Agrihortico strana 6 z 7

This 30-page booklet explains various natural and spiritual ways to reduce stress from daily life. Spiritual stress management techniques include yoga, meditation, peaceful living, prayer and observation of silence, solitude and fasting. Most popular natural stress management techniques are journal writing, socializing, listening to music, watching movies or television, exercises etc.

Aromatherapy is based on the principle that volatile aromatic oils of certain herbs can have immense therapeutic effect on emotional and mental wellness of an individual. The book 'Growing Herbs for Aromatherapy', deals with the growing practices of 21 popular aromatic herbs and various therapeutic applications of their aromatic oils in aromatherapy.

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.

Asparagus is a cool-season vegetable that belongs to the family Liliaceae. Botanical name of asparagus is Asparagus officinalis. It is an herbaceous perennial plant. Tender shoots (spears) of asparagus plants are used as a leafy vegetable. Asparagus is believed to be originated in Europe, Africa and Asia. Young shoots of Asparagus are very rich in minerals like iron, phosphorus, potassium, copper, manganese, selenium, calcium, magnesium and zinc. It is also rich in vitamins and major vitamin present in asparagus are vitamin B6, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamin, riboflavin, rutin, niacin, and folic acid. Asparagus shoots are low in calories, low in sodium, rich in protein and a rich source of dietary fiber. Asparagus shoots are also rich in an amino acid called asparagine. Dried asparagus roots are used as a medicine because of its diuretic properties. Productive life of a well-managed commercial asparagus plantation is about 10 to 15 years.

Cabbage is one of the most popular winter vegetables in the tropics. Cabbage is used for making various vegetable preparations, salads, pickles and vegetable soups. Cabbage is believed to be originated in the coastal southern and western Europe. Cauliflower plant is grown for its white tender heads called ‘curds’; it is grown as a winter vegetable in tropics and subtropics. It is a biennial plant like other Brassica vegetables but grown as an annual for vegetable purposes. It is grown as a biennial crop for seed production purposes. Cauliflower curd is a highly modified flower stalk (stalk of the inflorescence); no part of the flower/inflorescence is apparent in a curd. Cauliflower curds are used as a vegetable in curries and soups. Curds are also used for pickling purposes.

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.

Chicory or common chicory is a popular salad leafy vegetable. Two major types of common chicory are radicchio chicory and Belgian endive or Witloof chicory. Scientific name of common chicory is Cichorium intybus. Endive is a leafy salad vegetable belonging to the genus Cichorium. Scientific name of endive is Cichorium endivia and it belongs to the family Asteraceae, the Daisy family. There is a wild variety of endive called ‘wild endive’ which is Cichorium pumilum. Endive is mainly grown for its edible leaves which may be consumed in its raw or cooked form. Raw leaves are used in salads. It can be cooked by stir-frying, boiling, steaming and many other ways like cooking any other leafy vegetable.

Scientific name of fenugreek greens is Trigonella foenum-graecum. It belongs to the family Fabaceae. Fenugreek is considered to be a native of Eastern Europe and Ethiopia. It is widely cultivated in India and Mediterranean countries. Common name of fenugreek greens is Greek hay. Scientific name of mustard greens is Brassica juncea. 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.

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.

Leafy vegetables or vegetable greens are considered to be richest source of dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. Daily consumption of minimum 100 to 150 grams of leafy vegetables along with a main diet is recommended by many health experts for balanced nutrition of a human body. Apart from its health-providing properties many leafy vegetables are considered to have medicinal benefits also, especially those vegetable greens which are loaded with antioxidant vitamins and minerals. This eBook explains in detail the food significance and nutrition of about 48 leafy vegetables.

Carnivorous plants are those plants that depend on insects and small animals for their nitrogen supply and proteins (inorganic nutrition). They derive some or most of their nutrients from trapping and digesting small animals and insects by means of specially modified plant organs or trapping mechanisms. Today, there are over 600 known species of carnivorous plants in the world and most of them are herbaceous perennials that live in nutrient-poor soils.

'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.

Mushroom farming has become very popular worldwide owing to the fact that mushroom farming is relatively easy and requires less space and less investment. Economic returns on investment are also high in mushroom farming. Mushroom farming is an attractive low-cost entrepreneurial option because mushrooms can successfully be grown by using even primitive farming technologies. This low technology approach to mushroom farming may be one of the reasons behind its popularity as a small scale farm enterprise.

This small book on "Mushrooms and Seaweeds" explains in detail about TEN edible mushrooms such as Milky white mushrooms, Paddy straw mushrooms, White button mushrooms, Brown (crimini and portabella) mushrooms, Shiitake mushrooms, Oyster (Pleurotus) mushrooms, Enoki mushrooms, Maitake mushrooms, Morel mushrooms, and Chanterelle mushrooms, and NINE edible seaweeds/sea vegetables such as Red seaweed Gracilaria, Winged kelp, Green laver or Sea Lettuce, Purple laver or Nori, Spirulina, Wakame, Dulse, Caulerpa or Sea grapes, and Kombu. Mushrooms are a group of edible fungi while seaweeds are a group of edible algae. Both mushrooms and seaweeds are cholesterol-free, caffeine-free, low-fat, low-sugar foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals, protein and dietary fibres and therefore, considered as superfoods. Superfoods are multifunctional foods that contribute towards consumer’s health and wellness. They are rich in antioxidants and are consumed to prevent modern-day life style diseases such as heart attack, diabetes, cancer and osteoporosis. Seaweeds and mushrooms are rich in antioxidants that help us to stay fit and young. Antioxidants are present in seaweeds and mushrooms in the form of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and polyphenolic compounds.

The book begins with a short narration of current packaging practices followed by present day horticulture industry. After pointing out the disadvantages of some of the current practices, the author categorically states that we do not need to religiously follow traditional packaging practices if we are serious about curtailing the supply chain loss of fruits and vegetables. The author goes on listing out various types of packaging materials that are available today before addressing the major theme of the book, i.e. ‘Modern Innovations in Packaging Materials and Packaging Technologies’. MAP films, MIP films and active and intelligent packing materials are described in detail under this topic. Manufacturing process of polymer-based packing materials is also described for the better understanding of the reader. The author then elaborates on how to select a suitable packing material for your horticultural produce. Major two parameters that are to be considered are packing material properties and product-specific properties. The author makes a reference of various packaging designs and packaging standards also for those who are interested in these topics. According to the author advanced packaging technologies such as modified atmosphere packaging, modified interactive packaging, active and intelligent packaging, TBG technology and packaging technology for microwaveable containers are going to make a big difference in the way how highly perishable fruits and vegetables are packed and consumed. Finally, the author gives a short narration of various types of packaging machines that are available today and also lists out major global suppliers of packaging solutions for horticulture industry.

Modern advanced hydroponics grow systems combine one or more hydroponics systems into a highly efficient grow system unit to ensure higher yields and high quality of the produce. This fusion of different hydroponics technologies into a single advanced hydroponics grow system has made it possible to produce hydroponics crops on a commercial scale.