What is the term for the science involved in cultivating, propagating, and marketing items such as flowers and vegetables?

The correct term for the science that involves cultivating, propagating, and marketing items such as flowers and vegetables is horticulture. Horticulture encompasses a wide range of activities that relate to the care and breeding of plants, focusing particularly on the production of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and ornamental plants. It involves not only the agricultural techniques for growing these plants but also the study of soil management, pest control, and the environmental conditions that affect plant growth.

In contrast, agronomy mainly refers to the science and management of field crops and the production of staple foods, while botany is the scientific study of plants in a broader sense, including their physiology, structure, and classification. Floriculture, on the other hand, is a specialized branch of horticulture that focuses specifically on the cultivation of flowering plants. Thus, while floriculture is related, it is too narrow in scope when considering the entire category that includes both flowers and vegetables, making horticulture the encompassing and accurate choice.