Spice CropsThe first authentic record of spice and herb usage is on clay tablets from the Sumarian Kingdom about 3,000 BC, and many spices were used or imported into Egypt for embalming, as incense, ointments, perfumes, poison antidotes, cosmetics and medicines. Plants that are the source of spices became important cash crops over the centuries, and since their introduction, their uses have multiplied. This has resulted in a rise in consumer demand following the popularity for natural flavorings, which has in turn increased interest in their production in temperate and tropical countries. This book is concerned with the profitable production of spice crops at all levels of management, more efficient processing and greater utilization. |
Contents
Mustards | 23 |
Cassia | 45 |
Leguminosae | 83 |
Myristicaceae | 97 |
Myrtaceae | 119 |
vii | 132 |
104 | 157 |
8 | 172 |
Fennel | 284 |
Zingiberaceae | 299 |
Ginger | 316 |
Turmeric | 338 |
Minor Spices | 352 |
Nigella | 356 |
Saffron | 360 |
References | 367 |
Common terms and phrases
acid anethole annual applied aromatic Asia bark berries black pepper buds caper Capsicum caraway cardamom carvone cassia characteristics chilli China cinnamon clove colour commercial common composition compounds constituents contains coriander crops cultivars cultivated cumin damage dill disease distilled dried effect essential oil eugenol Europe exported extraction fennel fenugreek fertilizers flavour flowers fresh fruit germination ginger green grown growth ha¯¹ ha¹ harvest herb oil herbage important increase India Indonesia insects irrigation Journal kg ha-1 leaf oil leaves limonene linalool mainly major mature medicine moisture monoterpenes mulch mustard nutmeg nutrients odour oil content oil yield oleoresin optical rotation pests plantations plants powder produce pungent reduce regions rhizomes root saffron seed oil seed yield seedbed seedlings smallholders soil sowing sown species spice Sri Lanka stem storage temperature tion trees turmeric umbel usually vanilla varies vegetable volatile oil weed yellow zomes