Production Practices and Quality Assessment of Food Crops: Volume 1: Preharvest Practice

Today, in a world with abundant food, more than 700 million people are chro- cally undernourished. Over the next 20 years, the world’s population will probably double. The global food supply would need to double or to triple for the larger population to be fed adequately. Agriculture is closely linked to environmental quality in a variety of ways, and the challenge of our generation is how to feed a growing planet while maintaining the integrity of our ecological life-support system. The responsibility of governments for ensuring food security will grow proportionately with the growth of populations, and governments bear a special responsibility for promoting agricultural inputs. Agriculture in the 21st century, will certainly focus increasingly on adapting modern technologies to local farming systems, needs and environments. Worldwide climatic changes have been raising concerns about potential changes to crop yields and production systems. Such concerns include the ability to acc- modate these uncertain effects in order to ensure an adequate food supply for an increasing population. What can be done concretely to use agriculture to address some of the fundamental issues of today’s world? We must recognize that agric- ture is part of the solution and not just a problem. Agricultural development is a key to social stability and equity in many parts of the world. It can help to al- viate the subtle and unspoken fears of modernization and the space of change if innovation is handled transparently. This book focuses on the preharvest practices on the production and quality of food crops. Nine chapters are included in this book, which are: Effect of Preharvest Factors on the Quality of Vegetables Produced in the Tropics - Vegetables: Growing Environment and the Quality of Produce; Effects of Agronomic Practices and Processing Conditions on Tomato Ingredients; Modelling Fruit Quality: Ecophysiological, Agronomical and Ecological Perspectives; Sprays Technology in Perennial Tree Crops; Chestnut, an Ancient Crop With Future; Improvement of Grain Legume Production in Semi-Arid Kenya Through Biological Nitrogen Fixation: The Experience With Tepary Bean (Phaseolus Acutifolius a Gray var. Latifolius); Impact of Ozone on Crops; Saffron Quality: Effect of Agricultural Practices, Processing and Storage; Fruit and vegetables Harvesting Systems. It will stimulate readers thinking on key constraints in agriculture and horticulture. Readers will get acquainted with a wide range of information, technologies and methodologies. Contents......Page 6 Preface......Page 8 List of Authors......Page 10 Effect of Preharvest Factors on the Quality of Vegetables Produced in the Tropics – Vegetables: Growing Environment and the Quality of Produce......Page 12 Effects of Agronomic Practices and Processing Conditions on Tomato Ingredients......Page 48 Modelling Fruit Quality: Ecophysiological, Agronomical and Ecological Perspectives......Page 58 Spray Technology in Perennial Tree Crops......Page 94 Chestnut, An Ancient Crop With Future......Page 116 Improvement of Grain Legume Production in Semi-Arid Kenya Through Biological Nitrogen Fixation: The Experience With Tepary Bean (Phaseolus Acutifolius.........Page 174 Impact of Ozone on Crops......Page 200 Saffron Quality: Effect of Agricultural Practices, Processing and Storage......Page 220 Fruit and Vegetables Harvesting Systems......Page 272 "This book focuses on the preharvest practices on the production and quality of food crops. Nine chapters are included in this book, which are: Effect of Preharvest Factors on the Quality of Vegetables Produced in the Tropics - Vegetables: Growing Environment and the Quality of Produce; Effects of Agronomic Practices and Processing Conditions on Tomato Ingredients; Modelling Fruit Quality: Ecophysiological, Agronomical and Ecological Perspectives; Sprays Technology in Perennial Tree Crops; Chestnut, an Ancient Crop With Future; Improvement of Grain Legume Production in Semi-Arid Kenya Through Biological Nitrogen Fixation: The Experience With Tepary Bean (Phaseolus Acutifolius a Gray var. Latifolius); Impact of Ozone on Crops; Saffron Quality: Effect of Agricultural Practices, Processing and Storage; Fruit and vegetables Harvesting Systems."--Page vii

this Book Covers Various Aspects Of Quality Handling And Assessment, Including Handling Parameters, Quality Evaluation, Ca And Map Storage Conditions In A Broad Sense. It Emphasises On Developing Better Methods Of Monitoring Quality And Safety Attributes Of Fresh Produce As Part Of A Quality Assurance System And Quality Assessment And Maintenance.

Vegetables are plants whose parts are consumed in relatively small quantities as a side dish or relish with the staple food or as a snack. v. 1. Preharvest practice v. 2. Plant mineral nutrition and pesticide management v. 3. Quality handling and evaluation.