Sustainable crop production is vital to ensure that supplies of fresh vegetables and their products are readily available. However, food security still remains a huge problem in areas of the world, including the tropics and sub-tropics, where communities rely solely on subsistence farming to meet their day-to-day food demands. It is evident that food production needs to become more sustainable to ensure economic stability and poverty reduction. With this in mind, "Tropical Vegetable Production" addresses the problems surrounding vegetable production in developing countries. Divided into two parts, this volume discusses first the principles and practice of tropical vegetable production, from site selection, security and management to seeds, crop preparation and pesticides, and second, provides details of those crops which are of particular importance in developing countries.

Rich countries are paying poor countries to fight climate change on their behalf - and one way they are doing it is through carbon sinks. These are reservoirs of organic carbon tied up in plants and in the earth, rather than being in the atmosphere as greenhouse gases. This book looks critically at this mode of climate change mitigation. Can it work? Is it just? Will poorer countries benefit? The book considers the scientific, economic and ethical basis for this type of mitigation.

Previous attention has been focused mainly on reducing emissions from deforestation and land degradation (REDD), but this book is one of the first attempts to examine the potential for carbon sinks in agriculture in crop plants and the soil. In assessing this, the author examines exactly how north-south climate mitigation trading works, or does not, and what the pitfalls are. It highlights the complex relationship between agriculture, particularly different forms of farming systems, and the mitigation of climate change. The arguments are backed up by original research with farmers in Brazil to demonstrate the challenges and prospects which these proposals offer in terms of payments for environmental services from agriculture through carbon trading.

Of related interest . . .

FOOD CHEMISTRY

A Laboratory Manual

Dennis D. Miller

A superb educational resource in food science and technology, this manual is an excellent source of ideas and guidance for students enrolled in food chemistry laboratory courses. Featuring experiments designed to illustrate key concepts under discussion, this manual also includes concise reviews of chemical principles, data analysis tips, and useful formulas and calculations. Topics range from acids and bases to chemical leavening agents, from properties of sugars and proteins to additives, pigments, and tenderizers. The use of high-performance liquid chromatography is also covered.

1998 (0-471-17543-9) 153 pp.

FOOD PROCESSING

An Industrial Powerhouse in Transition

Second Edition

John M. Connor and William A. Schiek.

Now in a second edition, this work updates all information involving the growth, economic development, and business management of the booming U.S. food processing industry. Comprehensive, timely coverage includes distribution channels, the effects of biotechnological and regulatory developments, as well as an analysis of the contributions made by the food processing industry to the U.S. economy.

1997 (0-471-15515-2) 688 pp.

ELECTRONIC GUIDE TO FOOD REGULATIONS

Tracy A. Altman

This CD-ROM helps food industry professionals cut through the morass of federal regulations affecting the food industry. Users get fast access to the actual texts of FDA, USDA, and EPA rules along with in-depth analyses and clear interpretation of the legal and regulatory requirements affecting the production, packaging, and sale of meat, poultry, seafood, dietary supplements, and other food products. Features compliance diagrams and keyword indexes for quick reference.

1999 (0-471-32584-8) CD-ROM

Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Programme (TSBF) TSBF was established in 1984 under the patronage of the Man and Biosphere programme of Unesco and the Decade of the Tropics initiative of the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS). The objective of the programme is to develop appropriate and innovative approaches for sustaining tropical soil fertility through the management of biological processes and organic resources. To achieve this objective, TSBF aspires to:
* make available to farmers and other land managers in the tropics methods of soil management which will improve agricultural productivity but conserve the soil resource
* contribute to increasing the carbon storage equilibrium in tropical soils in the face of global changes in land use and climate
* improve understanding of the role of biological resources in soil fertility and the sustainability of tropical land-use systems
* improve the research and training capacity of national institutions in the tropics in the fields of soil biology and management of tropical ecosystems.
TSBF is a voluntary participatory international research programme whose members are committed to the concept that the fertility of tropical soils is controlled by biological processes and can be managed by the manipulation of these processes. Research is conducted at both the ecosystem level and the process level on the basis of two principles: that the capacity to manage soil fertility depends on a mechanistic understanding of the biological processes regulating nutrient flux, organic matter dynamics and soil physical structure maintenance, and that successful management for sustainable soil fertility must be implemented at the ecosystem level by integrating soil biological processes with those of human decision making in relation to all components of the ecosystem.

The development of the cotton economy in West Africa is an African success story. This enduring agricultural revolution was brought about by tens of thousands of small-scale peasant farmers. Drawing on archival research, oral histories, and long-term fieldwork on the small farms of northern Ivory Coast, this book places the rural African actors center stage and brings out the complex and manifold ways in which they shaped farming systems and influenced the government policies that brought the cotton economy into being, and sustained it from the 1880s to the 1990s.

Based on the author's widely used earlier text African Farm Management, this account updates the economic analysis of tropical agriculture and broadens its perspective to include examples from all parts of the developing world. Writing in a clear, concise style, Professor Upton explains the essential theories of farm economics without numerous mathematical formulae. The text is completely revised, with increased emphasis on farm household economics, in which farms are seen as consumers as well as producers. Also included is a new chapter on the economics of irrigated agriculture. This book provides an invaluable economic framework for better understanding the operation and management of farming systems in the tropics, and will be welcomed by students of tropical agriculture worldwide. From reviews of African Farm Management: "The author produces an authoritative text interlaced with many relevant and illustrative references." -- Experimental Agriculture

In tropical developing countries farmers tend to grow a wide range of crops in a small area for subsistence or sale. To make full use of often limited resources, a good understanding of how environmental conditions affect the characteristics and performance of these crops is essential. This book considers the response of tropical food crops to environmental factors such as climate, soil and farming system. Three types of crop are considered: cereals, legumes and non-cereal energy crops, with individual chapters on the four most important crops in each group. This material is set in context by introductory chapters on tropical farming systems, tropical climates and tropical soils. This new, updated edition retains the successful formula of the first edition while placing additional emphasis on tropical environmental conservation. It will serve the needs of advanced students of tropical agriculture, as well as professionals engaged in research and extension work in tropical crop production.

This manual reflects the working practices of Booker Agriculture International (BAI) which is engaged on agricultural consultancy assignments and land management contracts in the tropics and subtropics. It is a survey of soil-related methods and terminology with guidelines for interpretation of soil and land evaluation data used in project design, costing and management. The manual reflects the working practices of BAI and concentrates on those aspects of development studies handled by soil scientists as members of multi-disciplinary teams.

Diseases caused by Ganoderma species cause major losses of palms and other perennial crops throughout the world, and these are particularly significant in Asia. Successive replanting of crop monocultures can be rapidly exploited by soil-borne fungi such as Ganoderma, and the problem will become more serious in the 21st century, as more areas become due for second or even third replanting. Environmental considerations will reduce exploitation of new forest areas, making further replanting of these crops inevitable. Thus, appropriate, integrated management systems for these diseases are vital. However, the development of such control measures has been hampered in the past by a limited knowledge of the nature and inter-relationships of populations of different hosts and the mechanisms of disease establishment and spread.This book aims to address these limitations through enhanced knowledge of the biology and taxonomy of Ganoderma species. The use of molecular and biochemical methods can be used to provide a greater understanding of the spread of the pathogen, and consequently, the improved management of disease.

Biological control has been central to many recent successful integrated pest management programmes. It is also the natural choice where protection of the environment is particularly important. This book reviews current knowledge of biocontrol programmes in the tropics, particularly in developing countries. It is based on papers presented at a symposium held in Malaysia in March 1999. Contributors include authorities from Europe, North America and Australia, as well as from South-East Asia.

The poultry industry continues to expand in the warm regions of the world at a much faster rate than in temperate zones. Not only can it be quickly and easily developed in these hot climates but poultry meat and eggs can serve as important sources of animal protein in those areas of the world that have protein insufficiency. Fully revised and updated, this new edition describes how the detrimental effects of heat stress can be reduced through the manipulation of housing, breeding, nutrition and management, and includes new contributions on controlled-environment housing, waterfowl, and breeding fast-growing broilers.

Tropical Environments presents a comprehensive introduction to the complex systems of the tropics. Covering a broad, cross-regional range of humid through to semi-arid tropical climate zones, the book features a wealth of case studies drawn from throughout the tropical world. The authors tackle the major problems within the tropics, from complex biological interactions and soil nutrient deficiencies, offering a balanced integration of biophysical and human management issues.

This book provides up-to-date and comprehensive coverage of the research and application of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in tropical regions. The first section explores the agro-ecological framework that represents the foundations of IPM, in addition to emerging technologies in chemical and biological methods that are core to pest control in tropical crops. The second section follows a crop-based approach and provides details of current IPM applications in the main tropical food crops (such as cereals, legumes, root and tuber crops, sugarcane, vegetables, banana and plantain, citrus, oil palm, tea, cocoa and coffee) and also fibre crops (such as cotton) and tropical forests. Integrated Pest Management in Tropical Regions: * Explores the techniques aimed at controlling pests in agro-ecosystems sustainably while reducing secondary effects on the environment and on plant, animal and human health * Contextualizes IPM within our current knowledge of climate change and the global movement of organisms * Covers integrated strategies to contains pests in major tropical food crops, fibre crops and trees * Discusses options and challenges for pest control in tropical agriculture

Effective fruit production requires general knowledge of fruit husbandry such as nutrition, propagation, pruning and training, effects of climate and crop protection as well as specific cultivation techniques for each fruit. Fully revised and expanded to include organic fruit production, this new edition provides a thorough introduction to the cultivation of fruit found throughout the temperate and subtropical regions of the world.

This book describes interactions of plant viruses with hosts and transmission vectors in an agricultural context. Starting with an overview of virus biology, economics and management, chapters then address economically significant plant diseases of tropical and subtropical crops. For each disease, symptoms, distribution, economic impact, causative virus, taxonomy, host range, transmission, diagnostic methods and management strategies are discussed.

Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri, is an insect pest which transmits a bacterium, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), primarily through feeding in newly emergent foliage of citrus trees. This pathogen causes a disease known as Huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening, which has become the most debilitating and intractable disease in citrus crops. This book, written by a team of experts on the Asian citrus psyllid, gathers together everything currently known about the biology and ecology of this important pest species, examines the transmission and acquisition processes of the pathogen, and looks at current management practices and their effectiveness. The potential for new, innovative management techniques are also described, along with the economic implications of managing this rapidly establishing disease. This book: Covers all aspects of Asian citrus psyllid biology and ecology for the first time in one place. Examines new, innovative management practices and assesses their effectiveness. Discusses the vector-pathogen relationship in detail. Explains the economics of controlling this devastating pest. This title is essential reading for all researchers involved in the management and control of Asian citrus psyllid, extension agents, and pest management consultants. It will also be of great use to graduate students in applied entomology and related disciplines.

Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) is one of the best-known and most valuable tropical timbers currently traded internationally. Concern has increased over the exploitation of mahogany, particularly as most timber is currently derived from natural forests which are not managed sustainably. Such concerns have resulted in an increased research effort focusing on the ecology of the species in natural forest. The potential of mahogany plantations as an alternative source of timber has received relatively little attention. However, evidence suggests mahogany may be a viable plantation species in many countries. The successful development of such plantations could make a major contribution towards meeting future demands for mahogany timber, and thereby help to reduce pressures on natural forest. The main aim of this book is to produce a comprehensive account of mahogany silviculture, with a particular emphasis on plantations, by bringing together the findings of foresters and researchers from mahogany-growing countries around the world. There is a logical progression through the stages of seed collection, plantation establishment, maintenance, prediction of growth and yield, protection and management of both natural stands and plantations under suitable silvicultural systems. This book is an indispensable guide and reference for those involved in growing and managing mahogany and will also be valuable to ecologists and land managers as well as students of forestry.

This textbook aims to describe the role of minerals in plant life cycle; how these nutrients are absorbed, distributed, stored; what functions each mineral plays and the disorders that their excess or absence may cause. From an agronomic perspective, such knowledge is key to boost crop production and improve its quality, and it also helps understand how to better manage fertilizers and prevent environmental issues. The book has focus on tropical agriculture and its specific demands, providing examples of major crops (such as sugarcane, soybeans, coffee etc), silviculture and pasture species.

Mosquitoes are important as transmitters of widespread major diseases and as nuisance insects. They are also one of the most studied and well-known group of insects, both in the laboratory and in the field. The first volume in "The Biology of Mosquitoes" series is a key reference work and has received excellent reviews. This second title in the three volume series focuses on the functioning of the mosquito sense organs that provide them with information about the environment and that enable the adult females to find and attack their vertebrate hosts. It also reviews knowledge of the circadian rhythms and other internal mechanisms that regulate the onset and timing of different behaviors. This integrated review of the sensory mechanisms and behavior of mosquitoes provides a unique insight into their biology. The contents, which are fully up-to-date, include much important work from the past which is often overlooked.

Durian is extensively grown in tropical regions, the major producers being Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines. The tree is also grown in northern Australia, some South American countries and in Africa. Although to many its smell is notoriously offensive, its taste can become a passion and it is one of the most popular fruits in South-East Asia. This book is the first comprehensive, scientific volume to be published in English on this king of tropical fruit . It provides information on the biology, propagation and use of the fruit, and descriptions of the scientific basis of production practices and orchard management, as well as post-harvest processing. It will be a unique resource for horticulture and botanical libraries and for students of tropical horticulture worldwide."

*Comprehensive information on diseases of the most important tropical fruit crops*Chapters are devoted to a single or, in some cases, a related group of host plants*The history, distribution, importance, symptoms, aetiology, epidemiology and management of diseases of each crop are described in detailThis book offers a comprehensive review of diseases of important tropical and some subtropical fruit crops. The history, distribution, importance, etiology, epidemiology and control of diseases of each host crop are covered, along with brief summaries on the taxonomy, origins and characteristics of each host. Additional information is given on the biology and pathology of the causal agents and on new advances that change or otherwise enhance our understanding of the nature and cause of these diseases. Plant pathologists, plantation and nursery managers, lecturers and those who are involved in tropical agriculture and horticulture will find this an essential reference.

Domestic livestock in Africa are of importance not only as a source of milk and meat but also as a source of animal traction enabling farmers to cultivate larger areas, with crops providing the staple foods. Trypanosomosis, a parasitic disease transmitted cyclically by the tsetse fly (Glossina spp.), is arguably still the main constraint to livestock production on the continent, preventing full use of the land to feed the rapidly increasing human population. Sleeping sickness, the disease caused in humans by species of Trypanosoma, is an important and neglected disease posing a threat to millions of people in tsetse-infested areas. Often wrongly thought of as a disease of the past, the prevalence of human sleeping sickness is increasing in many areas.Although alternative methods to control the disease are being investigated, such as immunological approaches, use of chemotherapy or exploitation of the trypanotolerance trait, it is only control or eradication of the tsetse fly vector which will remove the threat of the disease rather than providing a better means of "living" with it. As a result of the economic impact of tsetse-transmitted Trypanosomosis, a large amount of research literature has been produced. This book provides a comprehensive review of this literature. The text is divided into four parts: tsetse biology and ecology, epidemiology, vector control and control of trypanosomosis. The book is invaluable for medical and veterinary entomologists, parasitologists and epidemiologists.

Cassava is a major tropical tuber crop found throughout the tropics (India, Oceania, Africa and Latin America). Hitherto, there has been no single text covering all aspects of cassava biology, production and utilization. This book fills that gap, representing the first comprehensive research level overview of this main staple crop. Chapters are written by leading experts in this field from all continents. The book is suitable for those working and researching in cassava, in both developed and developing countries, as well as advanced students.

Nitrogen fixation by leguminous plants is especially important when farmers are trying to minimise fertilizer use for cost or environmental reasons. This second edition of the highly successful book, first published in 1991, contains thoroughly updated and revised material on the theory and practice of nitrogen fixation in tropical cropping systems.

Legumes have diverse uses and roles in agriculture and environmental protection. They are particularly important in the tropics for a number of reasons. Browse or tree species are renowned for their drought resistance and their role in the prevention of desertification. All legumes can fix atmospheric nitrogen, thus reducing the cost of fertilizers to farmers who may not be able to afford them. While tropical grasses are often of poor nutritive value, both browse and pasture legumes may have a higher protein content, palatability and digestibility. This volume focuses on the use of tropical browse, pasture and grain legumes in animal nutrition. It is written by leading authorities from the UK, Australia, India and Malaysia.