Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Chrysanthemum is naturally a short-day plant, meaning it requires long nights (short days) to flower. "Thermo-photo insensitivity" refers to varieties that can flower under a wide range of temperatures and day lengths, allowing for off-season cultivation.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Most traditional chrysanthemum varieties only flower during winter in India. To extend the availability of flowers throughout the year, breeders have developed varieties that are not strictly dependent on specific photoperiods or temperatures.
Himanshu: This variety was developed by the National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), Lucknow. It is a very popular "off-season" or "all-season" variety. It is characterized as being thermo-photo insensitive, meaning it can be induced to bloom during the summer and rainy seasons, unlike traditional cultivars that only bloom in November-December.
Varieties like Pusa Aaditya and Birbal Sahni have specific flowering windows, but Himanshu is specifically noted in horticultural texts for its broad environmental adaptability regarding floral induction.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Himanshu is the thermo-photo insensitive variety of chrysanthemum.