Completely revised and up-to-date, this wide-ranging, comprehensive treatise examines the many different aspects of vegetables from an international perspective. The diversity and depth of coverage of vegetables is largely due to the extensive background and experiences of the authors, Vincent Rubatzky and Mas Yamaguchi, as well as considerable input from colleagues and expert reviewers. This logically-organized text, filled with numerous illustrations, photographs, and tables, begins with an easy-to-read introduction to such topics as: the current role of vegetables as a world food crop, the origin and classification of vegetables, vegetables in human nutrition, and plant toxicants and folklore concerning vegetables. Background material on the basic principles for growing crops and production under adverse conditions are also featured in this section. Much of the material covered in the book focuses on the major and minor vegetables, their origin, taxonomy, botany, physiology, production and post harvest handling, and composition and use. In addition, current world production statistics are provided for many vegetable crops as well as listings of important diseases, insects, and other pests for many family groups. New features of this edition include: *Three new chapters covering mushrooms, aquatic vegetables, and herbs and spices *several appendix tables listing vegetables according to family, genus, species, nutritive value, and recommended storage conditions for many vegetables The introductory chapter offers an excellent background of the role of vegetables for the beginning and advanced students, both in the U.S. and worldwide. The chapters following provide extension professionals, professors, agricultural agencies, commercial growers, and processing and seed industry personnel with a better understanding of individual vegetable species.

It is important to include Tuber and Root Crops in the Handbook of Plant Breeding. They include starchy staple crops that are of increasing importance for global food security and relief of poverty, important millennium goals for the United Nations. Indeed, 2008 was the UN International Year of the Potato in recognition of this role of the potato as the world’s third most important food crop after wheat and rice. The other major staples are cassava, sweetpotato and yam. Together they occupy about 50 million hectares, with production at 640 million metric tons, of which 70% is in developing countries. In total there are more than 30 species of Root and Tuber Crops grown in the world today. Given the content of other volumes in the series, it makes sense to include sugar and fodder beets; swedes and turnips; and minor root and tuber crops so that the book series is as complete as possible. Like the other volumes in the series, this one will present information on the latest in applied plant breeding using the current advances in the field, from an efficient use of genetic resources to the impact of biotechnology in plant breeding. Seven crop specific chapters are proposed, together with an introduction to this diverse set of plant species. Outstanding scientists for each crop species are proposed as senior authors, who may invite co-authors to contribute part of a chapter. In order to increase the overall acceptance of the volume, balance will be sought with authors from different research groups/countries who will be asked to contribute and collaborate where appropriate. The book should be of interest to researchers in both academic and industrial settings, and in both developed and developing countries, as well as students and teachers of plant breeding. It is currently extremely important to educate and train a new generation of plant breeders given the challenges faced by humankind in producing more food for an expanding global population during a period of environmental (including climate) change.

Vegetables are rich and cheaper sources of vitamins. They supply good taste and palatability, increase appetite, provide fibres for digestion and prevent constipation. They also play an important role in neutralizing acids produced during digestion of proteinaceous and fatty foods and provides valuable roughages which help in the movement of food in intestine. On the other hand, tuber crops are rich sources of carbohydrates, energy and nutrients. No other books are available which deal with various aspects of crop productivity, physiology and post-harvest technology. In the world, many vegetables and tuber crops are grown and harvested for the supplying nutrients to mankind. This book deals with utilization, production technology, water and nutrient management, weed and pest management, disease management, physiological basis of crop productivity, abiotic stress factors affecting crop productivity and post-harvest technology of several vegetables and tuber crops. It deals with pre- and harvest technologies influencing the productivity of both world vegetables and world crops. The book contains an insight, Solanaceous vegetables, cucurbit vegetables, cole crops, leafy vegetables, root and tuber crops, bulb crops, leguminous crops and several other ones. The book will be highly useful to students and researchers working on various aspects of vegetables and tuber crops.

This report is the second in a series of three evaluating underexploited African plant resources that could help broaden and secure Africa's food supply. The volume describes the characteristics of 18 little-known indigenous African vegetables (including tubers and legumes) that have potential as food- and cash-crops but are typically overlooked by scientists and policymakers and in the world at large. The book assesses the potential of each vegetable to help overcome malnutrition, boost food security, foster rural development, and create sustainable landcare in Africa. Each species is described in a separate chapter, based on information gathered from and verified by a pool of experts throughout the world. Volume I describes African grains and Volume III African fruits.