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Preservation of food (fruits and vegetables) in common salt sand vinegar is called pickling. It is one of the most ancient method of preservation of fruits and vegetables. Pickling is the result of fermentation by Lactic acid forming bacteria which are found in large number on the surface of fruits and vegetables. They can grow in acidic medium and in the presence of 8-10 percent salt solution. The growth of majority of undesirable bacteria is inhibited. Lactic acid most active at 30 °C temperature. This temperature should be maintained during the process of pickling.

Preparation of pickles

Pickles are prepared with salt, vinegar and oil or combination of these ingredients. Spices are also used for pickle preparation.

Preserve:- Amature fruits/vegetable or its pieces impregnated with heavy sugar syrup till it become tender and transparent is known as preserve. The fruits like aonla, bael, apple, pear, mango, cherry, karonda, pineapple, papaya are commonly used.

Candied fruit:-A fruits/vegetable impregnated with cane sugar syrup and subsequently drained free of syrup and dried is known as candy. The most suitable fruits are aonla, apple, pear, cherry, karonda, pineapple, papaya are commonly used. In candy the total sugar contains of the impregnated fruits is kept about 75% to prevent fermentation.

Preserves (Murabbas) are prepared from whole fruits and vegetables or their segments by addition of sugar followed by evaporation to a point where microbial spoilage cannot occur. The final soluble solids concentration is reached to about 70 per cent. The finished product can be stored with or without hermetic sealing and refrigeration.

4.1 Overview of Concept and Science

Preserving flowers and plant parts has been a form of artistic expression that was very popular in Victorian ages. Now, this process is moving from an art to a highly interdisciplinary science and has become a major economic activity on a global scale. Because, dry decorative products have been globally accepted as natural, eco-friendly, long lasting and inexpensive as compare to fresh flowers and plant parts, which are perishable and delicate in nature. These perishables cannot retain their fresh like appearance and beauty for several months and it becomes prodigious job to maintain these qualities. Even with preservatives, the vase life of fresh cut flowers has been prolonged to an extent of 40 per cent only. Hence, for those who want the beauty of nature around them in the form of flowers but on a more permanent basis dried flowers are a solution.

Domain of Dried Flowers

Anything from botanicals such as stems, twigs, branches, bark, leaves/ foliage, flowers, thorns/ spines, fruits, cones, seeds, roots; and minor forest products like lichens, fleshy fungi, mosses, selleginnela ferns etc. in a dried form come under the domain of dry flowers. Until a few years ago dried flowers were popular in the West with very few homes in India opting for them. But, today Indian homes have taken to dried flowers in their many forms and shapes like duck to water. There are different segments which are covered under dried flowers (Table 1).

Pressing Flowers

One of the most popular methods for drying flowers is to put them under pressure, to remove the moisture out while leaving the color of the flowers and structure intact. There are several ways to apply pressure to flowers. The easiest method is placing them in heavy books and allow for drying. Flower presses can also be used. Some guidelines for pressing flowers in the traditional way are explained below:

The results pertaining to the present investigation, “Diagnostic Study of Farmers in context of Price spread analysis, marketing pattern and Potential assessment of agricultural diversification in Chenani Block of Udhampur district” have been presented in this chapter.

4.1 Cost and return analysis of cereals, vegetables and fruit crops

For financial analysis of different enterprises, it is necessary to workout costs of various inputs, which needs to be deducted from the value of inputs. The cost and return analysis of cereal crop and vegetables in Mantalai village of Chenani block is presented in Table 4.1. Per hectare Cost A which included all the variable costs excluding the family human labour were found to be highest (?55416.38) for the cultivation of garlic followed by tomato (?54260.75) whereas raddish incurred lowest of ?29361.33. The cost B which included the fixed costs in addition to cost A were ?39020.89 for maize, ?59074.66 for tomato, ?37280.11 for cucumber, ?33361.33 for raddish, ?41053.97 for beans and ?59416.38 for garlic. The cost C i.e. total item wise per acre operational costs which also included the imputed value of family labour were found to be highest (?149074.66/ha) in tomato and lowest of ?39361.33/ha in raddish. The cost C increases in case of tomato to such an extent only because of the addition of family labour. Cost C* was also calculated by adding 10 per cent of cost C as management cost to total cost.

Primary processing of fruits and vegetables refers to the first steps in transforming raw agricultural products into forms more suitable for consumption, storage or further processing. This step generally includes cleaning, sorting, grading, cutting, peeling and packaging of the products. The aim of primary processing is to preserve the nutritional quality, taste and appearance of the products by extending their shelf life and making them more suitable for consumers or ready for secondary processing. For example, fruits may be peeled, cut or peeled, and vegetables may be washed, chopped, or blanched. This step is essential in the agribusiness industry because it has a direct impact on the quality and safety of the final product, ensuring that it meets market requirements, food safety standards and consumer preferences. The efficiency and methods used in primary processing significantly affect overall profitability, product quality and market competitiveness.
Primary processing refers to the initial stages of preparing fruits and vegetables for consumption while preserving their nutritional value, freshness and flavour. This essential step involves various techniques for cleaning, sorting and packaging the produce, ensuring that it reaches consumers in the best possible condition.

Abstract

It is essential that care is taken in the design of primers for PCR. Several parameters including the length of the primer, percentage of GC content and the 3' sequence need to be optimized for successful  PCR. Some of these parameters can be easily manually optimized while others are best done with commercial computer programs. In any event, careful observance of the general rules of primer designing will help ensure successful experiments.

Keywords: Bioinformatic tools, primer designing

5.1. Introduction

Food processing units range from home-based businesses to large-scale processing plants. The food processing sector is a highly fragmented industry which includes fruit, vegetables, dried, preserved, canned, pulps, pickles, chutneys, milk, dairy products, ready-to-serve products, frozen desserts, meat, poultry, marine products, grain processing, beer and alcoholic beverages, consumer, convenience and packaged food, soft drinks etc.

The main objective of fruit and vegetable processing is to supply wholesome, safe, nutritious and acceptable food to consumer throughout the year. Fruit and vegetable processing also aim to replace import of products such as squashes, jams, tomato sauces, pickles, etc., besides earning foreign exchange by exporting finished or semi-processed products. The fruit and vegetable processing industries are also established in the developing countries due to following reasons:

• Reduction in fruits and vegetables post harvest losses

• Industrialization policy of the government

• Generate both rural and urban employment

• Improve farmer s nutrition by self consumption of processed fruits and vegetables during off season

Introduction
Food preservation refers to an art or science which deals with the process of prevention of decay, deterioration or spoilage of food commodity to allow it to be stored in a safe condition for future use. All foods gradually undergo deterioration or spoilage from the time immediately they are harvested or manufactured. Some commodities spoil rapidly, while others can keep longer but for limited periods. The basic purposes of food preservation are:
1. Extension of shelf life of foods thus increasing the supply
2. Ensuring the availability of seasonal foods throughout the year
3. Adding variety to the diet
4. Saving time by reducing preparation time and energy
5. Stabilizing farm prices and prices of food
6. Improving the nutritional qualities The food spoilage can be caused due to growth and activity of micro-organisms, insects or rodents, action of enzymes, chemical reactions and physical changes that takes place during processing, drying, or freezing etc. Classification of Food Depending upon the type of spoilage and level of perishability, the foods are classified into three broad categories:

1. PLANT DOMESTICATION AND INTRODUCTION

Domestication is the process of bringing wild species under human management. Under domestciation, the crop species have changed considerably as compared to the wild species from which they originated.

Preservation means just protect the foods against the spoilage, but scientifically it may be defined as a science which deals with the process for prevention of decay or spoilage of the food is called preservation.

In other words, just controlling the physical, chemical or microbial changes in the foods is called preservation.

Physical Changes: Colour, flavour, texture and taste etc.

Chemical Changes: Carbohydrate, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals.

Microbial Changes: Mould, yeasts and bacteria

1. Seedling management in the nursery

Seedlings of many seed propagated vegetable crops like, tomato, brinjal, chillies, sweet pepper, cauliflower, cabbage, knolkhol, broccoli, Brussels sprout, kale, endive, chicory, celery, lettuce, parsley, onion, etc. are first raised in the nursery beds before transplanted in the main field although, many of these crops like, tomato, sweet pepper, onion, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, etc. are also direct seeded using precision seed drills in the USA, Japan, the Netherlands, Italy and other European countries. Many seed propagated vegetable crops viz., okra, peas, beans, radish, carrot, beet, turnip and all the cucurbits (e.g. bitter gourd, bottle gourd, pumpkin, cucumber, watermelon, muskmelon, snake gourd, sponge gourd, ridge gourd, etc.) are conventionally grown through direct seeding in the main field.

Transplant groups

1. Plants easy to transplant: They form new roots rapidly, put forth shoots rather slowly and absorb water readily e.g. beet, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, Swiss chard, lettuce and tomato.

2. Plants transplanted with moderate ease: This group replace roots and grow shoots a bit slower than the previous group and do not absorb water very efficiently e.g. celery, brinjal, onion, pepper, leek and cauliflower.

Introduction

Floral arrangement is the art of selecting and organizing flowers and foliage according to the elements and principles of design in order to attain a pleasing and interesting design. Arranging flowers is an artistic activity and a way to express oneself creatively.

21.1 Flowers and Foliage

Successful floral arrangement begins with plant materials that have been properly handled and prepared. Beauty and good composition of an arrangement is not determined by the cost or rarity of plant materials used, but by the way they are selected, cared for and arranged. The plant material has to be handled carefully, handling only the stems. Properly dried, bleached and dyed flowers, foliage and accessories can be arranged following the principles for dry flower arrangement.

Food irradiation involves exposure of food to short wave energy to achieve specific purposes like extension in shelf life, insect disinfestations and elimination of food-borne pathogens and parasites. Compared to heat or chemical treatment, irradiation is more effective and an appropriate technology to destroy food-borne pathogens without much loss to the quality of food. It offers a number of advantages to producers, processors, retailers and consumers. Irradiation is a cold process and can be used to pasteurize and sterilize foods without affecting freshness and texture of food. Unlike chemical fumigants, irradiation does not leave any harmful toxic residues in food and is more effective. It is efficient and can be used to treat prepacked commodities. The FAO estimates that about 25% of world’s total food production is lost due to insects, bacteria and rodents after harvesting. Use of radiation can play an important role in cutting these losses and reducing dependence on chemical pesticides. The food borne diseases claim millions of lives all over the world every year. Irradiation of food can reduce these incidences by destroying harmful microorganisms.

The planning of a garden is an art. It is said that a poet is born, and in that sense a garden architect is also born. But that does not mean that a garden architect has nothing to learn. On the contrary he should learn enough of geology, geography, garden history, styles of gardening, and above all should have a profound knowledge about plants. It is imperative to know at the outset what is meant by landscape gardening. A landscape may be defined as any area, either big or small, on which it is possible or desirable to mould view or a design, whereas landscape gardening may be described as the application of garden forms, methods, and materials with a view to improving the landscape. The art of designing is known as “landscape architecture,” although the older term landscape gardening” is also popular.

Before discussing the principles of gardening in detail, it will be worthwhile to make some useful suggestions. The first and the foremost thing are not to imitate another garden which has secured a prize in a competition. One has to develop one’s own design giving due consideration to the local conditions. One more mistake which is commonly made is to plant many more specimens than a garden can accommodate causing overcrowding. In a landscape garden any difference in levels has to be taken advantage of, but in a perfectly flat land it will be costly to create artificial undulations. In each garden the care should be at least one feature or there be a second these two should harmonize with each other. Before planning a design are must be sure for what purpose the garden is utility or beauty or both.

Abstract

Indian Horticultural produce to become competitive both in domestic and international markets, there is an urgent need for use of Hi-tech horticultural technologies. The techniques covered under Hi-tech Horticulture are genetically modified horticulture crop varieties derived from biotechnology and genetic engineering, micro-propagation, protected cultivation, micro irrigation and fertigation, high density planting, organic farming, integrated nutrient, pest and disease management and post harvest management.

Micropropagation or tissue culture technology is based on the principle of totipotency. It provides disease free, uniform sized and year round production of mass multiplication of plants in various stages viz. establishment and stablillization, shoot multiplication, pre-transplant and in vitro rooting and transplanting acclimation and ex vitro rooting. Protected cultivation is the technique of providing to the crop to protect plants from the adverse climate conditions by providing optimum growth and development conditions. High value horticulture crops mainly cut flowers and vegetables are more popular for cultivation in green houses. Greenhouse may be of different types depending on the structural designs followed as quonset, curved roof or gable roof and covering materials used as glass, acrylic, polycarbonate, fiberglass reinforced plastic panels or polyethylene etc. applicators. Micro-irrigation system is used for frequent application of required and measured quantity of water directly above or below soil surface, usually as discrete

drops, continuous drops, tiny streams or miniature spray through emitters or applicators placed along a water delivery line (laterals). It may be in form of drip irrigation, bubbler irrigation, micro jet irrigation, sprinkler, micro-sprinkler or misting (fogger) irrigation system. Similarly under fertigation system, special fertilizers in form of liquid or water soluble solids are available through a suitable irrigation system for accuracy of water application.

Growth of horticulture is the cornerstone for augmenting employment opportunities in agriculture sector both directly and indirectly. Of late, there is a marked shift in the cropping pattern towards diversification into high value commercial crops in the country. To make horticulture viable and profitable, the thrust should be on improving the resource use efficiency, so that the relative profitability could be enhanced. Success in horticulture is more technology driven compared to other crops. The time bound removal of quantitative curbs on imports and other barriers to access domestic market under WTO, of which India is a signatory, will require Indian Horticultural produce / products to become competitive both in the domestic and international markets. This would call for use of Hi-tech horticulture technologies. The term Hi-Tech Horticulture was coined in recent years. There are no standard definitions for this. The Department of Agriculture and Co-operation,GOI in 1999 defined Hi-tech Horticulture as “any technology which is modern, less environment dependent, capital intensive and has the capacity to improve the productivity and quality of horticultural crops”.

Horticultural crops are ideal and valuable assets of nature to mankind. They are popular among masses since time immemorial but their importance was realized only in the recent past due to their high nutritive value, good taste and pleasing quality. They provide essential nutrients and minerals for proper functioning of human body and aesthetic surroundings for peaceful living. India is an important centre of diversity and several horticultural crops  originated here.  The horticultural crops constitute 13.08% of total crop area and contribute about 28% to GDP. The sub-continent extends from 8° 04’ - 37° 06’ North latitude and 68° 07’- 97° 25’ East longitude and it has tropical, sub-tropical and temperate climates which favour successful growing of a large number of horticultural crops.  India has a wide variety of climate and soil on which a large number of horticultural crops like fruits, vegetables, potato and other tropical tuber crops, ornamentals, medicinal and aromatic plants, plantation crops, spices, cashew and cocoa are grown. Of late, major emphasis was laid on development of high yielding varieties and high production technologies and their adoption in areas of assured irrigation paved the way towards food security.

India produces 9.2% of world’s vegetables and fruits, nearly 109 million tons of vegetables and 57.69 million tons of fruits. The production of horticultural commodities is expected to grow to 300 million tons in near future (Kaur, 2008). India accounts for 18.2% of global trade in vegetables and 0.5% in fruits. The overall food wastages are very high amounting to around Rs. 10.4 lakh million. India wastes more fruits and vegetables than what U.K consumes. It is estimated that cumulative wastage of fruits and vegetables, on the farm, during procurement, storage and at the retail outlets, is worth about Rs.422250 million.