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Harnessing the Power of Natural Farming in Floriculture: A
Blossoming Revolution
Sahil Lohia1 and Arushi Garg2*
1Dept. of Seed Science and Technology, Dr. YS Parmar UHFS, Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh (173 230), India
2Dept. of Floriculture and Landscaping, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab (141 004), India
Arcle ID: RT1602
Bio. Res. Today 2024, 6(3):138-140
DOI: 10.54083/xxxxxxxx/000-000
e-ISSN: 2582-6654
Popular Arcle
Biotica Research Today
Introducon
The convenonal commercial culvaon of agricultural
crops is usually preferred with chemical fertilizers. In
addion, promiscuous use of such sources of macro and
micronutrients and plant protection chemical under
rigorous system of crop producon resulted into availability
of disproportionate amount of nutrients in the solum
leading to severe effect on growth of plants and their
owering behaviour including yield and quality of owers
too. The synthec chemicals used for farming also cause
a detrimental eect on the human health as the residues
of chemicals sprayed on crops accumulate in the human
body. A strong and nourished soil forms the cornerstone of
sustainable agricultural pracces.
In the realm of oriculture, where the beauty of nature
is meculously culvated, the importance of sustainable
practices cannot be overstated. Natural farming, an
ecological approach to agriculture emphasizing harmony
with nature over synthec inputs, is increasingly gaining
recognion for its signicant benets in the oriculture
industry (Aleri, 2002). This paradigm shi towards natural
Article History
RECEIVED on 25th March 2024 RECEIVED in revised form 30th March 2024 ACCEPTED in nal form 31st March 2024
Natural farming in oriculture revolves around the principles of minimal
intervenon and reliance on natural processes. It emphasizes soil health,
biodiversity conservation and ecosystem resilience. Unlike conventional
methods that heavily depend on chemical ferlizers, pescides and synthec
growth regulators, natural farming embraces pracces such as composng,
crop rotaon, companion planng and biological pest control. As consumer
demand for ethically produced and environmentally friendly oral products,
the adopon of natural farming in oriculture holds promise for a greener and
more sustainable oral industry.
Abstract
Arushi Garg
: Azori29@gmail.com
Corresponding Author
Keywords: Bio-formulaons, Floriculture, Natural farming, Soil health
Lohia and Garg, 2024. Harnessing the Power of Natural
Farming in Floriculture: A Blossoming Revolution. Biotica
Research Today 6(3), 138-140.
Copyright: © 2024 Lohia and Garg. This is an open access
article that permits unrestricted use, distribution and
reproduction in any medium after the author(s) and source
are credited.
Conict of interests: The author has declared that no conict
of interest exists.
How to cite this article?
Open Access
Journal Home: www.biospub.com/index.php/biorestoday
March, 2024
farming not only ensures the health and vitality of oral
ecosystems but also promotes environmental stewardship
and consumer well-being. The core principle of natural
farming is to reduce reliance on external inputs and promote
soil ferlity through ecological pracces. It encourages
the natural symbiosis of soil micro ora such as benecial
fungi, bacteria and acnomycetes. Employing acchadana
(mulching) helps retain soil moisture, provides a habitat for
earthworms and suppresses weed growth. Hence, adopng
natural farming techniques emerges as a viable alternave
for enhancing producvity and promong soil health. This
approach is not only cost-eecve and readily accessible but
also ensures sustainable agricultural pracces.
Importance of Natural Farming in Floriculture
1. Preservaon of Soil Health: Natural farming techniques
focus on nurturing the soil as a living organism. Pracces
like composng, mulching and cover cropping enhance
soil structure, ferlity and microbial acvity. Healthy soil
serves as a robust foundaon for plant growth, ensuring
the longevity and producvity of oral crops.
2. Biodiversity Conservaon: It encourages the preservaon
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Lohia and Garg, 2024
of diverse plant species and benecial insects. By avoiding
chemical pescides and herbicides, it fosters a balanced
ecosystem where pollinators thrive and pests are kept in
check naturally. This biodiversity not only enhances the
aesthec appeal of oral landscapes but also contributes
to their resilience against diseases and climate uctuaons.
3. Reduced Environmental Impact: Tradional oriculture
culvaon oen entail the use of synthec chemicals that
can leach into waterways, degrade soil quality and harm
non-target organisms. Natural farming minimizes such
adverse eects by ulizing organic inputs and promong
ecological balance. It migates polluon, conserves water
resources and migates the carbon footprint associated
with intensive agricultural pracces.
4. Enhanced Floral Quality and Aroma: Flowers culvated
through natural farming methods are renowned for their
superior quality, vibrant colors and capvang fragrances.
By fostering optimal growing conditions and nutrient
uptake, natural farming contributes to the development
of healthier and more robust oral specimens. These high-
quality blooms not only sasfy aesthec preferences but
also evoke emoonal connecons and sensory experiences
in consumers.
Originally natural farming adheres to Fukuoka’s principles,
which include abstaining from llage, ferlizers, pescides/
herbicides, pruning and weeding. Many other variants of
natural faming such as Rishi Khe and Zero budget natural
farming are being used in India some from the ancient
mes. Rishi Khe also known as bio dynamic farming uses
products of cow like curd, buermilk, milk and its waste
urine for preparing growth promoters. Subash Palekar is the
creator of the ‘Zero Budget Natural Farming’ model in India
and explains the four wheels of ZBNF, i.e., Beejamrutham
(microbial seed coating), Jeevamrutham (enhance soil
microbiome), achhadana (mulching) and waaphasa
(harnessing water vapor) (Sreenivasa et al., 2009). Many
bioformulaons such as jeevamrit, beejamrit, panchgavya
along with many astras such as darekastra, neemastra have
shown their signicance in improving the solum with macro
nutrients, vitamins, some amino acids and bio-regulators like
GA3, IAA and cytokinins (Jain et al., 2021), as well as some
benecial micro-organisms which contribute not only for
improving growth and owering but also ensured producon
of the quality seeds in oricultural crops, besides improving
the health and ecology of soil than recommended dose of
ferlizers (RDF).
The use of these dierent bioformulaons in various crops
by sciensts have proven to improve the soil and plant
health of the crop such as annual chrysanthemum, sweet
william, marigold etc. The treatment module comprising
drenching with Jeevamrit @ 100% at monthly interval +
foliar applicaon of Jeevamrit @ 30% at 15 days interval
signicantly improved plant growth, owering, seed yield
and quality aributes in Sweet william (Koundal, 2020). It
also enhanced the available NPK and viable microbial count
in the soil than RDF. For African marigold culvaon, it is
recommended to apply Jeevamrit @ 100 ml m-2 as a drench,
along with foliar applicaon of Jeevamrit @ 20% at 15 days
interval for commercial seed producon to obtain higher
benet: cost rao (Bisht, 2020). Addionally, combinaon of
Neemastra and Brahmastra @ 2.5% each should be applied
at 7-day intervals alternately in ower crops to avoid insect
pest. Beejamrit an eecve treatment for increasing seed
producon has shown to increase highest seed germinaon
percentage (92%) in sweet pea.
Another important factor in praccing natural farming for
commercial culvaon is ulizaon of complementary crops
which are well suited for oricultural crops such as annuals.
Floricultural crops used as complementary crops play a
dynamic role in supporng the growth and health of primary
ower crops or agricultural crops. These complementary
crops are carefully selected to provide various benets such
as aracng benecial insects, repelling pests, improving
soil ferlity, providing shade and oering structural support.
Some common oricultural crops used as complementary
plants include:
• Marigolds (Tagetes spp.): Marigolds are renowned for
their ability to repel pests such as nematodes, aphids
and whiteflies due to their strong scent. They attract
benecial insects like ladybugs and parasic wasps, which
help in controlling pest populaons in the ower garden.
Addionally, marigolds add vibrant color and aesthec
appeal to oral landscapes.
• Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia marima): Alyssum is valued
for its ability to aract hoveries and lacewings, which are
natural predators of aphids and other small pests. It acts as
a living mulch, suppressing weed growth and conserving soil
moisture. Alyssum’s delicate owers also provide nectar for
pollinators, supporng overall biodiversity in the garden.
• Nasturums (Tropaeolum spp.): Nasturums are versale
companion plants known for their ability to repel aphids,
whiteies and cucumber beetles. Their sprawling growth
habit provides eecve ground cover, reducing soil erosion
and moisture loss.
• Lavender (Lavandula spp.): Lavender is prized for its
aromac foliage and beauful purple owers, which aract
pollinators such as bees and bueries. Its strong fragrance
deters pests like mosquitoes, moths and eas, making it an
excellent companion plant for ower beds.
• California poppy (Eschscholzia californica): California
poppy is an annual ower which aracts benecial insects
like lacewings and parasic wasps, which prey on aphids
and thrips.
• Baby’ Breath (Gypsophila paniculata): Owing to its
beauful owers for decoraon and hair adornments it also
plays a role in aracng syrphids which are major predators
of white y and aphids.
Examples of Natural Farming Success in Floriculture
Organic Rose Culvaon
In regions like the Himalayas of India and Ecuador’s Andean
foothills, farmers have embraced natural farming techniques
for culvang roses organically. By incorporang pracces
such as vermicomposng, crop diversicaon and integrated
pest management, they produce premium-quality roses
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© 2024
Biotica Research Today 2024, 6(3): 138-140
renowned for their rich hues and exquisite fragrance. These
sustainably grown roses cater to discerning consumers who
priorize environmental responsibility and product purity.
Biodynamic Tulip Farms
Biodynamic farming, a holistic approach aligned with
natural farming principles, is gaining popularity among tulip
growers in the Netherlands. By harnessing lunar cycles,
herbal preparaons and biodynamic composng, these
farmers culvate tulips in harmony with nature’s rhythms.
The result is a dazzling array of tulip variees with vibrant
colors and sturdy stems, reecng the health and vitality of
the underlying ecosystem.
Pollinator-Friendly Flower Gardens
Across urban landscapes and rural homesteads, gardeners
are embracing natural farming techniques to create
pollinator-friendly ower gardens. By selecng nave plant
species, praccing chemical-free culvaon and providing
habitat diversity, they aract bees, bueries and other
benecial insects essenal for pollinaon. These vibrant
oral havens not only enhance biodiversity but also serve
as educaonal tools for fostering environmental awareness
and ecological connecvity.
Conclusion
In the ever-evolving landscape of oriculture, the adopon
of natural farming pracces represents a transformave
shi towards sustainability, biodiversity conservaon and
consumer well-being. Use of bioformulations not only
improve the soil with benecial microora but also improve
soil enzymac acvity which increases nutrient uptake
by plants. Therefore, natural farming pracces foster the
culvaon of premium-quality blooms while safeguarding
the delicate balance of oral ecosystems.
References
Aleri, M.A., 2002. Agroecology: The science of natural
resource management for poor farmers in marginal
environments. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
93(1-3), 1-24. DOI: hps://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-
8809(02)00085-3.
Bisht, A.S., 2020. Studies on applicaon of natural farming
modules on owering and seed producon of African
marigold (Tagetes erecta L.). M.Sc. Thesis, Dr. Y.S.
Parmar University of Horculture and Forestry, Nauni,
Solan (HP), India. p. 110.
Jain, D., Jain, P., Bhojiya, A.A., Jain, R.K., Choudhary, R.,
Sharma, S.K., Yadav, S.K., Jat, G., 2021. Microbiological
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Knowledge (IJTK) 20(1), 237-243. DOI: hps://doi.
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Koundal, A., 2020. Standardization of natural farming
module for seed producon in Sweet William (Dianthus
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Horculture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, India. p. 96.
Sreenivasa, M.N., Naik, N., Bhat, S.N., 2009. Beejamrutha:
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