Pollination & Propagation

• Most vegetable crops are self-pollinated (e.g. tomato, pea, brinjal).
• Cross-pollinated crops – cabbage, cauliflower, onion, carrot, pumpkin, cucurbits.
• Often cross-pollinated – chilli, okra.
• Vegetative propagation – potato (tubers), garlic (cloves), onion (bulbs), sweet potato (vine cuttings).

Nutritional Facts

• Tomato – rich in Lycopene (antioxidant).
• Carrot – rich in β-carotene (Vitamin A precursor).
• Spinach – rich in iron and folic acid.
• Bitter gourd – contains charantin, used in diabetes.
• Onion – contains allyl propyl disulphide (reduces blood sugar).
• Potato – rich in carbohydrates (mainly starch).
• Chillies – rich in capsaicin (pungency compound).
• Garlic – contains allicin, medicinal value.

Flowering & Photoperiodism

• Onion and garlic – long-day crops.
• Tomato and brinjal – day-neutral crops.
• Cauliflower – short-day crop.
• Bolting in onion – induced by low temperature.
• Vernalization required for seed production of – cabbage, carrot, onion, beetroot.

Diseases and Disorders

Miscellaneous & Economic Importance

• Vegetable richest in Vitamin C – Amaranthus leaves.
• Vegetable richest in iron – Spinach.
• “King of Vegetables” – Brinjal.
• “Queen of Vegetables” – Potato.
• First hybrid vegetable crop in India – Tomato.
• First biofortified vegetable released in India – Iron-rich spinach.
• Major processing vegetable – Tomato.
• India’s largest export vegetable – Onion.
• Onion is a biennial crop for seed production.
• Okra is a polymorphic fruit (capsule).