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Abstract:
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1. What are Cucurbits? -- 2. Evolution and Exploitation -- 3. Genetics and Breeding -- 4. Major and Minor Crops -- 5. Cultural Requirements -- 6. Fruit and Seed Production -- 7. Diseases and Nematodes -- 8. Insects and Spider Mites -- App. Common Curcurbit Names and their Scientific Name Equivalents.
Cucurbits include cucumbers, gourds, muskmelons, pumpkins, squashes and watermelons. As such, they represent one of the largest and most important groups of horticultural food plants, and are grown throughout the world.
In common with other books in this series, the aim of this book is to present the scientific principles that relate to the biology and production of these crops, in a way that is accessible to a non-specialist audience. The first chapter describes the distribution, taxonomy, morphology and anatomy of cucurbits, before discussing their growth and development. The next two chapters cover evolution, uses, chemical composition, genetics and breeding. There is then a discussion of the main crops, including the
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