Horticulture

Horticulture

Horticulture is a branch of agriculture that deals with cultivation of fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants. The word horticulture is derived from the latin words 'hortus' meaning garden and 'colere' meaning to cultivate. Horticulture is both a science and an art of growing plants with improved growth, quality, yield, and with resistance to diseases, insects, stress etc. There are four main classes of horticulture: (i) Pomology (fruit farming), (ii) Olericulture (vegetable farming), (iii) Floriculture (flowers farming), (iv) Landscape gardening.

1. Pomology or Fruit farming

The term pomology is derived from the latin word ‘pomum’ means fruit and ‘logy’ means study. It deals with development, enhancement of fruit quality, cultivation techniques, regulation of production periods and reduction of production cost of fruits.

2. Olericulture or Vegetable farming

Olericulture is the science of growing vegetables. Vegetable farming can be classified into: i) Kitchen or Nutrition gardening ii) Commercial gardening iii) Vegetable forcing.

Kitchen gardening

Kitchen gardening is growing of vegetables in small scale at household. e.g. Beans, Cabbage, Lady's finger, Tomato, Brinjal, Carrot, Spinach etc.

Commercial gardening

It is the production of vegetables in large scale to be sold in markets.

Vegetable forcing

It is the method of growing vegetables in buildings, green houses, cold farms or under other artificial growing conditions. It is the most intensive type of vegetable growing. e.g. Cabbage, Tomato, Brinjal etc.

Green House or Poly House

It is a framed structure covered with transparent material to grow crops under partialiy or fully controlled environmental conditions to get optimum growth and productivity. It is the fastest growing sector in the agriculture worldwide.

Advantages of Green House

·           Disease-free plants can be produced continuously.

·           Water requirement of crops is very low.

·           Yield is very high compared to outdoor cultivation.

·           Limited pesticide is needed.

·           It protects plants from uncertain weather.

3. Floriculture or Flower farming

Floriculture is the art of cultivation of flowering and ornamental plants in garden for beauty or floristry. It is concerned with growing traditional flowers, cut flowers, bedding plants, foliage potted plants, arboriculture trees, turf grass for beautification and value added products like essential oils, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical compounds. Examples: Geraniums (Pelargonium), Busy lizzies (Impatiens), Chrysanthemum and Petunia.

Uses of flowers

·           Flowers are used for decoration purpose.

·           They are also used for personal needs and, religious and ceremonial offerings.

·           They impart colour and beauty to the garden.

·           They increase country’s economy.

4. Landscape gardening

Landscape horticulture is the study of designing and constructing landscapes in homes, business firms and public areas.