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Gemüseproduktion — Ein lehr- und nachschlagewerk für studium und praxis
Scientia Horticulturae, 34 (1988) 155-158 Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., A m s t e r d a m - - P r i n t e d in T h e Netherlands
155
Book Reviews VEGETABLES
Gemi;tseproduktion - Ein Lehr- und Nachschlagewerk fur Studium und Praxis by Helmut Krug. Paul Parey Verlagsbuchbehandlung, Lindenstrasse 44-47, D-1000 Berlin 61 (West), 1986, 446 pp., illustrated, price DMl18.00, ISBN 3-489-54222-3.
The number of good up-to-date books on vegetable growing is rather small, so this text book should certainly be welcomed. Unfortunately it is not written in English. This makes it less accessible for readers from non-German-speaking countries. The book is the modern follow-up of Handbuch des gesamten Gem~ebaues by J. Becker-Dillingen. Altogether nine authors (all but one from Hannover University) made their contributions to this book. The book is divided into a general part (6 chapters, 205 pp. ) and a second part concerned with the culture of different vegetable crops ( Chap. 7, 220 pp. ). It also gives a list of the scientific names of vegetables and their common names in German and English. It is completed with 14 index pages. The figures, tables and photographs are of high quality and a good illustration of the text. Every paragraph has its own list of references, which facilitates further reading. In the first part, topics like basic crop physiology, soil and nutrition, crop protection, crop rotation, production planning and the economics of vegetable growing are discussed. Figures on the area of the crops cultivated are missing. This makes it impossible to get an idea of the relative importance of the different vegetable crops in Germany. Most information is on outdoor vegetable growing. In Germany, glasshouse production is far less important than outdoor vegetable production, and this is reflected in the book. For example, artificial substrates (e.g. rockwool) and computer control of glasshouse climates are hardly mentioned. Much attention is given to the long-term growth models developed at Hannover University. Results from this modelling research program are easily recognised throughout the book. Growth models will become more important in vegetable production, so an introduction to modelling plant growth fits well in the context of this book. However, it is an omission that only the "Hannover approach" is presented. Also, other ways of modelling plant growth should have been included, e.g. the modelling work of C.T. de Wit (Wageningen). The second part of the book is very useful for anyone who is interested in the cultivation of a particular crop. Together with general information on the cultivation of the crops, this chapter gives scientific explanations for cultiva-
156
tion problems, e.g. premature bolting in several crops and the unequal ripening of cauliflower. All major vegetables (more than 40) cultivated in the temperate zone are discussed. Vegetables are grouped botanically (family name). For every crop the history, world-wide economic importance, botany, cultivation (if appropriate outdoor and glasshouse production) and harvest and storage are discussed. For the outdoor vegetables, part of the information is cited from grower guides published by the Agricultural Advisory Service in The Netherlands. According to the back cover, this book aims to be a help for commercial growers. It is my opinion, however, that the cultivation descriptions of the different crops are far too short to realize this goal. However, the book will be most valuable for undergraduate students, teachers and workers in the Extension Service. It gives a broad, up-to-date view on vegetable growing. E. HEUVELINK
Department o[ Horticulture Agricultural University P.O. Box 30 6700 AA Wageningen The Netherlands
PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY
Principles of Plant Biotechnology - A n Introduction to Genetic Engineering in Plants by S.H. Mantell, J.A. Matthews and R.A. McKee. Blackwell Scientific, Osney Mead, Oxford OX2 0EL, England, 1985, 269 pp., illustrated, soft cover, price £10.80, ISBN 0-632-01215-3.
The authors have not explicitly stated to whom this book has been addressed. From the title, as well as the announcement on the back cover, one could infer that it would serve as an introductory textbook for beginners and undergraduate students. The subject matter includes almost everything from old embryo culture techniques to recent gene cloning methods in plants - all included under the general heading of Plant Biotechnology. In the introduction ( Chap. 1 ) the authors sound an optimistic note by stating that "Over the past few years a number of methodologies have come to the fore which would seem to have much to offer in terms of advancing current research in plant sciences, and exploiting this knowledge gained to develop new crops" (italics ours). These methodologies and their possible applications are described in the seven chapters that follow. These are: Plant molecular biology; Cloning of plant genes; Vectors for gene cloning; Cultural tools and techniques; Rapid clonal propagation; Crop breeding; Industrial plant products.
155
Book Reviews VEGETABLES
Gemi;tseproduktion - Ein Lehr- und Nachschlagewerk fur Studium und Praxis by Helmut Krug. Paul Parey Verlagsbuchbehandlung, Lindenstrasse 44-47, D-1000 Berlin 61 (West), 1986, 446 pp., illustrated, price DMl18.00, ISBN 3-489-54222-3.
The number of good up-to-date books on vegetable growing is rather small, so this text book should certainly be welcomed. Unfortunately it is not written in English. This makes it less accessible for readers from non-German-speaking countries. The book is the modern follow-up of Handbuch des gesamten Gem~ebaues by J. Becker-Dillingen. Altogether nine authors (all but one from Hannover University) made their contributions to this book. The book is divided into a general part (6 chapters, 205 pp. ) and a second part concerned with the culture of different vegetable crops ( Chap. 7, 220 pp. ). It also gives a list of the scientific names of vegetables and their common names in German and English. It is completed with 14 index pages. The figures, tables and photographs are of high quality and a good illustration of the text. Every paragraph has its own list of references, which facilitates further reading. In the first part, topics like basic crop physiology, soil and nutrition, crop protection, crop rotation, production planning and the economics of vegetable growing are discussed. Figures on the area of the crops cultivated are missing. This makes it impossible to get an idea of the relative importance of the different vegetable crops in Germany. Most information is on outdoor vegetable growing. In Germany, glasshouse production is far less important than outdoor vegetable production, and this is reflected in the book. For example, artificial substrates (e.g. rockwool) and computer control of glasshouse climates are hardly mentioned. Much attention is given to the long-term growth models developed at Hannover University. Results from this modelling research program are easily recognised throughout the book. Growth models will become more important in vegetable production, so an introduction to modelling plant growth fits well in the context of this book. However, it is an omission that only the "Hannover approach" is presented. Also, other ways of modelling plant growth should have been included, e.g. the modelling work of C.T. de Wit (Wageningen). The second part of the book is very useful for anyone who is interested in the cultivation of a particular crop. Together with general information on the cultivation of the crops, this chapter gives scientific explanations for cultiva-
156
tion problems, e.g. premature bolting in several crops and the unequal ripening of cauliflower. All major vegetables (more than 40) cultivated in the temperate zone are discussed. Vegetables are grouped botanically (family name). For every crop the history, world-wide economic importance, botany, cultivation (if appropriate outdoor and glasshouse production) and harvest and storage are discussed. For the outdoor vegetables, part of the information is cited from grower guides published by the Agricultural Advisory Service in The Netherlands. According to the back cover, this book aims to be a help for commercial growers. It is my opinion, however, that the cultivation descriptions of the different crops are far too short to realize this goal. However, the book will be most valuable for undergraduate students, teachers and workers in the Extension Service. It gives a broad, up-to-date view on vegetable growing. E. HEUVELINK
Department o[ Horticulture Agricultural University P.O. Box 30 6700 AA Wageningen The Netherlands
PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY
Principles of Plant Biotechnology - A n Introduction to Genetic Engineering in Plants by S.H. Mantell, J.A. Matthews and R.A. McKee. Blackwell Scientific, Osney Mead, Oxford OX2 0EL, England, 1985, 269 pp., illustrated, soft cover, price £10.80, ISBN 0-632-01215-3.
The authors have not explicitly stated to whom this book has been addressed. From the title, as well as the announcement on the back cover, one could infer that it would serve as an introductory textbook for beginners and undergraduate students. The subject matter includes almost everything from old embryo culture techniques to recent gene cloning methods in plants - all included under the general heading of Plant Biotechnology. In the introduction ( Chap. 1 ) the authors sound an optimistic note by stating that "Over the past few years a number of methodologies have come to the fore which would seem to have much to offer in terms of advancing current research in plant sciences, and exploiting this knowledge gained to develop new crops" (italics ours). These methodologies and their possible applications are described in the seven chapters that follow. These are: Plant molecular biology; Cloning of plant genes; Vectors for gene cloning; Cultural tools and techniques; Rapid clonal propagation; Crop breeding; Industrial plant products.