REPORT ON THE THIRD INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON TEMPERATE ZONE FRUITS IN THE TROPICS AND SUB TROPICS CHIANG MAI, THAILAND, DECEMBER 12–16, 1988.

The conference was an outstanding success with over 250 delegates attending, representing 15 countries.
Much of the success of the conference was due to the fine organisation by the working committee headed by Dr Suranant Subhadrabandhu, Department of Horticulture, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Resolutions of the conference are published with the conference proceedings in this volume of Acta Horticulturae.
Key points arising from the conference were:-

1. The need to develop a data base on production statistics of temperate zone fruit in the tropics and subtropics – future funding (both research and extension) by aid organizations is more likely to be given if developing countries can show the importance of these crops to their national economies.

2. There is an urgent need to produce extension articles on how to grow temperate zone fruits in the tropics – information on production systems in different countries needs to be collected, evaluated, and the most desirable management and marketing packages for each species developed.

3. There is a lack of basic understanding of the physiological processes involved in flowering and dormancy of temperate zone fruits in the tropics.
   More basic research is needed to evaluate the growth regulators involved in these processes.
   There is an urgent need to develop simple chemical or biological assays for measuring depth of dormancy so correct timing and dose rates of rest-release chemicals can be determined accurately.

4. There is a need to develop standardized systems of data collection for temperate zone fruit in the tropics.
   Monitoring of environmental variables and phenological stages of crop development is essential for understanding varietal and species performance in different regions.

5. Future development of temperate zone fruits in the tropics will depend on the breeding and selection of new cultivars.
   The current stonefruit breeding programme of the University of Florida is an excellent example of how quality and performance can be improved through breeding.
   Additional breeding programmes are needed in nashi fruit, grapes, apples and persimmon.

6. There is a need to hold regular conferences and workshops on the production of temperate zone fruit in the tropics.
   Adequate funding to ensure the success of these workshops should be sought.

III International Workshop on Temperate Zone Fruits in the Tropics and Subtropics

A.P. George

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1990.279.1