Success in vegetable production depends on factors such as site selection, water supply and quality, crop and variety selection and, market development. If the wrong decision is made with regard to anyone of these, the operation is doomed for failure. Optimum vegetable production is achieved on welldrained sandy loam soils. Although vegetables can be grown on a wide range of soil types, most vegetables are not well adapted to heavy clay soil types. Soils of this type tend to have poor aeration and drainage and can restrict root growth. Consequently, these soils should be avoided. Soil is the fundamental resource base for all agricultural production systems.
Propagation through seeds is used mainly to bring about a varied population for the purpose of selection and hybridisation. For example, as Mulberry flowers are open for crosspollination, the seeds thus collected serve mainly as sources of stock material for grafting. In general, a deficiency of hormone must be created experimentally to show that adding a hormone has an effect.
The book also includes chapters on common pathogens of vegetable crops, disease problems in nurseries, postharvest diseases and disease problems caused by nematodes. The book describes the basic botany of vegetables, environmental requirements for successful growth and development, mineral nutrition, field establishment, harvesting methods and postharvest handling practices.
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