Abstract
This book on the physiology of vegetable crops focuses on the activities and functions of vegetables, defined as herbaceous plants that are harvested for edible parts that can be consumed fresh or with little preparation. Physiology deals with the growth and development processes of these plants, and while this book is focused primarily on the organ and whole-plant level, brief mention of cellular and genetic events is made for some crops. The initial chapters cover processes common to most vegetables, such as the germination of seeds and the processes governing development of plants from small seeds, in preparation for transplanting into their final growth environment. The rapid advances in understanding of the induction of flowers among herbaceous plants is then summarized, followed by consideration of the major abiotic stress factors (such as cold, heat and salinity) facing vegetable plants. The development of models of crop growth among vegetables has also made recent advances, and is contributing to understanding of how plants function. A chapter on the mechanisms by which growth of different plant parts is regulated among vegetables is followed by a dozen chapters describing the physiology of 21 major vegetable species. For each, the taxonomic location in the plant kingdom is described, followed by the crop's life course from seedling to harvest stage, and the role of environmental factors on plant ontogeny. Since vegetables are grown for their harvested products, factors affecting product quality during growth are also emphasized.