Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
removed from cobs for both canning and for freezing, although whole ears can be
frozen. Cobs and kernels may be boiled with or without shucks or the cob plus
kernels may be roasted on a grill, frequently a charcoal grill, although open wood
fires are also commonly used. In many countries roasted maize is eaten as a snack as
much as a part of main meal. Popcorn is allowed to mature and is picked and
the kernels removed from the cob. Heating the kernels in either air or with oil causes
the kernels to explode into a fluffy “ball,” after which it is eaten as a snack frequently
with the addition of butter and salt.
4.8.6 World Production of Immature Seed Vegetables
The major producers of immature seeds used as vegetables are India, China, United
States, France, United Kingdom, Nigeria, Hungary, Peru, Mexico, Morocco, and
Turkey. The top producer of bush beans and sweet corn is the United States while
the top producer of green peas is India. These 10 countries produce 2 to 18 percent
more immature seeds used as vegetables than the rest of the world. This represents
from 68 to 94 percent of the world's production of these vegetables. This estimate is
based on bush bean, maize, and green pea production.
},2
4.9
MELONS, SQUASH, AND CUCUMBER
4.9.1 Climatic Adaptation
Melons, squash, and cucumber (Fig. 4.18) grow on vines that lie on the ground or are
supported on trellises. They grow in a variety of climates and, although cucumber and
squash are adapted to most climates, cantaloupe, pumpkin, and watermelon are
more commonly grown in subtropical and temperate climates as seen in Table 4.5.
Figure
4.18.
Examples of, from left to right, melon, cucumber, and two types of squash.
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Calculated from FAOSTAT (http://faostat.fao.org) data for 2004 and 2005 on the basis of hectares.
