Horticulture- Introduction - Scope and Importance.pdf

Horticulture- Introduction - Scope and Importance.pdf

1. Horticulture -Introduction
22CHOR11 - Fundamentals of Horticulture 2(1+1)
Dr. M. Kumaresan (Hort.)
Department of Horticulture
Vels Institute of Science, Technology & Advanced
Studies (VISTAS)
Pallavaram, Chennai, Tamil Nadu -600117

2. Introduction
India is the seventh largest country in the world with a total
geographical area of 328.73 m ha and has second largest
population 121crores (2011), after China.
Total arable land available is 144 million hectares of which 70% is
under rainfed cultivation.
Around 55-60 % of the total population depends on agriculture
and allied activities.
Horticulture crops constitute a significant portion of total
agricultural production in the country.

3. Introduction
Word horticulture first conceived by Peter Laurenberg.
In English language the word horticulture used for the
first time in 1678 in a book entitled “New World of
Words” by Phillips. Garden originated from the latin term
Gyrdan meaning to enclose. When fruits are grown in a
definite area then that part is called as an Orchard
First book exclusively on litchi cultivation was published in
China in 1056 A.D.

4. Introduction
The term “Horticulture” is probably of recent origin and it first
appeared in writings of 17th century. This word is derived from the
Latin word ‘Hortus’ meaning ‘garden’ and ‘cultura’ meaning
‘cultivation’. Today horticulture encompasses more than garden
cultivation. The modem 'horticulture' may be defined as the crop
science which deals with the production, utilization and
improvement of fruits, vegetables, ornamental plants, spices and
plantation crops including medicinal and aromatic plants.

5. Horticultural science can be distinguished from agricultural or
forestry science in one or more ways
Horticultural produces are utilized in the fresh state and are highly perishableIn
contrast, field and forestry crops are often utilized in the dried state and they are
usually high in dry matter content..
Horticultural crops generally require intensive cultivation warranting a large
input, capital, labor and technology per unit area of land, whereas agricultural
crops require only extensive cultivation.
Cultural operation such as propagation, fertilizer application, training, pruning,
harvesting, postharvest handling and marketing are skilled operations and are
specific to horticultural crops.
Horticultural crops are richest source of vitamins and minerals whereas
agricultural crops are generally richest in carbohydrates or proteins.
Aesthetic sense or gratification is an exclusive phenomenon of horticultural
science.

6. SCOPE OF HORTICULTURE
Incentive for the farmer: The biggest incentive for the farmer is money.
Horticultural crops provide more returns in terms of per unit area of production,
export value, value addition compared to agricultural crops.
Adaptability: India is bestowed with a great variety of climatic and edaphic
conditions as we have climates varying from tropical, subtropical, temperate and
within these humid, semi-arid, arid, frost free temperate etc. Likewise, we have
soils from loam, alluvial, laterite, medium black, rocky shallow, heavy black,
sandy etc., and thus a large number of crops can be accommodated with very
high level of adaptability. Thus, there is lot of scope for horticultural crops

7. SCOPE OF HORTICULTURE
Necessity: After having achieved the self-sufficiency in food, nutritional
security for the people of the country has become the point of
consideration/priority. To meet the nutritional requirement in terms of
vitamins and minerals horticulture crops are to be grown in sufficient
quantities to provide a bare minimum of 85 g of fruits and 200 g of
vegetables per head per day with a population of above 120 crores. Good land
is under pressure for stable food, industry, housing, roads and infrastructure
due to population explosion and only wasteland had to be efficiently utilized
where cultivation of annuals is a gamble due to restricted root zone and their
susceptibility of abiotic stress. These lands can be best utilized to cultivate
hardy horticultural crops like fruits and medicinal plants. At present our
share in international trade of horticultural commodities is less than one per
cent of total trade. Moreover, these commodities (spices, coffee, tea etc.,)
fetch 10-20 times more foreign exchange per unit weight than cereals and
therefore, taking advantage of globalization of trade, nearness of big market
and the size of production, our country should greatly involve in
international trade which would provide scope for growth.

8. SCOPE OF HORTICULTURE
Export value: Among fresh fruits-mangoes and grapes; in
vegetables- onion and potato; among flowers, roses; among
plantation - cashewnut, tea, coffee, coconut, arecanut, and spice
crops like black pepper, cardamom, ginger, turmeric, chillies, etc.,
constitute the bulk of the export basket. European and gulf
countries are major importer of horticultural produce.

9. IMPORTANCE OF HORTICULTURE
Horticultural crops contribute to national income. This can be well
judged from the total value of the produce available annually from
these crops. Horticultural crops occupy only 13 per cent of the
cropped area but their contribution to the national income is
roughly 28 per cent of the total value of the agricultural produce.
The average increase in the value has been 33.6 per cent, while the
value to the total agricultural produce has gone up only by 26.8 per
cent during the same period. The contribution of horticultural
crops to the national income is also perceptible by the annual
foreign exchange earnings achieved through their export.

10. The agriculture sector accounts for about 25 per cent of our export
basket. Of this, horticultural crops alone account for over 56 per
cent. These crops fetch 20-30 times more foreign exchange per unit
area than cereals due to higher yields and higher prices available in
the international market. In India, horticultural products including
fruits, vegetables, their processed products, spices and plantation
crops, cut flowers and live ornamental plants and the planting
materials such as seeds of vegetable crops and flowering plants are
being exported. Since these horticultural crops brine money gold
to farmers, the development in horticulture is often called as
'Golden Revolution’.
IMPORTANCE OF HORTICULTURE

11. Fruits and vegetables are regarded as 'protective foods' since
they supply minerals such a Calcium, Iron and
phosphorus and vitamins like A, B complexes and C in
adequate quantities. They also contain a variety of
polyphenols which are increasingly regarded as protective
agent’s chronic diseases. These are required to keep our
health in good condition. Iron from fruits is belter
absorbed and become easily available than the iron from
meal. Fruit and vegetables also serve as good laxatives.
IMPORTANCE OF HORTICULTURE

12. For the predominantly vegetarian Indians, the Nutrition Expert Group
prescribes daily a minimum of 2400-3900 calories of energy. 55 g proteins, 0.4
– 0.5 g calcium, 50 mg iron, 3000 mg of β carotene for the supply of Vitamin
A, 1.2 -2.0 mg thiamine, 1.3 -2.2 mg riboflavin, 16- 26 mg nicotinic acid, 50
mg ascorbic acid, 100 mg folic acid and 1 mg vit. B12. To obtain this,
dietitians recommended 300 g of vegetables (i.e. 125 g of green leafy vegetables,
100 g of roots and tubers and 75 g of other vegetables) and 90 g of fruits per
day. But the per capita availability works to about, 30 g of fruits and 92 g of
vegetables. This gap has to be bridged by increasing the production and
productivity of fruits and vegetables. Recent recommendation from
FAO/WHO shows that men and women should respectively consume atleast
800 and 400 g of fruits and vegetables daily to reduce the burden of diseases
like diabetics, cardiovascular diseases, obesity and even cancer.
IMPORTANCE OF HORTICULTURE

13. IMPORTANCE OF HORTICULTURE
Horticultural crops are also good sources of proteins and fats as indicated below
Protein rich sources(g/100 g)Fat rich sources(g/100 g)
Agathi (Pods and tender leaves)
8.4 Cashew nut46.9
Cluster beans (Pods)
3.2 Almond 58.9
Peas (Green seeds)
7.2 Coconut (fresh)41.6
Curry leaves
6.1 Walnut 64.5

14. IMPORTANCE OF HORTICULTURE
Horticultural crops yield more produces per unit area compared to cereals
CropsYield (t/ha)CropsYield (t/ha)Crops
Yield
(t/ha)
Fruits 8.4Vegetables 12.2Spices 10
Banana 40-60Potato20-25Paddv 5-6
Pineapple45Tapioca30-40Wheat 4-5
Grapes 40Tomato10-14

15. IMPORTANCE OF HORTICULTURE
Horticultural crops generate more employment opportunities, especially in the
rural sector, uplifting the rural economy
Crops
(Fruits and
Vegetables)
Labour
requirement
(Man days/ha)
Crops
(Plantation
crops)
Labour
requirement
(Man
days/ha)
Fruits 680 Tea 875
1.Grapes 2500 Coffee250-390
1.Banana 1000 Cardamom 190
Vegetables 200 Cereals 143

16. Social importance: It is a part of civilization, wherever civilization is
highly advanced, and horticulture is widely developed. Flowers are
being used for worshipping Gods in temples. Every woman in our
country' considers her adornment complete only when her hair is
decorated with aromatic and attractive colorful flowers. Flower
offering is a symbol of affection in other countries. Often in hotels
and business establishment, keeping the cut flowers in vases is
becoming very common in India.
IMPORTANCE OF HORTICULTURE

17. Horticultural Therapy: In some parts of the U.S.A., people who are
unhappy and do not have mental power and balance are given
horticultural therapy, a treatment by means of which their attention
is diverted to ornamental gardening, flower decoration etc. and thus
they are made free from their unhappy mood. Also, by making
them to be with flowers of particular colour, the mental stress or
depression can be removed
IMPORTANCE OF HORTICULTURE

18. Flower therapy or aroma therapy: Art and science of using essential
oils from plant sources for keeping us healthy. Although this is well
mentioned in early civilization, nowadays, it is gaining scientific,
medical and popular reorganization. It helps to eliminate stresses
and improve overall health without using chemical drugs. The
essential oils, found in petals, leaves, roots and heartwood of plants
act as anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal agents besides help to
cure many disorders
IMPORTANCE OF HORTICULTURE

19. Orchard tourism: This new concept is slowly developing in many
countries. Visiting orchards for recreation has become an important
tourist activity for urban citizens where the tourists are encouraged
to hands-on involvement in activities like planting, pruning,
grafting and harvesting fruits in order to freely engaged in
agricultural production activities, which is now a different
experience from their urban life.
IMPORTANCE OF HORTICULTURE

20. Other importance: Similar to forest trees these horticultural trees
will maintain the ecosphere. They help in transforming the micro
climate. Provides shelter to birds, reptiles and other microorganisms
and add to the geo-ecological diversity on the land. Provides thrust
to the writers, poets, thinkers and analysts there by keep their
cultural impulse alive. Adds to the survival of life-spheres of living
entity
IMPORTANCE OF HORTICULTURE

21. Horticulture is important due to the following considerations
Source of variability in produce. Source of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, aroma,
alkaloids, oleoresins, fibre, etc. Source of medicine. As an economic proposition as
they give higher returns per unit area in terms of energy, money, job, etc.
Employment generation - fruit crops require 860-man days/annum as against 143-
man days/annum for cereal crops whereas the crops like grapes, banana and
pineapple needs 1000- 2500-man days per annum.
Effective utilization of waste land through cultivation of hardy fruits and
medicinal plants. As a substitute for family income being the component of home
garden/ kitchen garden. As a foreign exchange earner, has higher share compare
to agriculture crops.
As an input for industry being amenable to processing, especially fruit and
vegetable preservation industry.
Aesthetic consideration and protection of the environment. Religious significance
in the country.