Commercial Crops Technology

Commercial crops are of paramount importance to the economies and export trades of numerous developing and developed countries, as they are cultivated on a plantation scale. Crops with a long history of cultivation and significant research and development support have made remarkable strides in technological advancements. It is essential to periodically assess newly acquired knowledge in crop production and to evaluate traditional practices. The book Commercial Crops Technology brings together scattered information and provides the latest technological advancements in nine crops grown on a plantation scale. The book is organized into ten chapters, with an introductory chapter and one dedicated to each of the nine commercial crops (Areca Nut, Cashew, Cocoa, Coconut, Coffee, Oil palm, Palmyra, Rubber, and Tea). The chapters have been designed to reflect the rapid progress and challenges in the field of sustainable crop production, and product diversification has been given due importance in light of globalization and free trade. The introductory chapter offers an overview of the current scenario of plantation crop production, including its importance, geographical distribution, soils, growing methods, integrated nutrient management, crop protection strategies, cropping and farming systems, management of drought, organic farming, clean development mechanisms, implications of intellectual property rights, and strategies and recommendations. The individual chapters on crops provide updated information on crop improvement, biotechnology, crop production and management, crop protection, and post-harvest handling, with an emphasis on integrated nutrient and pest management, organic crop production, and value addition, as well as basic information on origin, distribution, production trends, botany, and research and development institutions. The future outlook on these crops will aid in developing achievable programs and projects. The bibliography facilitates further reading. This publication will be useful to farmers, estate managers, extension workers, technologists, policy makers, researchers, and students who are associated with commercial crops.