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Genetically engineered crops refer to alterations in the genetic makeup of the crop by introgression new traits such as herbicide tolerance, virus resistance, drought, flood and frost resistance, delay in maturation time of the crop and increased crop yield. They can be made resistant to pests and diseases which can significantly reduce the consumption of insecticide. Biodiversity is the feedstock for biotechnology industries. The issues relating to the Genetically Modified (GM) Foods have generated intense public debate in many parts of the world. Even though the issues under debate include the costs and benefits of the GM crops and the inherent safety concerns, the outcome of the debate differs from country to country, depending on its geographical location, strength and resilience of the farm sector, attitudes of people towards food, and so on (Anonymous, 2009). In India also, this debate has engaged the attention not only of the Government but also of the farming community and the civil society.

A standard operating procedure (SOP) is a set of step-by-step instructions compiled by an organization to help workers carry out routine operations. SOPs aim to achieve efficiency, quality output and uniformity of performance, while reducing miscommunication and failure to comply with industry regulations. The military (e.g. in the U.S. and UK) sometimes uses the term standing (rather than standard) operating procedure because a military SOP refers to a unit’s unique procedures, which are not necessarily standard to another unit. The word “standard” can imply that only one (standard) procedure is to be used across all units. The term can also be used facetiously to refer to practices that are unconstructive, yet the norm. In the Philippines, for instance, “SOP” is the term for pervasive corruption within the government and its institutions.

History of plant propagation

The propagation of plants is one of the absolutely necessary occupations of human beings since time immemorial. Civilization might have started when ancient man learned to plant and grow different kinds of plants, which fulfilled the nutritional and other allied needs of human beings and their animals. Cultivated plants commenced mainly by direct selection from wild species (e,g., lima bean, barley, tomato, and rice), hybridization between species, accompanied by changes in chromosome number (e,g., strawberry, pear, and prunes), and a group of plants occurs naturally as rare monstrosities (e,g., cabbage, broccoli, and brussel’s sprouts).

Introduction

Apomixis is a phenomenon in which there is development of seed without fertilization or sexual fusion. Embryo develops without fertilization in apomixis. Hence, apomixis is an asexual means of reproduction therefore the genotype of plant will be same as of mother plant. Apomixis was first time discovered by Leuwenhock in 1719 in citrus whereas the term apomixis was first time used by Winker in 1908.The main benefit of apomixis over sexual reproduction is the selection of individual plant with superior characters and propagation of clonally through seeds. Higher plants commonly exhibit apomixis. There are more than 300 species belonging to 35 families that exhibit apomixis. Most commonly, it occurs in Gramineae, Compositae, Rosaceae, and Rutaceae.

“The light of unconditional love awakens the dormant seed potential of the soul helping them ripen, blossom and bear fruit, allowing us to bring the unique gifts that are ours to offer in this life”

–John Wehwood

Introduction

In nature and in humans, seeds are vehicles for spreading new life from place to place. In plants, it refers to the unit of dispersal that survives between seed maturation and its establishment as a seedling. A seed, like a fortress, protects and sustains life as they are well-stocked with special food supplies to endure long sieges. There are many things that seeds are, but above all else, they are the means of survival of their species. It is a way of suspending embryonic development and then resuming it years later after the parents have passed away.

Seed quality is the possession of seed that is genetically pure and physically homogeneous, coupled with health and wellness.

A seed is the first genetic material that becomes the basis for future agriculture and seeds are the basic building blocks of agriculture. A great deal of farming has been modernized by technology, but without a regular and steady supply of high quality seed, yields would be drastically reduced and crop quality would decrease as well. The production of horticultural and agronomic crops depends largely on quality seed. For farmers, seed characteristics such as genetic purity, germination percentage, vigor, and appearance have a significant effect on yield. Every professional seed producer strives to achieve and maintain high seed quality.

Introduction

Multiplication of plants is termed as propagation. Nowadays, propagation practice has been totally modernized. Propagation practices have advanced from field to in-vitro. Starting from scion stick of 15 to 20 cm length, the plants are multiplied even using cell, tissue and embryo. In modern horticulture trade, plant propagation is a soaring business. It is highly profitable, employment generative, recreative and creative business.

Several improvements have been noticed over the period of time in the basic techniques of plant propagation, using either conventional or tissue culture approaches. The propagation under protected environment by creating artificial conditions such as light, temperature and humidity under controlled irrigation through drip irrigation and fertigation has enhanced the potential of plant propagation and has made it possible to propagate the plants around the year.

Introduction

The term plant growth regulator (PGR) generally refers to organic compounds other than nutrients that influence plant growth and development at low concentrations. According to practical definitions, plant growth regulators are either natural or synthetic compounds applied directly to plants to alter their life processes or their structure in order to improve quality, increase yields, or to facilitate harvesting. The term plant hormone, when correctly used is restricted to naturally occurring plant substances. This fall into five classes: auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins, inhibitors and ethylene (gas). Plant growth regulators include synthetic and naturally occurring hormones.

Introduction

Among the various propagation techniques, plant propagation through tissue culture has gained immense importance over the years and for a few crops it has become the major method of propagation. Plant tissue culture can be defined as the ability to grow and maintain the plant organs viz., embryo, shoot, root, anther, flower and their respective tissue in a culture media. While micropropagation can be defined as the development of a new plant using plant tissue culture techniques. These plants are grown under in-vitro conditions, i.e., culturing the plant in a vessel (e.g., test tube) under a controlled condition. Since, the whole process is a lab-based work, there are chances of contamination, thus, the growing condition needs to be aseptic (growing without microbial contamination).

Introduction

After the green revolution, India achieved significant strides in agricultural output, but productivity is still poor owing to climate change and the interference of old agriculture techniques. In order to fulfill the world’s food demand in 2050, global output will have to grow by 70 % (FAO, 2020). Man has devised technical techniques for growing crops round the year.

Crop propagation is a natural process that is enhanced via the use of modified and regulated settings. These conditions are altered to guarantee that the crop in question grows to its full potential. The purpose of propagation structures is to build environments that can be changed and controlled.

A nursery is a place, where seedling, saplings, trees, shrubs and other plant materials are raised and sold out for planting in gardens and orchards. The prerequisites of a successful and remunerative fruit production are the availability of true-type, healthy and good quality planting materials. Nursery is, therefore, a place where one can produce true to type plants by gaining technical skill, maintaining plants property and by careful planning. Like orchard establishment, establishment of a nursery is also at permanent venture and any mistake made initially can’t be rectified easily in the later stages. Therefore, for establishing a nursery, due care in selection of site, plants to be raised and transportation facilitation etc. must be given.

Nurserymen and propagators propagate different types of horticulture plants with seeds, cuttings, and other methods. Regardless of the medium used, an ideal medium should have the following characteristics:

1. The medium should be sufficient firm and dense to told seed or cutting or layer firmly in place during germination or rooting.
2. The volume of the medium should remain constant upon drying or wetting.
3. This medium should be able to hold and deliver an adequate amount of moisture to the seeds, cuttings or layers.

Introduction

Management is the process of successfully accomplishing tasks with and through others. It is all about having more control and getting better results as a result of having more control. Many parts of nursery administration are unrelated to horticulture in any way. Nurseries, both wholesale and retail, are frequently managed by persons who have worked in a range of sectors. Nutrient management, disease control, irrigation management, insect pest management, and marketing management are just a few of the nursery management techniques that are necessary for a successful nursery output. A nursery manager and employees who spend a lot of time for potting plants, weeding plants, or conversing with clients may discover that they do not spend enough time for managing the nursery, resulting in a loss of control. Many activities are carried out during management, such as planning - need for planting material, provision of mother blocks, land area requirements, water supply, working equipment, growth structures, and input availability. Implementation - land treatment, biotic interference and soil erosion prevention, correct layout, input supply, and so forth. However, in a small nursery where several jobs are required, the manager must strike a delicate balance between the numerous responsibilities. Managers who are well informed can provide good management; thus, the first duty of every manager is to become knowledgeable about the company for which they are responsible.

Introduction

Nursery is an art of raising and selling seedlings, saplings, and other planting materials for use in gardens and orchards. The availability of true to type, healthy and high quality planting materials is a must for a successful and profitable fruit production. “Scion block” refers to trees planted to provide scion wood for propagating nursery stock, whereas “seed block” refers to the planting of registered seed trees that will provide seeding rootstock for propagating certified nursery stock. It consists of planting self-rooted mother trees/mother stools with the objective of providing vegetatively propagated (clonal) rootstock for the multiplication of certified nursery stock.

1. Determination of qualitative nursery planting materials

1.1 Quality assessment of seedlings

Nursery is a place where young/infant seedlings are kept under intensive care until they are ready for planting. The production of quality seedlings begins with the collection of quality seed, nursery establishment, and after-germination maintenance. The quality of plant propagation structures may not be a qualitatively gradable criterion, but it can be indirectly assessed by their relationship to growth, productivity, and vigour. The Dickson Quality Index (DQI) is very useful for assessing the quality of a specific group of seedlings. This is done by selecting some seedlings at random from that group and computing Dickson Quality Index (DQI).

The main purpose of establishing a nursery is to supply plants whether to one’s own garden or to out station indentors to fetch good income. To obtain adequate returns on the investment made by a nurseryman, one should have fair idea about lifting, packing and storage of the nursery plants.

Lifting of nursery plants

The plants grown in the nursery are to be lifted for establishment at their permanent place or for sale purpose. The careless lifting may affect adversely the establishment of nursery plants. For getting higher rate of success of evergreen plants in the field, it is always advisable to lift the saplings with a ball of earth intact particularly for mango, guava, citrus and litchi etc. However, the deciduous plants like peach, grape, apple, kiwi fruit, hazelnut, pecan nut, cherry, almond, walnut etc. can be lifted bare rooted during dormant conditions. If possible, it is advisable to irrigate the nursery 3-4 days before the actual date of removing the plants in order to prevent root damage. 

Introduction

The nursery is an area where tender seedlings are raised and conditioned before planting out in transplant beds or directly in the field. The increasing demand for quality planting material has up stepped the nursery business in many countries. The sophisticated technology, research and novel production approaches has transformed the traditional horticultural nursery to a technology intensive business. The tools and accessories associated with nursery production helps in aiding productivity of the nursery. The colour-coded and labelled plant materials, textured pots etc. are fascinating to consumers, indirectly increasing the salability of the plants and profitability of the enterprise. 

Introduction

The nurseryman needs some records if he is going to plan for remunerative returns and establish himself as a reputable business. Ideally, a nursery planner should be able to estimate how long it takes to lift saplings or how much seed is required, or how many cuttings he can accommodate in a glasshouse, as well as how much scion wood is required for grafting a particular plot. In nurseries, specific registers must be maintained to keep track of day-to-day activities, such as pedigrees and operations. In case of large nurseries, these records are required by law to satisfy inspection authorities, calculate taxes, detect theft, or discourage it.

Agriculture is under increasing pressure to produce more food, feed, and biofuel from limited land resources. The current over-reliance on a few key staple crops causes a variety of agronomic, ecological, nutritional, and economic issues and is likely unsustainable in the long run.

Vegetables have a high commercial value in general and hence contribute significantly to household income. Significant research, breeding, and development initiatives are necessary for a number of promising crops to transform existing local landraces into competitive cultivars with broad adaptability and high commercial prospects. India has a good genetic wealth of domesticated crops, and 600 plant species represent the diversity in vegetable crops out of 20,000 angiosperm plants; however, only one-fourth of these are used as major vegetable crops, with the rest classified as minor, underutilized/neglected, rare vegetables, lesser-known vegetables, wild edible vegetables, and so on. Access to the genetic diversity of these selected crops is required for success

Amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) is the most popular leafy vegetable grown in India throughout the summer and rainy season, and is known as chaulai in Hindi. Amaranth’s leaves and tender stems are high in protein, minerals including calcium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, and potassium, as well as vitamins like vitamin A (carotene), vitamin C, folic acid, thiamine, niacin, and riboflavin. The leaves have a crude protein value of 20-32 percent on a dry weight basis and are commonly grown as a leafy vegetable in Southeast Asia. Amaranth plants are usually annuals or perennials with a short life span. The stems are usually reddish in colour and sometimes have spines; they have simple alternately arranged leaves and a pinkish taproot.

Artichoke, also known as globe artichoke or French artichoke, is a huge thistle-like perennial plant in the aster family (Asteraceae) that is farmed for its edible blossom buds. The thick bracts and the heart, which is the receptacle of the juvenile flower head, are edible. The artichoke has a delicate, nutlike flavour, and the smaller heads, or buds, are typically the most tender. Artichoke heads can be eaten hot with a sauce or cold as a salad or appetiser.Botany and taxonomy With arching, highly lobed, silvery, glaucous-green leaves 50-83 cm (19+12-32+12 in) long, this vegetable grows to 1.4-2 m (4 ft 7 in - 6 ft 7 in) tall. The flowers grow in a huge head from an edible bud with numerous triangular scales that is 8-15 cm (3-6 in) in diameter; the individual florets are purple.

Asparagus is an herbaceous perennial that is widely grown in the United States, Germany, Spain, and France, with India contributing only a little amount. For many years, asparagus has been grown. This was a favourite crop of the Ancient Greeks and Romans. It belongs to the Liliaceae family and is thought to have originated in the eastern Mediterranean and further east in the Caucasus Mountains. It’s a monocotyledonous perennial that’s farmed for its edible stems (spears).

Basella (Basella alba and B.rubra) is a common leafy vegetable grown in practically all countries of Tropical Asia and Africa (Syn.Malabar spinach, Ceylon spinach, India spinach, Vine spinach, etc.). The flavour of this green vegetable is mild and similar to spinach. Basella alba is widely grown in Europe, with the red stemmed varieties in particular being popular as ornamentals. It’s a popular green in Asian, Indian, and even African cuisine, albeit the soft veining shoots are preferred above the leaves in Africa. The Chinese names for Malabar spinach literally translate to “flowing water vegetable.”

Bathua is an old plant that is also known as lamb’s quarters or cheel bhaji. Its scientific name is Chenopodium album. In India, the plant leaves are boiled and consumed like other green vegetables. Chenopodium is a weedy annual plant with a high growth rate. This is completely natural and a distinguishing feature of the plant. When the leaves mature, the powdery residue disappears. Look for younger leaves if eating raw. Otherwise, look for sturdy, robust leaves that aren’t wilted.

Botany and taxonomy Chenopodium album is a weedy annual plant belonging to the Chenopodium genus. 

Brassica oleracea variety italica is a type of cabbage from the mustard family (Brassicaceae) that is grown for its delicious blossom buds and stalk. Sprouting broccoli, which is native to the eastern Mediterranean and Asia Minor, was first planted in ancient Rome and then imported to England and America in the 1700s.

Botany & taxonomy Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) is an edible green plant belonging to the cabbage family (family Brassicaceae, genus Brassica) that is grown for its enormous blooming head, stalk, and small accompanying leaves. Sprouting and heading broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) are two varieties of broccoli. After the terminal heads are removed in sprouting kinds, axillary shoots with smaller flower heads normally grow. Heading type produces cauliflower-like heads that can be a variety of colours. 

Brussels sprouts are thought to have originated in the Belgian city of Brussels, from which they got their name. Records in the Brussels area date back to the 13th century. In the 18th century, the French coined the term. They are not native to the United States and have never been seen growing wild. Brussels sprouts are a type of cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera) that belongs to the mustard family Brassicaceae and are commonly produced in Europe and North America for its edible buds known as sprouts. It is cultivated for its tasty buds. The leaf veggies have a diameter of 1.5-4.0 cm (0.6-1.6 in) and resemble small cabbages.

Botany & taxonomy Brussels sprouts are a type of Cole vegetable that belongs to the Brassicaceae family.

Celery was grown as an aromatic and therapeutic herb by Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. It was first grown in Italy in the 16th century after this wild variety. It was then introduced to the British Islands by the Italians and French at the end of the 17th century. It was first grown in North America in the nineteenth century. Celery’s young leaves and stem are high in minerals, vitamins, and proteins, making it one of the most essential therapeutic plants. Celery oil has a pleasant aroma. This aromatic oil aids in the efficient functioning of the human brain. On an area of roughly 5000 acres, the crop is grown primarily in Punjab (Jallandhar, Gurdaspur, and Amritsar districts), Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh (Ladhwa and Saharanpur districts). Punjab provides almost 90% of the overall production

The earliest Brassica planted in North America was Chinese cabbage, also known as celery cabbage and napa. It is becoming increasingly popular in western kitchens. When eaten fresh, the huge savoyed leaves with thick succulent midribs have a sweet flavour and crisp texture. The Pekinensis Group and the Chinensis Group are two cultivar groups of leaf vegetables frequently used in Chinese cuisine. These vegetables are turnip cultivars or subspecies that belong to the same genus as cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower, among other Western mainstays.

Botany & taxonomy: Brassica rapa, one of two commonly cultivated mustard family (Brassicaceae) members that are variants of Chinese cabbage. Pak Choy is a type of Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa var. chinensis). Celery cabbage is another name for Napa cabbage.

Elephant foot yam, also known as suran or jimmikand, is gaining popularity due to its high yield potential and culinary qualities. It is grown in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Kerala, and Maharashtra in India, as well as in the north-eastern states of Odisha, Tamilnadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. This crop is being embraced for commercial production in northern and eastern India, thanks to the advent of a high yielding, non-acrid variety. Elephant foot yam has an output potential of 50-60 tonnes per hectare. Elephant foot yam is a tropical tuber crop that has been grown for generations in tropical Asia. It is gathered for its edible corms, tubers, and smooth petioles, which all contain important minerals.

Sauropus androgynus, also known as katuk, star gooseberry, or sweet leaf, is a tropical shrub that is used as a leaf vegetable in some areas. It’s known as Chinese Malunggay in China, and madhura cheera in Kerala, India. It has several upright stems that can grow up to 2.5 metres tall and dark green oval leaves that are 5-6 cm long. It’s known as ‘Multivitamin Greens’ because of its great nutritional value. Chekurmanis, which may be found in practically every household kitchen garden in Kerala, has not been cultivated for commercial use on a significant scale. As a result, there are no data on the area and production of these vegetables.

Canavalia ensiformis is a vine that originated in South and Central America and has since spread throughout the tropics and subtropics of the planet. It’s used as a food source, fodder, and a cover crop or green manure. As a minor vegetable crop, jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis), commonly known as horse bean, is extensively dispersed in the tropics and subtropics. Jack bean is a semierect annual herb with a bushy appearance. It is only grown on a small scale in India’s eastern and north-eastern regions. Immature pods and seeds are cooked and eaten like a vegetable. The pods should be cooked in water for 15 minutes before cooking, and then the boiling water should be drained.

Kale is thought to have originated in the eastern Mediterranean and Asia Minor, where it was first cultivated for sustenance around 2000 BCE. In the 14th century BC, curly-leaved cabbage cultivars coexisted with flat-leaved forms in Greece.

Botany & taxonomy: Kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) is a loose- leafed food plant that comes from the mustard family’s cabbage (Brassicaceae). Kale is a biennial plant that develops yellow four-petaled blooms in loose clusters in its second year, although being planted as an annual. In the winter, it is robust and flourishes, surviving temperatures as low as -15.0°C. After a strong frost, kale might become sweeter in flavour. Kale is a nutritional powerhouse because to its high levels of vitamins A, K, B6, and C, as well as calcium, potassium, copper, and manganese. Raw kale offers only 33 calories and 7 grammes of carbs per cup. As a result, it’s a diabetic and weight-loss-friendly vegetable.

The leek is a centuries-old crop native to the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East. The plant is linked to the onion, and its flavour is mild, sweet, and onion-like. Leek stalks are commonly used in European soups and stews, particularly as a side dish with potatoes, and can be cooked whole as a vegetable. It is a non-bulb producing onion family member farmed for blanched stem and leaves. It is eaten fresh or combined into salads, and it is cooked as a flavouring in soups and stews. It is not grown commercially in India, although it is a popular vegetable in a kitchen garden. The climate and soil conditions are the same as for onion.

Botany and taxonomy: The leek is a vegetable that is a cultivar of Allium ampeloprasum, often known as the broadleaf wild leek. 

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa), a member of the sunflower family Asteraceae, is India’s most popular salad vegetable. From a commercial standpoint, it is a tiny crop that is exclusively grown in kitchen gardens. However, because of the rising use of lettuce in continental hotels, the acreage and output of lettuce has expanded, making India the third largest producer. Lactuca indica, also known as Indian lettuce, is a lettuce species native to Asia that is found in Meghalaya and Sikkim and is used for medical purposes. Indian lettuce is a generic term for numerous Asian plants with leaves that vary in form and size. It is also known as the Goose vegetable, Tropical lettuce, Ku mak, Yao mak, Ku Mak Cai, Daun Panjang, and Sawi Rana.

Lima beans are flat green or light green beans. It is only utilised for the seed because the pods are coarse or woody. There are two kinds used in commercial canning: a climbing or pole variant and a dwarf or bush variation. Like other legumes used for seed, the lima bean (Phaseolus Iunatus) has a wide range in seed size, shape, and colour, as well as plant structure and primary applications. For freezing, canning, or fresh market usage, mature seeds are utilised like a vegetable. Lima’s have long been used as a grain legume when they are firm and dry. Peru is where they were discovered. The first domestication occurred in the Andes around 2000 BC, resulting in a large-seeded variety (Lima type), while the second occurred around 800 A.D. in Mesoamerica, resulting in a small-seeded variation (Sieva type).

In India, the ivy gourd is also called as small watermelon, little gourd, gentleman’s toes” and “Tindora/Tondli/Kundru.” This vine climbs aggressively and spreads quickly across fences, trees, shrubs, and other supports. Its natural range includes India and stretches from Africa to Asia.

Botany and taxonomy: This is a single-tendered perennial climber with glabrous leaves. The leaves are 6.5-8.5 cm long and 7-8 cm broad, with 5 lobes. It’s a dioecious species. Female and male blooms have three stamens and emerge from the axils on the petiole. Scarlet gourds are a genus of 25 species (Coccinia from the Greek, kokkinia or kokkinias - “red” or “scarlet”). It is found in SubSaharan Africa, as well as South and Southeast Asia (with one species, C. grandis), and has been imported to the New World. This is a single-tendered perennial climber with glabrous leaves. The leaves are 6.5-8.5 cm long and 7-8 cm broad, with 5 lobes. It’s a dioecious species. Female and male blooms have three stamens and emerge from the axils on the petiole.

Cucumis melo var. conomon or Oriental pickled melon is a veining annual vegetable native to China and India. In the summer, it produces yellow blooms, and in the fall, it harvests the fruit. The petals are crumpled because it belongs to the Cucumis genus.

Botany and taxonomy: The fruit’s outer surface is glossy and can be white or green, but it’s known as shiro-uri because when fully ripe, it turns white and is whiter than a cucumber. It’s a melon variety, but it’s used in cooking since it has a lighter sweetness and flavour, as well as a crisp texture when chewed. It contains vitamin C, vitamin B1, and carotene, however the majority of its constituents are water and low in calories.

Parsley is a popular culinary herb that is grown commercially as an annual plant for its attractive and aromatic leaves in many parts of the world. In Europe, parsley is the most generally farmed herb, and in the United States, it is the most commonly utilised herb. Rather than being a part of the diet, it is utilised as a garnish. The leaves’ oil can also be used to make sauces and spices.

Botany and taxonomy: Parsley is a biennial that is cultivated and managed as if it were an annual. It’s the most popular herb for garnishing and flavouring. Parsley comes in two varieties: moss-curled and flat-leaf. Moss-curled produces a rosette of finely cut and tightly curled leaves. It develops as a biennial, with a rosette of tripinnate leaves 10-25 cm (4-10 in) tall, numerous 1-3 cm (0.4-1.2 in) leaflets, and a taproot that serves as a winter food store. It develops a blooming stem with sparser leaves and umbels of yellow to yellowish-green flowers in the second year. 

In the 14th century, the term “parsnip” was borrowed into Middle English as a modification of the Old French word “pasnaie,” which was derived from the Latin noun “pastinaca,” which meant “parsnip” or “carrot.” This history is still reflected in the scientific name for the parsnip, “Pastinaca sativa.” The parsnip is a native of Eurasia; it has been farmed by the Romans and has been used as a vegetable since antiquity, but there is some misunderstanding between parsnips and carrots in historical texts. Prior to the arrival of cane sugar in Europe, it was employed as a sweetener. Parsnips are carrot-shaped root vegetables that are cream-colored and belong to the parsley family. Although they can be eaten fresh, they are more commonly roasted, boiled, fried, or steamed. The thin, tan peel of parsnips is usually peeled before use, revealing white flesh beneath.

The pointed gourd (Trichosanthes dioica Roxb, Cucurbitaceae) is an Indian tropical vegetable crop. It’s called as parwal, palwal, or parmal in different parts of India and Bangladesh, and it’s one of the region’s most significant vegetables. Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and some hilly portions of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu are among the states where the crop is commonly farmed. The entire cultivated area is 56 million hectares, while the total production is 798 million hectares (2018-19). Due to its well-established dioecism, perennial nature, and vegetative modes of multiplication, the pointed gourd is physically unique from other cucurbitaceous species.

As early as the 16th century, rhubarb was farmed and marketed for therapeutic purposes. According to History of Fruit, by the 19th century, rhubarb had acquired prominence as a food and vegetable source, with a redder stem and sweeter flavour. Rhubarb is a native of Central Asia, and knowledge of its therapeutic properties dates back five thousand years in China. It was also widely used by Arabs, Greeks, and Romans in antiquity. It came as no surprise to Marco Polo when he discovered it in China in 1271.

Botany and taxonomy: Rhubarb refers to the fleshy, edible stalks (petioles) of Rheum species and hybrids (culinary rhubarb) of the Polygonaceae family, which are cooked and eaten. Rhubarb refers to the entire plant, which is an herbaceous perennial with short, thick rhizomes. The big, triangular leaves are inedible due to high quantities of oxalic acid and throne glycosides. 

Spinach is estimated to have originated in ancient Persia some 2,000 years ago, and was transported to India and ancient China as the “Persian vegetable” via Nepal in 647 AD. The Saracens introduced spinach to Sicily around 827. Spinach (Spinacia oleracea), also known as vilayati palak in Hindi, is a leafy vegetable that grows well in cool or temperate climates. Vilayati spinach is dioecious, unlike beet leaf spinach, which is hermaphrodite. Its production is restricted to household gardens in mountainous regions of India, and it is consumed as a cooked vegetable.

“Every year, 26,688,150 tonnes of spinach are produced over the world.” With a production output of24,484,507 tonnes per year, China is the world’s greatest spinach grower. The United States of America is in second place, producing 323,620 tonnes each year. “Spinach isn’t grown in India.”

Momordica dioica, also known as bristly balsam pear, prickly carolaho, teasle gourd, and kantola, is a flowering plant of the Cucurbitaceae/gourd family that is commonly known as spiny gourd or spine gourd. It is consumed as a vegetable throughout India and parts of South Asia. It is valuable commercially and is exported and utilised locally. The fruits are sometimes served with meat or fish and are prepared with spices or fried. Underground tubers are used to proliferate it. Small leaves, small yellow flowers, and small, dark green, spherical or oval fruits characterise this plant. It is dioecious, which means there are separate male and female organisms.

In India, Indonesia, Malaysia, China, and tropical Africa, it is widely grown. In India, there are four species of bitter gourd that belong to the genus Momordica.

Botany and taxonomy: It is an annual climber vine with woody, thick stems that can grow up to 20 metres long, large, heart-shaped leaves, large, creamy to pale yellow flowers that are single, ovoid, large, dark green fruits that can grow up to 20 cm long and weigh up to 1.5 kilogrammes, periphery with smooth thorns, yellow turned orange when ripe, and black seeds. The leaves, petals, and seeds of this plant are edible and can be eaten as a vegetable.

• Useful plant parts: Fruits, leaves, flowers, tuberous root and seeds.
• Medicinal uses: To treat Ulcers, lumbago, fractures, bronchial asthma and bleeding piles.

These beans are mostly found in China, Korea, Japan, India, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, and Indonesia, and are not frequently cultivated for commercial purposes. Sword bean pods can reach a length of over a foot and a width of one to two inches. It is grown as a minor vegetable for local use throughout South and Southeast Asia, particularly in India, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar. Sword bean is typically planted as an annual vegetable crop because it is a perennial climbing legume. Sword bean is grown for its soft pods, which can be eaten raw or cooked.

Pigeon pea seeds discovered in historical tombs suggest it was farmed in Egypt circa 2000 BC. Vavilov (1939) concluded that India is the primary origin of the cultivated pigeon pea due to the wide diversity of germplasm available. It’s a crucial location in rain-fed agriculture. It is grown on 4.92 million hectares worldwide, including 3.58 million hectares (72.7 percent) in India alone. Although the crop is planted in 22 nations, it is only cultivated in considerable areas in a handful of them. Its seeds have become a widespread food in Asia, Africa, and Latin America since its domestication in the Indian subcontinent at least 3,500 years ago. It is an important source of protein for the Indian subcontinent’s people and is consumed on a big scale in South Asia. India is a major producer of pigeon peas. Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Mozambique, and Tanzania are major producers of pigeon pea on the African continent.

Equatorial Asia is home to winged beans (Geneva). On atrip to Thailand, Baker Creek’s founder, Jere Gettle, first observed flying beans. Because the winged bean is a tropical crop from the tropics, it takes a long time to flower, setting pods right before frost in our Missouri environment. The winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) is a tropical herbaceous legume plant also known as cigarillas, goa bean, four-angled bean, four-cornered bean, manila bean, princess bean, asparagus bean, and dragon bean. From the Philippines and Indonesia to India, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka, winged bean thrives in hot, humid equatorial climates. It’s well-known, yet it’s only farmed in limited quantities in Southeast Asia and Papua New Guinea.

Current Status of Seed Production

Organized seed production in India became possible with the formation of National Seed Corporation (NSC) during 1963, which paved the way for a sound seed industry to come as a consequence of the introduction of hybrid technology during 1961-65. The release of high yielding dwarf varieties of wheat and rice by the 1960’s gave further impetus to the growth of the seed industry in the country. For the total area under cultivation of 26.7 m ha and 65 per cent of the area) insect, disease and weeds (10-40 per cent loss) and also poor shelf-life. Hybrid technology have defined solution in several crop plants specially vegetables, cotton, rice etc. with the development of appropriate hybridization and seed production. In 1990-91, the area planted to ‘bought seed’ was about 10.35 per cent. The total ‘bought seed’ was estimated at around 5.91 lakh tonnes valued at Rs 679.80 crores. 

2.1 Rice

Rice is the staple food for the largest number of people on the Earth. According to an estimate, the global rice production must reach 800 million tonne from the present 91.04 million tonne in 2005-06 to meet the demand in 2025. It’s area is 37% of the total area under food grains as against 20% under wheat, another important food crop. But globally it stands next to wheat in harvested area. As the irrigated rice contributes more than 75 per cent of the total rice production, enhancing its yield potential would be key to meeting the global rice requirement for an additional 215 million tonne. To achieve the target yield, rice varieties with a yield advantage of about 20 per cent over popular and widely adapted rice varieties under tropical conditions must be developed. Experience in China, India, Vietnam, Philippines, Bangladesh and several other countries clearly indicates that hybrid rice technology offers readily available option to meet this challenge. 

3.1 Redgram or Pigeon Pea

In any production programme, the importance of quality seed needs hardly be emphasized. In fact, the major bottleneck in the pigeon pea cultivation programme is the restricted or poor availability of quality seeds of the desirable varieties. The seed has been considered as the ‘vehicle of change’. With better attention paid to their interaction among water, fertilizer and seed of improved varieties, the production can be maximized. Although a numbers of improved varieties of pigeon pea have been released since 1970, organized seed production programmes have been rather limited. Most of our national efforts in this direction continue to be centralized on cereal crops like wheat, rice and hybrid millets. Moreover, the benefits of the current research will not reach the farmers unless large-scale seed multiplication programmes are organized.