Tropical and subtropical vegetables (2+1)

Definition

• Horticulture is gaining importance as it gives more returns per unit area and also gives nutritious food to human beings thereby improves quality of life and enhances the aesthetic beauty of nature. Vegetable growing is one of the major branches of horticulture and from the point of view of value of the products; it is the most important branch.
“Vegetables are defined as edible herbaceous plants/plant parts consumed as raw or after cooking and rich in vitamins and minerals low in calorific value”.
• In technical sense all parts are vegetables used for consumption. The term, however, is usually applied to the edible plants which store up reserve food in roots, tubers, bulbs, stems, petioles, leaves, buds, flowers, fruits, and seeds which are eaten either cooked or raw.
• Growing vegetables is not only important for providing the protective food but also serve as an important subsidiary food playing a more significant role in the food consumption. They are rich in nutrients and are essential components of a balanced diet. Vegetables contribute vitally to the general well being due to the following reasons.