Abstract
This book is an English translation of the work originally published in German (1998) as Biologischer Obstbau, which was the product of collaboration between authors in Austria, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland. It brings together the knowledge and experience of organic fruit growing from a number of fruit-growing areas of Europe and will be of interest to fruit producers and growers, as well as horticultural students. The book comprises the following 7 chapters: (1) Principles of organic fruit growing, briefly covering the legal aspects and the conversion of a conventionally run production unit to organic fruit growing; (2) Planning and setting up an organic production unit - choice of site, planting stock and planting systems; (3) Choice of rootstocks and cultivars in organic fruit production, including dessert apples and pears, cherries, plums and small fruits; (4) Cultural measures in organic fruit growing - soil care, fertilizer application, thinning, and growth regulation by various means; (5) Plant protection, with sections on encouraging biodiversity in orchards, beneficial organisms, major diseases and pests of pome fruits, stone fruits, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, currants, gooseberries, and bilberries, and pesticides; (6) Processing - general requirements of fruit for processing, production of fruit juices, dried fruit, jellies and jams, vinegar, and labelling of products; and (7) Marketing of organic products. Appendices list permitted fertilizers and soil conditioners, and plant protection products (Annex II to EU Regulation 2092/91).