Successful Journey of Vegetable ProductionDevelopment of vegetables in India -a historical account

摘要

India is predominantly a vegetarian country and vegetables have an important place in the diet of Indians. Many annual and perennial vegetables are grown in Indian tropical, subtropical and temperate regions. Important vegetable crops grown in the country are tomato, brinjal, chilli, onion, pea, cowpea, beans, okra, cabbage, cauliflower, pumpkin, bottle gourd, cucumber, muskmelon, watermelon, bitter gourd, pointed gourd, radish, carrot, palak and methi. India is next only to China in area and production of vegetables. It occupies first position in okra, peas, potato, pumpkin and cauliflower, second in brinjal, cabbage and onion, and third in tomato and watermelon in the world. With supplemental irrigation and adjustment in season, most of the vegetables can be grown in majority of agroclimatic conditions. Cole crops confined to temperate and subtropical regions have also been extended to tropical regions with cooler night temperatures through the development of heat tolerant cultivars. An entirelynew group of heat tolerant early cauliflower has emerged which is quite different from the original temperate cauliflower of early days. Cucurbits, okra and chilli are widely grown across the country. However, this status of vegetables has not been attained in few /ears but the journey of vegetable cultivation started in our country since the beginning of civilization.