"Written by recognised postharvest experts, this book provides invaluable, up-to-date information for those working in the growing, packing, shipping and retail phases of the postharvest chain, getting fruit to the consumer. Essential for those in the Mediterranean region and countries that export and import these crops"--

Postharvest is an important element of getting fresh, high-quality fruit to the consumer and technological advances continue to outpace infrastructure. This book provides valuable, up-to-date information on postharvest handling of seven fruit and nut crops: almond, fig, peach, persimmon, pistachio, pomegranate and table grape. These crops are of particular importance in the Mediterranean region, but also to those countries that export and import these crops, where intensive economic resources are dedicated to developing information to understand and solve their postharvest problems. Written by a team of internationally-recognized postharvest experts, this manual collates and verifies essential, but often difficult to access, information on these important crops, that is pertinent to the world's agricultural economy and affects agricultural communities.

Plant hormones have pivotal roles in the regulation of plant growth, development, and reproduction. Their signaling pathways are interconnected in a complex network, which provides plants with an enormous regulatory potential to rapidly adapt to their environment and to utilize their limited resources for growth and survival in a cost-efficient manner. Auxin is a hormone molecule whose activity levels are most important for its regulatory roles during plant cell, organ, and tissue development. Therefore, the precise regulation of auxin levels is an essential mechanism to fine-tune the activity of this powerful hormone during plant growth and development. Likewise, cytokinins exhibit a wide range of physiological functions, including regulation of shoot and root apical meristems, stimulation of branching, vascular development, chloroplast differentiation, stabilization of the structure and function of the photosynthetic machinery, delay of senescence, stomata opening, and elevation of the sink strength and nutritional signaling. Moreover, gibberellins also regulate many aspects of plant growth and development including seed germination, stem elongation, leaf expansion, and flower and fruit development. The broad implication of gibberellins in plant development is strictly associated with tight regulation of their metabolism by multiple environmental and endogenous factors, ranging from light and temperature to other hormones including feedback control. Understanding the significant roles of these phytohormones in plant biology, the current subject has attracted the attention of scientists from across the globe. This comprehensive volume “Auxins, Cytokinins and Gibberellins Signaling in Plants” highlights the various prospects involved in the current scenario. The book comprises the chapters from diverse areas dealing with biotechnology, molecular biology, proteomics, genomics, metabolomics, etc.

In the last ten years there has been an exponential increase in the adoption of high-density farming, which leads to better yield and higher-quality fruits, thus improving the economic return. Handbook of Plum Fruit: Production, Postharvest Science, and Processing Technology covers all the recent advances in plum production, harvesting, handling and processing. Divided into two main parts, the first eight chapters provide insight about preharvest processing of plums, whereas the later chapters discuss the postharvest processing of plums. This book also includes vital chapters on varietal improvement and rootstock breeding, high-density planting, and pollination. After harvesting, plum quality quickly diminishes, mainly due to weight loss, total acidity, loss of firmness, and decay. Key Features: In-depth information on the pre- and postharvest processing of plums Coverage on plum harvesting, handling, and storage practices Plum by-product utilization and potential health benefits Handbook of Plum Fruit provides comprehensive information on recent advances in postharvesting technologies of plum. The health benefits of plum and its products are also addressed. This book will assist horticulturists, agriculturists, pomologists, food scientists and others working in various fruit-processing industries.

Consideration of the interactions between decisions made at one point in the supply chain and its effects on the subsequent stages is the core concept of a systems approach. Postharvest Handling is unique in its application of this systems approach to the handling of fruits and vegetables, exploring multiple aspects of this important process through chapters written by experts from a variety of backgrounds.Newly updated and revised, this second edition includes coverage of the logistics of fresh produce from multiple perspectives, postharvest handing under varying weather conditions, quality control, changes in consumer eating habits and other factors key to successful postharvest handling.The ideal book for understanding the economic as well as physical impacts of postharvest handling decisions.Key Features:*Features contributions from leading experts providing a variety of perspectives*Updated with 12 new chapters*Focuses on application-based information for practical implementation*System approach is unique in the handling of fruits and vegetables

The pomegranate, Punica granatum L., is one of the oldest known edible fruits and is associated with the ancient civilizations of the Middle East. This is the first comprehensive book covering the botany, production, processing, health and industrial uses of the pomegranate. The cultivation of this fruit for fresh consumption, juice production and medicinal purposes has expanded more than tenfold over the past 20 years. Presenting a review of pomegranate growing, from a scientific and horticultural perspective, this book provides information on how to increase yields and improve short- and medium-term grower profitability and sustainability.

Tropical and sub-tropical fruits have gained significant importance in global commerce. This book examines recent developments in the area of fruit technology including: postharvest physiology and storage; novel processing technologies applied to fruits; and in-depth coverage on processing, packaging, and nutritional quality of tropical and sub-tropical fruits. This contemporary handbook uniquely presents current knowledge and practices in the value chain of tropical and subtropical fruits world-wide, covering production and post-harvest practices, innovative processing technologies, packaging, and quality management. Chapters are devoted to each major and minor tropical fruit (mango, pineapple, banana, papaya, date, guava, passion fruit, lychee, coconut, logan, carombola) and each citrus and non-citrus sub-tropical fruit (orange, grapefruit, lemon/lime, mandarin/tangerine, melons, avocado, kiwifruit, pomegranate, olive, fig, cherimoya, jackfruit, mangosteen). Topical coverage for each fruit is extensive, including: current storage and shipping practices; shelf life extension and quality; microbial issues and food safety aspects of fresh-cut products; processing operations such as grading, cleaning, size-reduction, blanching, filling, canning, freezing, and drying; and effects of processing on nutrients and bioavailability. With chapters compiled from experts worldwide, this book is an essential reference for all professionals in the fruit industry.