Ornamental crops have deceptively benefited humankind since very early
times and the importance of ornamental crops is being recognized by every individual
from birth to death. It may be cultivated for cut flowers, dry flowers, live or dried
plants, bulbs, and tuber, gardening/landscaping and also used in perfume, medicines,
flavouring and colouring agents. Plant diseases are a major bottleneck in flower
production and the losses caused by plant pathogens in important potted flowers have
been estimated to be as high as 100%. Phyto-pathogens directly reduce the production
and marketability of potted flowers. In this chapter, diseases of important potted
flowers viz., azalea (Rhododendron obtusum), begonias (Begonia spp.), coleus
(Plectranthus scutellarioides), gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides) and poinsettia
(Euphorbia pulcherrima) are discussed with detailed emphasis given to disease
aetiology, diagnostic symptoms, disease cycle and their management
Keywords: Aetiology, Begonia, Coleus, Disease, Economic loss, Gardenia, Management, Poinsettia.
