1.1. Importance of Vegetable Crops

Vegetables are a complex group of a wide variety of different types of plants. Some species grow from year to year; other grows and dies within one or two years. They have diverse forms of propagation by seeds or vegetative parts. They may be herbaceous, viny, shrubby, or tree in growth habit. They differ in growth requirements. Many vegetables can be grown under a wide range of conditions; while others have requirements that are more exacting for water, temperature, and light.

Thus, in one; lace several species can be grown throughout the year, but there are others that can be grown only during certain times of the year. Different parts of a plant may be used as a vegetable, depending on the localities and culture. In general, developing countries utilize more parts of a particular plant as a vegetable than developed countries. Most vegetables are high in water content, which makes them bulky and highly perishable, particularly, the leaf ones.

Because of their diverse nature, it is very difficult to come-up with a single, acceptable, all-encompassing definition of vegetables. Definitions of the word ‘Vegetable’ are generally based on their use. A vegetable could thus be defined as an edible, usually a succulent plant or a portion of it eaten with staple as main courses or as supplementary food in cooked or raw form.

The term ‘vegetable’ is usually used to designate the tender edible shoots, leaves, fruits and roots of plants that are eaten whole or in part, raw or cooked, as a supplement to starch food and meats. Most of them are herbaceous and the definition not includes sweet dessert fruits. Vegetables are usually harvested when the plant is fresh and high in moisture and are thus distinguished from field crops, which are harvested at the mature stage for their grains, pulses, oilseeds or fiber.