 | Achieving sustainable cultivation of tree nuts Tree nuts such as almonds, walnuts and pistachio have long been grown for consumption and as a food ingredient. It is estimated that 4 million metric tons of tree nuts are produced each year in over 40 countries. Demand is rising, in part because of research on the nutraceutical benefits of tree nuts. At the same time, these crops face particular challenges such as safety in the face of allergens and mycotoxin contamination. There is a need to increase production but in a more sustainable way in the face of climate change. This collection reviews the wealth of research addressing these challenges. Part 1 discusses the growing number of studies on the health benefits of tree nuts. Part 2 addresses safety issues. The remaining two parts assess advances in genetics and breeding of tree nuts, as well as advances in cultivation and the management of pests and diseases of tree nuts. Dr Ümit Serdar is a Professor in the Faculty of Agriculture at Ondokuz Mayis University, Turkey. He was Chair of the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) Workgroup on Chestnuts from 2014-2017 and is a member of other ISHS Workgroups. Dr Dennis Fulbright is Emeritus Professor in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences at Michigan State University, USA. Like Professor Serdar, he is internationally known for his research on chestnut cultivation and disease management. |
