Horticulture, derived from the words, hortus (meaning garden) and cultura (translated to culture).
It surely is one of the most important forms of agriculture. Nutrient deficiency and malnutrition is on the rise and everyday, numerous people suffer owing to the fact that theydonot have enough nutrients in their diet.
Horticulture is basically the growth of fruits and vegetables,which, as everyone knows, are crucial for us to maintain a healthy diet.
All of us are no strangers to these facts. But have you tried to dig deep and understand how horticulture came to be as it is right now and the way it was before?
Do you know how old horticulture is? If you're thinking of it to be recent, then you’re mistaken. Horticulture has always been an important aspect of agriculture since time immemorial.
Many historians believe that horticulture first began in Egypt. Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan were one of the first to introduce horticulture in india.
Origins of horticulture have been said to start in the nomadic tribes where they would use biochars which improved the soil productivity. In the forest areas also horticulture was seen, in the form of swiddens and slash and burn.
In Central America, Maya horticulture involved augmentation of the forest with useful trees such as papaya, avocado, cacao, ceiba and sapodilla. In the cornfields, multiple crops such as beans, squash, pumpkins and chili peppers were grown, and in some cultures, these crops were tended mainly or exclusively by women.