Emeritus Professor, Massey University, New Zealand.Editor of Horticultural Reviews, co-editor of Fresh Facts.

• Part I: Introduction 1: Taxonomic classification and brief history, J L Luby, University of Minnesota, SA 2: World production, trade, consumption and economic outlook for apples, D O'Rourke, Belrose Inc, Pullman, WA, USA Part II: Plant Materials 3: Genetic improvement of apple: Breeding, markers, mapping, and biotechnology, S K Brown and K E Maloney, Cornell University, USA 4: Characteristics of important commercial apple cultivars, C R Hampson, Pacific Agri-Food Research Center, Canada and H Kemp, Applied Plant Research, The Netherlands 5: Apple rootstocks, A D Webster, Horticultural Research International, Kent, UK and S J Wertheim, Fruit Research Station, The Netherlands 6: Propagation and nursery tree quality, S J Wertheim, Fruit Research Station, The Netherlands and A D Webster, Horticultural Research International, Kent, UK Part III: Apple Physiology and Environmental Influences 7: Flowering, pollination and fruit set and development, F Dennis, Jr. Michigan State University, USA 8: Water relations of apples, A N Lakso, Cornell University, USA 9: Light relations, L Corelli Grappadelli, University of Bologna, Italy 10: Temperature, J W Palmer, Nelson Research Centre, New Zealand, J-P Prive, Agriculture and Agri-Food, Canada and D S Tustin, Nelson Research Centre, New Zealand Part IV: Orchard and Tree Management 11: Selecting the orchard site, site preparation, orchard planning and establishment, J A Barden, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, USA 12: Nutritional requirements of apple, G H Neilsen and D Neilsen, Pacific Agri-Food Research, Canada 13: Orchard floor management systems, I A Merwin, Cornell University, USA 14: Pruning and training physiology, D C Ferree and J R Schupp, New York State Agricultural Experimental Station, USA 15: Apple orchard planting systems, T L Robinson, Cornell University, USA 16: Flower and fruit thinning and vegetative: fruiting balance, R E Byers, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, USA 17: Endogenous hormone and bioregulator use on apples, D W Greene, Pennsylvania State University, USA Part V: Crop Protection 18: Diseases of apple, K C Eastwell, G G Grove, Washington State University, USA, A L Jones, Michigan State University, USA and T B Sutton, North Carolina State University, USA 19: Ecology and management of apple arthropod pests, E H Beers, Washington State University, USA, D M Suckling, Horticulture Food and Research Institute, New Zealand, R J Prokopy, University of Massachusetts, USA and J Avilla, University of Lleida, Spain 20: Apple orchard freeze protection, S D Seeley and J L Anderson, Utah State University, USA 21: Integrated fruit production for apples - Principles and guidelines, J Avilla, University of Lleida, Spain and H Riedl, Oregon State University, USA 22: Organic apple production - With emphasis on European experiences, F Weibel and A Häseli, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture, Switzerland Part VI: Harvesting, Handling and Utilization 23: Principles and practices of postharvest handling and stress, C B Watkins, Cornell University, USA 24: Production and handling techniques for processing apples, R M Crassweller and G M Greene, Pennsylvania State University, USA