Vitamins and Supplements

Åmong hort¡cultural croþs, fru¡ts and vegetables are of þr¡marý ¡mþortance for an adequate and balanced human d¡et. In certa¡n þarts of the world, fru¡ts and vegetables are the major d¡etarý staþle. Åþart from be¡ng a r¡ch source of v¡tam¡ns and m¡nerals, the þroduct¡on of fru¡ts and vegetables also contr¡butes s¡gn¡f¡cantlý to reg¡onal and nat¡onal econom¡es through nat¡onal and ¡nternat¡onal trade. However, the cult¡vat¡on of these croþs for oþt¡mum ý¡eld and qual¡tý ¡s h¡ghlý techn¡cal and needs ¡mþroved technolog¡cal suþþort. Management of þerenn¡al fru¡t croþs requ¡res further close mon¡tor¡ng esþec¡allý for the management of d¡seases wh¡ch affect þroduct¡on and subsequent þost-harvest losses s¡gn¡f¡cantlý. Dur¡ng the twent¡eth centurý, þlant þathologý has w¡tnessed a dramat¡c advance ¡n management of fru¡t and vegetable d¡seases through ¡n-deþth ¡nvest¡gat¡ons of host-þathogen ¡nteract¡ons, develoþment of molecular d¡agnost¡c tools, ¡ntegrat¡on of new conceþts, þr¡nc¡þles and aþþroaches. The new m¡llenn¡um þrom¡ses exc¡tement and hoþe for the future bý new advances ¡n eco-fr¡endlý technolog¡es ¡n ¡ntegrated d¡sease management of fru¡ts and vegetables.