Horticulture Courses

The importance of horticulture is all the more important in today’s time because of cities gradually turning into concrete jungles. As people are now realizing the importance of green spaces and gardens in cities, they are turning to horticulturists for advice. From beautifications of surroundings and homes to studying crops, everything falls under the gambit of the horticulturists. The demand for horticulturists is increasing day by day because an increasing number of people are adopting greener lifestyles, from food to medicine to what they wear and how they live. In this plants play a major role as only horticulturists can inform people about the variety of the plants and how they can be better used. Also, ornamental plants are a major business prospect and the guide of horticulturists is invaluable to bring such a plan to fruition. As long as plants are directly or indirectly used by man then there will always be the need for horticulturists. Read below to know more information on horticultural courses.

Eligibility
Candidates wishing to pursue their B.Sc degree in horticulture must clear their intermediate or Higher Secondary Examination with biology and mathematics as one of the core subjects. For Masters in horticulture the candidate should graduate with honors in horticulture or any other related field like agriculture or botany or forestry. For PhD the eligibility criteria depend upon the institute. There are also quite a few institutes that offer horticulture through the distance learning mode of education.

Specialization
Horticulture is a very broad department and so candidates have a wide variety of choices from which to do a specialization in this science. A specialization in any subject in horticulture along with the requisite examinations will enable the candidates to add the tag of scientist.

Skills Required
The skills depend on the type of horticulture occupation that interests the candidate. He or she must also possess good communication skills and knowledge of computers. It is an added advantage if the candidate has can get any summer employment in any related field. Hobbies like gardening and camping are also beneficial. 

Career Prospects
There are numerous career prospects in the field of horticulture. Candidates with a master’s degree in this stream can apply for the post of assistant professor, lecturer, or reader in any agricultural colleges. In research centers, they can train associates or join training organizers. Candidates can also choose to do research on horticulture from private and government institutions. They can also find employment in large vegetable and flower farms, botanical gardens and fruit orchards. There are also various luxury resorts that employ horticulturists to take care of their gardens and lawns.