Currently available texts in horticultural science tend to cover a wide range of topics at a relatively superficial level, whilst more specific information on individual crop species is dispersed widely in the literature. To address this imbalance, The Biology of Horticultural Crops presents a series of concise texts, each devoted to discussing the biology of an important horticultural crop species in detail. Key topics such as evolution, morphology, anatomy, physiology and genetics are considered for each crop species with the aim of increasing understanding and providing a sound scientific basis for improvements in commercial crop production. Volumes to be published in the series will cover the grapevine, citrus fruit, bananas, apples and pears, and stone fruit.