FOREWORD AND PREFACE

Within the programme of the 26th International Horticultural Congress, Symposium 13, Key Processes in the Growth and Cropping of Deciduous Fruit and Nut Trees was intended to provide a multi-day programme attractive to the wide interests and disciplines concerned with fruit and nut tree physiology and pomology. This symposium was also a significant contribution to providing a cohesive Congress programme in fruit crops that ranged from breeding and genetics through crop physiology to postharvest science. The Symposium was composed of four 1-day sessions focused on specific aspects of plant development: Day 1 - Root and Shoot Development; Day 2 – Reproductive Processes; Day 3 - Fruit Growth and Development; Day 4 - Modelling and Integrated Systems. Each session commenced with an invited keynote address, followed by contributing oral and poster presentations. More than 200 papers were received for the programme.
Keynote speakers, authors of oral papers and selected authors of poster papers were invited to submit their manuscripts for publication in this volume of Acta Horticulturae. Submitted manuscripts were reviewed by the Editorial Committee and the Conveners and amended according to referee suggestions prior to acceptance. The Conveners wish to acknowledge the willing co-operation and considerable effort of the Editorial Committee in ensuring the quality of the publication.
The wide interests encompassed within this symposium are evident from the broad sponsorship by ISHS Fruit Section and many of its working groups; ASHS Working Group on Pomology, ASHS Working Group on Growth Regulators in Fruit and Nut Production, and ASHS Working Group on Mineral Nutrition; Plant Growth Regulator Society of America; American Pomological Society.

PREFACE

The papers contained in this volume of Acta Horticulturae report the proceedings of a symposium on Key Processes in the Growth and Cropping of Deciduous Fruit and Nut Trees. Keynote speakers and authors of selected contributed oral and poster presentations were given the opportunity to submit a manuscript for publication.
These manuscripts were reviewed by the symposium editor and other referees. Only those papers judged suitable for publication following the authors consideration of reviewer suggestions appear in this volume of Acta Horticulturae.
The ISHS acknowledges and appreciates the contribution of all editors and reviewers. They have made a significant contribution to assuring the quality of this publication.

The ISHS Board of Directors