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.

Successful seed supplies are vital in maintaining vegetable production and availability, and for ensuring food security for many subsistence farmers in developing countries. Providing a broad and expert coverage of the horticultural production of vegetables grown from seed, this fully updated new edition includes new coverage of the production of genetically modified crops, organic seed production, packaging, and honey bee population, as well as updated references and further reading. It is an essential text for horticulturists, researchers, seed scientists, vegetable producers, students, technicians and practitioners in vegetable seed production in both developed and developing countries.

A practical coverage of the principles of producing seeds for the main agricultural crops, this book emphasises producing optimal quality seed, and applies to small and large scale farms worldwide. Cereals such as wheats, rice, barley, rye and maize are covered along with pulses, legumes, oil seed rape and soybean. Coverage includes principles of production such as pollination, agronomy issues such as site selection and cultivar purity, seed processing, drying and storage. A focus on global food security is maintained throughout.

Containing an extensive range of photographs and authored by leading horticultural experts, "Diseases of Temperate Horticultural Plants" is an indispensable reference work for horticultural professionals, academics, students and crop producers as well as amateur horticulturists. The diseases of major crops are presented according to their classification, and the symptoms of each disease, causal pathogen and control measures for each condition are described. The crops covered include the major temperate horticultural crops, organized into easy-to-navigate sections divided into fruits, vegetables and ornamentals. Within fruits, apples and pears are discussed, as well as ribes and berries, cherries, peaches and plums, nut crops and rhubarb. The vegetable section covers salad crops, brassicas and crucifers, cucurbits, root vegetables, bulb crops, solanaceous vegetables and some herbs. The section on ornamental plants includes a wide range of ornamental garden plants, while a further section discusses diseases of turf grass and ornamental lawns. The book is user-friendly with practical, accessibly written entries organized into discrete sections. The comprehensive nature of this work makes it an invaluable addition to any horticulturist s library with content that will remain current for years to come."