Horticulture

Horticulture is defined as the branch of agriculture that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of growing plants. Horticulture involves in production of medicinal plants, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, algae, flowers, seaweeds and non-food crops such as grass and ornamental trees and plants. Plant conservation, landscape restoration, garden design, construction, and maintenance, and arboriculture are part of horticulture. Horticulture is important because of its benefits like high export value, high per unit area yield, high returns per unit area, best utilization of waste land, provision of raw material for industries and protection of environment. It also improves economic conditions of many farmers and has become means of improving livelihood of many under-privileged classes by generating employment. Recent advances in technologies such as biotechnology, genomics, various methods and techniques in cultivation, has accelerated cultivar development greatly in all plants. This book gives insight on latest technologies and their applications in the field of horticulture.