Horticulture

HorticultureOpens in new window is a field of study in which career opportunities abound; in fact, recent indications from several sources suggest that there are many career openings available for graduates of baccalaureate programs in horticulture.

Entrepreneurial opportunities include owning and managing horticulture businesses such as orchards and vegetable farms, nurseries, floral shops, and landscape businesses.

A strong need exists for professional horticulturists to fill positions in public horticulture, such as golf course superintendents and managers of parks, public gardens and arboreta. Consider also the myriad opportunities in communicating horticultural information to the public — writing for the various newspapers, journals, and television and radio programs — and in the pursuit of careers in teaching, extension, and horticultural sales.

Challenging career opportunities in research are clamoring for attention. The first practical applications of biotechnology were developed and commercialized with horticultural plants by horticultural scientists, and rapid growth in this exciting arena of opportunity will occur as the 21st century unfolds. Robots and computers, genetic engineering, and basic science – all will come together as horticultural scientists lead the way toward a better future for this planet’s burgeoning population.

Horticulture is the best choice for those who love outdoors and greenery. Horticulture industry encompasses various fields such as fruit and vegetable industry, spice industry, floriculture, gardening and nursery industry, and other related fields such as landscaping. Now horticulture has emerged in the field of medicine by the psuedoname Horticulture therapy. It is the practice of engaging people in various therapeutic horticultural practices for the improvement of their mental and physical well-being.

Horticulture involves five major branches of study. These include floriculture, landscaping, olericulture, pomology and postharvest physiology.

Eligibility & Course Areas

The level of education that you need depends upon the type of horticultural occupation that interest you and the rank to which you wish to advance. Entry to this field starts from undergraduate level.

Candidates who have passed 10+2 in Science stream (class 12th) with physics, chemistry and math/biology/agriculture as the subjects can opt for Bachelors degree in Horticulture as a separate discipline or as a subject of B.Sc in Agricultural Science.

The same basic qualification is required for doing diploma program. After doing B.Sc one can continue his/her further study in the field by doing M.Sc in Horticulture. Post Graduates in Horticulture are eligible for M.Phil. For admission to Ph.D program different agricultural universities exercise different modes of admission. Most of the state agricultural universities and ICAR Institutes conduct entrance examination for Ph.D admissions.

Horticulture courses include subject areas of plant propagation, plant materials, tissue cultue, crop production, post-harvest handling, plant breeding, pollination management, crop nutrition, entomology, plant pathology, economics, and business.

Studying horticulture creates a world potential for every nature lover in search of a career. Plants are one of the most important organisms in our world. We eat them, we grow them, we use them for ornamental and medicinal purposes.

Job Prospects

Horticulture is a very diverse area with vast career opportunities for almost any person interested in the field. Job exist for almost everyone, from those with no formal education in horticulture to those with Ph.D. and other degrees in horticulture.

The nature of many of the career fields in horticulture allows horticulturists to open their own business. Scopes for career advancement are determined by the career chosen, and it is limited by the educational qualification, ambitions and skills of the person pursuing the career.

Plant Pathologist

Plant pathologists conduct laboratory experiments on plant matter and run test to determine the characteristics of diseases that attack plants. This job could provide the opportunity to travel to locations where plant disease is prevalent where you’ll likely run tests on soil composition and collect samples.

Consultant in Horticulture

Horticultural consultants provide a wide variety of services to different businesses and organizations. Depending on your area of specialty, you could be providing advice on grass selection and maintenance for golf courses, recommending plant types for an urban park space, or advising farmers on crop choice.

Ornamental Horticulturist

Ornamental horticulturalists typically work at floristry stores, landscaping businesses or nurses. Like the name suggests ornamental horticulturalists work with plants and flowers for decorative and ornamental uses. The role mainly involves the design of corsages and bouquets, creation of low maintenance flower beds or other ornaments within homes, and the provision of general advice to customers on the use and care of plants for decorative purposes.

Horticultural Technician

Plant technicians nurture and maintain plant life used in a variety of industries including, food, medicine, decorative, and educational.

Plant Care Worker

These take advantage of their knowledge of horticulture to tend to customer plants on premises. Making use of gardening tools and fertilizer, they ensure plants are healthy and properly maintained.

As a plant care worker, you’ll be required to transplant flora to and from customer premises, examine plant and soil health and identify if there are any insects or diseases present.

Nursery Staffer

As you might expect, nursery workers look after growing plants in a nursery. Young plants need a lot of care, so nursery staff tend to their needs including watering, planting and ensuring the soil selected is appropriate.

Landscape Designer

Landscape designers combine horticulture and hardscapes to create gardens that achieve aesthetic objectives whilst ensuring that the landscape has the correct plants, soil and maintenance to thrive in the long-term.

Landscape designers work for various clients, ranging from private customers and corporations to the government. It’s a rewarding career for people who wish to bring horticulture into livable spaces.

Writer

Specialist horticulture writer may find themselves writing for farming magazines, gardening websites, television shows and even radio. If you love horticulture and want to share it with the world this is definitely a great career opportunity for you.

Pest Management

Gaining experience in horticulture is the perfect way to take up career in pest management. A thorough understanding of horticulture helps farm and garden owners to protect their flora from pests. An understanding of state regulations, agricultural processes and industry best practices is important for work in this field.

Horticultural Inspector

Inspectors help to maintain a high level of produce in the food industry. As an inspector you’ll assess food crops like fruit and vegetables for government and private bodies and ensure yields been compliant with quality standards. You will also make recommendations on improving processes. A good understanding of industry as well as horticulture will help you with this career path.