1. Classification of vegetable crops
Vegetable crops consists of 1200 species from which 78 are familiar.
More than 860 species belong to 59 families of dicotyledoneae and 801 to the monocotyledoneae.
90 species of vegetables are cultivated in the tropical and sub-tropical parts of the world but hardly 15 species are of commercial importance.
Different methods of classification of vegetables:
Botanical classification.
Classification based on hardiness.
Classification based on parts used
Classification based on essential methods of culture.
Classification based on tolerance to soil reaction.
Classification based on salt tolerance.
Classification based on photo-period requirement.
Classification based on rooting depth.
Classification based on the growing season.

2. Why do we need to classify vegetable crops?
To show the relationship between the individual vegetable crop
To avoid repetition while describing their cultural operation.

3. Botanical Classification:
Plants are divided into four sub-communities enlisted as under-
Thallophyta: Thallophytes
Bryophyta: mosses
Pteridophyta: ferns
Spermatophyta: seed plants
Spermatophyta
Gymnospermae
Angiospermae
Monocotyledonae
Dicotyledonae
No vegetable belongs to the division Gymnospermae
Most of the vegetables belong to class, Dicotyledonae
The classes, Monocotyledoneae and Dicotyledoneae are further divided into families, genus, species, sub-species and botanical varieties.

4. Classification based on hardiness
Also known as ‘Thermo classification’
Vegetables are grouped according to their ability to withstand frost.
This classification helps us to know the season of cultivation of a particular vegetable crop i.e. the right time of sowing & their temperature requirement but the cultural requirement of vegetables grouped as winter season vegetables are not the same, so is the case with the summer season crops.
Vegetables are classified into three groups:
Hardy vegetables
(can withstand frost without any injury )
Broccoli, cabbage, pea, Brussel’s sprout, garlic, onion, leek, radish, spinach, turnip, parsley etc.
Semi-hardy vegetables (Generally they are not injured by light frost )
Carrot, cauliflower, potato, celery, lettuce, beet, palak etc.
Tender vegetables
(can not withstand frost and are even killed by light frost )
Tomato, chilli, brinjal, cucumber, okra and all cucurbits, french bean, sweet potato, cassava, yam drumstick, elephant foot yam etc.

5. Classification based on growing season
Summer or spring summer vegetables
Opt. monthly Avg. temp =20-27°C
Tolerate min. temp. =15°C
Tomato, brinjal, cucumber, okra, french bean, cowpea, most of the cucurbits, amaranthus, cluster bean etc.
Rainy/kharif season vegetables
Okra, cucumber, brinjal, chilli, tomato, gourds , ginger, turmeric, cowpea, hyacinth bean, amaranthus and cluster. bean etc
Winter or autumn winter season vegetables
Opt. monthly Avg. Temp. = °C
Tolerate min. temp. of 5°C.
Tolerate temp 1°C- Asparagus and Rhubarb
Cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, radish, carrot, turnip, spinach, onion, garlic, pea, fenugreek, potato etc.
Cool season vegetables are those vegetables of which the vegetative parts- roots, stems, leaves and buds or immature flowers are eaten; exceptions are sweet potato & New Zealand spinach. The vegetables of which the immature fruits are eaten are warm season crops, pea and broad bean are exceptions, being cool season crops

6. Classification based on tolerance to soil reaction
Vegetables are classified in 3 groups according to their tolerance to soil acidity
Slightly tolerant
(pH )
Moderately tolerant
(pH )
Very/ highly tolerant
(pH )
Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, okra, spinach, leek, chinese cabbage, lettuce, beet, asparagus, muskmelon, onion etc.
Beans, carrot, cucumber, brinjal, garlic, garden pea, tomato, radish, turnip, Brussels’s sprouts, knolkhol, parsley, pumpkin etc.
Potato,
sweet potato, watermelon, chicory, rhubarb etc.

7. Classification based on salt tolerance
Sensitive
Moderately resistant
Resistant/ tolerant
Pea, beans, potato, radish
brinjal, sweet potato etc.
Onion, carrot, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli,
tomato, melons, chilli etc.
Asparagus, beet,
lettuce,
bitter gourd
ash gourd etc.

8. Classification based on photo period requirement
Vegetables are grouped according to the period for which the light is available
The response of plants to light for induction of flowering is called photo periodism.
Long day vegetables
(8 -10 hours of dark)
Short day vegetables
(10-14 hours dark)
Day neutral vegetables
(Photo insensitive )
Onion, cabbage
cauliflower, potato
radish, lettuce
knolkhol, turnip,
carrot etc.
Sweet potato, lablab bean, winged bean,
cluster bean etc.
Tomato, brinjal, chilli, okra, french bean, cucumber,
cowpea etc.

9. Classification based on rooting depth
There are five groups of vegetables in this classification
Very shallow rooted
(15-30 cm)
Shallow rooted
(30-60 cm)
Moderately deep rooted (60-90 cm)
Deep rooted ( cm)
Very deep rooted
( cm)
Onion, lettuce
Cabbage, cauliflower, garlic, celery palak, potato, spinach, cowpea, radish, broccoli, Brussels’s sprout
Brinjal, cucumber, muskmelon, frenchbean, carrot,
beet
Chilli,
turnip, summer squash,
garden pea, rutabaga
Asparagus, artichoke, lima bean, pumpkin, sweet potato, tomato, watermelon
The knowledge of rooting depth is essential for scheduling the time and quantity of irrigation water.
Shallow rooted crops require frequent and light irrigation.
Deep rooted crops require less but heavy irrigation.

10. Classification based on parts used as food
Leaves/ stems
Flower
Fruits
Modified stem
Under ground
Cabbage, palak,
fenugreek, amaranthus, salad crops, lettuce, celery, parsley all the pot herbs & greens
Broccoli, globe artichoke
Tomato
brinjal
chilli
beans
okra,
cucurbits
Knolkhol cauliflower
asparagus
Carrot
turnip
beet
radish
potato
sweet potato, taro
ginger
garlic
onion
elephant foot yam
cassava

11. Part consumed

12. Classification based on methods of culture
Most convenient method.
Vegetables crops having same cultural requirements are placed together i.e. under one/same group.
This makes it possible to give the general cultural practices for the group without the necessity of repetition while describing the individual crop.
Some groups like cucurbits, cole crops, solanaceous and bulb crops not only have similar cultural requirements for the group but the crops in each group also belong to the same family.
Most of the crops belonging to the bulb or salad group, also have similar temperature requirements.
This method of classification even though not in all but in the majority of cases fulfill the basic requirements of classification of vegetables.
Classification based on methods of culture

13. Group 1: Potato
Group 2: Solanaceous fruits e.g. tomato, brinjal, capsicum, chilli
Group 3: Cole crops e.g. cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, knolkhol, kale.
Group 4: Cucurbits e.g. cucumber, bottle gourd, bitter gourd, ridge gourd, snake gourd, water melon, pumpkin, summer squash, winter squash etc.
Group 5: Root crops e.g. radish, carrot, turnip, beet.
Group 6: Bulb crops e.g. onion, garlic, leek.
Group 7: Salad crops e.g. lettuce, celery, parsley.
Group 8: Greens and pot herbs e.g. spinach, coriander, fenugreek, palak, beet leaf, amaranthus.
Group 9: Peas and beans e.g. garden pea, french bean, asparagus bean, lima beans, cluster bean, cowpea etc.
Group 10: Tuber crops other than potato e.g. taro, yam, elephant foot yam.
Group 11: Sweet potato.
Group 12: Okra.
Group 13: Pointed gourd.
Group 14: Temperate perennials e.g. globe artichoke, rhubarb.
Group 15: Tropical perennials vegetables e.g. Curry leaves, drum stick.
Group 16: Chow-chow (Chayote).