This book has been prepared to provide every production aspect of important vegetables along with information regarding origin and distribution, composition and uses, botany, varieties, climatic and soil requirement, cultivation practices, harvesting, post-harvest management, insect-pests and diseases along with their control measures. Its users would find this book very practical for raising vegetable crops profitably.
Dr. M.K. Rana, MSc and PhD in vegetable science and presently working as a professor in the
Department of Vegetable Science, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana, India,
has a brilliant academic career standing first in all the examinations. Professor Rana also served
as a lecturer of agriculture in NCERT Regional College of Education, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India. He
is specialized in the field of abiotic stress, vegetable physiology, and postharvest technology and
processing of vegetables.
He has an excellent experience of 28 years in the field of teaching in CCS Haryana Agricultural
University, Hisar, and as a teacher, he has taught more than 20 different courses to the students
of undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctorate classes, delivered several lectures in the trainings
and given talks on radio as well as on television on different topics related to vegetable science.
As a proficient writer, Dr. Rana has published 164 book chapters, 12 research reviews, 90 research
papers, 37 research abstracts, and 112 scientific articles in sundry books, journals, and magazines
of scientific repute, has published 14 books and is publishing 2 books within the year, 12 teaching
manuals, 2 technical bulletins on spices and edited 3 symposia abstracts, 2 symposia proceedings,
2 issues of Haryana Journal of Horticultural Sciences, 1 compendium, and has guided 15 MSc and
3 PhD students.
He served as an executive councilor and editor of the Haryana Journal of Horticultural Sciences
and as a joint secretary of the National Symposium organized by the Horticultural Society of
Haryana. He has also worked as paper reviewer in several national societies. Dr. Rana is a life
member of 11 professional bodies and societies and has been an examiner in different universities.
Dr. Rana has been awarded the ICAR Team Research Award for the year 1993–1994 in recognition
of his outstanding research contribution in the field of abiotic stress and University Best Teacher
Award for the year 2004–2005 in recognition of his dedicated service rendered in the university.
He had the opportunity to visit Michigan State University for 3 months training in the field of postharvest
handling and processing of fruits and vegetables. He has been the member secretary of the
Board of Subject Matter Area Committee (ICAR).
