Concepts for Understanding Fruit Trees (eBook)

Theodore DeJong (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2021
136 Seiten
CABI (Verlag)
978-1-80062-087-2 (ISBN)

Infos

This book provides a clear set of integrative concepts for understanding how fruit trees work. The emphasis is on overarching principles rather than detailed descriptions of tree physiology or differences among the numerous species of fruit trees.

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Anyone who observes fruit trees may wonder how or why they behave in specific ways. Some trees grow upright while others have a spreading habit. Some produce many flowers and small immature fruit only to drop most of the fruit later on; others grow more strongly on their sunny side than their shady side. It is common to ascribe such behavior to the tree as a whole and state that trees preferentially "allocate" resources to specific organs. However, this is the wrong approach to understanding tree functioning and behavior. Trees are not in control of what they do. What trees do and how they function is shaped by the individual organs that make up the tree, not by the tree as a whole. The genetic code only indirectly determines the habit, structure and behavior of a tree by defining the behavioral and functional limits of the component organs, tissues and cells. Unlike animals that have a mechanism for collective control of the whole organism - a central nervous system - trees (and plants in general) are more appropriately considered as collections of semi-autonomous organs. These organs are dependent on one another for resources, such as water, energy and nutrients, but control their own destiny.

This book presents a clear set of integrative concepts for understanding the overall physiology and growth of temperate deciduous fruit trees. The emphasis is on overarching principles rather than detailed descriptions of tree physiology or differences among the numerous species of fruit trees. Although the focus is on deciduous fruit trees, many aspects apply to evergreen fruit trees and trees that grow naturally in unmanaged situations.

Highly relevant for students and researchers in pomology, horticulture and plant sciences, the book is also suitable for practitioners, extension staff, and novice fruit tree growers.

Autor

Ted DeJong is emeritus professor at the University of California at Davis, and has been doing research on fruit trees for 40 years. He has published about 300 scientific papers, most of which are on some aspect of the functioning of fruit trees. See his webpage at https://dejong.ucdavis.edu/

Rezensionen

This book takes the complexity of tree growth and development and reduces it to a few underlying concepts. It makes much of the behaviour and response of fruit trees to environmental factors or management practices easy to understand and predict. The preface indicates that the content is targeted at fruit growers, fruit tree enthusiasts, students, and fellow scientists. Nonetheless, I suspect the main readership will be students who will relate well to the clear presentations and well-reasoned logic presented within successive chapters. This text will be a welcome addition to any pomologist's reading list. If nothing else, it will challenge some existing conventions and introduce some new perspectives for those learning about and working on fruit trees.

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 30.12.2021
• Reihe/Serie: CABI Concise
• Reihe/Serie: CABI Concise
• Verlagsort: Oxford
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften
• Themenwelt: Weitere Fachgebiete ► Land- / Forstwirtschaft / Fischerei
• Schlagworte: fruit tree biology • fruit tree functioning • fruit tree physiology • Pomology • tree assimilated partitioning • tree crop physiology • Tree growth and development
• ISBN-10: 1-80062-087-X / 180062087X
• ISBN-13: 978-1-80062-087-2 / 9781800620872