Soybeans for the tropics

With the world population expected to reach 650 million by the year 2000, the soybean could go a long way towards feeding people at risk of malnutrition. In Soybeans for the tropics, one of its editors, S.R. Singh, is enthusiastic about the future of this crop, recently described as the 'miracle bean' or 'golden bean'. This book comprises a collection of articles and papers written by specialists who are or who have been, working on various aspects of the bean's development. The emphasis is on growing the bean in the tropics, although by far the largest area of cultivation at present is in the USA. This book was produced when the need for such a publication was expressed at the Tropical Soybean Workshop held at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture in 1985 and includes some of the papers presented at that workshop. It is divided into three parts: Part 1, Crop Improvement, Cultivation and Protection; Part 2, Regional Production and Research and Part3, Potential and Methods of Using this Crop. Not only is this book a comprehensive guide to the production of the soybean, it deals with the use of the crop both commercially and in home and village. Nevertheless, the contributors are under no illusion as to what the problems of expanding production are, especially the large numbers of insect pests which at present can only be controlled by the use of chemicals. If production is to expand there is need for alternative controls and these are discussed at length. At the end of the book there are nearly 700 references to authors and publications relevant to the subject. Singh, S.T., K.O. Rachie and K.E. Dashiell (eds.), 1987. Soybeans for the tropics: Research, production and utilization. IITA, 230 pp. ISBN 0471 91419 3 Available from: IITA PMB 5320 Oyo Road Ibadan NlGERIA