Quality of Horticultural Crops: A Recurrent/New Challenge for Plant Scientists in a Changing World

Quality of Horticultural Crops: A Recurrent/New Challenge for Plant Scientists in a Changing World

Author: Nadia Bertin

Publisher: Frontiers Media SA

Published: 2018-10-11

Total Pages: 314

ISBN-13: 2889455971

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Besides increasing crop yield to feed the growing population, improving crop quality is a challenging and key issue. Indeed, quality determines consumer acceptability and increases the attractivity of fresh and processed products. In this respect, fruit and vegetables, which represent a main source of vitamins and other health compounds, play a major role in human diet. This is the case in developing countries where populations are prone to nutritional deficiencies, but this is also a pending issue worldwide, where the growing middle class is increasingly aware and in search of healthy food. So a future challenge for the global horticultural industry will be to answer the demand for better quality food in a changing environment, where many resources will be limited. This e-collection collates state-of-the-art research on the quality of horticultural crops, covering the underlying physiological processes, the genetic and environmental controls during plant and organ development and the postharvest evolution of quality during storage and processing.


Local Food Systems; Concepts, Impacts, and Issues

Local Food Systems; Concepts, Impacts, and Issues

Author: Steve Martinez

Publisher: DIANE Publishing

Published: 2010-11

Total Pages: 87

ISBN-13: 1437933629

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This comprehensive overview of local food systems explores alternative definitions of local food, estimates market size and reach, describes the characteristics of local consumers and producers, and examines early indications of the economic and health impacts of local food systems. Defining ¿local¿ based on marketing arrangements, such as farmers selling directly to consumers at regional farmers¿ markets or to schools, is well recognized. Statistics suggest that local food markets account for a small, but growing, share of U.S. agricultural production. For smaller farms, direct marketing to consumers accounts for a higher percentage of their sales than for larger farms. Charts and tables.


Sustainable Potato Production: Global Case Studies

Sustainable Potato Production: Global Case Studies

Author: Zhongqi He

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-05-24

Total Pages: 532

ISBN-13: 9400741049

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Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is grown in over 100 countries throughout the world. As a staple food, potato is the fourth most important crop after rice, wheat, and maize, and has historically contributed to food and nutrition security in the world. Global interest in potato increased recently as world food prices soared, threatening the global food security and stability. Unlike major cereals, potato is not a globally traded commodity, and prices are usually determined by local production costs. Thus, potato is increasingly regarded as a vital food-security crop and as a substitute for costly cereal imports. With such importance, the 29 chapters in the edited book address the issues of sustainable potato production. This book begins with an introduction on sustainable potato production and global food security, and then presents eight case studies selected globally and covering different issues relevant to sustainable potato production in both developed and developing countries.


Strengthening Potato Value Chains

Strengthening Potato Value Chains

Author: Nicolaus Cromme

Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 148

ISBN-13: 9789251066270

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This publication is based on the proceedings of the Workshop "Strengthening Potato Value Chains in developing countries" held in November 2008. The presentations summarized in this publication are mostly based on experiences made in CFC (Common Fund for Commodities) potato sector development projects. In line with the policy to disseminate the information generated by CFC financed projects as widely as possible, it is our expectation that this publication will be instrumental to make impressive results and experiences of CFC pilot projects in the potato sector available to a wider audience. This document will be most useful and relevant to extension workers, researchers, policy makers and others involved in the development of the potato sector.


Innovation in Seed Potato Systems in Eastern Africa

Innovation in Seed Potato Systems in Eastern Africa

Author: Peter Gildemacher

Publisher: Kit Pub

Published: 2012

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9789460224072

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The potato has the potential to raise smallholder income and improve food security in Eastern Africa. While improving the quality of seed potatoes can contribute to increasing its productivity, most farmers largely rely on the seed potatoes they save themselves. Seed potato system interventions need to address the quality of specially multiplied and farm-saved seed potatoes simultaneously. This book shows that positive selectionthe selection of healthy looking mother plants for the production of seed potatoes by aware potato farmerscan contribute to improving seed potato quality and the quality of the subsequent harvest.