Pest and Soil Management of Horticultural Crops

Description

Horticulture has been defined as the culture of plants, mainly for food, materials, comfort and beauty. Horticultural crops are an important source of carbohydrates, proteins, organic acids, vitamins and minerals for human nutrition. A pest is any animal or plant detrimental to humans or human concerns, including crops, livestock and forestry. Pests affect human beings by feeding on all kinds of plants including crop plants, forest trees, medicinal plants and even stored products causing huge amount of loss and also deterioration of food quality. Plant diseases may be due to pathogenic or non-pathogenic organisms. Due to perishability in nature horticultural crops respire, transpire and ripen upon harvest thus deteriorating the food value of the produce for human consumption. In view of above, the present book deals with productivity enhancing technologies such as use of high yielding varieties/hybrids, high density planting, micro-irrigation, fertigation, protected cultivation, bio-technological approaches, integrated nutrient, weed, pest, disease and nematode management in general and crop-wise in particular. The book is illustrated with excellent quality photographs enhancing the quality of publication. The book is written in lucid style, easy to understand language along with adoptable recommendations for enhancing the productivity. It will be very beneficial to teachers, students, scientists, research planners and research workers.