Most of the world's poorest smallholders depend on tropical roots and tubers crops as their principal source of food and nutrition. These species produce large quantities of dietary energy and have stable yields under difficult environmental conditions. The most important crops are cassava, sweet potato, yam and the aroids, sharing important common traits such as bulkiness, post-harvest perishability and vegetative propagation. This book compiles the most up to date information on the origin, genetics, physiology, agronomy, pests and diseases and post harvest processing of these crops, while attempting to provide ideas for further research and development.
This book will be of significant interest to students and professionals in horticulture and botany.
I: Cassava 1. Origin and History 2. Taxonomy and botany 3. Breeding and genetics 4. Developmental physiology 5. Agronomy 6. Pests and diseases 7. Post Harvest Quality and Marketing 8. List of references cited
II: Sweet Potato 1. Origin and History 2. Taxonomy and botany 3. Breeding and genetics 4. Developmental physiology 5. Agronomy 6. Pests and diseases 7. Post Harvest Quality and Marketing 8. List of references cited
III: Yams 1. Origin and History 2. Taxonomy and botany 3. Breeding and genetics 4. Developmental physiology 5. Agronomy 6. Pests and diseases 7. Post Harvest Quality and Marketing 8. List of references cited
IV: Aroids 1. Origin and History 2. Taxonomy and botany 3. Breeding and genetics 4. Developmental physiology 5. Agronomy 6. Pests and diseases 7. Post Harvest Quality and Marketing 8. List of references cited
"Lebot has produced an extremely comprehensive volume... a highly informative and practical text." (Nicholas C. Kawa, for
Economic Botany 64 (1), The New York Botanical Garden Press, USA, 2010.)