Induced mutagenesis is now one of the most important technologies for the development of new varieties through genetic manipulations. In commercial floriculture there is always demand for new varieties. Mutation has been most successfully utilized in ornamental crops and this author has developed 80 new mutant varieties. Voluminous literature has been generated on ornamental crops using classical and in vitro techniques focusing on different aspects like radio-sensitivity, selection of material, exposure to mutagens, suitable dose of mutagens, combined treatment, recurrent irradiation, acute and chronic irradiations, ion beam technology, colchicine induced-mutation, mutation detection, nature of chimerism, classical and modern methods for management of chimeras, in vitro mutagenesis, directive mutation, isolation of mutants etc. Step wise advancement/refinement of practical approaches for application of classical and in vitro induced mutation techniques have highlighted improvement of ornamental crops with special emphasis on interesting mutants with changed flower type, appendage like structure on florets, striped flowers, tubular florets, late/early blooming varieties along with management of chimera. The knowledge generated on ornamental crops will work as a model system to prepare guide lines for future planning of successful and accurate application of mutation technique in crop improvement programme.
