Future Crops Vol. 2 expositions plants presently underexploited but with considerable economic value as vegetable, fruit, spices, ornamentals, medicinal plants and industrial crops. Future horticulture is challenging as space, water and energy are limiting factors. New life styles, migration both inter and intra country and innovations in processing into value added products would demand hitherto unknown plants to become crops of commerce and trade. The volume 2 deals with aquatic vegetables, aquatic weeds as potential future crops, underutilized fruits of arid zone, underutilized and lesser known fruits of Mizoram, underutilized Spices, cactus pear, camelina, castor bean, cistron, Delphiniums, Embelia ribes, Jujube, Hamun lasoda, mappia, palmyrah, Salacia oblongs, Saraca Asoca and water chestnut. Future agriculture and horticulture have to be elastic to face effects of climate change, pressures of biotic and abiotic stresses including industrial pollution and induced salinity due to sea water intrusion. Fifty working scientists from research institutes of ICAR and CSIR have contributed to the present volume. The two chapters on aquatic plants are included after considerable debate on prospects of water bodies to grow these crops and their potential as raw material for food, deed and energy. Water chestnut is dealt separately considering its habitat as fresh water bodies.
