The book contains the proceedings of the Fifth International Wheat Conference at which leading international scientists reviewed current research issues and developments in wheat improvement. The debated topics cover breeding and genetics, genetic resources and importance of free germplasm exchange, breeding for biotic and abiotic stresses, physiology, agronomy and mineral nutrition, grain quality and biotechnology. A significant number of presentations were made by participants from the former USSR and Eastern and Central Europe, making this book also a prime reference for current wheat research and production status in these countries. This book provides an opportunity for wheat scientists interested in global wheat improvement issues to obtain an insight into the research that is currently being conducted worldwide and the prospects of further improvement to meet the increasing demands for this food commodity.

This book is the first comprehensive compilation of deliberations on domestication, genetic and genomic resources, breeding, genetic diversity, molecular maps & mapping of important biotic stress as well as nutritional quality traits, genome sequencing, comparative genomics, functional genomics and genetic transformation. The economic, nutritional and health benefits especially antioxidants mediated antiaging effects of finger millet are also discussed. It also presents the input use efficiency, wide adaptation, post-harvest processing and value addition of the crop. Altogether, the book contains about 300 pages over 16 chapters authored by globally reputed experts on the relevant field in this crop. This book is useful to the students, teachers and scientists in the academia and relevant private companies interested in genetics, pathology, molecular genetics and breeding, genetic engineering, structural and functional genomics and nutritional quality aspects of the crop. This book is also useful to seed and pharmaceutical industries.

Recent advances in genome analysis and transformation have made rice a model monocot for molecular biologists. This volume covers four areas of rice molecular biology in which exciting progress has been made recently: genome analysis and gene isolation, development, regulation of gene expression, and transformation and rice improvement. It will be of great interest to researchers who work in traditional agricultural sciences using rice, as well as to those who have an interest in using rice as an experimental model for basic research. The book gives an overall view on what has already been done, as well as what will be possible in rice. It presents chapters on development and gene regulation - exciting new research area in the future, and explores potentials in rice improvement using various molecular biological methods.

This edited book highlights the gravity and efficacy of next-generation breeding tools for the enhancement of stress-resilience in cereals, especially in the context of climate change, pests, diseases, and abiotic stresses. The content of the book helps in understanding the application of emerging genetic concepts and neoteric genomic approaches in cereal breeding. It collates all the latest information about enhancing the stress resilience in cereal crops for overcoming food security issues. Cereals have predominantly been used as a staple food since time immemorial and contribute more than 50% of the caloric requirement of the global population. However, in cereals, the yield losses due to various stresses are very high, considering the crop growth stage and stress sensitivity. Therefore, to feed and nourish the generations in the era of climate change, it is imperative to develop stress-resilient cereal cultivars. This book explores newly developed next-generation breeding tools, viz., genome-wide association studies, genomic prediction, genome editing, and accelerated generation advancement methodologies, which revealed promising outcomes by enhancing the stress resilience in cereals with yield potential. This book is useful for postgraduate students specializing in plant breeding, plant stress physiology, plant genomics, agriculture, and agronomy. It is of immense value to scientific community involved in teaching, research, and extension activities related to cereal cultivation.

This book presents recent advances in global wheat crop research, including the effects of abiotic stresses like high and low temperatures, drought, hypoxia, salinity, heavy metals, nutrient deficiency, and toxicity on wheat production. It also highlights various approaches to alleviate the damaging effects of abiotic stress on wheat as well as advanced approaches to develop abiotic-stress-tolerant wheat crops. Wheat is probably one of the world's most important cereals; it is a staple food in more than 40 countries, and because of its adaptability is cultivated in almost every region. Global wheat production has more than doubled in the last 50 years due to higher yields. However, despite their high yield potential, modern wheat cultivars are often subject to crop loss due to the abiotic stresses. As such, plant breeders have long aimed to improve tolerance in order to maintain yield. Written by 85 experts, and offering the latest insights into wheat responses and tolerance to various abiotic stresses, it is a valuable tool for agronomists, plant breeders, plant physiologists and students in the field of plant science and agriculture. It is the first book to comprehensively cover past and current abiotic stress problems and tolerance mechanisms.

This collection features five peer-reviewed reviews on rust diseases of cereals. The first chapter provides an overview of the wheat rust pathogen lifecycle that has been critical to the design of effective disease management strategies and discusses recent integration of basic biological knowledge and genomic-led tools within an epidemiological framework. The second chapter introduces stripe rust and provides an overview of its decimation of crop yields worldwide. The chapter summarises recent advances in identifying stripe rust resistance genes in wheat as a means of controlling disease spread and limiting its economic damage. The third chapter addresses the need for more effective and sustainable control of rust pathogens affecting wheat and barley in the face of increasing regulatory measures against the use of conventional fungicides, as well as the spread of fungicide resistance. The fourth chapter provides an overview of the recent advances in controlling wheat rust, focussing on the role of pathogen and host genetics, host-pathogen interactions, epidemiology and management strategies. The final chapter considers the main rust pathogens affecting sorghum and details the different conditions in which they proliferate, their symptoms and impact on crop yields.

Dr Samuel Johnson, that famous eighteenth century lexicographer, said of oats 'A grain which in England is generally given to horses but in Scotland supports the people'. And presumably it was a Scotsman who riposted 'But what people and what horses ' That exchange encapsulates much of the history and role of oats - a cereal, once important as human food in parts of northern Europe but latterly used mainly as animal feed, especially favoured for horses. Although no longer a major food anywhere, oats still have a special and favoured niche in the cuisine of people living in the cooler and wetter regions of some parts of northern Europe. However, there is currently a resurgence of interest in the crop, because there is now considerable scientific evidence to support the view of Scotsmen who never doubted its dietary value. This book - very much an international effort, carefully orchestrated by Robert Welch - traces the origin, history and scientific progress which forms a sound basis for any further crop improvement and for broadening the utilization and marketing of oat products. Should rational consider ations lead to an increase in the importance of this cereal, I, for one, would be glad since I believe the rural landscape is the poorer for the increased rarity of golden fields of rippling oats which I used to be involved in harvesting."

Applications of Genetic and Genomic Research in Cereals covers new techniques for practical breeding, also discussing genetic and genomic approaches for improving special traits. Additional sections cover drought tolerance, biotic stress, biomass production, the impact of modern techniques on practical breeding, hybrid breeding, genetic diversity, and genomic selection. Written by an international team of top academics and edited by an expert in the field, this book will be of value to academics working in the agricultural sciences and essential reading for professionals working in plant breeding.

With growing concerns surrounding the impact of climate change on both native and invasive pest invasions, coupled with the rising threat of global food insecurity, more research is required to understand the major insect pests of cereals, including how best to control and monitor them. Advances in understanding insect pests affecting wheat and other cereals provides a comprehensive review of the wealth of research that addresses this challenge. This collection discusses the most recent developments in fundamental and applied research on major pests and shows how better understanding of these pests can be used to improve integrated pest management strategies.

This volume details different genomic methods and resources to explore cereal genomics. Chapters guide readers through crop genomes, Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies, protocol for CRISPR editing, transgenic wheat, NGS approach, virus induced gene silencing (VIGS), genomic tools, computational prediction of ncRNAs (miRNAs & ceRNAs) in cereal crops, genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS), Bayesian method, single cell sequencing, genome-wide association study (GWAS), QTL interval mapping, whole genome bisulfite sequencing, genome imprinting, and methods for study the receptor-metabolite interaction. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Genomics of Cereal Crops aims to be a useful and practical guide to new researchers and experts looking to expand their knowledge.

Molecular Breeding and Nutritional Aspects of Buckwheat describes the general characterization and genetic diversity of buckwheat (family Polygonaceae, genus Fagopyrum) around the globe (especially in Russia, China, India, and Eastern Europe), the arid and cool regions where it is most frequently consumed, and nutritional information on a variety of buckwheat uses, including tea, groats, flour, and noodles. With detailed information on buckwheat regeneration, genetic transformation, gene function analysis, and the metabolic engineering of bioactive compounds, the book guides readers through a variety of buckwheat varietal adaptations, providing foundation information on which additional research should be conducted. It is divided into four parts, including genetic resource and phylogenetic relationship, food nutrition, growth and cultivation, and molecular breeding, with each section providing insights into the most current developments.

The book offers an updated perspective on the unique characteristics of millets. Millets are consumed for their health/nutritional benefits, and in the preparation of specialty foods for target groups - from pediatrics to geriatrics. Recent trends suggest the importance of millet in the human diet due to their nutritional importance, ability to grow in high temperatures and drought conditions, and their resistance to pests and diseases. This book highlights different types of millet and discusses their properties as well as nutritional and anti-nutritional values. In addition, the book also provides information on the physiochemical properties, future prospects, current methodologies, and agricultural practices. The last few parts cover the emerging technologies in millet processing, by-products utilization, quality standards, and the current millet industry scenario. The book provides a comprehensive overview of the status of millet processing, quality, and nutraceutical product manufacture. The book is a resourceful read for students and researchers in food sciences, as well as industry experts.

This collection features five peer-reviewed literature reviews on integrated weed management in cereal cultivation. The first chapter examines the problem of weeds in barley and explains the application of integrated weed management (IWM) to barley cultivation. The chapter also outlines weed control tactics and the practical implementation of IWM in barley. The second chapter reviews the availability of cultural strategies which can be used in wheat cultivation as part of an IWM strategy. The chapter considers the implementation of practices that can improve crop health, including diverse crop rotations. The third chapter considers the impact of weeds on maize cultivation and productivity, as well as the emergence of IWM as a sustainable method of controlling weeds. The chapter assesses the efficacy of key IWM techniques, such as crop rotations. The fourth chapter provides a detailed assessment of the biological constraints currently impacting the productivity of rice cultivation, focusing on the issue of weeds. The chapter includes an overview of the IWM approach and its benefits. The final chapter focuses on competitive cereal crops and cultural strategies for weed management, including the use of weed-suppressive cultivars, post-harvest crop residues, and cover crops for management of the weed seedbank and eventual weed suppression.

This book is an elaborate account of the effects of abiotic stressors on cereals crops. It not only discusses the impacts of abiotic stress on the crops but also the physiological, biochemical, and molecular strategies applied in plant of cereal crops to alleviate the detrimental effects of abiotic stressors. The book also elaborates on various molecular response to the abiotic stress. It is a knowledgebase providing readers latest updates on development of high-performance diagnostics, stress induced responses, genomics, phenomics and metabolomics involved in abiotic stress tolerance of cereal food crops. The book is useful for plant scientists and research scholars. Post graduate students of agriculture sciences, plant physiology, botany and biochemistry also benefit from this compilation.

This comprehensive reference consolidates current information on the antioxidant properties of wheat, their beneficial effects, the mechanisms involved, factors affecting availability/bioavailability, and the methods used to measure them. It discusses antioxidant properties of wheat grains and fractions and their phytochemical compositions and covers the effects of genotype, growing conditions, post-harvest treatment, storage, and food formulation and processing on availability/bioavailability.

"Wheat Antioxidants" will help cereal chemists, food technologists, food processors, nutritionists, and others maximize the health benefits of wheat-based foods.

This collection features four peer-reviewed reviews of septoria tritici blotch in cereals. The first chapter reviews the various methods for managing septoria tritici blotch (STB), from the the use of fungicides to marker-assisted breeding for increased resistance to STB. It also surveys research on the molecular basis of host-pathogen interactions in STB. The second chapter reviews current research on the main fungal diseases affecting barley, focussing on biotrophic foliar diseases, such as stem rust and powdery mildew, as well as necrotrophic diseases, such as septoria tritici blotch and fusarium head blight. The chapter also discusses the implications for achieving sustainable resistance to the pathogens responsible for these diseases. The third chapter addresses advances in understanding the epidemiology of septoria tritici blotch in the major cereal crops. The chapter also reviews the taxonomy and life cycle of Zymoseptoria tritici - the cause of septoria tritici blotch, as well as the economic impact of the pathogen. The final chapter reviews recent research on genetic resistance loci and breeding strategies based on both conventional and biotechnology-based breeding approaches to achieve durable resistance to septoria tritici blotch infection, whilst simultaneously minimising the risk of grain yield losses.

Millets are low cost cereal grains and widely used in the food industry and animal husbandry as an important source of food and feed. As a rich source of starch, protein, minerals, vitamins, and specific bioactive compounds that contain beneficial antioxidant properties, they have gained considerable attention as a botanical dietary supplement and various functional foods. Millets: Properties, Processing, and Health Benefits explores millet production, chemistry and nutritional aspects, processing technologies, product formulations, and more. Understanding the properties of millets provides a basis for better utilizing millet crops, in addition to further development of millets as an important industrial crop. Key Features: Provides millet taxonomy, history, nutritional aspects, and health benefits Discusses the physical and functional properties of millets Explores various millet-based products Deals with starch composition, structure, properties, and applications Touches on postharvest management of millets This book combines information on the composition, functional properties and processing along with information on the health properties of millets. With its unique presentation on millets flour and starch, it will be suitable for those wanting to use millets in various food products, including food technologists, nutritionists, research scientists, and agriculture professionals.

This specially curated collection features five reviews of current and key research on improving water management in crop cultivation. The first chapter focuses on site-specific variable rate irrigation systems utilised across agriculture and examines site-specific data acquisition and mining approaches, such as soil mapping and zone delineation. The second chapter considers the main deficit irrigation strategies used in agriculture to improve crop water productivity. It also explores the status of site-specific irrigation management and its role in minimizing agricultural water use. The third chapter reviews progress in winter wheat water management and water-use efficiency (WUE), drawing on long-term field experiments in the U.S. southern Great Plains. It discusses the key relationships between yield, evapotranspiration, WUE and best management practices. The fourth chapter considers the key techniques for improving rice water productivity through enhanced irrigation practices aiming to reduce irrigation water use in rice cultivation, such as the Alternate Wetting and Drying technique. The final chapter examines the main irrigation methods used in dryland sorghum production. It also reviews the relationship between soil properties and irrigation management.

"This book is number 106 in the Burleigh Dodds Series in Agriculture Science and continues this excellent series of informative reviews in plant and animal agricultural production systems. This volume is a collection of chapters by experts in cereal diseases and disease management from around the world and contains some excellent detailed overviews on recent advances in our understanding of key cereal pathogens and advances in their management. It will be a valuable resource for wheat and barley focussed researchers, breeders and growers." (Professor Matt Dickinson, University of Nottingham, UK - Plant Pathology) It's been estimated that up to 40% of crop yields are lost to pests and diseases worldwide, a problem exacerbated by increasing fungicide resistance. Given the continuous struggle between crops and the diseases which exploit them, achieving durable disease resistance remains a key challenge in ensuring global food security. A range of issues need to be addressed to meet this challenge for major diseases affecting cereal crops such as Fusarium, barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) and Septoria. Achieving durable disease resistance in cereals provides an authoritative review of key advances, from better understanding of pathogen biology/epidemiology and plant-pathogen interactions, to identifying sources of resistance and advances in techniques for breeding new varieties. This collection offers a comprehensive review of research on achieving durable resistance to diseases such as Fusarium head blight, Septoria tritici blotch, Septoria nodorum blotch, tan spot, blast, BYDV and Ramularia. Edited by Professor Richard Oliver, Curtin University, Australia, Achieving durable disease resistance in cereals will be an excellent reference for researchers in cereal science, arable farmers, government and private sector agencies supporting cereal production and companies supplying the cereals sector (e.g. seed companies). It complements Integrated disease management of wheat and barley, also edited by Professor Oliver, published by Burleigh Dodds Science in 2018.

This volume provides a comprehensive collection of methods for plant breeders and researchers working in functional genomics of cereal crops. Chapters detail advances in sequencing of cereal genomes, methods of traditional plant breeding, use of machine learning for genomic selection, random and targeted mutagenesis with CRISPR/Cas9, quantitative proteomics and phenotyping in cereals. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Accelerated Breeding of Cereal Crops aims to be of interest to plant breeders, researchers, postdoctoral fellows, and students working in functional genomics for the development of the next generation of crop plants.

Providing a unique overview to wheat and related species, this book comprises the proceedings of the 7th International Wheat Conference, held in Mar del Plata, Argentina, at the end of 2005. Leading scientists from all over the world, specialized in different areas that contribute to the better understanding of wheat production and use, review the present achievements and discuss the future challenges for the wheat crop.

This specially curated collection features five reviews of current and key research on improving crop weed management. The first chapter highlights the need for alternative weed control strategies that will preserve herbicide efficacy, as well as agricultural and environmental sustainability. The chapter discusses the role of integrated weed management (IWM) in achieving this through the implementation of practices that can improve plant health, such as crop rotations and no-till farming. The second chapter considers the use of IWM in barley cultivation. After an initial outline of more traditional control methods, primarily the use of herbicides, the chapter provides an example of the successful implementation of IWM in barley in the form of two case studies. The third chapter reviews the impact of weeds on maize grown under temperate conditions in the United States and Europe. It provides a summary of current weed management systems and discusses the issue of herbicide resistance in weed varieties. The fourth chapter reviews the use of IWM in rice cultivation for improved crop productivity and performance and offers detailed discussions on the variety of techniques that can be incorporated into an IWM strategy to achieve this. The final chapter presents a number of weed management options and considerations for sorghum, and discusses the critical period for weed control to occur.

This specially curated collection features four reviews of current and key research on improving crop disease management. The first chapter reviews strategies for limiting foliar disease development in wheat and barley crops, such as crop rotations, intercropping, gene deployment and conservation tillage. It explores the effectiveness of each strategy against particular foliar diseases, as well as how these strategies can be deployed to reduce inoculum sources for residue-borne cereal leaf diseases. The second chapter considers the use of integrated disease management (IDM) to prevent or reduce yield loss in wheat. The chapter reviews the tactics/tools used in IDM, such as scouting, disease identification and chemical control, and explores how these tactics can be implemented to maximise the effectiveness of managing diseases in wheat. The third chapter assesses how IDM can be applied to barley production and considers the different disease threats, the tools available and possible approaches to deploying them. It also reviews the role of agronomy and how it can be used to optimise these tools. The final chapter reviews the use of IDM in grain legume production and explores the deployment of traditional strategies, such as field and crop management, as well as advanced monitoring methods, modelling and molecular methods to control disease outbreaks in grain legumes.

This specially curated collection features five reviews of current and key research on crops as livestock feed. The first chapter reviews the impact of feeding ruminants cereal grains on animal physiology and health. The chapter explores the use of starch-containing cereal grains as a feedstuff to improve animal efficiency and performance, as well as to reduce the environmental footprint of ruminant animal production. The second chapter discusses key environmental trade-offs in the use of crops as livestock feed. It reviews key elements in trade-off analysis and explores opportunities for making better use of existing feed resources and producing more feed biomass of higher fodder quality. The third chapter reviews ways of optimising the use of barley for animal feed, from production and breeding through to the application of new technologies such as near infrared spectroscopy and molecular markers. The fourth chapter reviews the use of sorghum as an important source of fodder and forage. It reviews the different types of sorghum used for forage and other applications, and then provides a detailed discussion of the use of forage sorghum as feed for ruminants. The final chapter discusses the use of soybean meal (SBM) as an animal feed. It assesses the nutritional content of SBM, as well dealing with its anti-nutritive compounds in optimising its use.

Cereal-Based Foodstuffs: The Backbone of the Mediterranean provides an overview of cereal-based products in the Mediterranean region, illustrating the spectrum of products from past to present and their various processing methods. The text explores new and understudied market trends in cereal-based products, such as cereal-pulse blends, pulse pastas, and flat breads. Chapters cover products originating in North Africa, such as bulgur and couscous, which are consumed worldwide but underrepresented in the scientific literature. Contributing authors also offer a legislative perspective on issues of food safety, the European Food Safety Association's definition of "novel foods," and the position of traditional foods in the Mediterranean food industry. This wide-ranging text thus serves members of both the scientific and industrial community seeking better coverage of global cereal product trends.