This book offers a comprehensive and academically rich foundation in Floral Biology, covering floral structure, reproductive mechanisms, pollination behaviour, gametogenesis, fertilization, fruit and seed development, and crop-wise floral biology.

A major strength of this manuscript is that Floral Biology serves as a bridge between classical plant science and modern molecular biology. The subject links morphological understanding with advanced molecular breeding, gene expression, hybrid seed technology, and biotechnology-driven crop improvement. This makes the book highly relevant for UG/PG students, teachers, and competitive exam aspirants.

The book provides floral biology of cereals, millets, pulses, oilseeds, fibre crops, vegetables, commercial crops, and selected horticultural crops with scientific accuracy and student-friendly clarity. It also includes annexures containing floral formulas, glossaries, important genes, molecular markers, hybrid seed production techniques, breeding centres, and MCQs.

This manuscript bridges theory with practical applications and is structured to support classroom teaching, practicals, viva, field identification, and competitive examinations.

Unit – I: Fundamentals of Floral Biology

1. Introduction to Floral Biology
2. Reproductive Structures and Mechanisms
3. Floral Formula and Floral Diagram
4. Pollination Biology
5. Gametogenesis, Fertilization and Seed Development

Unit – II: Floral Biology of Cereal Crops

1. Floral Biology of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
2. Floral Biology of Rice (Oryza sativa L.)
3. Floral Biology of Maize (Zea mays L.)
4. Floral Biology of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.)
5. Floral Biology of Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.)
6. Floral Biology of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)
7. Floral Biology of Oat (Avena sativa L.)
8. Floral Biology of Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.)

Unit – III: Floral Biology Of Pulses

1. Floral Biology of Blackgram (Vigna mungo L.)
2. Floral Biology of Greengram (Vigna radiata L.)
3. Floral Biology of Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L.)
4. Floral Biology of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)
5. Floral Biology of Field Pea (Pisum sativum L.)
6. Floral Biology of Lathyrus (Lathyrus sativus L.)
7. Floral Biology of Soybean (Glycine max L.)

Unit – IV: Floral Biology Of Oilseed Crops

1. Floral Biology of Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)
2. Floral Biology of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)
3. Floral Biology of Rapeseed–Mustard (Brassica Spp.)
4. Floral Biology of Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.)
5. Floral Biology of Castor (Ricinus communis L.)
6. Floral Biology of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

Unit – V: Floral Biology Of Fibre Crops

1. Floral Biology of Cotton (Gossypium Spp.)
2. Floral Biology of Jute (Corchorus Spp.)
3. Floral Biology of Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.)
4. Floral Biology of Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.)

Unit – VI: Floral Biology Of Fodder and Forage Crops

1. Floral Biology of Berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum L.)
2. Floral Biology of Lucerne / Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)
3. Floral Biology of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) — Fodder Type

Unit – VII: Floral Biology Of Vegetable Crops

1. Floral Biology of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)
2. Floral Biology of Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)
3. Floral Biology of Onion (Allium cepa L.)
4. Floral Biology of Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata)
5. Floral Biology of Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis)
6. Floral Biology of Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.)
7. Floral Biology of Okra / Bhendi (Abelmoschus esculentus L.)
8. Floral Biology of Bottle Gourd (Lagenaria siceraria)
9. Floral Biology of Pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata / maxima)

Unit – VIII: Modern Breeding Tools And Seed Production Technology

1. Molecular Markers
2. Marker-Assisted Selection (MAS)
3. Genomic Selection (GS)
4. QTL Mapping
5. Doubled Haploids (DH Technology)
6. Male Sterility Systems
7. CRISPR and Genome Editing
8. Mutation Breeding
9. Seed Production Technology
10. Hybrid Seed Production Techniques

Annexures

1. Floral Formulas (Important Crops)
2. Important Genes in Crop Breeding
3. Important Molecular Markers
4. Male Sterility Lines (CMS/GMS/TGMs)
5. Hybrid Seed Production Formulas
6. Important Mutagens and Dose Ranges
7. Seed Classes and Tag Colors
8. Botanical Families of Major Crops
9. Important Abbreviations in Plant Breeding
10. Breeding Centres and Popular Varieties
11. Recent, Popular and Hybrids Varieties
12. Glossary
13. References