Due to the huge quantity and diverse nature of their metabolic pathways, fungi have great potential to be used for the production of different biofuels such as bioethanol, biobutanol, and biodiesel. This book presents recent advances, as well as challenges and promises, of fungal applications in biofuel production, subsequently discussing plant pathogenic fungi for bioethanol and biodiesel production, including their mechanisms of action. Additionally, this book reviews biofuel production using plant endophytic fungi, wood-rotting fungi, fungal biocontrol agents, and gut fungi, and it investigates highly efficient fungi for biofuel production and process design in fungal-based biofuel production systems. Finally, life cycle assessment of fungal-based biofuel production systems are discussed in this volume.

Wherever there is greenery, photosynthesis is working to make oxygen, release energy, and create living matter from the raw material of sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. Without photosynthesis, there would be an empty world, an empty sky, and a sun that does nothing more than warm the rocks and reflect off the sea.

Eating the Sun is the story of a world in crisis; an appreciation of the importance of plants; a history of the earth and the feuds and fantasies of warring scientists; a celebration of how the smallest things, enzymes and pigments, influence the largest things, the oceans, the rainforests, and the fossil fuel economy. Oliver Morton offers a fascinating, lively, profound look at nature's greatest miracle and sounds a much-needed call to arms--illuminating a potential crisis of climatic chaos and explaining how we can change our situation, for better or for worse.

This book presents the latest research on plant phenolics, offering readers a detailed, yet comprehensive account of their role in sustainable agriculture. It covers a diverse range of topics, including extraction processes; the role of plant phenolics in growth and development; plant physiology; post-harvesting technologies; food preservation; environmental, biotic and abiotic stress; as well as nutrition and health. Further the book provides readers with an up-to-date review of this dynamic field and sets the direction for future research. Based on the authors' extensive experience and written in an engaging style, this highly readable book will appeal to scholars from various disciplines. Bringing together work from leading international researchers, it is also a valuable reference resource for academics, researchers, students and teachers wanting to gain insights into the role of plant phenolics in sustainable agriculture.

Twelve lessons in fungal activism, Indigenous knowledge and collaboration for artists, gardeners, educators and anyone intrigued by the fascinating life and inspiring metaphors of the mycelium and the mushroom.

The enormous popular interest in the world of fungi and the mycelium testifies to its tremendous resonance as a metaphor for new ways of thinking, new systems and behaviors. Taking its inspiration from this world, Let’s Become Fungal! looks at a range of Indigenous practices from Latin America, the Caribbean and Asia that are rooted in multispecies collaboration, symbiosis, alliances, non-monetary resource exchange, decentralization, bottom-up methods and mutual dependency―all suggestive of the behavior of the mycelium.

Each of the book’s 12 chapters offers teachings on collaboration, decoloniality, nonlinearity, toxicity, mobilization, biomimicry, death and being nonbinary, while also examining the world of fungi. Let’s Become Fungal! shows how fungi can inspire artists, collectives, organizations, educators, policymakers, designers, scientists, anthropologists, curators, urbanists, activists, gardeners, community leaders, farmers and others to become more fungal in their ways of working and being.

This book highlights different natural products that are derived from the plants and microbes that have shown potential as the lead compounds against infectious diseases and cancer. Natural products represent an untapped source of strikingly diverse chemotypes with novel mechanisms of action and the potential to serve as anticancer and anti-infective agents. The book discusses a range of biotechnologically valuable bioactive compounds and secondary metabolites that have been derived from plant and microorganisms from various ecological niches. It also reviews the latest developments in the field of genomics, bioinformatics and industrial fermentation for harnessing the microbial products for commercial applications. In turn, the book's closing section reviews important biotechnological applications of various natural products. Combining the expertise of specialists in this field, the book's goal is to promote the further investigation of natural sources for the development of standardized, safe and effective therapies.

The book presents comprehensive information on fundamental, and applied knowledge for developing varieties resistant individually as well as to all the major pathogens of crucifers, such as Albugo, Alternaria, Erysiphe, Hyaloperonospora, Plasmodiophora, Leptosphaeria, Sclerotinia, Turnip mosaic virus, Verticillium, and Xanthomonas through the use of latest biotechnological approaches including identification of R genes and their incorporation into agronomically superior varieties. The chapters include the information's viz., principles of host resistance, identification of R-genes sources, inheritance of disease resistance, host resistance signaling network system to multiple stresses. The book also covers transfer of disease resistance, and management of disease resistance. Standardized, reproducible techniques are also included for the researchers of cruciferous crops for developing resistant cultivars. The book deals with the gaps in understanding, knowledge of genomics, and offers suggestions for future research priorities in order to initiate the advance research on disease resistance. This book is immensely useful to the researchers especially Brassica breeders, teachers, extension specialists, students, industrialists, farmers, and all others who are interested to grow healthy, and profitable cruciferous crops all over the world.

This book summarizes the latest studies on plant reproduction and multiple aspects of signaling in reproductive development. It also presents the most advanced processes in CrRLK1L receptor and RALF peptide studies during plant development. Focusing on signaling in pollen tube integrity and sperm release regulation, it provides significant insights into the BUPS-ANX receptor complex and the corresponding ligands RALF4/19 to promote pollen tube growth with proper cell integrity. It also proposes a working model of female tissue-derived RALF34 competing with RALF4/19 from the BUPS-ANX to trigger pollen tube rupture and sperm release. Offering a detailed overview of the spatiotemporal regulation mechanism underlying the control of pollen tube integrity and sperm release, the book fills a major gap in our understanding of plant reproductive processes, and as such is a valuable resource for those working in the area of plant signaling.

This book presents recent developments involving the role of nanoparticles on plant physiology and growth. Nanotechnology applications include improvement of agricultural production using bio-conjugated NPs (encapsulation), transfer of DNA in plants for development of insect pest-resistant varieties, nanoformulations of agrochemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers for crop improvement, and nanosensors/nanobiosensors in crop protection for identification of diseases and residues of agrochemicals. Recent findings on the increased use of nanotechnology in agriculture by densely populated countries such as China and India indicate that this technology may impart a substantial impact on reducing hunger, malnutrition, and child mortality.

Before the concept of history began, humans undoubtedly acquired life benefits by discovering medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) that were food and medicine. Today, a variety of available herbs and spices are used and enjoyed throughout the world and continue to promote good health. The international market is also quite welcoming for MAPs and essential oils. The increasing environment and nature conscious buyers encourage producers to produce high quality essential oils. These consumer choices lead to growing preference for organic and herbal based products in the world market. As the benefits of medicinal and aromatic plants are recognized, these plants will have a special role for humans in the future. Until last century, the production of botanicals relies to a large degree on wild-collection. However, the increasing commercial collection, largely unmonitored trade, and habitat loss lead to an incomparably growing pressure on plant populations in the wild. Therefore, medicinal and aromatic plants are of high priority for conservation. Given the above, we bring forth a comprehensive volume, "Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Healthcare and Industrial Applications", highlighting the various healthcare, industrial and pharmaceutical applications that are being used on these immensely important MAPs and its future prospects. This collection of chapters from the different areas dealing with MAPs caters to the need of all those who are working or have interest in the above topic.

Global population is mounting at an alarming stride to surpass 9.3 billion by 2050, whereas simultaneously the agricultural productivity is gravely affected by climate changes resulting in increased biotic and abiotic stresses. The genus Brassica belongs to the mustard family whose members are known as cruciferous vegetables, cabbages or mustard plants. Rapeseed-mustard is world's third most important source of edible oil after soybean and oil palm. It has worldwide acceptance owing to its rare combination of health promoting factors. It has very low levels of saturated fatty acids which make it the healthiest edible oil that is commonly available. Apart from this, it is rich in antioxidants by virtue of tocopherols and phytosterols presence in the oil. The high omega 3 content reduces the risk of atherosclerosis/heart attack. Conventional breeding methods have met with limited success in Brassica because yield and stress resilience are polygenic traits and are greatly influenced by environment. Therefore, it is imperative to accelerate the efforts to unravel the biochemical, physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying yield, quality and tolerance towards biotic and abiotic stresses in Brassica. To exploit its fullest potential, systematic efforts are needed to unlock the genetic information for new germplasms that tolerate initial and terminal state heat coupled with moisture stress. For instance, wild relatives may be exploited in developing introgressed and resynthesized lines with desirable attributes. Exploitation of heterosis is another important area which can be achieved by introducing transgenics to raise stable CMS lines. Doubled haploid breeding and marker assisted selection should be employed along with conventional breeding. Breeding programmes aim at enhancing resource use efficiency, especially nutrient and water as well as adoption to aberrant environmental changes should also be considered. Biotechnological interventions are essential for altering the biosynthetic pathways for developing high oleic and low linolenic lines. Accordingly, tools such as microspore and ovule culture, embryo rescue, isolation of trait specific genes especially for aphid, Sclerotinia and alternaria blight resistance, etc. along with identification of potential lines based on genetic diversity can assist ongoing breeding programmes. In this book, we highlight the recent molecular, genetic and genomic interventions made to achieve crop improvement in terms of yield increase, quality and stress tolerance in Brassica, with a special emphasis in Rapeseed-mustard.

A great deal of interest has been generated recently in the isolation, characterization, and biological activity of phytochemicals. Phytochemicals have the potential to enhance pharmaceuticals and drug discovery. As such, there is an urgent need for current research in the global scope of phytochemicals including the chemical and physical characteristics, analytical procedures, biological activity, safety, and industrial applications. The Handbook of Research on Advanced Phytochemicals and Plant-Based Drug Discovery examines the applications of bioactive molecules from a health perspective, examining the pharmacological aspects of medicinal plants, the phytochemical and biological activities of different natural products, and ethnobotany and medicinal properties. Moreover, it presents a novel dietary approach for human disease management. Covering topics such as computer-aided drug design, government regulation, and medicinal plant taxonomy, this major reference work is beneficial to pharmacists, medical practitioners, phytologists, hospital administrators, government officials, faculty and students of higher education, librarians, researchers, and academicians.

Refinement in sequencing technologies and potential of genomic research resulted in meteoric growth of biological information such as sequences of DNA, RNA and protein requiring databases for efficient storage, management and retrieval of the biological information. Also, computational algorithms for analysis of these colossal data became a vital aspect of biological sciences. The work aims to show the process of turning bioscience innovation into companies and products, covering the basic science, the translation of science into technology. Due to rapid developments, there seems to be no basic difference between the pharmaceutical industry and the biotechnological industry. However, approved products in the pipeline and renewed public confidence make it one of the most promising areas of economic growth in the near future. India offers a huge market for the products as well as cheap manufacturing base for export. The book is a sincere work of compilation of new and recent advances in the topic of concern through various innovative researches and scientific opinion therefrom. The book is dedicated to the readers who will definitely find it interesting and knowledgeable in carrying out their respective researches in different aspects of applied microbiology and biotechnology.

Widely known as the 'tree of life', coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) provides a bountiful source for making a wide variety of healthy foods and industrial items. Its cultivation, however, has been encountering seriously destructive issues including lethal diseases and natural adversities which are currently distressing livelihoods of millions of small-holder farmers around the world. There is an urgent mandate to resolve these issues by meeting sustainable seedling production, facilitating genetic conservation, as well as developing disease identification and modern breeding. This book introduces improvements in coconut biotechnology by covering the advances in micropropagation, germplasm conservation, and molecular pathogenic diagnosis. This comprehensive volume will be a useful source of information and references to researchers, graduate students, agricultural developers, and scholars in the plant sciences. In order to benefit general readers, the book also covers fundamental aspects of biology, diversity, and evolution of this marvelous palm species.