BAR-supported book on postharvest technology is 2008 NAST Outstanding Book

The book Postharvest Technology for Southeast Asian Perishable Crops edited by Drs. Ofelia K. Bautista and Elda B. Esguerra of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) won the 2008 Outstanding Book.

The award was given during the 30th Annual Scientific meeting of the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) on 10 July 2008 at the Manila Hotel.

The book, published by UPLB and the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), is a follow-up to the first edition of Dr. Bautista's Postharvest Technology for Southeast Asian Perishable Crops published in 2000, which serves as a recognized reference material for agricultural universities and colleges that offer courses on postharvest.

The second edition is an update of the first featuring the latest technologies in postharvest handling and was expanded to cover eight sections: overview of postharvest handling (Section 1), basis of postharvest technologies (Section 2), harvesting and modifiers of quality before harvest (Section 3), technologies (Sections 4-7), and economic feasibility and social dimensions of postharvest systems improvement (Section 8).

The volume is intended both as a textbook for students and a reference for professionals interested in postharvest handling of produce, Dr. Bautista said. She added: The book is based mainly on the data and information generated or gathered by the authors, thesis students, and colleagues supplemented by their experiences and insights in research, teaching, and conducting training courses, consultancies, and in meetings with policymakers and practitioners in the field here and abroad.

UPLB Chancellor Luis Rey I. Velasco, in his foreword, said: The book is one of UPLB's contributions to reducing postharvest losses, maintaining quality of fresh produce and ensuring food safety. He further said that the book comes at an opportune time in UP's centennial celebration, giving back to the Filipino people such body of knowledge and building a legacy of distinct excellence in the field of agriculture.

Dr. Bautista obtained her PhD in Horticulture from UPLB and University of California Davis as part of the joint program of the two universities. She is one of the pioneers at the Postharvest Horticulture Training Research Center (PHTRC) and an adjunct professor of the Crop Science Cluster at UPLB's College of Agriculture. Co-editor Dr.Esguerra graduated from the Kagawa University in Japan with a PhD in Postharvest Horticulture. She is a research associate professor and head of the Postharvset and Seed Sciences Division of the Crop Science Cluster.

From: BAR Chronicle p.3-4, Special Anniversary Issue