolius)

9. The Indian copal tree is_____________. (Vetaria indica)

10. The Indian gum arabica or babul gum is obtained from_____________ species. (Acacia nilotica)

1. Life history of Indian termite was first published by_____________. (J.G. Koeing)
2. Plant disease written by_____________. (R.S. Singh)
3. J. W. Helfer seems to have the first to collect insects because these were pest of trees during the year_____________. (1810)
4. The largest insect order is_____________. (Coleoptera)
5. Project directorate of biological control is located at_____________. (Bangalore)
6. Main skeletal structure to which most of the muscle attached is_____________. (Thorax)
7. The outmost waxy layer of insect body is called_____________. (Cuticle)
8. Insect body consists of series of segment designated as_____________. (Sclerite)
9. _____________ is the author of the book entitled “The ecology of forest insect”. (CFC Beesom)