A brief history of the evolution of the oil palm crop is provided, from domestication and small-scale production in Africa (its centre of origin/diversity) to crop expansion, especially in South-east Asia, in becoming the world's top oil crop. Knowledge of the biology and genetics of oil palm are...

This book contains 11 chapters focusing on the global industry, genetics and breeding, plant development, growth and yield, fruit quality, irrigation and fertilizer application, pest and disease management, greenhouse production, postharvest management and organic farming of tomatoes.

This chapter focuses on the classification and taxonomy and uses and available cultivars and types of tomatoes. Information on the production and marketing aspects of the global tomato industry is discussed and future perspectives for the tomato sector are highlighted.

This chapter focuses on the main quality traits of tomato fruits, such as fruit size or fresh weight, colour, taste, flavour, texture and nutritive value, and their underlying processes. The effects of environmental and genetic factors involved in quality variations is discussed. Some physiological ...

This chapter focuses on the harvesting, packaging, ripening, temperature management and controlled and modified atmosphere storage for maintaining the postharvest quality of tomato fruits.

This paper provides information on the guiding principles and standards of organic agriculture and focuses on the productivity and profitability, cultivar selection, seedling production, use of organic fertilizers and soil amendments, irrigation systems, pest, pathogen and weed control strategies...

This chapter covers several management practices of utmost importance in blueberry cultivation, including mulching, protected cultivation, soilless culture, irrigation, pruning, grafting, pollination and harvesting. The impact of insufficient or excess water is explained. The methods to determine...

This chapter examines the most important considerations regarding the spray application of plant growth regulators (PGRs), as well as reviewing the factors that affect their performance. The most important current and potential uses of PGRs in blueberry production are presented, considering not...

This chapter discusses the pre- and postharvest management of fruit quality of blueberries. The attributes and factors affecting fruit quality are defined, as well as the factors that influence the postharvest life of the fruit and the approaches used to extend fruit quality, with a focus on the...

The reproductive phase of pineapple begins in response to natural or growth-regulator forced induction of reproductive development. Because the inflorescence of pineapple is terminal, when reproductive development begins, formation of new leaves ceases. Once induced or forced, inflorescence and...