Vegetables are the integral part of our daily diet with low carbohydrate and fat. The biological value of vegetable protein is high. Vegetable contains adequate quantity of vitamins and minerals and have medicinal values. Therefore, these are known as protective foods. The demand of fresh vegetables is increasing due to growth of health consciousness, populations, enhanced income and living standards. Most of the vegetables are short duration, quick growing, convenient for raising even on small piece of land, economical and remunerative.
The book “Winter Vegetables : Advances and Developments” has been written keeping in view the increasing requirement of vegetable in the country to meet the ever-increasing demand of growing population. The winter season has been found to be the most appropriate part of the year to grow quality vegetables. In this endeavour, various efforts have also been made by the researchers and growers. However, the information is fragmented which has been tried to put together for better readership. The unique feature of this book is that a special attention has been focused on all the latest aspects of winter vegetable production technology. The book “Winter Vegetables : Advances and Developments” consists almost all the production management practices and informations on origin, distribution, botany, floral biology, taxonomy, classification/plant breeding, composition, uses, varieties and hybrids climatic influence, soil requirement, sowing, planting, nutritional requirements, irrigation, interculture, weed control, use of chemicals and micronutrients, plant protection measures, harvesting, yield, post harvest handling and seed production.
The book also provide suitable and latest references for readers. We hope that the information contained in this book will be of immense value to farming community and other stake holders like seed dealers, extension workers, students, teachers, researchers, extension agencies also in vegetable industry, agribusiness entrepreneurs and NGO’s involved in vegetable production.
Dr. Dina Nath Singh is Professor of Horticulture, Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar. He received B.Sc. (Ag.) degree from Udai Pratap College, Varanasi under Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur (UP) in 1974 and M.Sc. (Ag.) Horticulture and Ph.D., Horticulture from Banaras Hindu University in 1976 and 1982, respectively. Dr. Singh has 31 years of Research experience in the field of Vegetable Science along with 13 years experience of teaching of Graduate, Post Graduate and Ph.D. students in the field of vegetable science. He has 80 research papers published in National and International Journals. Dr. Singh has guided several Post-Graduate and Ph.D. students in the field of vegetable science. He has authored two text books on vegetable science entitled “Production Management of Underutilized Vegetables” and “Varieties and Hybrids of Vegetables”. He has developed a number of technologies for increasing production of vegetables in Orissa. Dr. Singh is a fellow of Society of Environmental Sciences. He is the life member of 4 scientific Societies. He has attended several workshops, seminars and symposia of national and international repute during his service careers related with Horticultural crops. Dr. Singh has also served as Associate Director of Research, RRTTS (WCTLZ) of Orissa; Professor of Vegetable Science; Professor of Horticulture and Officer-in-Charge of All India Coordinated Research Project on Medicinal & Aromatic Plants and Betelvine, OUAT, Bhubaneswar Centre; Associate Director of Research, RRTTS (CZ-1), Bhubaneswar and Joint Director (Distance Education), Directorate of Extension Education, OUAT, Bhubaneswar.
Prof. Vishal Nath, has completed his Master’s degree from Narendra Dev University of Agricultural and Technology, Faizabad and Ph.D. from Kanpur. He worked as scientist (Horticulture) at Central Institute for Sub-tropical Horticulture, Lucknow and NRC for Arid Horticulture, Bikaner. He served as Senior Scientist at Central Horticultural Experiment Station (IIHR), Ranchi and joined as Professor (Horticulture) at Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi. Presently, he is working as Principal Scientist & Head, Central Horticultural Experiment Station (IIHR), Bhubaneswar. Apart from his contribution to National Agricultural Research System (NARS), he has wider exposure to Hi-tech Horticulture being practiced in developed countries like Israel.
Prof. Vishal Nath has exclusively worked on fruits of major and minor importance being grown in arid and semi-arid regions and under waste land conditions. He has developed many technologies and varieties of different fruit crops suitable for resource poor areas. He has written several technical bulletins, extension folders and information brochures on these aspects. Prof. Vishal Nath has authored very important books on arid horticulture, Litchi and Fruit Production Technology for Plateau regions. Prof. Vishal Nath has more than 200 publications on different fruits which includes research papers, popular article, technical bulletins, research manuals and information bulletins in his credit.
