Food security, crop protection, biodiversity, and human and environmental health are among the main needs and concerns of society. Modern biotechnology and life sciences represent a constantly evolving area that is key for the rational use of natural resources - resources that in turn are indispensable for societal development. This book features the outcomes of the IV International Biotechnology and Biodiversity Congress, held in Guayaquil, Ecuador, 2018. It includes extensive reviews of the trends in agricultural and forestry biotechnology, molecules and materials biodiscovery, ethnomedicine, environmental impact and bioindustry research, describing many of these topics from the Latin America perspective and showing how the biodiversity and ancient knowledge of these countries are vital for worldwide sustainable development.

The conservation of crop genetic resources is one of the important elements in efforts to sustainably increase agricultural production in low-income countries, and to guarantee long-term food security, especially for the low-income population groups in these countries. Horticultural crops, as high-value crops, have an important role to play in revitalizing rural economies and can add significantly to national economies. Moreover, horticulture provides more than twice the number of jobs compared to traditional cereal crop production, and the shifting of conventional agriculture towards high-value horticulture has increased employment opportunities in developing countries. To exploit this potential, researchers need a vast array of horticultural genetic resources and information on new traits. Horticultural crops, which are only a part of PGRFA (Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture), are characterized by a wide and varied range of species. In fact, there are five major horticultural crop groups: fruit and nut crops, vegetables, food legumes, roots and tubers, and lastly the ornamental and medicinal group. In this context, the present book provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of conservation and utilization of horticultural genetic resources, addressing contemporary approaches to conservation in connection with different technologies, including biotechnological approaches as practised in India and in some cases, globally. It includes a brief chapter on the unique nature of horticultural genetic resources, providing a rationale for viewing them as being distinct from field crop genetic resources. Subsequent chapters share insights on protocols for the conservation of selected horticultural crops ex situ, and focus on the increased need to complement these efforts with in situ conservation approaches. Geospatial tools are also briefly described, emphasizing their utility with regard to mapping and managing resources. The book also explores the wild gene pool in horticulture crops; discusses legal aspects related to horticultural genetic resources and biotechnological aspects; and describes the key aspects of sustainable management and replenishment. Given its scope, the book offers a valuable resource for all horticulturists, graduate students, researchers, policymakers, conservationists, and NGOs engaged in horticulture in particular and biodiversity in general.

This book provides essential insights into methods and practices of 'Climate-smart Agriculture,' which is driven by the principles of climate resilience and smart resource use in agricultural production. Climate-smart agriculture is a key policy instrument for achieving poverty eradication and a hunger-free world, as well as mitigating the effects of climate change. This book discusses in detail climate-smart agricultural technologies and practices that can reduce the vulnerability of agricultural systems, improve the livelihoods of farmers and other stakeholders, and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from crop production and livestock husbandry. The agriculture, forestry and other land use (AFOLU) sector produces roughly 10-12 gigatons of CO2-equivalent per year; therefore, sustainable practices for agriculture and related land use hold immense potential to mitigate climate change. The potential impacts of climate variability and climate change on agriculture are extensively documented and articulated, especially with regard to global and national environmental agendas that call for innovation, transformation and climate-resilient advances in agriculture. As the book demonstrates, climate-smart agriculture offers an excellent tool for boosting agricultural output to feed the growing global population; for reducing greenhouse gases emissions from agriculture and other land use; and for protecting agricultural production systems from the impending dangers of climate change.

This book focusing on the bitter gourd genome is the first comprehensive compilation of knowledge on the botany, cytogenetical analysis, genetic resources and diversity, traditional breeding, tissue culture and genetic transformation, whole genome sequencing and comparative genomics in the Cucurbitaceae family. It discusses the biochemical profile of the bioactives present in this horticultural crop, used both as a vegetable and as a medicine, and also addresses sex determination in bitter gourd. Written by respected international experts, the book is useful to students, teachers and scientists in academia, as well as seed companies and pharmaceutical industries.

This book presents the first comprehensive compilation of genome research on the Hevea brasiliensis rubber tree. The genomes of Hevea tree clones (cultivars) are described by three major international groups. Chapters on omics-driven investigations address a broad range of topics including genome annotation and utilisation, transcriptome and gene family analysis, genetic mapping, metabolic pathways in latex and molecular breeding. Additionally, an overview of fundamental rubber biology, especially on laticifers, provides a historical background that is relevant to rubber genome analysis. The book concludes with several perspectives on the future needs of rubber investigations and prospects of rubber genomics. Given the scope of topics, this book will appeal to researchers and university students working in genomics and biotechnology of the rubber tree, and to rubber breeders with an interest in non-conventional approaches to trait analysis, selection and breeding.

This book provides in-depth reviews of the role of Rhizobium in agriculture and its biotechnological applications. Individual chapters explore topics such as: the occurrence and distribution of Rhizobium; phenotypic and molecular characteristics of Rhizobium; impact of Rhizobium on other microbial communities in the rhizosphere; N2-fixation ability of Rhizobium; Rhizobium and biotic stress; Rhizobium-mediated restoration of an ecosystem; in silico analysis of the rhizobia pool; further biotechnological perspectives of Rhizobium.

This book is the first volume of a comprehensive assemblage of contemporary knowledge relevant to genomics and other omics in date palm. Volume 1 consists of 11 chapters arranged in 3 parts grouped according to subject. Part I, Biology and Phylogeny, focuses on date palm biology, evolution and origin. Part II, Biodiversity and Molecular Identification, covers conformity of in vitro derived plants, molecular markers, barcoding, pollinizer genetics and gender determination. Part III, Genome Mapping and Bioinformatics, addresses genome mapping of nuclear, chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA, in addition to a chapter on progress made in date palm bioinformatics. This volume represents the efforts of 30 international scientists from 10 countries and contains 78 figures and 30 tables to illustrate presented concepts. Volume 2 is published under the title: Omics and Molecular Breeding.

Plants require essential nutrients (macronutrients and micronutrients) for normal functioning. Sufficiency range is the levels of nutrients necessary to meet the plant's needs for optimal growth. This range depends on individual plant species and the particular nutrient. Nutrient levels outside of a plant's sufficiency range cause overall crop growth and health to decline, due either to deficiency or toxicity from over-accumulation. Apart from micronutrients (B, Cl, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu and Mo), Aluminum (Al), cerium (Ce), cobalt (Co), iodine (I), lanthanum (La), sodium (Na), selenium (Se), silicon (Si), titanium (Ti), and vanadium (V) are emerging as novel biostimulants that may enhance crop productivity and nutritional quality. These beneficial elements are not "essential" but when supplied at low dosages, they augment plant growth, development, and yield by stimulating specific molecular, biochemical, and physiological pathways in responses to challenging environments. The book is the first reference volume that approaches plant micronutrient management with the latest biotechnological and omics tools. Expertly curated chapters highlight working solutions as well as open problems and future challenges in plant micronutrient deficiency or toxicity. We believe this book will introduce readers to state-of-the-art developments and research trends in this field.

Soybean (Glycine max L. (Merr)) is one of the most important crops worldwide. Soybean seeds are vital for both protein meal and vegetable oil. Soybean was domesticated in China, and since last 4-5 decades it has become one of the most widely grown crops around the globe. The crop is grown on an anticipated 6% of the world's arable land, and since the 1970s, the area in soybean production has the highest percentage increase compared to any other major crop. It is a major crop in the United States, Brazil, China and Argentina and important in many other countries. The cultivated soybean has one wild annual relative, G. soja, and 23 wild perennial relatives. Soybean has spread to many Asian countries two to three thousand years ago, but was not known in the West until the 18th century. Among the various constraints responsible for decrease in soybean yields are the biotic and abiotic stresses which have recently increased as a result of changing climatic scenarios at global level. A lot of work has been done for cultivar development and germplasm enhancement through conventional plant breeding. This has resulted in development of numerous high yielding and climate resilient soybean varieties. Despite of this development, plant breeding is long-term by nature, resource dependent and climate dependent. Due to the advancement in genomics and phenomics, significant insights have been gained in the identification of genes for yield improvement, tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress and increased quality parameters in soybean. Molecular breeding has become routine and with the advent of next generation sequencing technologies resulting in SNP based molecular markers, soybean improvement has taken a new dimension and resulted in mapping of genes for various traits that include disease resistance, insect resistance, high oil content and improved yield. This book includes chapters from renowned potential soybean scientists to discuss the latest updates on soybean molecular and genetic perspectives to elucidate the complex mechanisms to develop biotic and abiotic stress resilience in soybean. Recent studies on the improvement of oil quality and yield in soybean have also been incorporated.

This comprehensive guide to potato production systems management contains 20 chapters and more than 350 color photographs. Beginning with the history of potato culture, it spans all aspects of potato production, pest and planting management, storage, and marketing. Written by a team of over 35 scientists from North America, this book offers updated research-based information and serves as a unique, valuable tool for researchers, extension specialists, students, and farm managers. More than a description of principles, it contains practical analytical tools, charts, and methods to create guidelines for best production practices and cost estimates. Some key areas include: Potato Growth and Development, Potato Variety Selection and Management, Seed and Planting Management, Seed Production and Certification, Field Selection, Crop Rotation, and Soil Management, Integrated Pest Management for Potatoes, Potato Nutrient Management, Irrigation Management, Tuber Quality, Economics and Marketing, Production Costs, among others. Potato Production Systems should be a valuable reference for successful culture of the "noble tuber."

This book represents the first comprehensive compilation of information on all aspects of the medicinal plant Panax ginseng, ranging from its botany to applied aspects in medicine and molecular breeding. In contributions by respected experts, it also discusses the genetic background and biochemical profile of this important medicinal plant. Ginsenoside biosynthesis and metabolic dynamics are also described in detail. Given its scope, the book offers a valuable guide for students, educators and scientists in academia and industry interested in medicinal plants and pharmacy.

Written in easy to follow language, the book presents cutting-edge agriculturally relevant plant biotechnologies and applications in a manner that is accessible to all. This book updates and introduces the scope and method of plant biotechnologies and molecular breeding within the context of environmental analysis and assessment, a diminishing supply of productive arable land, scarce water resources and climate change. New plant breeding techniques including CRISPR-cas system are now tools to meet these challenges both in developed countries and in developing countries. Ethical issues, intellectual property rights, regulation policies in various countries related to agricultural biotechnology are examined. The rapid developments in plant biotechnology are explained to a large audience with relevant examples. New varieties of crops can be adapted to new climatic conditions in order to reduce pest-associated losses and the adverse abiotic effects

This book is devoted to grain legumes and include eight chapters devoted to the breeding of specific grain legume crops and five general chapters dealing with important topics which are common to most of the species in focus. Soybean is not included in the book as it is commonly considered an oil crop more than a grain legume and is included in the Oil Crops Volume of the Handbook of Plant Breeding. Legume species belong to the Fabaceae family and are characterized by their fruit, usually called pod. Several species of this family were domesticated by humans, such as soybean, common bean, faba bean, pea, chickpea, lentil, peanut, or cowpea. Some of these species are of great relevance as human and animal food. Food legumes are consumed either by their immature pod or their dry seeds, which have a high protein content. Globally, grain legumes are the most relevant source of plant protein, especially in many countries of Africa and Latin America, but there are some constraints in their production, such as a poor adaptation, pest and diseases and unstable yield. Current research trends in Legumes are focused on new methodologies involving genetic and omic studies, as well as new approaches to the genetic improvement of these species, including the relationships with their symbiotic rhizobia.

This book gathers the latest information on the organization of genomes in wild Solanum species and emphasizes how this information is yielding direct outcomes in the fields of molecular breeding, as well as a better understanding of both the patterns and processes of evolution. Cultivated Solanums, such as potato, tomato, and pepper, possess a high number of wild relatives that are of great importance for practical breeding and evolutionary studies. Their germplasm is often characterized by allelic diversity, as well as genes that are lacking in the cultivated species. Wild Solanums have not been fully exploited by breeders. This is mainly due to the lack of information regarding their genetics and genomics. However, the genome of important cultivated Solanaceae such as potato, tomato, eggplant, and pepper has already been sequenced. On the heels of these recent developments, wild Solanum genomes are now becoming available, opening an exciting new era for both basic research and varietal development in the Solanaceae.

Plant tissue culture (PTC) technology has gained unassailable success for its various commercial and research applications in plant sciences. Plant growth regulators (PGRs) are an essential part of any plant tissue culture intervention for propagation or modification of plants. A wide range of PGRs are available, including aromatic compounds that show cytokinin activities, promote cell division and micro-propagation, viz. kinetin, N6-benzyladenine and topolins. Topolins are naturally occurring aromatic compounds that have gained popularity as an effective alternative for other frequently used cytokinins in in vitro culture of plants. Among them, meta-topolin [6-(3-hydroxybenzlyamino) purine] is the most popular and its use in plant tissue culture has amplified swiftly. During the last few decades, there have been numerous reports highlighting the effectiveness of meta-topolin in micropropagation and alleviation of various physiological disorders, rooting and acclimatization of tissue culture raised plants.

Sorghum is the most important cereal crop grown in the semi-arid tropics (SAT) of Africa, Asia, Australia and Americas for food, feed, fodder and fuel. It is the fifth most important cereal crop globally after rice, wheat, maize and barley, and plays a major role in global food security. Sorghum is consumed in different forms for various end-uses. Its grain is mostly used directly for food purposes. After the release of the proceedings of two international symposia in the form of books "Sorghum in Seventies" and "Sorghum in Eighties", global sorghum research and development have not been documented at one place. Of course, few books on sorghum have been released that focus on specific issues/research areas, but comprehensive review of all aspects of recent development in different areas of sorghum science has not been compiled in the form a single book. This book is intended to fill in a void to bridge the gap by documenting all aspects of recent research and development in sorghum encompassing all the progress made, milestones achieved across globe in genetic diversity assessment, crop improvement and production, strategies for high yield, biotic and abiotic stress resistance, grain and stover quality aspects, storage, nutrition, health and industrial applications, biotechnological applications to increase production, including regional and global policy perspectives and developmental needs. This book will be an institutional effort to compile all the latest information generated in research and development in sorghum across the globe at one place.

Translational medicine addresses the gap between research and the clinical application of new discoveries. To efficiently deliver new drugs to care centers, a preclinical evaluation, both in vitro and in vivo, is required to ensure that the most active and least toxic compounds are selected as well as to predict clinical outcome. Antimicrobial nanomedicines have been shown to have higher specificity in their therapeutic targets and the ability to serve as adjuvants, increasing the effectiveness of pre-existing immune compounds. The design and development of new standardized protocols for evaluating antimicrobial nanomedicines is needed for both the industry and clinical laboratory. These protocols must aim to evaluate laboratory activity and present models of pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic and toxicokinetic behavior that predict absorption and distribution. Likewise, these protocols must follow a theranostics approach, be able to detect promising formulations, diagnose the infectious disease, and determine the correct treatment to implement a personalized therapeutic behavior. Given the possibilities that nanotechnology offers, not updating to new screening platforms is inadequate as it prevents the correct application of discoveries, increasing the effect of the valley of death between innovations and their use. This book is structured to discuss the fundamentals taken into account for the design of robust, reproducible and automatable evaluation platforms. These vital platforms should enable the discovery of new medicines with which to face antimicrobial resistance (RAM), one of the great problems of our time.

This book caters to the need of researchers working in the ever-evolving field of agricultural biotechnology. It discusses and provides in-depth information about latest advancements happening in this field. The book discusses evolution of plant tissue culture techniques, development of doubled haploids technology, role of recombinant-DNA technology in crop improvement. It also provides an insight into the global status of genetically modified crops, use of RNAi technology and mi-RNAs in plant improvement. Chapters are also dedicated for different branches of 'omics' science including genomics, bioinformatics, proteomics, metabolomics and phenomics along with the use of molecular markers in tagging and mapping of various genes/QTLs of agronomic importance. This book also covers the role of enzymes and microbes in agriculture in productivity enhancement. It is of interest to teachers, researchers of biotechnology and agriculture scientists. Also the book serves as additional reading material for undergraduate and postgraduate students of biotechnology, agriculture, horticulture, forestry, ecology, soil science, and environmental sciences. National and international biotechnologists and agricultural scientists will also find this to be a useful read.

This book provides an indispensable reference guide to the sustainable control and treatment of biomass residues from a wide variety of agroindustrial sources, e.g. sugarcane, livestock, pulp & paper, food wastes, among others. Pursuing a structured and clear approach, the book opens with a general introduction to biomass, sustainability and environmental chemistry aspects, and on how the use of biomass as a renewable material ties into the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. The book subsequently presents analytical methods applied to different biomass types and their residues and reviews monitoring and treatment strategies in order to avoid pollution of the same. The book closes by describing the value chains, bioeconomy and circular economy for globally relevant agroindustrial biomass. The book is intended for researchers in academia and industry alike and shows how, in addition to sustainability criteria and life cycle assessments, integrating environmental chemistry aspects can contribute to a holistic approach, and unlock the economic potential of biomass in the age of circular economy and sustainable development.

The orchid family is one of the largest families of flowering plants known for their beauty and economic importance. This work provides information in key areas of research that are important to both scientists and commercial growers alike. The main purposes of this book are to provide key practical areas of research, such as, germination, micropropagation, traditional and current techniques related to plant improvement; document methods that ensure survival of plants from laboratories to greenhouses; promote communication between scientists and growers, so that their combined expertise on these areas will lead to the successful growth of orchids in their natural habitats or commercial greenhouses. This book can serve as reference for laymen with an interest in orchid growing.This book is divided into 5 parts. The first part emphasizes propagation methods using seeds and related techniques that are important to plant conservation and improvement. Successes in asymbiotic and symbiotic seed germination are keys to orchid conservation and their propagation. The second part summarizes micropropagation methods, common media, and newer methods of micropropagation such as the bioreactor culture procedures. The third part focuses on techniques related to the manipulation of explants in an in vitro environment. The fourth part covers cell biological methods and transformation techniques. Since the successes in a laboratory setting do not guarantee plant survival and propagation in greenhouses and in the natural environment, it discusses greenhouse propagation techniques that are essential to the survival of plants generated from a laboratory setting. The fifth part showcases recent successes on orchid propagation by documenting sample publications and how to present orchids in an artistic fashion for one's enjoyment.

This book comprehensively introduces all aspects of the physiology, stress responses and tolerance to abiotic stresses of the Fabaceae plants. Different plant families have been providing food, fodder, fuel, medicine and other basic needs for the human and animal since the ancient time. Among the plant families Fabaceae have special importance for their agri-horticultural importance and multifarious uses apart from the basic needs. Interest in the response of Fabaceae plants toward abiotic stresses is growing considering the economic importance and the special adaptive mechanisms. Recent advances and developments in molecular and biotechnological tools has contributed to ease and wider this mission. This book provides up-to-date findings that will be of greater use for the students and researchers, particularly Plant Physiologists, Environmental Scientists, Biotechnologists, Botanists, Food Scientists and Agronomists, to get the information on the recent advances on this plant family in regard to physiology and stress tolerance.

Bananas and plantains are among the most important food and cash crops in the world. They are cultivated in more than 135 countries, across the tropics and subtropics, with an annual global production of ca. 130 million metric tonnes. Though bananas are one of the most important components of food security in many developing countries, banana production is threatened by both abiotic and biotic stresses. These include a wide range of diseases and pests, such as bunchy top virus, burrowing nematodes, black Sigatoka or black leaf streak, Fusarium wilt, etc. In recent years, considerable progress has been made and several biotechnological and genomic tools have been employed to help understand and unravel the mysterious banana genome. Molecular and genomic studies have helped to decipher the Musa genome and its evolution. Genetic linkage map and whole genome sequencing of both Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana (progenitors of cultivated banana) have completely changed the way of thinking and the approach on banana crop improvement. Whole-genome sequencing has helped to improve the selection of quantitative traits such as yield, as well as the selection of optimal parents for developing required hybrids in breeding programs. Gene isolation and the analysis of mutants have helped in the characterization of genes of agronomic value and the associated regulatory sequences. With the advent of molecular markers and new statistical tools, it is now possible to measure the diversity, identify genes and useful alleles linked to important agronomic traits. Further these alleles can be incorporated into cultivars through marker assisted selection or through transgenic approach. Transgenic approaches are potential tools for direct transfer of these genes into popular cultivars, which are generally not amenable for conventional breeding techniques, in specific with crops such as bananas which are sterile, triploid and heterozygous thereby making it difficult to reconstruct the recurrent genotypes in banana. Transgenic techniques thus have helped overcome the difficulty of working with sterile, triploid banana crop. In the last five years, enormous amount of new information and techniques have been generated for banana. A comprehensive book entitled "Banana: Genomics and Transgenic Approaches for Genetic improvement" on banana genomics, latest transgenic technologies and tools available for improved crop development in banana will address all these requirements.

Fundamentals of Weed Science, Fifth Edition, provides the latest information on this constantly advancing area of study. Placing weed management in the largest context of weed research and science, the book presents the latest advances in the role, control and potential uses of weed plants. From the emergence and genetic foundation of weeds, to the latest means of control and environmental impact, the book uses an ecological framework to explore the role of responsible and effective weed control in agriculture. In addition, users will find discussions of related areas where research is needed for additional understanding. Explored topics include the roles of culture, economics and politics in weed management, all areas that enable scientists and students to further understand the larger effects on society.

This important 2-volume reference book is the first comprehensive resource reflecting the current global status and prospects of date palm cultivation by country. This volume covers Africa and the Americas. Countries included are: Egypt, Algeria, Sudan, Tunisia, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Niger, Cameroon, Djibouti, Chad, Mali Somalia, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso and Senegal, as well as the United States of America and the South American countries Chile and Peru. Topics discussed are: cultivation practices; genetic resources and breeding; conservation and germplasm banks; cultivar classification and identification based on morphological and molecular markers; micropropagation and progress toward scale-up production; and advances in dates processing and marketing. Chapters are supported by tables and color photographs. Appendixes summarize traits and distribution of major cultivars, commercial resources of offshoots and in vitro plants; and institutions and scientific societies concerned with date palm.

Wheat, which is the second most important cereal crop in the world, is being grown in a wide range of climates over an area of about 228 945 thou sand ha with a production of about 535 842 MT in the world. Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L. ) accounts for 80% of the wheat consumption, howe ver, it is attacked by a large number of pests and pathogens; rusts and smuts cause enormous damage to the crop and reduce the yield drastically in some areas. The major breeding objectives for wheat include grain yield, earliness, resistance to lodging and diseases, spikelet fertility, cold tolerance, leaf duration and net assimilation rate, fertilizer utilization, coleoptile length, nutritional value, organoleptic qualities, and the improvement of charac ters such as color and milling yield. The breeding of wheat by traditional methods has been practiced for centuries, however, it has only now come to a stage where these methods are insufficient to make any further breakthrough or to cope with the world's demand. Although numerous varieties are released every year around the world, they do not last long, and long-term objectives cannot be realized unless more genetic variability is generated. Moreover, the intro duction of exotic genetic stocks and their cultivation over large areas results in the depletion and loss of the native germplasm pool."