Plant diseases cause serious threats to the successful cultivation of horticultural crops, resulting in huge losses in their yields. These plant diseases are known to affect horticultural crops at various growth stages and reduce the yield as well as quality of fruits and vegetables. Diseases also cause subsequent postharvest transit and storage losses. This 4-volume set provides the latest diagnostic information along with effective management solutions to the problems of diseases of field crop plants caused by phytopathogens.

In volume 1, each chapter includes an introduction, disease symptoms, causal organisms, disease cycles, epidemiology, and management of economically important plants. With contributions from national scientists who are engaged in teaching, research, and extension services who share their experiences here, the chapters explore apples, amla (or Indian gooseberry), avocado, Indian bael, banana, Indian jujube, citrus, grapes, guava, hazelnut, and more.

The volumes provide an abundance of information for understanding and managing plant diseases, with emphasis on diagnostic techniques. The collection includes:
Volume 1: Fruit Crops
Volume 2: Vegetable Crops
Volume 3: Ornamental Plants and Spice Crops
Volume 4: Important Plantation Crops, Medicinal Crops, and Mushrooms

J. N. Srivastava, PhD, has over 20 years of experience in teaching undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD classes on plant pathology as Associate Professor cum Senior Scientist at Bihar Agricultural University, India, and as Assistant Professor/Jr. at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences and Technology, India. In addition to teaching and research, he is also engaged in various agriculture extension activities, such as farm advisory services, and has acted as principal investigator and co-principal investigator for several projects on biological control/integrated disease management. A prolific author, Dr. Srivastava has published many research papers in both Indian and international journals, book chapters, extension articles, practical and technical bulletins, and leaflets.

A. K. Singh, PhD, is Assistant Professor in the Division of Plant Pathology at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu and Kashmir, India. He has been engaged for more than 12 years in teaching (both undergraduate and postgraduate levels) and research and is involved in the transfer of technology through different extension activities. He has published more than 30 research papers in national and international journals, one practical manual, and several book chapters and popular articles and has presented many research papers at international, national, and regional symposiums and seminars.