Physiological Disorders of Fruits and Vegetables : Causes and Remedies

Postharvest physiological disorders in fruits and vegetables are a significant challenge for the food industry. These disorders are primarily caused by abiotic stresses, including environmental factors, adverse soil conditions, inadequate concentrations of plant growth regulators, nutritional deficiencies, and excessive nutrient levels. Postharvest physiological disorders have a profound impact on the shelf life, quality, and marketability of fruits and vegetables, making it essential to understand and address these issues to ensure food security and minimize economic losses.

This new book, Physiological Disorders of Fruits and Vegetables: Causes and Remedies, explores the postharvest physiological disorders affecting fruits and vegetables, investigating their diverse morphological structures, compositions, and general physiology. This comprehensive volume explains the causes, occurrence, symptoms, and mechanisms of control for these disorders, providing fundamental insights for discovering and harnessing optimal postharvest strategies.

Key features:

• Presents the latest advances in understanding postharvest physiological disorders in fruits and vegetables
• Reviews fundamental and innovative technologies for managing postharvest physiological disorders in fruits and vegetables
• Outlines preharvest and postharvest causes of physiological disorders and handling technologies for fruits and vegetables
• Provides essential reading for professionals involved in harvesting, shipping, storage and processing of fruits and vegetables, including undergraduate, postgraduate students, researchers, growers, shippers, wholesalers, and processors

By elucidating the principles, food safety techniques, and mechanisms of postharvest physiological disorders, this book serves as a valuable resource for researchers, educators, growers, shippers, wholesalers, and consumers alike, empowering them to effectively manage fruits and vegetables, and ensure optimal quality and safety.

Ghulam Khaliq, PhD, is Associate Professor/Chairman in the Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture at Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences, Uthal, Pakistan. Prior to that, he was a research associate in the Agriculture and Cooperatives Department of the Government of Pakistan. His research is currently focused on postharvest physiology of different fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants, and he is also working on different postharvest technologies, such as edible coatings, elicitors, biopreservative packaging, and the development of novel approaches to maintain quality and extend the shelf life of highly perishable products. He has executed research projects supported by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan and collaborates with many other research institutions around the world. He published research articles, book chapters, conference papers, and reports in many national and international journals and serves as an editor, associate editor, reviewer, and editorial board member of several international journals. He is a lifetime member of several scientific societies, including the Pakistan Society for Horticultural Sciences, Pakistan Botanical Society, and Pakistan Society of Plant Protection. He has also been a member of scientific committees for conferences, seminars, curriculum development, quality enhancement, and project evaluation. Dr. Khaliq has also organized training seminars and workshops on fruit processing and preservation, integrated nutrient management, and climate-smart agriculture. Dr. Khaliq earned his BSc and MSc (Hons) degrees in Horticulture from Gomal University Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan. He was awarded his PhD degree in Horticulture from Universiti Putra Malaysia.

Sajid Ali, PhD, is Assistant Professor in the Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology at Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan,Pakistan. Dr. Ali teaches courses in undergraduate and postgraduate classes with a major focus on fruit production and postharvest physiology. His current focus is to improve postharvest quality of fresh horticultural produce with minimum loss. He worked as a research officer and as a project development officer on two research projects at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan. He has won several research projects. Dr. Ali has authored and co-authored more than 100 peer-reviewed international journal publications and around 25 book chapters. He is an academic editor of Plos One and Editor of BMC Plant Biology.

Mohammed Wasim Siddiqui, PhD, is an accomplished postharvest researcher, academic, and editor with a strong international presence. Currently, he holds the position of Assistant Professor and Scientist at Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, India. In addition, he serves as the Executive Director of World Food Preservation Center LLC, USA, and an Adjunct Associate Professor at Benue State University, Nigeria. Recognized for his expertise, Dr. Siddiqui has been listed as one of the Top 2% Researchers of the World by Stanford University in both 2021 and 2022. With an entrepreneurial spirit, Dr. Siddiqui is the founding editor of two esteemed book series: Postharvest Biology and Technology and Innovations in Horticultural Science, published by Apple Academic Press (USA). Moreover, he holds the distinguished position of Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Postharvest Technology. Throughout his career, Dr. Siddiqui has received numerous fellowships, awards, and accolades for his exceptional research and teaching contributions from renowned national and international organizations. He has authored or co-authored over 75 scientific articles and has published more than 25 books in collaboration with international publications including Elsevier, Springer, and CRC Press. Dr. Siddiqui’s contributions to the field are highly regarded, evident from his impressive metrics, including over 4000 citations, an h-index of 32, and an i10 index of 71. He has been an Ambassador of the World Food Preservation Center, USA, since 2017. He was also a member of the Board of Directors for the Postharvest Education Foundation, USA in 2020.