Handbook of Vegetable Crops

Vegetable crops, the important component of horticulture play a vital role in providing food and nutrient security which are required in daily diet of both rich and poor. An attempt has been made to organize this book in such a way that it will be useful to every on interested in the world of vegetables particularly those increasing number of people who are concerned with both underutilized and exotic vegetables. The contents of this publication have been dealt with 26 chapters covering varied topics on vegetable growing. To intensify on the awareness about the vast resources of the vegetable crops available in the world, their economic importance, culture and uses, the first step dealt on the introduction, maintenance and assessment of vegetable crops and their varieties with strict quarantine for imported seed materials. For successful vegetable cultivation, the growers, students and researchers should have sufficient knowledge on morphology and physiology of vegetable crops, production of quality seeds and planting materials, vegetable farming, plant nutrition and growth regulations, cultural practices, control of weeds, insect pests and diseases. Apart from these, nursery management, soil and climatic requirements, crop improvement, hybrid technology, cropping systems, physiological disorders, training and pruning are some other very important aspects covered. To enhance vegetable production, adoption of modern technologies like vegetable cultivation organically, in river bed and under protected condition; Precision and Diversified farming; applications of Indigenous Technical Knowledge (ITK); Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Integrated Disease Management (IDM); vegetable cultivation in containers and saline water; hydroponic vegetable cultivation; development of growth simulating models; proper handling, storage, packaging and transportation are necessary. The last chapter on ‘Genera of Vegetable Crops’ comprising of 405 genera and more than 750 species of major and minor vegetables found in different parts of the world with special reference to taxonomic details, origin and distribution, climate and soil, cultivation practices and importance and uses. It can be humbly claimed that such exclusive and elaborate information in various aspects of large number of vegetable crops in a single publication of its first kind and this publication will be useful to the students, teachers, teachers, scientists, researchers, technologists, planners, amateurs, farmers, commercial vegetable growers, processors and exporters