Book excerpt: Tropical and subtropical fruits are becoming more important food items in countries where they are produced and also in an increasing number of importing countries in non-tropical zones. For many of the countries where they are grown these crops represent one of the primary ways of earning valuable foreign exchange. In the last few years, fruit production in most tropical and subtropical countries of the world has increased substantially, and most of the fruits grown in these regions now have established and growing markets in North America and Europe. The transport of tropical and subtropical fruits from areas of production to markets in temperate zones raises particular postharvest storage issues, while postharvest losses in the tropics themselves can be considerable. Whilst there are several texts addressing the postharvest needs of temperate fruits, there has not until now been a comprehensive volume dealing with tropical and subtropical fruits. This volume is the first book to deal with the postharvest storage, physiology and conservation of all of the economically important tropical and subtropical fruits. Contributors include leading research workers from throughout the world, including Europe, North, Central and South America, Australia, New Zealand, East and Southeast Asia and the Middle East. The resultant work represents a substantial contribution to this important and fast developing area. The book is essential reading for all horticultural researchers and students working with these crops and for growers, exporters and importers within the industries concerned with tropical and subtropical fruits.