Over the past few years there has been an increase in the variety of tropical fruits available for consumption, due to improved breeding, postharvest management and distribution systems. The production and world trade of fresh tropical fruits is expected to expand further, aided by consumer demand for healthy diets and for trying new foods. The third edition of this book covers major tropical fruits such as avocado, banana, litchi, mango, papaya, and pineapple.
The first five chapters describe general aspects of the tropical climate and its soils, fruit production techniques, tree management, and postharvest handling. Following these are self-contained chapters on single fruits that provide in-depth studies of botany, taxonomy, varieties, propagation, orchard management, biotic and abiotic problems, and utilization. The ancient and modern propagation and cultural practices are described to show the regional differences that environmental and biological pressures exert on fruit production and fruit quality.
Tropical Fruits 3rd edition is essential reading for students and teachers of horticulture and tropical agriculture, as well as for horticultural industry personnel.
Duarte, Odilo: - "Odilo Duarte Emeritus Professor graduated with a BS from Universidad Agraria, La Molina, Lima, Peru; a MS in Horticulture from University of California - Davis; an MBA from the Universidad del Pacifico, Lima, Peru; and a Doctorate in Agricultural Sciences Cum Laude from Technische Universitaet, in Fruit Crop Production. He was Head of the Fruit Crops section, Escuela Agricola Panamericana at El Zamorano, Honduras from 1989 to 2008 when he retired and returned to Peru. Prior to his years at El Zamorano, he was Professor and Head of the Fruit Crops Research Program Universidad Agraria, La Molina, Lima, Peru, has held a number of managerial positions in private industry, and has had numerous consultancy on tropical fruit production. At El Zamorano, he received several student awards for his undergraduate teaching. He is widely published in the area of tropical fruit production and propagation."
Paull, Robert E.: - Robert E. Paull graduated from the University of Sydney with a BS in Agronomy, was involved in cotton production research before going to the University of California in Berkeley for a PhD in plant physiology. He returned to Australia and carried out research on chilling injury of tropical plants before his appointment to the University of Hawaii to teach and do research on postharvest physiology and handling. He teaches plant physiology and provides guest lectures on postharvest physiology and handling in applied courses. His research focuses on the adaptation and application of technology to the improvement of postharvest handling in a integrated and systematic way. This research has lead to more than a hundred peer-reviewed publications and over eighty extension type articles. He is co-author on three books and co-edited five including The Encyclopedia of Fruits and Nuts published by CABI with Dr. Jules Janick.
