Now in Paperback “A fantastic guide for organic seed breeders and producers. [Navazio] has taken organic seed production to a higher level.” —Suzanne Ashworth, author of Seed to Seed The Organic Seed Grower is a comprehensive manual for the serious vegetable grower who is interested in growing high-quality seeds using organic farming practices. It is written for both home seed savers and diversified small-scale farmers who want to learn the necessary steps involved in successfully producing a seed crop organically. Detailed profiles for each of the major vegetables provide users with practical, in-depth knowledge about growing, harvesting, and processing seed for a wide range of common and specialty vegetable crops, from Asian greens to zucchini. In addition, readers will find extensive and critical information on topics including: • Seed-borne diseases • The reproductive biology of crop plants • Annual vs. biennial seed crops • Isolation distances needed to ensure varietal purity • Maintaining adequate population size for genetic integrity • Seed crop climates • Seed cleaning basics • Seed storage for farmers • and more . . . This book can serve as a bridge to lead skilled gardeners, who are already saving their own seed, into the idea of growing seed commercially. And for diversified vegetable farmers who are growing a seed crop for sale for the first time, it will provide details on many of the tricks of the trade that are used by professional seed growers. This manual will help the budding seed farmer to become more knowledgeable, efficient, and effective in producing a commercially viable seed crop. Written by well-known plant breeder and organic seed expert John Navazio, The Organic Seed Grower is the most useful guide to best practices in this exciting and important field.

This third edition includes summaries at salient points within the first six chapters, dealing with the principles and practice of vegetable seed production. A suggested further reading list is provided at the conclusion of each of the 16 chapters. The general updating of this third edition has included more detail on 'organic' seed and its production, and also considerations on genetically modified organisms. The increased links between vegetables produced from true botanical seed and those predominantly propagated vegetatively (i.e. the resulting planting material which is often referred to as 'seed') have been added to this edition in Appendix 1.

This volume consists of two parts. Part 1 comprises 6 chapters concerning the principles and practice of tropical vegetable production (including site, topography, soils and water; site management, seeds and types of cultivars; support for farmers; crop preparation and management; reducing pre- and postharvest losses and marketing surpluses). In Part 2, the crops have been mainly dealt with according to their taxonomy as botanical families, either as single or groups of families per chapter. These include: Alliaceae; Cruciferae [Brassicaceae]; Cucurbitaceae; Solanaceae; Leguminosae; leafy vegetables; Araceae, Convolvulaceae, Dioscoreaceae, Euphorbiaceae; Andean tubers and roots and crops of the Lamiaceae and Apiaceae; and Gramineae [Poaceae] and Cyperaceae. Examples of the indigenous species which can be regarded as important sources of edible vegetative materials which are not dealt with in the main text have been listed in Appendix 1. Contact details of the main international research stations are provided in Appendix 2. This book has been written with the hope and purpose that it will be used by technical, college and university students during their studies of horticulture, crop production and agriculture; it is also for students on other allied courses and agriculturists who find themselves needing more vegetable-orientated information in the course of their professional activities. It is aimed to assist in the production of extension, advisory and research staff and officers who will be the core of trainers, advisors, researchers and extension workers in tropical and subtropical countries.

Behandeling van de organisatie van zaadkwekerijen; principes van zaadproduktie; teelt; oogst en behandeling; bewaring; kwaliteitscontrole en afzet. Verder wordt gedetailleerd ingegaan op de volgende plantenfamilies: Chenopodiaceae, Compositae, Cruciferae, Cucurbitaceae, Leguminosae, Solanaceae, Umbelliferae, Alliaceae, Graminae, Amaranthaceae en Malvacea

High-quality seed is essential for healthy crops and greater agricultural productivity. At the same time, advances in breeding technology require equivalent advances in seed technology. In order to ensure food security, it is crucial to develop seeds that are high yielding, and resistant to drought, heat, cold, and insects. Gathering the latest research in seed sciences, the book includes contributions on seed production in crops such as legumes, sugar, rice, wheat and other cereals. It discusses a range of topics, like the effect of climate change on seed quality, production and storage; seed rouging; seed certification for different crop species; seed biology; and seed pathologies and their effective management. Integrating basic and applied research, this compendium provides valuable insights for researchers and students in agricultural and life sciences; professionals involved in seed certification and those working in quarantine laboratories; as well as plant pathologists.

Successful vegetable production in a modern competitive market requires an understanding of many more factors than the biology of crops and the production techniques involved. This major new textbook brings the science and practice of vegetable production right up to date by addressing modern culture techniques and the recent challenges of consumer demand facing producers today. It introduces vegetable production from the perspective of producing high quality produce that satisfies the needs of the modern consumer. Beginning with the basics of how vegetables are grown using high and low input methods, including organic and sustainable production techniques, the book goes on to introduce and discuss many topics covered less comprehensively in older texts, including Good Agricultural Practices to improve quality, reduce biological contamination and secure food safety; water management; cropping systems; plasticulture; protected culture and mineral nutrition. Vegetable Production and Practices also introduces the use of molecular biology for genetic improvement of crops. Issues specific to individual vegetable crops are addressed by family, including their diseases, harvesting, quality attributes and other issues of increasing importance to consumers, including the role of vegetables in human health. Professor Gregory E. Welbaum has a long history of teaching successful courses in horticulture at Virginia Tech and other universities in the US and worldwide. Vegetable Production Practices has been specifically designed to accompany courses in vegetable crop production, so is ideally suited to inspire students in crop and horticultural sciences, as well as provide a useful reference for experienced practitioners.