Career In Horticulture

Do you love plants?… Are you interested in the business of growing plants?

If yes, then the career in the field of horticulture is the best career choice for you.

Horticulture basically deals with the art, science and technology of growing and cultivation of plants that include  medicinal plants, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, algae, flowers, seaweeds and non-food crops such as grass and ornamental trees.

The word horticulture comes from Latin word Hortus that means “garden” and Cultus means “cultivation”.

The term Horticulture is designed after agriculture. It not only includes the cultivation of plants but also includes plant conservation, landscape restoration, landscape and garden design, construction, and maintenance, and arboriculture.

Who is a Horticulturist?

A horticulturist is a person who uses his skills and knowledge in the production of plants. The main aim of horticulturist is to improve the plant growth, quality, nutritional value, yield and resistance to insects, diseases, and environmental stresses.

A horticulturist is also involved in the research work that includes research on plants to produce new generations.

The job for horticulturist starts from gardeners to designers. They work as growers, therapists, designers, and technical advisors.

Scope of Horticulture

Scope and business in horticulture are increasing day by day. Floriculture is a part of horticulture which is a process of cultivation of flowering which is used as a raw material in making perfumes and cosmetics in the pharmaceutical industry. Growing vegetables is a most important part of horticulture, which is very much demanding in India.

“In India, horticulturists are high in demand in various industries”.

There are numbers of job opportunities that are available after completion of this study. After this one can become a horticulturist, floriculturist, pomologist, etc. In this field, one can also become a scientist in research studies. Under this course, you can find jobs in productions & sales, public gardens, marketing, research & development, landscape design, agricultural engineering, pest management, etc.

Courses & Eligibility

What are the academic requirements to become a horticulturist?

Several courses are offered in the discipline of horticulture. One can start his/her career in horticulture after completing intermediate/12th level education.

For diploma in agriculture same (above) qualification is required. To get admission to master in horticulture you should hold a bachelor’s degree and for Ph.D programmes, you must have PG or masters degree in the relevant field.  For admissions in Ph.D programmes, various universities conduct their own entrance examination.

Have you completed 12th class in science stream (PCM/PCB)?

If Yes, then you can opt bachelor’s course in horticulture/agricultural sciences right after 12th.

Wish to know about courses?

Bachelor’s Courses:

• Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) in Horticulture – 3 years
• Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) in Horticulture – 4 years

Master’s Courses:

• Masters of Science (M.Sc) in Horticulture – 2 years
• Postgraduate Diploma in Horticulture and Landscape Gardening – 1 year
• M.Sc. Ag. –  Horticulture (Floriculture and Landscaping) – 2 years
  For admission to postgraduate courses, you are required to pass the bachelor’s degree in the relevant discipline with minimum 60% marks.

Interested candidates can also pursue Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in horticulture for advancement in knowledge, job and salary.

Admission Process

You will be eligible for admission after passing 12th class with science stream. The admission criteria and procedure vary institutions to institutions. Some colleges/Universities conduct their own entrance test for providing admission while some of them provide admission through the entrance test namely ICAR AIEEA 2019 conducted by ICAR.

Several institutions/Universities offer courses in Horticulture. Some of them are listed below:

• Annamalai University
• University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore
• Kerala Agricultural University
• Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University
• Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore
• College of Agriculture, Pune
• Gujarat Agricultural University, Anand
• College of Horticulture, Kerala
• Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh

Jobs & Career Scope

What about jobs & career prospects?

There are ample of opportunities and career path in the horticulture field. Several options are available for graduates of horticulture.

Lucrative jobs are available in both public and private sector.

You can apply for the District Horticulture Officer/ District Agriculture Officer through the examination conducted by State Public Service Commission. In addition to this, you can also apply for the post of Technical Assistant / Technical Officers in Agricultural Universities ICAR, DRDO, IARI, & CSIR.

They can also work as a designer or contractor for landscaping projects or work in the companies dealing with seeds, fertilizers, sprays and other related fields of horticulture.

A horticulturist can also choose his/her career in the education sector as a professor.

Those holding PhD degree can apply for the examination conducted by the Agriculture Scientist Recruitment Board, ICAR, New Delhi. This examination is conducted for the post of the scientist.

Job Profiles:

• Project Manager
• Gardener
• Foreman
• Horticulturist
• Horticultural Education Supervisor
• Assistant Manager Human Resources
• Professor
• Scientist

Work Areas

In the field of Horticulture, many job opportunities are available for graduates. Some working areas are listed here:

• Field Work
• Sales & Marketing
• Teaching
• Research Area
• Farming
• Projects
• Irrigation Department

Recruiters

• Interior Plantscapes
• SHORB Landscaping
• Sun Valley Landscaping
• ER&M ecological restoration and management
• Casa Verde Growers
• Greater Texas Landscape Services
• IFFCO KISAN SANCHAR LIMITED
• Green Decor

Salary

An average salary of horticulturist is around $40,363 per year. The figures of your salary will depend upon your area of specialization, location, level of education, etc. As a fresher, you can earn 1.8 to 2.5 lacs per year. After gaining experience, you will get the hike in your salary.

District Horticulture Officers receives an annual salary of 3,00,000 lacs.

Books & Study Materials

Here, some books are listed that helps you in the study of horticulture:

• Introductory Horticulture – H. Edward Reiley, Carroll L. Shry, JR.
• The Fundamentals of Horticulture – Chris Bird
• Applied Principles of Horticultural Science – L.V. Brown
• Handbook of Horticulture -by K.L. Chadha
• Control of Crop Diseases by W.R. Carlile
• Seed Storage of Horticulture Crops by S.D. Doijode
• Instant Horticulture – S.N. Gupta, K.B. Naik
• Principles of Horticulture – C.R. Adams, K.M. Bamford & M.P. Early

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