Having lived for many years in tropical regions, discovered and appreciated indigenous fruits, and then worked on domestication trials, I was looking forward to reading this book. It is an academic tour de force, with contributions from many of the leading scientists in this subject. This does not make it an easy read for non-specialists. Chapter 1 sets the tone with a very thorough exposition of how priorities for species domestication were set (more tables rather than solid text would have made for easier comprehension). Considerations such as genetic diversity and hence fruit characteristics within species, vegetative versus seed propagation, through to marketing are all covered, with regional preferences shown. There is some overlap in species chosen for each region, but this gives insight into different approaches or tastes, although more on the resource security and options amongst ‘farmers’ would have been appreciated. Most of the case studies are within Africa.

This book is no substitute for the excellent publications on the biology and husbandry of individual species that are produced by organisations dealing with underutilized species. However, it has a wealth of information, and is an excellent introduction to the modern approach taken by both governmental and NGO bodies on securing a future for these tropical tree species.