In the early years of the new millennium, Indian agriculture, particularly in the field of horticulture, has undergone significant changes. In the past millennium, the development of horticultural crops was limited due to a lack of awareness of research potential. As we enter the second decade of the new millennium, a golden revolution is set to begin, characterized by new visions and the application of modern and innovative techniques in breeding and farming. While qualitative production is generally sufficient to meet the domestic market, there are exceptions for certain crops, such as spices, condiments, plantation crops, flower crops, and medicinal plants, which have high demand in the international market. Horticultural crops play a crucial role in providing food security by contributing to the supplementary diet. To achieve these objectives, it is necessary to apply innovative approaches of scientific culture.
This book covers recent and relevant fields of horticulture, including crop breeding, precision farming, biotechnology, therapeutic horticulture, and post-harvest practices for fruits, vegetables, flowers, spices, and plantation crops. The knowledge of recent research technologies, such as bioinformatics, biotechnology, and transplastomics, will prove helpful in the production and consumption of horticultural crops. The practical application of breeding techniques, such as polyoidy and selection techniques, will increase productivity. The exploitation of horticultural crops for the occurrence of antioxidants will contribute to human health and prevent diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. The organic farming of vegetable and plantation crops is also discussed in detail in this book.
