About the Book

In recent times, the Horticulture sector has evolved as one of the most significant and leading sectors not only in India but across the globe. Horticulture is the science, art, as well as business of cultivating fruits, vegetables, spices, plantation crops, flower crops, ornamental plants, medicinal and aromatic crops.

Horticultural production in India has doubled during the past two to three decades. India has a highly favourable climate for the production of horticultural crops including fruits, vegetables, spices, plantation crops, flowers and aromatic plants. The horticultural sector in India contributes about 33% of the Gross Value Addition (GDA)

Improved varieties and innovative technologies adopted in horticulture have increased production and export resulting in overall growth. Over the years, the horticulture sector has emerged as a prominent contributor to overall economic development. India is considered as one of the best performers in horticulture production across the globe.

This book will serve as a complete reference for undergraduate and postgraduate students of horticulture and agriculture-based degree programmes. It will also serve as a reliable reference for teachers and researchers dealing with improvement of horticultural crops.

The horticultural crops namely, vegetables , spices and flowers crops have been dealt in this book. The major aspects of crop improvement including plant biodiversity and its conservation, mode of reproduction, pollination mechanism, self-incompatibility, male sterility and methods of breeding are discussed in this book.

The vegetable crops discussed are the self pollinated vegetables, tomato, brinjal, chilli, bhendi, lab lab, peas, French bean and cluster bean, the cross pollinated vegetables, bitter gourd, bottle gourd, ribbed gourd, snake gourd, pumpkin, ash gourd, water melon, muskmelon, cucumber, cabbage, cauliflower, radish, beetroot, carrot, onion, moringa and amaranthus and the asexually propagated vegetable crops, potato, cassava, sweet potato, dioscorea, major yam and ivy gourd.

The spice crops discussed are ginger, turmeric, black pepper, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, tamarind, coriander, fennel and fenugreek. The flower crops discussed are the loose flower crops, jasmine, rose, chrysanthemum, marigold and tuberose and the cut flower crops, gladiolus, carnation and tropical orchids.

The aspects discussed in each crop are principles of breeding, floral biology, objectives, methods of breeding and salient achievements.

 General
 Vegetable Crops
 Spices
 Flower crops