Olericulture
Vegetable production — tomato, potato, onion, cabbage, cauliflower, brinjal, cucurbits. Covers nursery management, hybrid vegetable seeds, crop protection, vegetable preservation and export quality standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the classification of vegetables in olericulture?
Vegetables are classified by the edible part used: (1) Solanaceous/Fruit vegetables — tomato, brinjal, chilli, potato (botanical fruit, edible as vegetable); (2) Cole crops (Brassicaceae) — cabbage (leaf), cauliflower (curd/inflorescence), knol-khol (stem); (3) Cucurbits — cucumber, bottle gourd, bitter gourd, pumpkin (fruit); (4) Bulb crops — onion, garlic; (5) Root vegetables — radish, carrot, beetroot; (6) Leafy vegetables — spinach, fenugreek, amaranthus. Classification also by season: warm-season (cucurbits, tomato) and cool-season (cabbage, peas, carrot).
What are the seed rates and spacing for major vegetables?
Key seed rates for IBPS AFO: Tomato — 400–500 g/ha (transplanted); Brinjal — 400–500 g/ha; Chilli — 1–1.5 kg/ha; Onion — 8–10 kg/ha (direct sown), 1.5–2 kg/ha (nursery transplant); Cabbage — 400–500 g/ha; Cauliflower — 400–500 g/ha; Cucumber — 2–2.5 kg/ha; Pumpkin — 3–4 kg/ha; Potato — 25–30 quintals/ha (seed tubers). Spacing: Tomato 60×45 cm, Onion 15×10 cm, Potato 60×20 cm, Watermelon 2×2 m.
What is protected cultivation in vegetables?
Protected cultivation grows vegetables in polyhouses, greenhouses, net houses, or plastic mulch tunnels to control temperature, humidity, light, and pest pressure. Benefits: year-round production, off-season supply, water saving (drip irrigation), reduced pesticide use, premium price. Common in tomato, capsicum (bell pepper), cucumber, and lettuce in India. NHB (National Horticulture Board) and MIDH (Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture) provide subsidies for polyhouse construction — up to 50% of cost.
What are the key hybrid varieties of major vegetables in India?
Important hybrid varieties tested in exams: Tomato — Pusa Hybrid-1, Pusa Hybrid-2 (IARI); Brinjal — Pusa Hybrid-5, Pusa Hybrid-6; Cabbage — Pride of India (open-pollinated), Golden Acre; Cauliflower — Pusa Snowball K-1 (late); Onion — Pusa Red, Nasik Red (non-hybrid, open-pollinated); Cucumber — Pusa Sanyog (hybrid). For bitter gourd — Priya, Preethi. Hybrid vegetables require fresh seed purchase each season (F2 segregates). India produces ~2 lakh MT of vegetable seeds annually.
What is the importance of the cole crops group for exams?
Cole crops (family Brassicaceae) are cool-season vegetables of great exam importance: Cabbage (*Brassica oleracea* var. *capitata*) — edible leaf head; Cauliflower (*B. oleracea* var. *botrytis*) — edible curd; Kohlrabi/Knol-khol (*B. oleracea* var. *gongylodes*) — edible swollen stem; Broccoli (*B. oleracea* var. *italica*) — edible green head; Brussels sprouts (*B. oleracea* var. *gemmifera*) — axillary buds. All are the same species with different selected organs. West Bengal and Odisha are major cole crop states in India.
What is the seed-to-seed vs vegetative propagation importance in potato?
Potato (*Solanum tuberosum*) is vegetatively propagated via seed tubers (small whole tubers or cut pieces with 2–3 eyes/buds). True seed (botanical seed) is used only in breeding programmes. Seed tuber size: 25–50 g ideal. Seed rate: 25–30 quintals/ha. Major problem: virus build-up in vegetatively propagated material — so certified seed potatoes are produced in hills (Shimla, Kufri) where aphid vectors are scarce. Aeroponic seed potato production (CPRI) produces virus-free minitubers. Dormancy period: 2–3 months — broken by thiourea or gibberellic acid treatment.