Research Projects

The size of the global cut flower market was estimated at USD 39.08 billion in 2024. It is expected to reach USD 51.83 billion by 2030, growing at CAGR of 4.9% from 2025 to 2030. Gerbera is one of the most important cut flowers after rose, chrysanthemum, tulip, and carnation in global floriculture industry. Wide range of colour palette and striking flower designs make gerbera a florist’s favourite choice for bouquet preparation, event decoration and floral arrangement for all the occasions. Due to its short life cycle, continuous flowering and high demand in market, cultivation of Gerbera offers significant returns to the growers on investment. However, the bending of flower stalk which leads to early flower wilting is one of the major problems that reduces its commercial importance and export potential. To increase the vase life of the Gerbera, the growers immediately place flower stalk in freshwater and other chemical solutions (such as CaCl₂, AgNO₃, 5% sucrose etc.) after harvesting. To avoid the stalk bending, growers also insert some supporting wires to keep the flower stalk upright. But these practices are not cost effective at large scale. Also, it is not the permanent solution for preventing early wilting and stalk bending. To address this problem, breeders and floriculturist have made significant efforts however, the existing molecular research on this topic is limited. The few available studies suggest that stalk bending and early wilting in Gerbera is largely ethylene-independent but regulated by abscisic acid (ABA). Studies also suggest that lignin content could directly be involved in flower stalk bending. Apart from this, the genetic makeup of Gerbera and microbial proliferation also play a significant role in this quality loss. Factors responsible for stalk bending incidence are yet to be fully understood. Therefore, a comprehensive and detailed study is crucial. The host institution, CSIR-NBRI, Lucknow maintains many genotypes of Gerbera. Preliminary phenotypic examination of their mechanical strength and lignin staining suggests differential lignin deposition in the flower stalk across these genotypes. Also, the host lab has established genomic resources of Gerbera and is currently working on genome editing of Gerbera to enhance flower quality. Taking this into an account, the present proposal has been envisaged to understand molecular reason behind the early wilting and floral stalk bending through integrating structural anatomy, genome mining, expression and biochemical analysis. The characterization of the candidate genes that govern stalk and flower rigidity will provide a clear picture about their role in increasing flower quality and longevity. The novel information acquired from the study could lead to better understanding of the genes responsible for stalk bending in Gerbera. This will support floriculture in the country and ultimately help growers by developing of sturdier variety of Gerbera with enhanced vase life.