Pusa Anmol chrysanthemum for year-round flower production

Chrysanthemum photo-and thermo-insensitive varieties for
commercial  cultivation are very few. Ajay chrysanthemum is
one such thermo-and photo-insensitive variety that produces
three flushes of flowers in a year; as against one by the majority
of the cultivars. Rooted top-cuttings (10-12- cm long) of this
cultivar were irradiated with different doses (10-50 Gy) of
gamma rays; variability obtained through this has commercial
significance. M1
 population of the variety was screened for
variations in terms of altered flower colour or altered flower
form or both. A large number of chimeras (existence of twogenetically different tissues in the same vicinity) were formed
in the mutated population. The chimeras were partial (half of
the flower was of the parent colour and the other half was
with the novel colour) or complete (complete flower was with
the novel colour). Since these chrysanthemums cannot be
propagated conventionally through flowers, plant-tissue
technology was used to regenerate plantlets from such
complete chimeras. The regenerated plantlets from ray-florets
were established in the greenhouses, and were evaluated for

altered flower colour for 3 consecutive years to establish
stability. Further propagation was done by top-cuttings
and suckers to maintain clonal fidelity. One such a novel
mutant with salmon colour was isolated, established in
the field, and was recommended for release in 2009 as
Pusa Anmol.Pusa Anmol is a floriferous bushy variety, producing as
many as 50-60 flowers/branch. It’s short-to-medium
stature bushes produce 10-12 branches, which
terminate into flower-buds, and which trigger further
branching and flower-bud formation. The variety
possesses strong stems with multiple flower-buds
arranged in different heights, and opening in a
sequential manner. The yellowish pink-coloured buds
are oval-to-round and they unfurl into double flowers.
Pusa Anmol takes 85-90 days to bloom after transplanting in July.
 It is a relatively thermo-and photoinsensitive type and flowers during
 October, February
and May, when chrysanthemums availability is limited in
the market. It has good suckering ability, and can be
easily propagated through vegetative means. It equally
responds to in-vitro propagation techniques.
In the northern plains, top-cuttings are raised in nursery
during May-June in mist chambers. Cuttings root in 3-
4 weeks time, and rooted plants are transplanted in the

main field at 30cm × 30 cm apart during July. The
variety comes to flowering during the first fortnight of
October; and farmers can catch the market early and
could command a premium for flowers. After October
blooming, the plants are pruned and allowed to produce
vegetative flush; they bloom in February. The plants
are pruned again after February blooming to promote
vegetative growth for flowering in May.
This chrysanthemum can flower in peak summer when
maximum temperature hovers around 40-44°C and
minimum around 32-35°C. This is recommended for
cultivation throughout the country in plains and hills.
Its cultivation during summer months in hilly states
and in places with milder climate is advantageous owing
to its better colour retention.  Market surveys have
indicated that blooms of Pusa Anmol produced in peak
summers may fetch a premium price of `10-12/stem