About The Book

God endowed our country with diverse agro-climatic conditions, ranging from temperate to humid and from sea level to snow line, plenty of flora and fauna as well as varied natural resources. Due to varied agro-climatic conditions, India is home of 10 biogeographical zones and has 6 types of natural habitats. Over 47,000 species of plants and 89,000 species of animals have been recorded in India. Although vegetables account for less than 1% of the world’s plants, the genetic, anatomical, and morphological diversity of vegetables as a group is astounding.  Hundreds of vegetable taxa are grown for food in subsistence and commercial agricultural systems worldwide. The varied agro-climatic conditions are one of the greatest assets of Indian Agriculture which offers unique opportunities to grow nearly more than 175 vegetable crops around the year in one or other part of the country. However, we have not been yet able to harness these vast natural opportunities in fullest capacity, primarily due to lack of sufficient production technologies and unavailability of well-trained human resources. Vegetables are integral part of human’s daily diet and important component of Indian agriculture due to their nutritional, medicinal, industrial value and export potential. They are the primary source of minerals, nutrients, vitamins, anti-oxidants, dietary fiber, secondary plant metabolites, phytonutrients and other compounds that support human health and nutrition. Vegetables, especially roots and tubers, can also possess significant caloric value, serving as staple crops in many parts of the world, particularly in the tropics. Overall, vegetables enrich and diversify the human diet. Although, our country is the second largest producer of vegetables in the world, next only to China, but the productivity is far below as compared to developed countries in the world. Further, per capita availability of vegetables is also poor, it is nearly 200g/day/head against ICMR’s recommended dietary allowances of 300g/day/head to the Indian adults. In order to provide adequate quantity of quality vegetables to the Indian populace, there is urgent need to increase the production and productivity of quality vegetables in the country and to achieve this goal, there is an urgent need for development of a suitable literature in the form of a book dealing with various aspects of vegetable production. The book is written in a very simple language and easy to understand style, which we are hopeful to fulfill the requirements of students, researchers and our readers.

This book “Recent Trends in Vegetable Production” is aimed at Horticulture graduates, Agriculture graduates, Extension specialists, Research workers, Faculties and other stakeholders seeking information on various latest technological aspects pertaining to vegetable crops. The book ‘Recent Trends in Vegetable Production’ has covered eighteen chapters viz., Importance of vegetable crops, anti-oxidants in vegetable crops, classification of vegetable crops, types of vegetable gardening, propagation methods of vegetable crops, vertical vegetable farming, off-season vegetable production, physiological disorders in vegetable crops, weed management in production of vegetable crops, mulching in production of vegetable crops, growth regulators in production of vegetable crops,  INM in production of vegetable crops, organic vegetable farming, natural vegetable farming, biotechnology in production of vegetable crops, nanotechnology in production of vegetable crops, protected vegetable cultivation and effect of climate change on vegetable production.

About Author

Prof. S.P. Kanaujia

Prof. S P Kanaujia was awarded his M.Sc. and Ph.D. degree in vegetable science in the year 1992 and 1997, respectively from Dr. Y S Parmar University of Horticulture & Forestry, Solan (H.P). He has more than 20 years’ experience in teaching, research and extension in vegetable science. At present, he is working as Professor & Head and Incharge of AICRP (Vegetable Crops), Department of Horticulture, School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagaland University. He published 4 books, 20 book chapters, 110 research papers, 55 popular articles, 7 practical manuals and 20 extension folders on various aspects of different vegetable crops. He guided more than 50 M.Sc. and Ph.D. scholars in vegetable science. He developed DUS guidelines of ash gourd, snake gourd and ivy gourd. He participated in about 75 national/international seminars/training etc. He organized more than 100 farmers’ trainings for promotion of vegetable production in Nagaland. He got many awards from different societies. He is fellow of GKVS, ISHRD and ISVS. He developed/standardized more than 30 technologies in vegetable production. He also handled many research and developmental projects as Principal Investigator. He is member of editorial board of many journals. He is a life member of various international and national bodies.

Prof. Raj Narayan

Prof. Raj Narayan did his Ph.D. (Hort.) in vegetable science in 1997 from Dr. Y S Parmar University of Horticulture & Forestry, Solan (HP); M. Sc. (Ag.) vegetable science in 1992 from N.D. University of Agriculture & Technology, Faizabad (UP). He has started his career as Assistant Professor in the division of Vegetable Science, SKUAST-K (J&K) in 1999. He has more than 22 years’ experience in teaching, research & extension, including 12 years in administration, management, monitoring and coordination. He guided 4 M.Sc. and Ph.D. scholars in vegetable science. Then he joined Sr. Scientist-Head, KVK, ICAR-CCARI, Goa, Professor and Head, Department of Vegetable & Floriculture, BAU, Bihar, Principal Scientist (Hort.-Veg.) and Scientist Incharge at ICAR-CITH, Regional Station, Mukteshwar, Nainital (UK). At present he is working as Principal Scientist (Hort.-Veg.), ICAR-ATARI, Zone-II, Jodhpur (Raj.). He has more than 300 publications on various aspects of which he published 73 research papers, 50 popular articles, 03 books, 10 books chapters, 16 extension/ technical bulletins, 40 abstracts, 35 review articles/lecture note, besides compiled and edited 10 compendiums of various schools’/training courses. He developed/standardized more than 50 technologies/hybrids/lines in vegetable crops, assessed and transferred more than 100 technologies to the farmers’ fields through various extension approaches and also organized more than 500 various trainings, seminars, workshops, other extension programmes to impart knowledge and skill among the stakeholders. He also handled 17 research and developmental projects as Principal Investigator in Agri-Horti Fields. He participated in about 45 national/international seminars/training etc. and made about 65 presentations at various platforms. He got Best KVK National ICAR Award, Best Field Work Award, Best KVK Professional Award, Young Scientist Award, Outstanding Achievement Award, ISNS fellowship, besides Best Paper Presentation Award in various Seminar, Conclave, etc. as well as Excellent Reviewer Certificate for reviewing research papers in various journals.

Prof. Sumati Narayan

Prof. Sumati Narayan has acquired his B.Sc. (Ag.) degree from Kanpur University, Kanpur; M.Sc. (Ag.) in Agronomy from Meerut University, Meerut and Ph.D. from SKUAST-Kashmir. He is a renowned scientist and fellow of the Indian Society of Vegetable Science. He has been involved in promotion of organic farming system through his vast experience and expertise in the field for more than 30 years and has been successful in organic cultivation of vegetable crops. He is actively involved in teaching, research, extension work and various externally funded research projects as PI/ Co-PI. He has guided more than 50 post graduate students in various disciplines of agriculture. He has about 250 publications in his credit including research papers of national and international repute, 5 books, 12 manuals, 8 National awards. At present, he is working as Professor-cum-Chief Scientist in the Division og Vegetable Science, College of Horticulture, SKUAST- Kashmir, Srinagar (J&K).

Dr. Moakala Changkiri

Dr. Moakala Changkiri did M. Sc. and Ph. D in Horticulture from Nagaland University. She is working as Scientist under AICRP (Vegetable Crops), Department of Horticulture, School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagaland University. She had been awarded ICAR Fellowship (RGNF) for pursuing Ph.D. course in 2012. She has published 15 folders, 3 books, 3 book chapters, 15 abstracts and 12 research papers on different vegetable crops. She has more than 7 years’ experience in teaching, research and extension in vegetable science. She is also associated with ICAR-IIVR, Tribal Sub Plan programmes in vegetables and onion; ICAR-IIVR, NEH component for promotional activities in vegetables and ICAR-DOGR promotional activities in onion and garlic as PI and has organized more than 30 trainings to impart ideas, knowledge and technical guidance on vegetable and onion cultivation to tribal farmers. She got many awards like women scientist, young scientist, scientist of the year etc. She is a life member of various international and national bodies.

Dr. Sentirenla Jamir

Dr. Sentirenla Jamir did M. Sc. and Ph. D in Horticulture from Nagaland University. She has more than 8 years’ experience in teaching, research and extension in vegetable science. At present, she is working as Assistant Professor, Department of Horticulture, School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagaland University. She is PI/ Co-PI of various externally funded research projects. She has published 5 extension folders, 2 practical manuals 1 book, 3 book chapters, 15 abstracts and 12 research papers on different vegetable crops. She participated in about 25 national/international seminars/training etc. She has guided 3 M.Sc students in Vegetable Science.