Classification of Vegetable Crops

Classification of Vegetable Crops

There are many numbers of Vegetables. Different parts are used for consumption. They are botanically different and their climatic and cultural requirements are different.

There are four Main Methods of Classification Based on:

1. Education Botanical relation
2. Based on Hardiness (Tolerance to low temp)
3. Parts Used for consumption
4. Methods of Culture

1. Botanical Classification:

This method of classification is based on botanical relationships of crops in responding cytology, morphology, taxonomy and cross ability. This is useful to breaf for crop improvement and seed producer for deciding isolation distance. The cuntroal requirements may vary ex. Solanaceous family includes potato, chili and brampal, There are same cultural requirements. At the same time cucurbitaceous have similar cultural requirements and common pests and diseases. Botanical name avoids infusion in name as common names are different but scientific names are common all over would. It gives information on class, family, genus, species, variety etc Ex. Solanaceous family, Potato, brinjal, chili, cucurbitaceous family: Melons, gourds. Not useful to grower. Thus botanical classification is useful to breeder, seed producer and to avoid confusion in common name.

2. Classification Based on Hardiness:

Vegetables are grouped as hardy or tender on the basis of tolerance to frost, tolerance to lower temperature. This gives information of season of growing i.e. summer or winter. Not useful to grower, since soil and climatic requirements are

3) Based on Parts Used for Consumption:

From roots to fruits different parts of vegetables are consumed. On that basis vegetables are classified.

4) Based on Method of Culture:

In this method all those crops having similar cultural requirements are grouped together. They" are botanically different. System has practical utility for vegetable grower. In this method one can generalise cultivation practices for one group and thus avoid repetition individually for all crops. There are 11 classes. In some cases they are botanically also similar Ex. cucurbits. On excises for convenience they are grouped as under.