Agrihortico

Banana is one of the most popular fruits across the world. Scientific name of banana is Musa spp. It belongs to the family Musaceae. Banana is believed to be originated in tropical Indo-Malayan Region in South East Asia. Bananas are fast-growing, perennial herbaceous plants arising from large rhizomes. It is a non-seasonal plant and can be grown throughout the year. Banana plant is the largest herbaceous flowering plant known to humans and is one of the oldest cultivated plants. These plants grow to a height of 3 to 7 meters or sometimes more than 7 meters and are considered as one of the most productive food crops. Stem of this plant is a pseudo stem and is succulent. The stem consists of a series of sheathing petioles of leaves. Leaves are large, flexible, waterproof, dark green in colour and of varying sizes and spirally arranged around the stem.

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Taro or colocasia is a popular tropical tuber crop grown for its edible root tubers and succulent, tender shoots and young leaves. Colocasia tubers are used as a staple food and as a vegetable in many countries. Colocasia leaves are used as a tropical leafy vegetable. There are many varieties of colocasia that are cultivated for edible purposes. Tubers of some varieties of colocasia may contain considerable amounts of an acrid compound called calcium oxalate which can be destroyed by proper cooking. Yams are a group of monocot plants, precisely speaking, a group of perennial herbaceous vines grown for their starch-rich, edible tubers. They belong to the family Dioscoreaceae and genus Dioscorea. Yams are widely grown in both temperate and tropical parts of the world and considered as an important food crop in the tropical areas of America, Asia and Africa. Yams are a rich source of carbohydrates. There are white yams, purple yams and yellow yams, depending on the colour of the tuber flesh.

Brinjal or eggplant is scientifically known as Solanum melongena. It is a tropical, perennial vegetable grown for its edible fruits. It is generally grown as a half-hardy annual plant for vegetable purposes. Brinjal fruit is a berry and these berries are used as vegetables. Brinjal is known by different names in different regions. Brinjal is known as ‘eggplant’ in the USA and Australia and ‘aubergines’ in the UK. Brinjal is a self-pollinated crop

Amaranth greens are popular leafy greens throughout the world. Several cultivars of amaranth plant are used as leafy vegetables; some are with green leaves, some with greenish-red leaves while others are with red leaves. However, all cultivars are grown only during the summer and the rainy seasons. Scientific name of arugula is Eruca sativa. Arugula belongs to the family Brassicaceae, the cabbage family (syn. Cruciferae). All members of Brassicaceae are believed to be originated in the region comprising of Western Europe, the Mediterranean region and the temperate regions of Asia. Scientific name of portulaca greens is Portulaca oleracea. Portulaca belongs to the family Portulacaceae. It is believed to be originated in the Indian subcontinent. Common names of portulaca are Common purslane, verdolaga, red root, or parsley.

Vegetables are the edible parts of the plants i.e. fruit, bark, root, leaves, etc. It is consumed on daily basis to live a healthy life. Vegetables are full of nutrition. Vegetables are available in large number of varieties, sizes and colors.

Scientific name of collards or collard greens is Brassica oleracea cv. acephala. The name ‘acephala’ means ‘without a head’; that is, this Brassica vegetable is formed of loose leaves unlike cabbage or other Brassica vegetables. It belongs to the genus Brassica and family Brassicaceae, the mustard family. It is believed to be originated in the region comprising of Western Europe, the Mediterranean region and the temperate regions of Asia. Chards or Swiss chards are of two types: Flavescens group and Cicla group. Scientific name of Swiss chard belonging to cicla group is Beta vulgaris var. cicla and that belonging to flavescens group is Beta vulgaris var. flavescens. Swiss chard belongs to the family Chenopodiaceae, the beet leaf family. Swiss chard, a vegetable of temperate climate, is believed to be originated in Mediterranean region. Scientific name of dandelion is Taraxacum officinale. It belongs to the family Asteraceae, the chrysanthemum family. It is a native to Eurasia and North America. Dandelion greens are grown for its edible leaves which are used as a leaf vegetable in many parts of the world

Cassava is a tropical tuber crop mainly grown for its edible starchy storage roots. Cassava tubers are an excellent source of carbohydrates and therefore used as a staple food in many African and Asian countries. In these countries, cassava is an important source of food carbohydrates and therefore it is grown as an important cash crop. Cassava tubers are used as a root vegetable also. Tender, young shoots and leaves of cassava plant are used as a leafy vegetable in some countries. Cassava leaves are a good source of protein. Cassava is considered as a ‘Food Security’ crop in times of famine and food insecurity.

Some freshly harvested leafy vegetables may be consumed as such in its raw form just after washing them. They may also be consumed after minimal processing such as chopping and adding in salads and in other raw food preparations. Such leafy vegetables which may be consumed in its uncooked state such as salads are called leafy salad vegetables. Their leaves and leaf stalks are used for consumption and therefore they are termed as leafy greens or leafy vegetables. They may be consumed as salads and therefore these vegetables are also known as salad vegetables.

Cucumbers and gherkins are a group of cucurbitaceous vegetables that are mainly used as salad vegetables. Cucumbers are large fruits while gherkins are small fruits. Scientific name of cucumber is Cucumis sativus. Gherkins are known as ‘small cucumbers’ as it belongs to the same family as cucumber and its scientific name is same as that of cucumber i.e. Cucumis sativus, but cultivar is different. Cucumbers: Cucumbers are mainly used as summer season salad vegetables. Cucumber fruits have cooling and strengthening properties and also capable of quenching thirst during summer months. Gherkins: Gherkins are small, prickly, cylindrical green fruits which are with thin green rinds and white flesh. Small immature fruits of gherkins are used for pickling and hence it is commonly called as ‘pickling cucumbers’.

This eBook explains about the growing practices and nutritional information of almost all popular brassica vegetables (cruciferous vegetables), namely cabbage, cauliflower, chinese cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale, kohlrabi, collard greens, and more. Brassica vegetables are also known as cole crops, crucifers, and cruciferous vegetables. They belong to the genus Brassica and family Brassicaceae, the mustard family. Recent scientific researches about 'Nutrient-Density in Plant-Based Foods' reveal that dark leafy vegetables and brassica vegetables are the most nutrient-dense, plant-based foods available to us today.This book explains in detail growing practices, nutritional information, health benefits, and popular food preparations of these brassica vegetables.

Among all the garden crops, bulbous crops play an important role in magnifying the view of the home garden as these have other good qualities besides beautifying the place where these are grown. One of the main advantages of growing bulbous crops in a home garden is that due to perennial nature, a gardener does not have to worry about next season planting. All the bulbous plants have storage parts underground the soil which can be corms, true bulbs, pseudo-bulbs, stolons, rhizomes, tubers etc. While corms are similar to bulbs with the differentiation of hardness and no stems, the bulbils or bulblets are small bulbs, a rhizome is a modified stem that extends underground horizontally and arises from lateral stem of main stem of the plant. Stolons can be produced either underground or above the ground depending plant to plant.

Scientific name of garden cress is Lipidium sativum and it belongs to the family Brassicaceae. All members of Brassicaceae are believed to be originated in the region comprising of Western Europe, the Mediterranean region and the temperate regions of Asia. Though all Brassica vegetables are biennial in growth habit, they are grown as annuals for food purposes. Garden cress is grown as a cool season annual. Scientific name of watercress is Nasturtium officinale. Watercress belongs to the family Brassicaceae, the cabbage family (syn. Cruciferae). In other words, watercress is a Brassica vegetable or a cruciferous vegetable. All Brassica vegetables are biennial in their growing habit but for food purposes they are grown as annuals. Brassica vegetables believed to be originated in the region comprising of Western Europe, the Mediterranean region and the temperate regions of Asia Scientific name of land cress is Barbarea verna and it belongs to the family Brassicaceae. Land cress plants are grown for their nutritious leaves. Seeds are used for making sprouts which are used as microgreens.

'Growing Edible Mushrooms' is a BRIEF account of TEN popular edible mushrooms and their production practices. There are SIX steps involved in mushroom growing and these steps are, preparation of mushroom compost, pasteurization of compost, spawning, casing, pinning and cropping.

This booklet is intended for providing information about cilantro (coriander leaves or coriander greens); fresh stems and tender leaves of which are used as a culinary herb for garnishing and flavoring various food preparations.Cilantro is a term used for the fresh stems and tender young leaves of the coriander plant. Scientific name of Coriander is Coriandrum sativum. It is an umbelliferous annual herbaceous plant belonging to the family Apiaceae (Umbelliferae). Cilantro is a plant of temperate climate; however it may be grown in tropical and subtropical climates as well. Cilantro is a short-lived herb. Coriander plants are mainly grown for coriander seeds which is an important condiment used for various food preparations. Coriander seeds are also used for preparing coriander powder which is an essential ingredient of various curry powders. Common names of coriander greens are Coriander leaves, Cilantro, Chinese parsley, Cilantrillo, Culantro, Mexican parsley, and Yuen sai.

KnolKhol is an exotic, temperate, stem-vegetable belonging to Brassica family, i.e. family of cabbage and cauliflower. Scientific name of KnolKhol is Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes. KnolKhol is also known as Kohlrabi or German Turnip or Cabbage Turnip. KnolKhol is mainly grown for its edible, succulent globular-shaped modified stem and associated leaves which are turnip-flavoured.