Introduction; handling the plant material; Technical guidelines for evaluation of resistence to Sigatoka diseases; Technical guidelines for Fusarium wilt resistence evaluation; Apependices.

The manual designed to provide useful information to assist breeders and researchers in the postharvest selection of new Musa hybrids. It is anticipated that the manual would also serve as a useful reference material to others involved in postharvest research or technology. There are many postharvest criteria for screening new banana, cooking banana and plantain hybrids, however the major ones include: postharvest characteristics at harvest, fruit maturation, green-life and shelf-life, fruit ripening quality, sensory quality, cooking or boiling quality, processing quality, mechanical damage, physiological disorders, and postharvest diseases. The major postharvest methods and procedures for routine screning of new Musa hybrids are too described.

In a field of mature bananas, plants can be seen at all stages of vegetative growth and fruit maturity, providing a fascination for anyone who has an interest in growing crops. Banana farmers in the tropics can harvest fruit every day of the year. The absence of seasonality in production is an advantage, in that it provides a continuity of carbohydrate to meet dietary needs as well as a regular source of income, a feature that perhaps has been under-estimated by rural planners and agricultural strategists. The burgeoning interest in bananas in the last 20 years results from the belated realization that Musa is an under-exploited genus, notwithstanding the fact that one genetically narrow group, the Cavendish cultivars, supply a major export commodity second only to citrus in terms of the world fruit trade. International research interest in the diversity of fruit types has been slow to develop, presumably because bananas and plantains have hitherto been regarded as a reliable backyard source of dessert fruit or starch supplying the needs of the household, and in this situation relatively untroubled by pests, diseases or agronomic problems.

Therapeutic, Probiotic and Unconventional Foods compiles the most recent, interesting and innovative research on unconventional and therapeutic foods, highlighting their role in improving health and life quality, their implications on safety, and their industrial and economic impact. The book focuses on probiotic foods, addressing the benefits and challenges associated with probiotic and prebiotic use. It then explores the most recently investigated and well-recognized nutraceutical and medicinal foods and the food products and ingredients that have both an impact on human health and a potential therapeutic effect. The third and final section explores unconventional foods and discusses intriguing and debated foods and food sources. While research has been conducted on the beneficial biological effects of probiotics and therapeutic food, the use of these foods remains controversial. To overcome the suspicion of the use of alternative, homeopathic and traditional products as therapy, this book reveals and discusses the most recent and scientifically sound and confirmed aspects of the research. - Compiles the most recent, interesting and innovative research on unconventional and therapeutic foods - Highlights the role of unconventional and therapeutic foods in improving health and life quality - Discusses the implications of unconventional and therapeutic foods on safety - Presents the industrial and economic impact of unconventional and therapeutic foods

Horticultural Reviews presents state-of-the-art reviews on topics in horticultural science and technology covering both basic and applied research. Topics covered include the horticulture of fruits, vegetables, nut crops, and ornamentals. These review articles, written by world authorities, bridge the gap between the specialized researcher and the broader community of horticultural scientists and teachers.

The ultimate goal of crop production is to provide quality produce to consumers at reasonable rates. Most fresh produce is highly perishable, and postharvest losses are significant under the present methods of management in many countries. However, significant achievements have been made during the last few years to curtail postharvest losses in fr