This book chapter outlines the extraction and purification (i.e. determination of starch in roots, water requirements, industrial-grade tapioca starch manufacture, semi-mechanized tapioca starch manufacture, modern methods of tapioca starch manufacture), physiochemical properties (i.e. biochemical...

Although still controversial, several reviews of research show that organic foods are more nutritious and contain fewer poisons than conventional foods. Poor food choices lead to low dietary diversity, and refined foods have many nutrients removed; low nutrient density and high sugars, salts and...

Rainwater harvesting, solar water heating and organic vegetable production were used to improve efficiency in a suburban home in George, in South Africa's Southern Cape. In a year, treated municipal water consumption decreased from 17 kL/month to 8 kL/month, and 60 kL of rainwater was used for...

The main aim of this chapter is to identify key physiological factors underlying the initiation and growth of the storage root of beet, carrot, parsnip, and turnip. Additionally, life processes including dormancy, vernalization requirement, flowering, the production of secondary metabolites, and...

Early classical biocontrol successes in Barbados, some in combination with natural control, were the control of: sugarcane borers, sugarcane mealybugs and West Indian cane fly in sugarcane; cottony cushion scale and citrus blackfly in citrus; coconut whitefly in palm; fall armyworm in vegetables...

The history of biological control of agricultural pests in Colombia dates back to 1880. The first documented cases include both classical biocontrol and the use of biopesticides against insect pests. The need to protect four national production systems of great economic importance (oil palm,...

Biological control was initiated in Guatemala in the 1990s, after costs for chemicals had increased substantially and had resulted in a drastic decrease in production of, for example, cotton and tomato. Most often, augmentative biocontrol is used in Guatemala. Examples of successful programmes are...

This book on the physiology of vegetable crops focuses on the activities and functions of vegetables, defined as herbaceous plants that are harvested for edible parts that can be consumed fresh or with little preparation. Physiology deals with the growth and development processes of these plants,...

To fully comprehend the complexities of vegetable crop growth and development, we must understand seed physiology related to storage, germination, quality, and enhancements. The challenge is to present an in-depth knowledge of vegetable seeds that covers considerable diversity with respect to...

This chapter provides updates on researches conducted during the last 2 decades and expands on factors affecting transplant quality, stress adaptation, physiology and performance of vegetable crops. Emphasis is given to transplant stress adaptation, water management and growth modulation by plant...