Horticulture is the intensive manipulation of plants and their products with economic, environmental and social benefits. This defines Horticulture as one of the originators of biotechnology and a substantial beneficiary of microbial activity. Ramesh Ray and Owen Ward, the Editors of this Series, are making a substantial contribution to both Horticulture and Biotechnology with these books. This particular volume focuses on the application of microbes for fermentation across several horticultural industry sectors.

The wine industry is the most obvious and early user of microbes in horticulture, making it an entirely appropriate subject for the first chapter. Improving the sensory and health-related qualities of wine are major achievements of oenology in recent decades. There then follow seven further chapters that provide detailed and very authoritative accounts of fermentation in tropical and subtropical beverages, fermentation and processing of coffee and cocoa, application of microbial pectinases, bioconversion and cultivation of edible mushrooms, and fermentation and utilization of horticultural processing wastes and medicinal mushroom biotechnology. In a particularly valuable final chapter, the Editors offer an overview, drawing out general principles and opportunities for progress identified in the preceding chapters. Overview chapters are difficult to get right because of the need for substantial understanding of the entire subject, but this one succeeds commendably. All the contributions are lucid and authoritative, with the texts supported by usefully extensive reference lists. Good use is made of illustrations, some of which are coloured. This is a professional level text providing detailed scientific treatments of each topic. The book is excellent value for money and in today's market not overly expensive.