The various aspects of fruit cultivation mainly covered are nutritive and cultural significance; origin, history, and distribution; taxonomical and botanical description; climatic and soil adaptability; propagation technology and rootstocks; plant and fruit physiology; recommended and popular cultivars; planning and planting: soil cultural practices technology - water need, nutritional need, weed control, inter culture; plant cultural practices technology- training and pruning, fruit thinning, fruit quality improvement, use of plant growth regulators; special problems; harvesting and production of fruits; post-harvest fruit technology; insect-pests and diseases management; marketing and export potential. Section-1 covers 2 leading sub- tropical fruits of the country. Similarly, section- 2 covers 4 and section-3 covers 6 sub- tropical fruits in order of their importance. Scientists working in different Universities/ Institutions and Research Stations have contributed chapter on fruit crops in their respective areas of specialization. The book will be highly beneficial to the graduate and post-graduate students in Fruit Science, fruit growers, scientists and extension workers.

The various aspects of fruit cultivation mainly covered are nutritive and cultural significance; origin, history, and distribution; taxonomical and botanical description; climatic and soil adaptability; propagation technology and rootstocks; plant and fruit physiology; recommended and popular cultivars; soil cultural practices technology - water need, nutritional need, weed control, inter culture; plant cultural practices technology- training and pruning, fruit thinning, fruit quality improvement, use of plant growth regulators; special problems; harvesting and production of fruits; post-harvest fruit technology; insect-pests and diseases management; marketing and export potential. Section-1 covers 2 leading sub- tropical fruits of the country. Similarly, section- 2 covers 4 and section-3 covers 6 sub- tropical fruits in order of their importance. Scientists working in different Universities/ Institutions and Research Stations have contributed chapter on fruit crops in their respective areas of specialization. The book will be highly beneficial to the graduate and post-graduate students in Fruit Science, fruit growers, scientists and extension workers.

Among the leading vegetable producing countries in the world, India ranks second only after China. Vegetables play pivotal role in mitigating nutritional requirement of the soceity as well as providing employment oppurtunity specially in the agriculture dominated rural agrarian economy of the developing countries like India. Among different kinds of vegetables, cucurbits are a diverse group of vegetables (include pumpkin, bitter gourd, water melon, cucumber, pointed gourd, ridge gourd, bottle gourd etc) cultivated widely all over the South Asian countries including Indian sub-continent. These are basically worm season crops and fetch several biotic and abiotic stresses during their life stages. These stressess considerably affect yield potentiality of several cucurbitaceous vegetables quantitatively as well as qualitatively. Climatic changes and increment in cropping intensity reflected in a remarkable and rapid shift of vegetable ecosystem that ultimately increasing these stresses day by day. Biotic stresses like insect, mite and nematode pests etc. are the most significant biotic stresses which are responsonible limiting yeild reduction as well as quality deterioration of produces. Application of hazardous toxic chemicals to combat the pest problems of cucurbits not only results in residual toxicity in vegetables but also destabilising agro-ecosystem. Again, due to change in climatic condition and introduction of modern agro-technology these problems are becoming very very complex. In this perspectives, updated and alternative information with regard to crop management of cucurbits is a dire need of the hour for successful and remunerative cucurbit production. The book covers all the issues related with these aspects like insect pests, diseases, mites, nematode parasites weeds, environmental stresses, nutrients elaborately with latest information, findings ect. It will be helpfull for agricultural students (both UG as well as PG level including Ph. D.) in India and abroad, horticultural experts, extension workers, policy makers etc. Latest available literatures, ideas, thoughts on these aspects has been incorporated. Related colour photographs has also been incorporated. It will be a treasure of knowledge with regard to management of cucurbitaceous vegetables for better productivity and remunerative cultivation.

The book provides information in its various chapters on some of the latest aspects of micropropagation, microbiology, biofertilizer, nanotechnology, RNA interference, metabolomics, biosurfactants, secondary metabolites, cancer therapy, biofuel and biostatistics etc. All the chapters have been well compiled with great dedication and sincerity and authors own the authenticity of information available in the book. We hope the book will be useful to large sections of people of diverse occupations including students, researchers, teachers, scientists, planners and policymakers, general readers and intellectuals etc.

Good management practices (GMP) address environmental, economic and social sustainability for on-farm processes and result in safe and quality food and nonfood agricultural products. In recent years, the concept of GMP has evolved to address the concerns of different stakeholders about food production and security, food safety and quality, and the environmental sustainability of agriculture. The diverse challenges and constraints as growing population, increasing food, feed and fodder needs, natural resource degradation, climate change, new parasites, slow growth in farm income and new global trade regulations demand a paradigm shift in formulating and implementing the agricultural research programmes. The present edition of the book related to Good management practices for fruit and vegetable crops is an endeavor to provide an insight to the ground realities and consequently proven technologies that needs to be popularized. The book will try to address the major issues of Good management practices in horticultural crops and disseminate the technologies developed.

The book is a compilation of 19 chapters authored by eminent scientists in the area. There is need to break yield barriers by GM Technology, keeping biosafety intact and as per standards. Use of biotechnology to enhance productivity is elaborated in two chapters. Water being a limiting factor is being studied wholistically. Soil fertility and its management are critical to crop productivity. Soil as a living entity needs to be viewed as the basics of horticulture. Root stocks play a vital role in rejuvenation, anchoring and better nutrient absorption. Biotic stresses like nematode pests and an array of viruses make crop growing highly challenging. Breeding methods are now available to develop varieties and hybrids which withstand stresses-biotic and abiotic- An exposure to basic sciences like plant physiology is needed to understand the source-sink ratios in crops. Marketing and trade are areas less taught but assuming top importance now. Horticulture is incomplete without study on pollinators like bees.

The book has been written covering major aspect of field crop diseases. o Each chapter has further been divided into sub-heads such as introduction and economic importance, symptoms on different parts, causal organism, disease cycle and favorable conditions. o Symptoms of important diseases have been illustrated with colored photographs which will help in their correct and easy diagnosis. o Management practices including, cultural, physical, biological, host resistance leading to integrated disease management. This book will serve immensely for teachers and students in the field of plant pathology.