Postharvest Biology and Technology

As we know, preserving the quality of fresh produce has long been a challenging task. In the past, several approaches were in use for the postharvest management of fresh produce, but due to continuous advancement in technology, the increased health consciousness of consumers, and environmental concerns, these approaches have been modified and enhanced to address these issues and concerns. This important series consists of books that address several aspects related to postharvest technology of fresh produce. The series presents existing and novel management systems that are in use today or that have great potential to maintain the postharvest quality of fresh produce in terms of microbiological safety, nutrition, and sensory quality.

The books are aimed at professionals, postharvest scientists, academicians researching postharvest problems, and graduate-level students. This series is intended to be a comprehensive venture that provides up-to-date scientific and technical information focusing on postharvest management for fresh produce.

Books in the series will address the following themes:

• Nutritional composition and antioxidant properties of fresh produce
• Postharvest physiology and biochemistry
• Biotic and abiotic factors affecting maturity and quality
• Preharvest treatments affecting postharvest quality
• Maturity and harvesting issues
• Nondestructive quality assessment
• Physiological and biochemical changes during ripening
• Postharvest treatments and their effects on shelf life and quality
• Postharvest operations such as sorting, grading, ripening, de-greening, curing etc
• Storage and shelf-life studies
• Packaging, transportation, and marketing
• Vase life improvement of flowers and foliage
• Postharvest management of spice, medicinal, and plantation crops
• Fruit and vegetable processing waste/byproducts: management and utilization
• Postharvest diseases and physiological disorders
• Minimal processing of fruits and vegetables
• Quarantine and phytosanitory treatments for fresh produce
• Conventional and modern breeding approaches to improve the postharvest quality

Biotechnological approaches to improve postharvest quality of horticultural crops