PREFACE

This Symposium, which was held in Lima, Peru, from the 8th to the 14th February 1976, under the sponsorship of the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS), and the "Tropical Region of the American Society for Horticultural Science" (ASHS) was most successful.

The number of participants, representing different countries in the Tropical Hemisphere, came to upwards 150, which makes it clear that there was very much interest for this event.

On the other hand this Symposium has been a good entrance of the ISHS in South America and I hope that the result may be the beginning of an important increase of ISHS members in South America and of the increase of ISHS activities in this part of the world.

I wish to thank everybody, who has devoted his time and energy to this conference and thus contributed towards its success.

In this connection I wish to thank in particular Mr. Segundo Dongo Denegri, Mr. Carlos Montes Barnett and Mr. Ricardo Flores Rodríguez of the Ministry of Food, Mr. Charles Morin Labrousse and Miss Ana María Biasevich G. of the National Agricultural University and Mr. Wilson Sologuren.

I will express a special word of thanks to the "Peruvian Horticultural Society" who took the initiative to organize this Symposium and who can look back now with great satisfaction on the results of their efforts.

The Organizing Committee, consisting of Rafael Franciosi T., President, Charles Morin L., Vice-president, Odilo Duarte B., Executive-Secretary, and Miguel Bakula B., Treasurer, can be proud of this most successful international scientific event.

Dr. G. de Bakker
Secretary General of ISHS