Classification of Horticultural
From time to time, horticultural crops have been classified into various groups depending on their growth habits, cultivation requirements, climatic needs and uses. Horticultural crops are popularly classified into the 3 broad divisions of fruits vegetables and flowers.
However, following points are considered to be most important basis for classification of the crops.
1. Classification Based on Growth Habit and Physiological Character.
2. Classification Based on Life Span of Plants.
3. Classification Based on Climatic Requirements.
4. Classification Based on Seasonal Basis.
5. Classification Based on Use of Horticultural Plants.
1. Classification of Horticultural Crops Based on Growth Habit and Physiological
Character -
Growth habit and physiological character e.g. herbs, shrubs, climbers and creepers
Examples:
Herbs: Ageratum, Lawn Grasses.
Shrubs: Nerium, Hibiscus,
Trees: Mango, Tamarind, Rain tree
Climbers: Bougainvillea
Creepers: Bignonia, gracillis.
2. Classification of Horticultural Crop Based on Life Span of Plants -
I. Annuals:
From the name it is clear that the plants live for one season or less. Annual plant is one which completed its life cycle from germination to seed formation within one season and then dies usually as a result of complete exhaustion of its food reserve in the process of reproduction. Mostly they complete their life history in 3 to 6 months. They comprise of several of most beautiful and easily grown plants, widely varying in from habit of growth and colour. Annuals are very effective, grown neither in pots or in ground. Particular annuals thrive best in particular period of the year. The annuals are conveniently grouped according to season as follows.
1. Rainy Season Annuals:
They can stand more in rain than others and therefore grown to flower during rainy season. The time of sowing then would be from April to May in most places e.g. Mary gold, Aster, Salvia, Zinnia etc.
2. Winter or Cold Season Annuals:
The thrive and bloom best during winter. These are sown in September, October e.g. phlox, Antirrithium.
3. Hot weather or Summer season Annuals:
They are sown in January - February and blooming period is April, May e.g. Sunflower, Gailardia, and Zinnia.
II. Biennials:
These plants usually requires two years or at least two growing seasons with more or less of a dormaint season or lasting season between two completed life cycle.
Seed sown in spring or summer, and vegetative growth is completed in first year and in the following spring, flowering and fruiting takes place. Generally the period of growth is 6 to 9 months e.g. Gladioli, Dahlia. No hard and fast line can be drawn between annuals and biennials crops like turnip, carrot, cabbage and onion are classified as biennials.
III. Perennials:
Any plant that lives more than two years is a perennial e.g. Mango, Citrus. These crops are classified in to two groups.
i) Herbaceous -
Herbaceous perennials are those with more or less soft succulent stems. In Temperate climates the tips die off after seasons growth but root remains alive and produce new stem and tops on favorable conditions. In other words their tips are annual while ground parts are perennials lie many years and are classified as: Trees, Shrubs And Vines according to their habit of growth.
A. Trees -
Trees are upright in habit and stems take the form of central axis e.g. Mango, Sapota, guava, Mandarins etc.
B. Shrubs -
Shrubs have no main trunk but a number of erect or semi erect stems are seen but do not forms the main frame work e.g. Hibiscus, Rose, and Lantana Acalyphya etc.
C. Vine -
Both woody and herbaceous have stems which are flexible and not in position to keep their branches and leaves erect. They either spread on the ground or require some support whether alive or man made e.g. cucurbit vines, Grape vines, Passion fruit etc.
3. Classification of Horticultural Crops Based on Climatic Requirements (Particularly
Temperature)
Based on temperature requirements and response to different climatic conditions, horticultural crops have been
classified in to three main groups and these are :
i) Temperate -
Temperate plants are commonly found in cold regions enjoying a mild and temperate climate. These plants endure cold and go to rest or dormancy by shedding of all their leaves during winter e.g. Apple, Plums cherry and almond etc.
ii) Tropical -
Tropical plants are those which do not tolerate severe cold but can tolerate warm temperatures of about 1000F.
Those plants need strong sunshine, warms, humidity and a very mild winter. They cannot stand far against frost e.g. Papaya, Banana and Pineapple.
iii) Sub - Tropical -
Sub - tropical plants like Orange, Litchi, Fig, Mango and cashewnunt are intermediate in character. They need warmth and humidity and can tolerate mild winters.
The above classification, based on climatic preference of plants, is more or less arbitrary and no sharp line can be drawn between these several groups. It however, indicates the broad difference in climatic needs of various plants. This does not necessarily mean that a plant belonging to one zone does not grow in other zones. For instances, annual crops of the temperate region like potato, knolknol and cabbage grow in tropical and sub - tropical regions also, but they come up well only in the winter season than other climatic zones.
** Classification of Horticultural Crops Based on Season
Horticultural crops are also classified according to the season in which they grow best. In our country we have three main season.
i) The Summer season, which starts from March and lasts upto May.
ii) The rainy season from June to October and
iii) The winter season from November to February.
Rainy season crops are known as "Kharif" crops. These crops come up best when sown with the onset of monsoon in May, June. Vegetables like Snake gourd, Lady's finger, Chilies and Beans comes under the category.
Lupines are known as "Rabi crops". They are generally sown October, November.
Only a few annual crops thrive in the warm summer months between March and June in the plains. Leafy vegetables, cluster beans, Brinjal, Cucumber, and Gourds are the common summer vegetables. The popular summer season Sunflowers, Cooks comb, Rose, Zinnia etc. There are some vegetables like tomato, brinjal, beans and flowers like which grow all the year count, but they come up best when there is optimum season.
The yield of a crop is also dependent upon the time of sowing. Crops which are sown under rain fed conditions are entirely dependent on rain fed conditions for their survival and growth and therefore, have to be sown just at the right time. Any delay in sowing causes great harm to rain fed crops. Even crops like sunhemp yield their best when sown in a particular optimum season and give even half the normal yield if sown in the strong season
Relation between Horticulture and Other Sciences
It is an applied Science. It is more closely related to Botany for breeding, Cytology. Genetics and Plant Physiology. Taxonomy is that art of Botany, which deals with the classification of plants into different families, genera and species. The knowledge is useful for budding, grafting and breeding purposes. Chemistry is important from the nutrient point of view. Pathology and Entomology are also useful Sciences for the control of pest and disease problems. What is more important in the Agriculture particularly Horticulture that the extension activities, to popularize the highlight of research work, plant nurseries and utilization of recent knowledge.
Classification of Horticultural Crops based on Use of Horticultural Plants
Use of Horticultural Plants:
A. Edible Plant -
i ) Vegetable:
a) Vegetables Grown for Aerial Portion:
1. Cole Crops: Cabbage, cauliflower
2. Legume Crops: Peas and Beans
3. Solanaceous Crops: Tomato Brinjal
4. Cucurbits: Cucumber, Red Pumpkin
5. Leafy Vegetables: Spinach, Methi
6. Salad Vegetables: Lettuce, Brocoli
7. Corn Vegetables: Sweet corn and Popcorn
b) Vegetable Grown for Underground Portion:
1. Root Crops: Beet. Carrot
2. Tuber Crops: Yam, potato.
3. Bulb Crops: Onion and Garlic
ii) Fruits
a) Temperate (Deciduous fruits):
1. Small Fruits: Grape, Strawberry
2. Tree Fruits: Apple, pear, Cherry
3. Nuts: Peach, Walnut
b) Tropical and Sub Tropical:
1. Herbaceous Perennials: Pineapple, Banana
2. Tree Fruits: Mango, Papaya
3. Nuts: Cashewnunt, Aracanut
B. Ornamental Plants
1. Flowering Trees: Gulmohar, Neelmobor, Cassua
2. Road Side Trees: Neem, Baniyan tree, Rain tree
3. Shade Giving Trees: Rain tree, Mahogany
4. Flowering Shrubs: Nerium, Hibiscus, Tagar
5. Foliage Shrubs: Thuja, Casurina
6. Climbers and Creepers: Petrea, Bignonia, Ipomea
7. Bulbous Plants: Canna, Caladium, Tuberose
8. Hedge and Edges: Duranta, Clearadendron, Ageratum
9. Annuals: Pitunia, Ainnia.
10. Perennials: Chrysanthemum, Roses.
**Deciduous Tree:
Fig., Guava, Apple, Karvanda Ber, Sweet cherry, Pomogranate Grape, Mulberry, Phalsa , Almond
** Evergreen trees -
Aracanut, Dates, Coconut, Pineapple, Banana, Jackfruit, Avocads, Sweet orange, Mandarin orange, K. lime, Mango, Chicku, Papaya,Passion fruit, Cashewnunt
Classification of Horticultural Crops
1. Botanical Classification:
i) Annonaceous Plants: Custard apple, Bullock heart
ii) Citrus Plants: Sweet orange, Mandarin orange, Lime and Lemons.
iii) Cucurbitaceous Plants: Bitter gourd, Sponge gourd, ridge gourd, Snake gourd,
Little gourd.
2. Ecological Classification:
i) Aquatic Plants: Lotus, Lily.
ii) Desert Plants : Dates.