Emphasis in agricultural research for many years has concen­ trated on crop production. This emphasis has become more important in recent years with the realization that the population worldwide is outstripping the food supply. There is, however, another side to increasing the availability of the food supply. This simply involves preservation of the harvested crop·for human consumption. The losses incurred in harvesting, handling, transportation, storage and marketing crops have become a greater problem as the distance from the farm to the ultimate consumer increases. In the Western world where modern transportation, storage facilities, and marketing technology are widely used, post-harvest technology requires a large input of energy which increases costs considerably. There­ fore, losses are more significant and the ability to provide fresh fruits and vegetables, out of season, at reasonable costs will depend on reduced post-harvest losses throughout the marketing chain from the farm gate to the ultimate consumer. The reduction in post-harvest losses depends on proper use of current technology and further developments derived from a broad spectrum of scientific disciplines. Biochemistry, plant physiology, plant pathology, horticulture, agronomy, physics, engineering and agricultural economics, all provide knowledge which has been useful and will be useful in the future for improving post-harvest technol­ ogy and crop preservation. This volume records the Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute on Post-Harvest Physiology and Crop Preservation, held at Sounion, Greece, April 28 - May 8, 1981.

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I. Biochemistry and Physiology of Senescence.- 1. The General Biology of Plant Senescence and the Role of Nucleic Acids in Protein Turnover in the Control of Senescence Processes which are Genetically Programmed.- 2. Control of Ribonucleic Acid and Enzyme Synthesis During Fruit Ripening.- 3. Respiration and Energy Metabolism in Senescing Plant Tissues.- 4. Enzyme Activities and Post-Harvest Change.- 5. Plant Membrane Lipids: Changes and Alterations During Aging and Senescence.- 6. Hormonal Regulation of Senescence, Ageing, Fading and Ripening.- II. Characteristics of Senescence in Special Crops.- 7. Post Harvest Physiology of Seeds as Related to Quality and Germinability.- 8. Physiology and Storage of Bulbs: Concepts and Nature of Dormancy in Bulbs.- 9. The Formation of Enzymatic Products in the Fruits during Growth and Storage.- III. Pathological Aspects - Post-Harvest.- 10. Host-Pathogen Interactions in Postharvest Diseases.- 11. Control of Postharvest Diseases with Antimicrobial Agents.- 12. Hydroxyproline - Rich Glycoproteins in the Cell Wall of Diseased Plants as a Defense Mechanism.- 13. Stress Metabolites.- 14. Mycotoxins as a Deteriorating Factor in Stored Crops.- IV. Manipulation of the Pre- and Post-Harvest Environment to Influence Quality.- 15. Hormonal and Chemical Preharvest Treatments which Influence Postharvest Quality, Maturity and Storeability of Fruit.- 16. Effect of Post Harvest Treatments of Growth and Bioregulators on Quality and Longevity of Fruits and Vegetables.- 17. Manipulation of the Postharvest Atmosphere for Preservation of Food Crops.- 18. Metabolism, Heat Transfer and Water Loss under Hypobaric Conditions.- 19. Maintaining Nutritional and Processing Quality in Grain Crops During Handling, Storage, and Transportation.- 20. New Post-Harvest Treatments of Horticultural Produce and Developments to Maintain Quality and to Prevent Damage in Western Europe with Special Reference to the Netherlands.- 21. Postharvest Quality Maintenance of Fruits and Vegetables in Developing Countries.- 22. Instrumental Techniques for Measuring Quality of Agricultural Crops.- V. Post-Harvest Losses in the Developing World: Economic Aspects.- 23. Post Harvest Losses in Perishable Foods of the Developing World.- 24. Solving Third World Food Problems: The Role of Post-Harvest Planning.- 25. Utilization of Agricultural Wastes: Some Global Consideration.- VI. Participants.- VII. Index.