| Synopsis: |
The plant family Leguminosae is second in economic importance only to Gramineae, which includes the world's cereals and pasture grasses. Indeed, about one quarter of the total output of crop protein in the world as a whole is derived from legumes, which are of great importance both in human diets and in the feeding of livestock. Production is nevertheless limited by major diseases, and therefore there is a great need for a reference book on the pathology of food and pasture legumes. This book fills that need and provides substantial critical reviews of each crop type. It is written by leading research workers from the USA, UK, India, Nigeria, Malawi, New Zealand, Syria and Uganda. The content is thus applicable to both the developed and the developing world, and to temperate and tropical zones. Well illustrated with both monochrome and colour plates, and thoroughly referenced to the research literature, it represents an indispensable volume for plant pathologists and legume agronomists. |