Vegetables are important constituents of our healthy diet and provide more profits to the growers. Crop improvement is the most satisfying method of increasing the productivity of any crop. Production and consumption of vegetables has expanded greatly. Improved varieties have had a main role in the increase in yield and quality of vegetable crops.

The diversity of vegetable crops is appalling and greatly contributed to increased production and consumption of vegetables world over. For improvement of crops information on origin, distribution and evolution of crop and its related species is very essential. Information on genetics and genetic resources is prerequisite to choose the appropriate breedinng strategies to fulfill the objectives. Objectives of breeding vary with region and also purpose for which the product is used i.e., for fresh market, for processing or dual purpose and how the crop is grown i.e., under protection, open field cultivation or kitchen garden etc. Depending on the objectives and genetic resources, breeding methods or procedures can be adopted and it will results in useful varieties or hybrids. Information on breeding of vegetables crops is covered in very abridged form. More number of crops covered in this book by appending and updating information on genetics, genetic resources, breeding methods/procedures and varieties developed in each of the 26 vegetable crops wherever information is available.

Origin and evolution, genetic resources, genetics of fruits, breeding methods and varieties/hybrids developed is the sequence followed in presenting the and varieties/hybrids developed is the sequence followed in presenting the information on each of the crops.

Professor Ravindra Mulge has more than 30 years of experience of teaching and research in vegetable breeding. He supervised more than dozen Ph. D. and more than 50 M.  Sc. theses and published more than 100 research articles in national and international journals. He is member of half a dozen learned bodies in ‘India including Indian Society of Genetics and Plant Breeding’, ‘Indian Academy of Horticultural Sciences’ and ‘Indian Society of Vegetable Science’. He is serving as Dean from the year 2016 at the College of Horticulture, Bidar which is the constituent college of the University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot in Karnataka. Dr Ravindra Mulge obtained M. Sc. (Horticulture) in Olericulture and Ph. D. in Horticulture from University of Agricultural Sciences Bangalore and for his Ph. D. he worked at ICAR- Indian Institute of Horticultural Science, Bangalore. He joined ARS as Scientist in Indian Council of Agricultural Sciences during the year 1993 and received ‘Hari Om Ashram Trust Award’ for Agricultural Research for the biennium 1995-96 from ICAR.

Dr Ravindra Mulge joined the services at University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad as Assistant Professor of Vegetable Sciences at K.R.C. College of Horticulture, Arabhavi during the year 1997. He involved in UG and PG teaching in Vegetable breeding and carried out research work in vegetable crops and developed and released capsicum variety “Apoorva” as Principal Investigator and drumstick variety “Bhagya” and Cardamom variety “Avinash” (Rhizome rot resistant) as Co-Principal Investigator. He served as Professor and Head, Department of Vegetable Science at K.R.C. College of Horticulture, Arabhavi from 2010 to 2016. He guided 30 M. Sc. and three Ph. D. students in vegetable science as major advisor and published 129 research articles, 22 research notes, 56 abstracts, 27 popular articles and three chapters in edited books.

1. Tomato, 2. Brinjal, 3.Pepper,  4. Potato, 5. Okra (Ladies Finger), 6.  Cucurbits-Cucumber , 7.  Musk Melon,  8.  Water Melon,  9.  Ridge Gourd and Sponge Gourd, 10.Bitter Gourd, 11.Bottle Gourd,  12.Squashes and Pumpkins, 13.Legumes-Garden Pea,14.French Bean, 15.Cowpea , 16.Dolichos Bean, 17.Alliums (Bulb Crops), 18. Cole Crops- Cabbage, 19.Cauliflower and Other Cole Crops, 20.Amaranthus,, 21.Carrot, 22.Radish ,23.Beet Root, 24.Turnip, 25.Sweet Potato, 26.Cassava