Name: Seenappa
Country: India

Year: 2026
Volume: Volume-11, (Special Issue: March 2026)
Page Number: 547-552
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22076476

ABSTRACT
Agriculture in Karnataka is a key component of the state's economy. The geography of Karnataka, including its soil and climate, strongly favors agricultural practices in the state. Most of Karnataka’s residents are involved in farming, particularly in the countryside. The expansion of Commercial and Horticulture in the state has an exciting historical narrative, showcasing numerous intriguing facts, significant accomplishments, and proud legacies. While certain horticultural crops have been cultivated in the state for centuries, their commercial cultivation began only two and a half centuries ago. The primary recognition for the beginning of horticulture crop cultivation in the state undoubtedly belongs to Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. Around 1760, Hyder Ali initiated a small royal garden close to Bangalore Fort, known as Lalbagh. Following him, Tipu Sultan enhanced this garden by creating organized designs and implementing an extensive planting initiative. He gathered numerous significant native and foreign types of flowers, fruits, vegetables, and other plants sourced from distant locations like Malacca, Isle of France, Oman, Arabia, Persia, Turkey, Zanzibar, France, and various European nations. In Srirangapatna, his capital, he created another renowned garden with the same name as Lalbagh, where he also incorporated various ornamental and horticultural plants. He had created a large Fig orchard at Ganjam, close to Srirangapatna. Many fruit species that Tipu Sultan introduced eventually evolved into the commercial crops of the Mysore province at that time.

Keywords: Commercial scale, Mysore state, Commercial and Horticulture crops, Promoting, Giving boost, Colonial policy