Preface   India is leading producer of plantation crops. Plantation crops are high value commercial crops of greater economic importance and play a vital role in our Indian economy. The main draw back with this sector of crops in India is that major portion of the area is of small holdings, which hinders the adoption of intensive cultivation. Same time plantation crops are good source of foreign exchange. Contemporary time is time of campaign, competitive examinations have become a regular feature and second thing about its organizations and people are continuously awaring about plantation crops. So as a consequence there are a large number of aspirants who have wished to adorn their career through plantation crops. The present book “Plantation Crops: At a Glance” cover almost all valuable chapters regarding subject matter with Multiple Choice Questions, Matching and Fill in the blanks. The attempt has been made to deliver a lot of subject’s information to compete various examination like ARS, NET, JRF, SRF, Ph.D., FCI as well as competition of UPSC and State PCSs for various jobs. The author considers that the readers will get ample information concerned with the plantation crops. There may, however, be still some shortcoming in this book and authors will be really grateful to receive proposal from readers for incorporation in the next edition of this volume.

The term plantation crops refers to those crops which are cultivated on an extensive scale in contiguous area, owned and managed by an individual or a company. The crops include tea, coffee, rubber, cocoa, coconut, arecanut, oil palm, palmyra and cashew.      ·    Coconut, cashew nut, cocoa, arecanut, oil palm and palmyra comes under Ministry of Agriculture.

Botanical Name: Areca catechu L. Family : Palmae Origin : India and South Eastern Countries. Chromosome no. : 2n=32 Type of fruit : One-seeded berry. Type of Inflorescence : Spadix  Useable Part : Kernel or endosperm of the seed. 

Botanical Name : Anacardium occidentale L. Family : Anacardiaceae  Origin : North East Brazil in Latin America.  Chromosome No. : 2n=2x=42 Type of fruit : Droup.  Type of Inflorescence : Panicles (Both male and  hermaphrodite flowers occur on the same inflorescence)

Botanical Name:  Theobroma cacao L.  Family :   Sterculiaceae Origin :  Central and South America. Chromosome No :  2n=20 Type of fruit : Drupe. Type of Inflorescence : Dichasial (cyme) Useable Part : Seed 

Botanical Name : Cocus nucifera Linn.  Family : Palmae Origin : South East Asia and Malaysia.  Chromosome No :  2n = 32 Type of fruit : Drupe. Type of Inflorescence : Spadix Useable Part : Kernel

Chinese big leaf tea (Camellia sinensis var. macrophylla). Chinese small leaf tea (Camellia sinensis var. bohea) Shan tea (Camellia sinensis var. Shan) Indo-China or Cambod tea (Camellia assamica subspecies lasiocalyx) Indian tea (Camellia sinensis var. assamica) Family:  Theaceae Chromosome No.: 2n = 2x = 30 Origin: China (East and South Asia) Useful Part: Bud and Leaves 

Botanical Name: Hevea brasiliensis Family: Euphorbiacace Origin: Brazil Chromosome No.: 36 Useful Part: Latex  Cera Rubber: Manihot glaziovii Para Rubber: Hevea brasiliensis Indian Rubber: Ficus elastic Panama Rubber: Castiolla elastic Guayul Rubber: Parthenium argentatum

Two species mostly grown worldwide

Botanical Name: Borassus fabellifier     ·    Borassus flabellifer - Asian Palmyra palm/Lontar palm/Doub palm/Sea Coconut (Southern Asia and Southeast Asia)     ·    Borassus aethiopum - African Palmyra Palm (Tropical Africa)     ·    Borassus akeassii - Ake Assi’s Palmyra Palm (West Africa)     ·    Borassus heineanus - New Guinea Palmyra Palm (New Guinea)     ·    Borassus madagascariensis - Madagascar Palmyra Palm (Madagascar)     ·    Borassus sambiranensis - Sambirano Palmyra Palm (Madagascar)

Botanical Name: Elaeis guineensis Jacq Family: Arecaceae  Chromosome No.: 2n= 2x=-32 Origin: Tropical Africa.  Type of Fruit: Drupe Type of Inflorescence: Spadix Useable Part:-Fruit.

Botanical Name : Piper betel Family : Piperaceae Origin : Malaysia. Chromosome No. : 2n=2x=26  Useable Part : Leaf      ·    Betelvine leaves have a strong pungent aromatic flovour and are widely used as masticatory. 

1. Tea require months from plantation to reach plucking is:     (a)    18-20     (b)    22-24          (c)    36-40     (d)    30-34 2. Fruit of coffee is:     (a)    Pome     (b)    Drupe          (c)    Berry     (d)    Aggregate

       Crop                Highest producer state     301.     Arecanut     (a) Assam     302.     Cashew nut     (b) Kerala     303.     Rubber     (c) Andhra Pradesh      304.     Tea     (d) Karnataka

1.    The alkaloids percent in arecanut and betel vine is …………………… 2.    In India average productivity of plantation crops is …………………….. 3.    Largest producer country of rubber is…..............……………………..   

Multiple Choice Questions

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