Introduction to Olericulture

• Olericulture is a branch of horticulture that focuses on vegetables.
• Olericulture originates from the Latin word "Oleris" (pot herb) and the English word "culture" (cultivation).
• Vegetables are defined as edible herbaceous plants or their parts, typically consumed unripe and cooked.
• Vegetables are a good source of energy, nutrients, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fats, and protein.
• Vegetables possess dietary factors such as vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, acting as protective supplementary food.
• Vegetables contribute to taste, increase appetite, and provide dietary fiber.
• Vegetables help maintain health, protect against degenerative diseases, and neutralize acids from protein and fat digestion.
• Nutrient content varies among different vegetables.
• Peas and beans are protein-rich.
• Root crops like tapioca, sweet potato, and potato are high in carbohydrates.
• Peas, beans, spinach, and bendi are sources of calcium, potassium, and iron, which are lacking in cereals.
• Amaranth, cabbage, and beans have cellulose aiding in digestion.
• Leaf and fruit vegetables provide vitamins.

Dietary Factors and Their Vegetable Sources

• Calories: sweet potato, tapioca, yam, colacasia corms, potato, Brussels sprouts, onion, garlic, immature broad bean and peas.
• Proteins: peas, double bean, winged bean, garlic, Brussels sprouts, cowpea, lema bean seeds, amaranth, leaves, drumstick leaves and menthe. 
• Vitamin A (Beta Carotene): carrot, spinach, turnip green, palak, mustard green, amaranth, coriander, colacasia leaves, sweet potato, pumpkin, tomato.
• Vitamin B Complex: peas, broad bean, lema bean, garlic, asparagus, colacasia, and tomato.
• Vitamin C: turnip green, green chillies, Brussels sprouts, mustard green, amaranth, coriander, drumstick leaves, cauliflower, knoll khol spinach, cabbage, bitter gourd, and reddish leaves.
• Calcium: curry leaves, amaranth leaves, drumstick leaves, menthi, turnip, mustard green, coriander, and palak.
• Iron: drumstick leaves and fruits, amaranth, menthi, mint, coriander, spinach, palak, mustard green, lettuce, and cabbage.
• Roughages: amaranth and root vegetables.
• Vegetable milk: pea pods and cabbage leaves.

Importance of Vegetables in the National Economy

• India produces about 129 million tonnes of vegetables annually from 7.98 million ha.
• India contributes 13.4% of the world's vegetable production (2009 data).
• Vegetable crops have high export potential.
• Vegetables worth Rs 4431 crores are exported annually in fresh and processed forms.
• APEDA regulates the export and import of food products.
• Traditional vegetables: onion, potato, bhendi, bitter gourd, and chillies.
• Nontraditional vegetables: asparagus, celery, paprika, sweet corn, baby corn, beans, peas and cherry tomato are short-listed by APEDA for export.
• 77% of onion production is exported, earning foreign exchange.
• Onions and traditional vegetables are imported by Gulf countries, Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal.
• Non-traditional vegetables are imported by Australia, European countries, and Southeast Asian and Gulf countries.
• Only 1% of total vegetable output is utilized by the processing industry.
• Inadequate preservation and storage leads to a 25% loss of vegetables.
• Improving post-harvest techniques can ensure year-round availability.

Types of Vegetable Gardens

• Vegetable gardens are classified into 7 types based on their purpose:
• Home or Kitchen Gardens: Vegetable crops are grown in the backyard to meet the family's daily needs; layout varies among individuals, city gardeners use intensive methods.
• Advantages of kitchen gardens: recreation, exercise, hobby, reduces expenditure, trains children, provides fresh, market-infection-free vegetables.
• Market Gardens: Vegetables are produced for the local market, located 15-20 km from a city, cropping based on local demand, intensive cultivation.
  • Market gardeners aim to grow early varieties, high land/labour costs offset by city compost, sludge, water, and high returns.
• Truck Gardens: Selected crops are produced in large quantities for distant markets, more extensive cultivation than market gardens.
  • Commodities are sold through middlemen, location depends on soil and climate.
• Vegetable Gardens for Processing: Gardens are located near processing factories, growing specific varieties for canning, dehydration, or freezing, specializing in bulk vegetables.
  • Heavier soil is preferred for continuous high yield, prices are on fixed contracts.
• Vegetable-Forcing: Producing vegetables out of season using glass and plastic houses, common crops include tomato and cucumber.
  • Used in temperate regions, special varieties are developed, growing summer vegetables on riverbeds in winter with organic manure is also a type of vegetable forcing.
• Vegetable Gardens for Seed Production: Requires thorough knowledge of vegetable crops.
  • Needed knowledge of growth habits, pollination, and isolation distances.
  • Proper seed handling, curing, threshing, cleaning, grading, packing, and storage is vital. - Registered and certified seeds are multiplied by growers, expanding industry in India.
• Floating Vegetable Gardens: Floating gardens are seen on Dal Lake in Kashmir.
  • Supplied to Srinagar using roots of Typha grass as a base, seedlings are transplanted on leaf compost and inter-cultural operations are done from boats.