<p style="text-align:justify">This book presents a comprehensive and practice-oriented account of <strong>Protected Cultivation</strong>, addressing its principles, technologies, and applications with special emphasis on Indian conditions while maintaining a global perspective. Structured into ten well-defined units, the book systematically guides readers from the fundamentals of protected horticulture to advanced digital and smart farming interventions.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify">The initial units discuss the <strong>importance, scope, and potential of protected cultivation</strong> in the context of global food security, urban and peri-urban agriculture, and India’s growing demand for high-quality vegetables. Subsequent sections provide detailed insights into <strong>protected structures</strong>, environmental control, growing media, and nursery technologies such as plug-tray raising and vegetable grafting.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify">A major strength of the book lies in its <strong>crop-specific production technologies</strong>, covering key solanaceous and cucurbitaceous vegetables under greenhouse conditions. Dedicated units on <strong>water, nutrient, and soil management</strong>, including drip irrigation, fertigation, and plastic mulching, ensure practical relevance. The book further integrates <strong>seed production, plant protection, pollination, GAP, organic practices, and sustainability</strong> within protected systems.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify">Advanced chapters highlight the role of protected cultivation in <strong>vegetable improvement, smart agriculture, sensors, and digital technologies</strong>, followed by post-harvest quality retention, value addition, and agri-tourism linkages. The book concludes with a comprehensive glossary, making it a valuable reference for undergraduate and postgraduate students, researchers, extension professionals, entrepreneurs, and policy planners involved in modern horticulture and protected farming systems.</p>
<p><strong>UNIT I: Introduction to Protected Cultivation<br />
Chapter 1.</strong> Importance and Current Status of Protected Horticulture in the World<br />
<strong>Chapter 2. </strong>Exploring Potential of Protected Cultivation in India<br />
<strong>Chapter 3. </strong>Role of Protected Cultivation in Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture (India Feeding the World)<br />
<strong>UNIT II: Protected Structures and Environment Management<br />
Chapter 4. </strong>Protected Structures: Types, Designs, Fabrication and Planning<br />
<strong>Chapter 5.</strong> Low Tunnel Technology<br />
<strong>Chapter 6. </strong>Growing Media and Production Systems under Protected Cultivation<br />
<strong>Chapter 7. </strong>Perspective, Future Challenges and Options in Protected Cultivation<br />
<strong>UNIT III: Nursery Management and Planting Technologies<br />
Chapter 8. </strong>Plug-Tray Nursery Raising Technology<br />
<strong>Chapter 9. </strong>Vegetable Grafting: Principles, Methods and Advantages<br />
<strong>UNIT IV: </strong>Crop Production Technologies (Vegetables)<br />
<strong>A. Solanaceous Crops<br />
Chapter 10. </strong>Greenhouse Cultivation of Tomato<br />
<strong>Chapter 11. </strong>Greenhouse Cultivation of Eggplant (Brinjal)<br />
<strong>Chapter 12. </strong>Greenhouse Cultivation of Sweet Pepper<br />
<strong>B. Cucurbitaceous Crops<br />
Chapter 13.</strong> Greenhouse Cultivation of Cucumber<br />
<strong>Chapter 14. </strong>Greenhouse Cultivation of Muskmelon<br />
<strong>Chapter 15. </strong>Greenhouse Cultivation of Bitter Gourd<br />
<strong>UNIT V: Water, Nutrient and Soil Management<br />
Chapter 16. </strong>Plastic Mulching in Protected Cultivation<br />
<strong>Chapter 17. </strong>Drip Irrigation and Fertigation Techniques<br />
<strong>UNIT VI: Seed and Special Crop Production<br />
Chapter 18.</strong> Quality Seed Production under Protected Conditions<br />
<strong>Chapter 19. </strong>Protected Cultivation of Seed Spices<br />
<strong>UNIT VII: Plant Protection and Crop Health<br />
Chapter 20. </strong>Integrated Pest Management (IPM) under Protected Cultivation<br />
<strong>Chapter 21.</strong> Pollination Techniques for Protected Cultivation of Vegetable Crops<br />
<strong>UNIT VIII: Quality, Safety and Sustainable Practices<br />
Chapter 22. </strong>Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) in Protected Cultivation<br />
<strong>Chapter 23. </strong>Organic Cultivation of Vegetables under Protected Conditions<br />
<strong>UNIT IX: Advanced and Emerging Technologies<br />
Chapter 24. </strong>Role of Protected Cultivation in Vegetable Improvement Using Advanced Techniques<br />
<strong>Chapter 25. </strong>Smart and Sustainable Agriculture through Protected Cultivation and Digital Technologies<br />
<strong>Chapter 26. </strong>Innovative Interventions in Protected Farming: From Sensors to Sustainability<br />
<strong>UNIT X: Post-Harvest, Value Addition and Extension<br />
Chapter 27. </strong>Role of Protected Cultivation in Processing Quality Retention and Value Addition of Vegetables<br />
<strong>Chapter 28. </strong>Integrating Protected Cultivation with Agri-Tourism<br />
<strong>Chapter 29. </strong>Glossary of Terms in Protected Cultivation</p>
