eChapters

Pineapple botanically called Annanas comosus L. is basically believed to be native to Brazil and thereafter it spread to worldwide over many centuries from its centre of origin. It is a subtropical fruit crops requiring humid climatic conditions with slightly acidic soils for its favourable growth and development. In India it reached around 1548AD. The juicy fruits are good source of Vit-A, B and C along with micronutrient Calcium. A single unit of pineapple fruits is reported to contain moisture-85%, sugar-13per cent, protein-0.6%,mineral mater-0.05%, fibre 0.3%, Ca-0.02%, phosphorus- 0.01per cent iron- 0.09.0 acids- 0.6%, Vit-A (60IU/100g), riboflavin (120mg/100g) and Vitamin-C (63mg/100g). All parts of pineapple are utilizable from delicacy of fruit for table purpose to making fabric Pina in some country like Philippine. Indeed the dry waste after juice extraction can also be used as good feed for cattle. India is such a country blessed with diverse agro climatic zones and eight classification of agro-climatic zone has been officially classified for suitability of different fruit crops based on their climatic requirement. One of those classifications is North Eastern subtropical Humid Zones which comprises of eight states namely Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. Manipur is a land-locked state situated in the North Eastern Region of India. It is encircled by 9 hill ranges in all sides and has a small valley in the center (the capital Imphal is located in this valley). The State has 352 km long international border with Myanmar to the south-east and 502 km long border with the adjacent states of Nagaland on the North, Cachar district of Assam on the West and Chin Hills (Myanmar) and Mizoram on the South and the South-west and Surma Tract and upper Chindwin of Myanmar on the East. Manipur is next to Assam among NE states in respect of area of Pineapple cultivation. Owing to conducive soil and climate, Manipur is one of the major hubs for pineapple cultivation among the north east states where because of its popularity, it has surplus in area and production compare to other fruit crops in the state.

2.1 Rice

Rice is the staple food for the largest number of people on the Earth. According to an estimate, the global rice production must reach 800 million tonne from the present 91.04 million tonne in 2005-06 to meet the demand in 2025. It’s area is 37% of the total area under food grains as against 20% under wheat, another important food crop. But globally it stands next to wheat in harvested area.As the irrigated rice contributes more than 75 per cent of the total rice production, enhancing its yield potential would be key to meeting the global rice requirement for an additional 215 million tonne. To achieve the target yield, rice varieties with a yield advantage of about 20 per cent over popular and widely adapted rice varieties under tropical conditions must be developed. Experience in China, India, Vietnam, the Philippines, Bangladesh and several other countries clearly indicates that hybrid rice technology offers readily available option to meet this challenge.

Abstract

The present study was conducted to develop ready to eat extruded snack food based on germinated flour of wheat, Bengal gram and green gram. A Central Composite Rotatable Design (CCRD) for five variables at five levels was used for experimental combinations and optimization of the process parameters. Experimental design with green gram flour (5 to 20%) and bengal gram flour (1535%) in wheat flour, moisture content (14-18%), screw speed (200-300 rpm) and barrel temperature (126-134°C) as independent variables having 32 different combinations of snack formulations that were studied using response surface methodology to investigate the effect of these variables on product responses (Lateral expansion, bulk density, Water absorption index, water solubility index and sensory characteristics). Sensory analysis was carried out of all extrudates for texture, color and overall acceptability. Multiple regression equations were obtained to describe the effects of each variable on product responses. The optimum operating conditions for development of germinated wheat, green gram and Bengal gram flour extrudate were 132°C of barrel temperature, 275 rpm of screw speed, 17 % offeed moisture, 6.5% of green gram flour and 23.1% of Bengal gram flour. The responses predicted by the software for these optimum process conditions resulted lateral expansion of 169.59%, bulk density, 0.263g/cm³; water solubility index, 19.08; water absoption index, 13.88g/g; and overall acceptability value of 7.38.

1. INTRODUCTION

Annuals are the group of plants that complete their life cycle in one season or in one year during which they grow, flower and produce seed; and after this they wither out. A true annual (like zinnia) is a plant that will grow from seeds, flower, produce seeds and die in one season. Zinnias provide a succession of flowers for summer colour in any sunny location with good soil drainage

The term annual when applied to herbaceous ornamentals refers to plants that are grown for only one season. A true annual completes its life cycle (bears seed) in one season and has an extended bloom span lasting (in most cases) throughout the summer. Some plants that we use like annuals in the garden actually are herbaceous perennial plants that bloom the first season but are unable to survive the winter climate.

Some varieties will self-sow or naturally reseed themselves. This may be undesirable in many flowers because the parents of this seed are unknown and hybrid characteristics get lost. Plants will scatter everywhere instead of growing in their designated spot. Examples: Alyssum, Petunias and Impatiens. Impatiens flowers are currently the most popular annuals and are unsurpassed for abundant flowers in a shady garden. Some perennials, which are plants that live from year to year are classed with annuals because they are not winter-hardy and must be set out every year. Examples are begonias and snapdragons.

Typically, the annuals we think are as loving the heat of summer, but there are some popular annual plants that prefer the cool of spring and fall. Examples: pansies, snapdragons, ornamental cabbage and kale. These plants actually grow more lush and vigorous when the weather is cool not hot and dry; therefore, they are often offered for sale in early spring.

4.1 Mustard 

The principle oil yielding rape seed & mustard sp. cultivated in India are

3.1. Plant diseases caused by soil borne fungi

3.1.1. Clubroot Disease causing fungi

Plasmodiophora brassicae (Fig. 125)

It infects Crucifers host species.

Infected plants in the begening shows pale green to yellowish leaves, which later on show wilting in the middle of hot, sunny days, and recovering during the night. Young plants may be killed by the disease soon after infection, whereas older plants may remain alive but become stunted and fail to produce marketable heads.

The most characteristic symptoms of the disease appear on the roots as spindle-like, spherical, knobby, or club-shaped swellings. The swellings may be few and isolated or they may coalesce and cover the entire root system. The older and usually the larger clubbed roots disintegrate before the end of the season because of invasion by bacteria and other fungi.

1. Introduction Millets are the Nutri-cereals belonging to the Poaceae family and are classified into two major categories: major and minor, depending on their size and nutritional composition. Most millet crops are indigenous to India and are referred to as “nutri-cereals” since they contain most of the nutrients needed for the body to function properly. Millets such as Sorghum (Jowar), Pearl Millet (Bajra), and Finger Millet (Ragi) are the millets that come under the category of major millets. In contrast, the minor millets category includes Foxtail Millet (Kakun), Proso Millet (Cheena), Kodo Millet, Barnyard Millet (Sanwa), Little Millet (Kutki), Brown top millet including two pseudo millet that includes Buckwheat (Kuttu) and Amaranth (Chaulai) (Saini et al., 2021).

The family Solanaceae consists of 85 genera, which include both tuberiferous and non-tuberiferous ones.  Brinjal (Solanum sp.), chilli (Capsicum sp.) and tomato (Lycopersicon sp.) are the major fruit vegetables under the family.  In all genera, fruit is an indehiscent berry.
 
A key for the identification of the above  three genera are furnished below:
    A.    Anthers connivant in a cone, longer than filaments
    B.    Anthers dehisce by apical pores or short slits, leaves entire, lobed or pinnatifid : Solanum
    BB.    Anthers dehisce introsely by longitudinal slits, the tips empty, leaves pinnatiset : Lycopersicon
    AA.    Anthers not connivant in a cone, not larger than the filaments, dehisce by lateral slits : Capsicum

Introduction
Horticulture, the science and art of cultivating fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants, is a vital component of agriculture that contributes significantly to food security, economic growth, and environmental sustainability. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of horticulture, exploring its various branches, including fruit and vegetable production, floriculture, landscape design, and greenhouse management. Horticulture is unique in its integration of scientific principles, artistic design, and business acumen, making it a dynamic and multifaceted field.
The chapter begins by introducing the fundamental concepts of horticulture and its importance in modern agriculture. It delves into the specifics of fruit and vegetable production, emphasizing the techniques and practices that enhance yield and quality. Floriculture and landscape design are also discussed, highlighting the aesthetic and environmental benefits of ornamental plants. The chapter further explores post-harvest handling and storage, crucial aspects that ensure the longevity and marketability of horticultural products.
In addition to traditional practices, the chapter addresses modern horticultural techniques, such as greenhouse management, which plays a crucial role in extending growing seasons and improving crop quality. Sustainable horticultural practices are also emphasized as key strategies for addressing global challenges like climate change and food security.
Horticulture is a branch of agriculture that focuses on the cultivation, production, and management of plants, particularly fruits, vegetables, ornamental plants, and flowers. This chapter explores various aspects of horticulture, including an introduction to horticulture, fruit and vegetable production, greenhouse management, floriculture and landscape design, and post-harvest handling and storage. Horticulture plays a vital role in agriculture, encompassing the science and art of growing plants for food, aesthetics, and environmental enhancement. This chapter delves into the exciting world of horticulture, exploring the cultivation and management of fruits, vegetables, ornamental plants, and flowers. Horticulture combines scientific knowledge, practical skills, and artistic creativity to maximize plant growth, yield, and aesthetic appeal. By studying horticulture, we can gain insights into the principles and practices that contribute to successful fruit and vegetable production, greenhouse management, floriculture and landscape

Watershed is defined as a natural hydrological unit that covers a specific land surface area from which runoff passes through a common outlet or area with common drainage or outlet. In simple terms, it implies a catchments or drainage basin from which water drains towards a single channel. It may extend over a few acres only or may cover thousands of acres.

Watershed management is the integration of technology within the natural boundaries of a drainage area for optimum development of land, water and plant resources to meet the basic minimum needs of the people in a sustained manner.

It is also defined as the development and management of watershed resources in such a manner as to achieve optimum production without deterioration of resources base or disturbing the ecological balance. It is also termed as “Resource centered technology” since it helps in assessment, augmentation and optimal utilization of all natural resources viz., land, water and vegetation, it prevents deterioration of resources and at the same time ensures sustained productivity of land to meet basic needs of people.

INTRODUCTION

Banana (Musa species) also known as ‘Apple of Paradise’ is an important and commercial fruit crop of tropical regions of the world. It is the only tropical fruit traded to the extent, that it is the 5th largest agricultural commodity after cereals, sugar, coffee and cocoa in world market.

The word ‘banana’ is now applied to all table varieties. Formerly, it was applied to ‘Nendran’ banana of Kerala which was however called ‘Plantain’ by Westerners. The English used the word ‘Plantain’ to represent cooking banana while in parts of South India, even sweet fruited clones were called ‘Plantains’. The variant with persistent bracts and male flowers with large fruits held in lax manner and eaten after cooking were grouped under plantains. All other types which had small fruits, held compact in a bunch with softening of the pulp when ripe, dropping of withered bracts and staminate flowers as the banana. In other words plantain are starchy, not sweet and cooked as vegetable. They usually resembles green bananas, are longer and have thick skin. Bananas are sweet, shorter and have thinner skin. They are eaten as a fruit and have yellow colour when ripe.

    1.    Asepsis is a process of 
        a)    Removal of microorganisms    
        b)    Keeping out microorganisms
        c)    Hindering the growth & activity of microorganisms    
        d)    Killing the microorganisms
    2.    Self-decomposition of the food is prevented by
        a)    Inactivation of enzymes    b)    Delay of chemical reactions
        c)    a & b    d)    None
    3.    Commercially available fruit beverages are generally pasteurized at 
        a)    85°C for 25 to  30 min    b)    62.5°C for 25 to  30 min
        c)    71.1°C for 15 to  30 sec    d)    92.1°C for 15 to  30 min

INTRODUCTION

Pineapple [(Ananas comosus (L.) Merr., Bromeliaceae)] is a commercial, tropical American crop, popularly known as “Golden Queen” all over the globe. The name ‘pineapple’ was given in the mid-17th century because of its resemblance to ‘pine cone’. Its botanical name Ananas comes from ‘anana’, the Tupi word for the fruit, meaning “excellent fruit” and comosus means tufted and refers to the stem of the fruit.
 
Pineapple is a monocotyledonous, low-growing,herbaceous and perennial with a spiral of spiny sword-shaped leaves on a thick stem. It has 90 to 100 cm height with spreading leaves, which give the plant a rosette appearance.The plant bears a single fruit terminally on a peduncle protruding out from the centre of the rosette. The fruit is mostly a large juicy fruit containing aromatic, edible, yellow flesh surrounded by a tough segmented skin and topped with a tuft of stiff leaves.

Introduction

Livestock sector plays a significant role in the Indian economy, particularly for the welfare of rural population of India. The importance of livestock in India's economy can be gauged from the fact that 90 million farming families rear over 90 million milch animals. Of the total household in the rural areas, about 73 percent own some form of livestock, three-quarter of which are reared by small and marginal farmers.

Today, the overall growth rate in livestock sector is steady and is around 4-5%, despite the fact that investment in this sector is not substantial. This is possible due to the egalitarian distribution of the livestock as compared to land among landless labourers, small and marginal farmers thus resulting in balanced development of the rural economy particularly in reducing the poverty especially among the weaker sections of the society. Livestock also plays an important source of employment in rural India, especially for women. The rural woman plays a significant role in most of the animal husbandry operations related to feeding, breeding, management and healthcare of the livestock.

Livestock plays an important and vital role in providing nutritive food to families both in rural and urban areas. Since the dawn of civilization, mankind has been utilizing different animal species for a variety of purposes, viz., production of milk, meat, wool, egg and leather, draught power, companionship, entertainment, research experimentation, sports, security, etc. Livestock wealth is deemed to be as the oldest wealth resource for mankind and was once a symbol of economic status in the society. This is one sector where poor contributes to the growth directly instead of getting benefit from growth generated elsewhere. The effect of livestock sector growth on poverty is anecdotal, yet scattered evidence on livestock's contribution to income indicates that growth in livestock production is pro-poor.

Abiotic Stress Tolerance: The ability of plants to withstand and adapt to nonliving environmental stressors, such as drought, salinity, or extreme temperatures. Afforestation and Reforestation: Afforestation involves planting new forests in previously non-forested areas, while reforestation involves restoring degraded or deforested lands with trees to sequester carbon. Agrarian Society: A society characterized by agriculture as the primary means of subsistence and economic activity. Agrarian: Pertaining to the cultivation of land, agriculture, or rural life. Agribusiness: The commercial activities, including production, processing, and distribution, related to agriculture and farming. Agricultural Chemistry: A branch of chemistry that focuses on chemical processes and substances related to agriculture, including soil chemistry, fertilizer composition, and pesticide development. Agricultural Diversification: The strategy of expanding the range of crops, livestock, or other agricultural activities in a rural area to increase income and food security. Agricultural Economics: A branch of economics that focuses on the production, distribution, and consumption of agricultural goods and services, as well as the economic factors and policies that influence agricultural markets. Agricultural Extension: The application of scientific research and new technologies to agricultural practices through education and advisory services. Agricultural Innovation: The process of developing and adopting new ideas, practices, and technologies in agriculture. Agricultural Machinery: Various mechanical devices and equipment designed for use in farming, such as tractors, plows, and harvesters. Agricultural Subsidies: Financial incentives provided by governments to farmers or agricultural producers to support their production, stabilize prices, or achieve other economic or social objectives. Agriculture: The science and practice of cultivating crops, raising livestock, and managing resources for food production and other agricultural products. Agroecology: The scientific discipline that applies ecological principles to the design and management of sustainable agricultural systems, focusing on biodiversity, nutrient cycling, and reduced environmental impact.

Cooperative

A cooperative is a duly registered association of persons, with a common bond of interest that have voluntarily joined together to achieve a lawful common social or economic end, and making equitable contributions to the capital required and accepting a fair share of the risks and benefits of the undertaking in accordance with universally accepted cooperative principles.

Cooperative may be defined as an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and democratically-controlled enterprise. It is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit.

A cooperative may also be defined as a business owned & controlled equally by the people who use its services or who work at it.

The basic objective of every cooperative is to provide goods and services to its members and thus enable them to attain increased income and savings, investments, productivity and purchasing power and promote among them equitable distribution of net surplus through maximum utilization of economies of scale, cost-sharing and risk-sharing without however, conducting the affairs of the cooperative for missionary or charitable purposes.

I. POST HARVEST DISEASES

A. Post-Harvest Diseases of Fruits

This chapter explores the essential techniques used in veterinary parasitology to collect, identify, and diagnose parasitic infections. These methods are crucial for understanding general animal health, the complex relationships between parasites and their hosts and for tracking disease outbreaks, that will ultimately allow the development of effective control strategies. Whether in a research lab or a clinical setting, the techniques discussed here are widely used to detect and study parasites that impact both domestic and wild animals.
2.1 Collection of Specimens for Parasitological Examinations
Different species of parasites affects almost all parts of the host. These organisms can inhabit virtually every organ system of the host animal, from the brain and lungs to the digestive tract and skin. Therefore, a thorough examination of both living animals and post-mortem cases is essential for collecting parasites and determining cause of death (when applicable). When collecting from live animals, samples should be collected after through exanimation of the animals and following the standard procedure. The collection of correct samples, use of appropriate transport media and proper handling of specimens are crucial factors that directly influence diagnostic accuracy.
The type of specimen collected depends on the methods of identification and diagnosis. For example, diagnosis of blood parasites requires specific types of samples: peripheral blood smears for microscopic examination of hemoprotozoans, serum or plasma for ELISA and other serological tests, and unclotted whole blood for molecular diagnostic methods such as PCR and qPCR.

Abiotic Stress in Plants
             
World population is growing at an alarming rate and may reach about 6 billion by the end of the year 2050. Though, the agricultural productivity is also being increased world over, yet it is not keeping pace to meet the demand of food availability. The main reasons for limiting the agricultural productivity are water shortage, depleting soil fertility and mainly various abiotic stresses and climatic change. Minimizing these loses is of primary concern for all nations to cope with the increasing food requirement. The abiotic stress is defined as the negative impact of non living factors on the living organism in a specific environment and abiotic stress is the most harm full factor concerning the growth and productivity of crops worldwide. Researches have shown that abiotic stressors are at their most harm full when they occur together in combination of abiotic stress factors (Mittler, 2006; Bianco and Defez, 2011). Numerous stresses caused by complex environmental conditions i.e. drought, too high and too low temperatures, freezing, salinity, UV light, heavy metals and recently through smog (air pollution) leading to substantial crop losses worldwide (Mahajan and Tuteja, 2005). The abiotic stresses might increase in the near future even because of global climatic change.

Food is composed of three main constituents viz; carbohydrates, proteins and fats and their derivatives. In addition to these constituents, inorganic mineral elements and diverse organic compounds like vitamins, pigments, flavouring compounds, enzymes, and acids are also present. Carbohydrates, proteins, fats and vitamins are organic in nature. The percentage of water is large in certain foods. The variation in structure, texture, colour, flavour and nutritive value is because of the varying proportions and arrangements of these constituents.

Carbohydrates are important in foods as a major source of energy, to impart crucial textural properties, and as dietary fiber which influences physiological processes. Digestible carbohydrates, which are converted into monosaccharides, which are absorbed, provide metabolic energy. Carbohydrates account for more than 70% of the caloric value of the human diet. It is recommended that all persons should limit calories from fat to not more than 30% and that most of the carbohydrate calories should come from starch. Non-digestible polysaccharides (all other than starch) comprise the major portion of dietary fiber.