BREEDING OF FRUIT CROPS discusses evolution of various fruit crops and their genetic resources. Considering that the interspecific hybridization has played an important role in the evolution of fruit crops and further that commercial cultivars have been developed through wide hybridization, methods for overcoming pre- and post-zygotic barriers in hybridization have been described which will guide breeders to design hybridization program accordingly. This book will be useful to both undergraduate and post-graduate students as well as teachers and researchers in the field of fruit breeding.

• • Conventional breeding methods and biotechnological methods for improvement of fruit crops have been described. • Hybridization and evaluation techniques in various fruit crops have been described. • Improving cultivar through use of rootstock described • Breeding method for adaptability to particular climate is discussed. • Mutation breeding methods applied in improvement of vegetatively propagated fruit crops and development of seedless fruit have been described. • Micropropagation and tissue culture techniques for mass multiplication of virus-free cultivars have been described.

Preface / SECTION I- Genetic Description of Fruit Crops, Origin,Genetic Resources, Breeding Systems and Production: Different fruits, ploidy level, breeding systems and origins / Botanical classification of fruits / Climacteric vs Non-climacteric fruits / Juvenility and production period and methods of propagation / Changes during ripening/maturation of fruits / Neutraceutical traits in fruits and functional food / Sensory/organoleptic Characters in fruits / Increase in shelf life of fruits / Allergenic traits in fruits / Antioxidants / Organic acids in Fruits / Polyphenols / Aroma / Fiber / Sugars in fruits, Sugar pathway in fruits / Colour in fruits and vegetables / Pectin and Tannin / Estimation methods of some characters / Apical dominance in fruits / Flower induction in fruit crops / Flower and fruit abortion / Effect of fruit order on quality / Physiological disorder in fruits and vegetables / Tropical/Subtropical Fruit Crops / Temperate Fruit Crops / SECTION II - Improvement of Fruit Crops: Introduction / Breeding systems in some fruit crops, Apomixis in fruit crops / Genetics of some important traits in some fruits / Summary of Information from different fruit crops about breeding systems, ploidy level, method of propagation, growth habits / Breeding Methodologies / Molecular Breeding / Development of transgenics / Use of adverse soil and Climatic Condition, Interaction between elements / Study of Genotype × environment interaction / High Density Orchards and Designer Tree / Application of Tissue Culture techniques / Micropropagation / Somatic cell genetics / Synthesis and resynthesis of polyploids and synthesis of Newer Level of polyploidy / Haploids/dihaploids / Production of triploid / Mutation Breeding / Rootstock Breeding objectives / Disease and pest study in horticultural crops / Germplasm Conservation / Synthetic seed / Hybridization and Evaluation techniques in different fruit crops / Concept of Genepool / References / Index.

Undergraduate Students, Teachers and Researchers