World Vegetables

This text and reference book was written because of the urgings of my colleagues here and abroad and also by my students to fill the need for a comprehensive book describing vegetables important as food crops of the world. in this book was first used as outlines for the course on The material world vegetables taught by the staff of the Department of Vegetable Crops at the University of California at Davis. Over the course of the decade the author taught the course, new topics were added with each succeeding year. In 1978 the handouts were revised and compiled into a syllabus. In addition to the students taking the course, the syllabus was purchased and used by others as a reference book. Word ofits existence travelled far; the syllabus is presently used by one other university in the United States and by another in a foreign country. This edition has been extensively revised; many new materials and references have been added. Included are many photographs taken by the author in his travels abroad. The book has three parts. The first is introductory and background meant for students who are not familiar with vegetables as food crops.

I Introduction. - 1 Vegetables and the World Food Supply. - 2 Origin and Evolution of Vegetables. - 3 Vegetable Classifications. - 4 Importance of Vegetables in Nutrition. - 5 Toxic Substances and Folk Medicinal Uses of Vegetables. - II Principles of Growing Vegetables. - 6 Environmental Factors Influencing the Growth of Vegetables. - 7 Devices and Means of Controlling Climate for Vegetable Production in Adverse Climates and During Off Seasons. - III World Vegetables. - 8 Global View of Vegetable Usage. - A Starchy Roots, Tubers and Fruits. - 9 White or Irish Potato. - 10 Sweet Potato. - 11 Cassava (Manioc). - 12 Yam. - 13 Edible Aroids: Taro, Yautia, and Others. - 14 Other Starchy Underground Vegetables. - 15 Sweet Corn. - 16 Plantain (Starchy Banana) and Breadfruit. - B Succulent Roots, Bulbs, Tops, and Fruits. - 17 Alliums: Onion, Garlic, and Others. - 18 Composites. - 19 Crucifers. - 20 Umbellifers: Carrot, Celery, and Condiment Herbs. - 21 Vegetable Legumes. - 22 Solanaceous Fruits: Tomato, Eggplant, Peppers, and Others. - 23 Cucurbits. - 24 Chenopods. - 25 Other Succulent Vegetables.