Quality Breeding in Leafy Vegetables
Impa H. R. *
Department of Vegetable Science, College of Horticulture, University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India.
Yashavanta Kumar K. H.
Department of Vegetable Science, College of Horticulture, University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India.
Raveendra S. Javadgi
Department of Vegetable Science, College of Horticulture, University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India.
Shipra Singh Parmar
Department of Vegetable Science, College of Horticulture, Nauni, Dr Yashwanth Singh Parmar University of Horticultural and Forestry, Nauni, Himachal Pradesh, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Vegetables are commonly known as "protective foods" in the human diet owing to their quantity of vitamins, essential fatty acids, minerals, amino acids, and dietary fiber, as well as a range of critical bioactive compounds. These include health-promoting phenolic chemicals and secondary plant metabolites that are high in antioxidants. Greens are the best and most economical sources of protein. This is because of their ability to use the abundant amounts of nitrogen, sunlight, water, and oxygen in the environment to synthesize and accumulate amino acids. It has long been recognized that green leafy vegetables are a great source of dietary fiber. The WHO states that in order to effectively combat general malnutrition, it is now necessary to consider the micronutrient status of the diet. Breeding green vegetables with high nutritional content can help solve this problem.
Keywords: Protective foods, anti-oxidant, vitamin, green leafy vegetables