Novel Approach to Sustainable Temperate Horticulture

In the current scenario, marked by a continual improvement in living standards, it becomes imperative to boost the productivity or rather the efficiency of agriculture, especially horticulture, which holds the potential for significant economic prosperity aligning with SDG goal number 8, ‘Decent Work and Economic Growth’. Modern technological interventions, such as geospatial technology and Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, can be harnessed to yield effective results in addressing challenges and providing enhanced decision support, particularly in the planning of horticultural resource management. Fresh produce cultivation and production face several challenges, including prolonged juvenile phases and reproductive cycles with extended breeding periods, creating bottlenecks in the process. The evolving trends in biotechnology offer promising solutions for improving the selection of desirable traits. Biotechnological techniques aimed at improving fruit efficiency encompass tissue culture, induction of genetic variability, germplasm conservation, and molecular breeding/genomics. These methods involve the study of genetic diversity, DNA fingerprinting, and QTL analysis for marker-assisted selection. Over the past few decades, the global population has consistently risen, raising concerns about the ability of the current food system to adequately feed the anticipated 10 billion people in the next 30 years. While this challenge is deemed achievable, certain changes in both food production and consumption systems are essential to ensure sustainability, reduce food loss and waste, and contribute to a global shift towards healthier and more sustainable diets. Implementing sustainable models of crop production represents a significant undertaking. To address the growing food demand amid deteriorating production environments, there is a need for promising technologies and effective management options to enhance productivity. This book is poised to be a valuable…