Contents -- Dedication -- Contributors -- Preface -- Acknowledgements -- 1. Botany and Taxonomy -- 2. History of Cultivation and Trends in China -- 3. Classical Genetics and Breeding -- 4. Genetic Engineering and Genomics -- 5. Low-chill Cultivar Development -- 6. Fresh Market Cultivar Development -- 7. Processing Peach Cultivar Development -- 8. Rootstock Development -- 9. Propagation Techniques -- 10. Carbon Assimilation, Partitioning and Budget Modelling -- 11. Orchard Planting Systems -- 12. Crop Load Management -- 13. Nutrient and Water Requirements of Peach Trees -- 14. Orchard Floor Management Systems -- 15. Diseases of Peach Caused by Fungi and Fungal-like Organisms: Biology, Epidemiology and Management -- 16. Diseases Caused by Prokaryotes - Bacteria and Phytoplasmas -- 17. Viruses and Viroids of Peach Trees -- 18. Insects and Mites -- 19. Nematodes -- 20. Preharvest Factors Affecting Peach Quality -- 21. Ripening, Nutrition and Postharvest Physiology -- 22. Harvesting and Postharvest Handling of Peaches for the Fresh Market -- Index -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- K -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- Q -- R -- S -- T -- U -- V -- W -- X -- Y -- Z -- Colour plates 1-73 -- Colour plates 74-163 -- Colour plates 164-245.