Underexploited tropical plants with promising economic value

ITS OBJECTIVES WERE TO: 1) IDENTIFY NEGLECTED BUT SEEMINGLY USEFUL TROPICAL PLANTS, BOTH WILD AND DOMESTICATED, WITH ECONOMIC POTENTIAL: 2) SELECT THOSE PLANTS WITH THE GREATEST PROMISE FOR FURTHER EXPLOITATION THROUGHOUT THE TROPICS; 3) INDICATE THE REQUIREMENTS AND AVENUES FOR RESEARCH TO ENSURE THAT THESE PLANTS REACH THEIR FULLEST POTENTIAL. THE 36 PLANTS DESCRIBED HERE WERE SELECTED FROM AMONG 400 NOMINATED BY PLANT SCIENTISTS AROUND THE WORLD. ONLY A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THESE PLANTS IS INTENDED IN THIS STUDY. EACH PLANT IS PRESENTED IN A SEPARATE CHAPTER WHICH IS DIVIDED INTO THE FOLLOWING SUBHEADINGS: 1) DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT AND ITS ADVANTAGES; 2) LIMITATIONS AND SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS; 3) RESEARCH NEEDS; 4) SELECTED READINGS (SIGNIFICANT REVIEWS, GENERAL ARTICLES); 5) RESEARCH CONTACTS AND GERM PLASM SOURCES (INDIVIDUALS OR ORGANIZATIONS KNOWN BY THE PANELISTS TO BE INVOLVED IN RELEVANT RESEARCH OR TO HAVE APPROPRIATE SEEDS, CUTTINGS, OR ROOTSTOCK).