The previous editions of this Agrodok, published in 1992 and 1999, gave a general introduction into fruit growing in the tropics and described 8 major crops. Working on this revision, the general introduction quickly filled the entire Agrodok! And if the major fruit crops are to be dealt with anew, each crop will no doubt require an Agrodok of its own. In fact it may be better to publish regional crop manuals, rather than trying to cram information for various parts of the tropics into a single booklet.
The aim of this revised text is to foster your interest in and understanding of fruit growing. Traditional knowledge has been combined with insights gained through research work. No recipes are given for growing specific fruit crops. The contents are directed at home gardeners, growers who depend for (part of) their income on the sale of fruit, extension workers and others who support gardeners and growers.
Version 3, 2006