**2. Fruit industry: importance in the world**

Fruits and vegetables are essential sources for the micronutrients needed for healthier diets [4]. The potential of vegetables is to generate positive economic and nutritional impacts. The estimated farm gate value of annual global fruit and vegetable production, at nearly \$1 trillion per year, exceeds the farm gate value of all food grains combined (US\$ 837 billion). On the other hand, it is likely that the production of fruit and vegetable crops will not increase as rapidly as would be expected. Environmental changes can affect many different aspects of agricultural production. With greater climatic variability, temperature patterns and precipitation are some of the problems faced by fruit producers [5]. Technological advances have focused their efforts on the development of new varieties, crop management techniques, and innovations in postharvest handling and processing. Even in high-income countries such as the US, there is evidence that public funding for research in the agricultural area is less than expected, given its economic value and its contribution to human health [6].
