REPORTS / MEMIOGRAPH

Horticulture in Himachal Pradesh, Dr. V.K. Sharma

Horticulture is a specialized branch of Agriculture and deals with the cultivation of fruits, vegetables and flowers. Apart from the production of different kinds of fruits, vegetables and flowers, this branch of science deals with their protection and preservation. Horticulture can also be defined as the agronomy of high value crops. Fruits are of different kinds, shapes, colours, tastes and utilities. Some are cultivated while others are found growing in their wild state. Same is the case with vegetables. There are root vegetables (carrot, radish, turnip, beet), stem vegetables (potato, ginger, arum), leafy vegetables (spinach, cabbage, mustard, amaranthus, fenugreek), flower vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli), fruit vegetables (tomato, sweet pepper, chillies, peas, bhindi, cucumber, pumpkin) and seed vegetables (cowpeas, peas), which have different shapes, colours and tastes. Fruits and vegetables are in high demand as they have a high nutritive value. Ornamental plants and flowering plants attract all categories of people, right from the growers to the plant and nature lovers. Ornamental parts are of different types and shapes like the leaves, variegated as that of Coleus, needle shaped like ferns and asparagus, heart shaped like cyclamen and sword shaped like gladiolus. Their flowers and fruits are attractive, eye-catching and attract honey-bees and other pollinating insects. Their flowers can also be dried for off-season purposes and decoration. Horticultural wealth in Himachal Himalayas is plenty but has not been documented and exploited, for want of which certain areas suitable for horticultural crops cannot be ascertained and remain unutilized. Some growers have tried in the past to introduce some exotic crops ignoring the potential for indigenous crops. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to document the situation with respect to the horticultural wealth of the region. This will pave the way for the introduction of suitable varieties of horticultural crops in the region. The primary objective of the study is to document the fruits, flowers and vegetable crops grown in Himachal Pradesh. It is a pilot study to create an information bank on each crop with details of its place of availability, production, packaging practices and impacts on the economic life of the people of the region. Under the present scenario of competing land uses, it has become essential to earmark the areas that are most suitable for cultivation of a particular crop. Based on past experiences of growers and scientists future planning can be implemented effectively. The study also attempts to make recommendations for improving the economic and nutritional status of the people living in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh.

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