Many exciting discoveries in recent decades have contributed new knowledge to our understanding of the mechanisms that regulate various stages of plant growth and development. Such information, coupled with advances in cell and molecular biology, is fundamental to crop improvement using biotechnological approaches. Two volumes constitute the present work. The ?rst, comprising 22 chapters, commences with introductions relating to gene regulatory models for plant dev- opment and crop improvement, particularly the use of Arabidopsis as a model plant. These chapters are followed by speci?c topics that focus on different developmental aspects associated with vegetative and reproductive phases of the life cycle of a plant. Six chapters discuss vegetative growth and development. Their contents consider topics such as shoot branching, bud dormancy and growth, the devel- ment of roots, nodules and tubers, and senescence. The reproductive phase of plant development is in 14 chapters that present topics such as ?oral organ init- tion and the regulation of ?owering, the development of male and female gametes, pollen germination and tube growth, fertilization, fruit development and ripening, seed development, dormancy, germination, and apomixis. Male sterility and self-incompatibility are also discussed.

This book provides detailed and comprehensive information on oxidative damage caused by stresses in plants with especial reference to the metabolism of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In plants, as in all aerobic organisms, ROS are common by-products formed by the inevitable leakage of electrons onto O2 from the electron transport activities located in chloroplasts, mitochondria, peroxisomes and in plasma membranes or as a consequence of various metabolic pathways confined in different cellular loci. Environmental stresses such as heat, cold, drought, salinity, heavy-metal toxicity, ozone and ultraviolet radiation as well as pathogens/contagion attack lead to enhanced generation of ROS in plants due to disruption of cellular homeostasis. ROS play a dual role in plants; at low concentrations they act as signaling molecules that facilitate several responses in plant cells, including those promoted by biotic and abiotic agents. In divergence, at high levels they cause damage to cellular constituents triggering oxidative stress. In either case, small antioxidant molecules and enzymes modulate the action of these ambivalent species.

This book provides insights into the latest achievements in genomics research on Brassica rapa. It describes the findings on this Brassica species, the first of the U's triangle that has been sequenced and a close relative to the model plant Arabidopsis, which provide a basis for investigations of major Brassica crop species. Further, the book focuses on the development of tools to facilitate the transfer of our rich knowledge on Arabidopsis to a cultivated Brassica crop. Key topics covered include genomic resources, assembly tools, annotation of the genome, transposable elements, comparative genomics, evolution of Brassica genomes, and advances in the application of genomics in the breeding of Brassica rapa crops.

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 presents a holistic view of the complex and dynamic responses of plants to nanoparticles, the signal transduction mechanisms involved, and the regulation of gene expression. Further, it addresses the phytosynthesis of nanoparticles, the role of nanoparticles in the antioxidant systems of plants and agriculture, the beneficial and harmful effects of nanoparticles on plants, and the application of nanoparticles and nanotubes to mass spectrometry, aiming ultimately at an analysis of the metabolomics of plants. The growing numbers of inventions in the field of nanotechnology are producing novel applications in the fields of biotechnology and agriculture. Nanoparticles have received much attention because of the unique physico-chemical properties of these compounds. In the life sciences, nanoparticles are used as “smart” delivery systems, prompting the Nobel Prize winner P. Ehrlich to refer to these compounds as “magic bullets.” Nanoparticles also play an important role in agriculture as compound fertilizers and nano-pesticides, acting as chemical delivery agents that target molecules to specific cellular organelles in plants. The influence of nanoparticles on plant growth and development, however, remains to be investigated. Lastly, this book reveals the research gaps that must be bridged in the years to come in order to achieve larger goals concerning the applications of nanotechnology in the plants sciences. In the 21st century, nanotechnology has become a rapidly emerging branch of science. In the world of physical sciences, nanotechnological tools have been exploited for a broad range of applications. In recent years, nanoparticles have also proven useful in several branches of the life sciences. In particular, nanotechnology has been employed in drug delivery and related applications in medicine.

Antibiotics, the backbone of modern clinical-medicine, are facing serious challenges from emerging antimicrobial-resistance (AMR), a complicated phenomenon expanding in bacterial species, from nosocomial to community origins, where microbes are no longer sensitive to a range of commonly used antibiotics. AMR has exploded in recent years and is posing a serious threat to human health and survival. This necessitates novel and effective ways of diagnosis, drug-delivery, and treatment; nanotechnology and advanced nanomaterials are hailed as a potent solution in containing AMR.The main thrust of this volume is to explain the most current research on the central theme of potential use of nano-approaches for diagnosis, detection, drug-delivery and as antimicrobial agents against drug-resistant pathogenic microbes. This book provides an integrated blend of basic and advanced information for students, scholars, scientists and practitioners, interested or already engaged in research in these areas. We have brought together leading international authors to present and highlight various aspects of nanotechnology in combating AMR in WHO-prioritized microbes. Topics range from advances in nanomaterial synthesis, characterization, functionalization and improvisation, as well as applications in sensing, diagnosis of AMR, and their therapeutic and drug-delivery potential against MDR and XDR microbial phenotypes.

Successful reproduction is the basis not only for the stability of the species in their natural habitat but also for productivity of our crop plants. Therefore, knowledge on reproductive ecology of wild and cultivated plants is important for effective management of our dwindling biodiversity and for the sustainability and improvement of the yield in crop species. Conservation and management of our plant diversity is going to be a major challenge in the coming decades, particularly in the tropical countries which are rich in biodiversity. Reproductive failure is the main driver for pushing a large number of tropical species to vulnerable category. Available data on reproductive ecology on tropical species is very limited and there is an urgent need to initiate research on these lines. A major limitation for the beginners to take up research is the absence of simple concise work manuals that provide step-wise procedures to study all aspects of reproductive ecology. The Manual fills this void. Over 60 protocols described in the manual cover the whole spectrum of reproductive ecology - study sites and species, phenology, floral morphology and sexuality, pollen and pistil biology, pollination ecology, breeding system, seed biology, seed dispersal and seedling recruitment. Each chapter gives a concise conceptual account of the topic before describing the protocols. The Manual caters to researchers, teachers and students who are interested in any aspect of reproductive ecology of flowering plants -- botanists, ecologists, agri-horticulturists, foresters, entomologists, plant breeders and conservation biologists.

Plastids are the sites of conversion of solar energy into the chemical energy usable to sustain life. They are also responsible for the production of the vast majority of the oxygen in the atmosphere. Through these activities they play a unique role in the biosphere, producing two critical products upon which life on Earth depends. It covers in 21 chapters nearly all actively investigated areas of plastid biology, from biosynthesis to function to their uses in biotechnology. The editors have compiled an extensive list of international experts from whom to solicit chapters. As is evident from the suggested Table of Contents, the book will start with a discussion of genetic material and its expression, followed by differentiation and development of different plastid types and internal organization. This is followed by an in depth look at biogenesis and assembly of plastid proteins and protein complexes and then by the important metabolic functions in plastids. The book will end with two chapters discussing the role of plastid biology in protein expression biotechnology and in hydrogen and biofuel production.

The first part of the book presents the evolution of plants starting from photosynthetic cells to topics like Gymnosperms and Angiosperms, including the evolution of the breeding system. Geological and molecular data were used, helping us to show with more details each of the phases presented. Also, specialization of the reproductive systems such as evolution of unissexuality (dioecy and monoecy), evolution of self-incompatibility, selfing fertilization and mixed mating systems were considered. The last part discusses the biology and genetics of the reproductive systems and shows the strategies that modern plants use in asexual reproduction (vegetative and apomictic reproduction) and sexual reproduction. In addition, the sexual reproduction topics such as gametogenesis, the genetic control of reproductive organs, systems that promote outcrossing, selfing and mixed mating systems were also included.

This book is an overview of our current understanding of aluminium toxicity and tolerance in plants. It covers all relevant aspects from molecular and cellular biology, to genetic approaches, root biology and plant physiology. The contribution of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to alleviating aluminium toxicity is also discussed. Over 40% of total agricultural land resources are acidic in nature, with aluminium being the major toxicant. Plant roots are particularly susceptible to aluminium stress, but much of the complex mechanism underlying its toxicity and tolerance is unknown and aluminium stress perception in plants remains poorly understood. The diverse facets of aluminium stress adaptation covered in this book are relevant to plant biology students at all levels, as well researchers and it provides a valuable contribution to our understanding of plant adaptation to the changing environment.

This book provides an overview of the latest advancements in the field of alien introgression in wheat. The discovery and wide application of molecular genetic techniques including molecular markers, in situ hybridization, and genomics has led to a surge in interspecific and intergeneric hybridization in recent decades. The work begins with the taxonomy of cereals, especially of those species which are potential gene sources for wheat improvement. The text then goes on to cover the origin of wheat, breeding in connection with alien introgressions, and the problems of producing intergeneric hybrids and backcross derivatives. These problems can include crossability, sterility, and unequal chromosome transmission. The work then covers alien introgressions according to the related species used, as well as new results in the field of genomics of wild wheat relatives and introgressions.

This book provides a comprehensive description of phosphate solubilizing microorganisms and highlights methods for the use of microphos in different crop production systems. The focus is on understanding both the basic and applied aspects of phosphate solubilizing microorganisms and how phosphorus-deficient soils can be transformed into phosphorus-rich ones by applying phosphate solubilizing microorganisms. The interaction of rhizosphere phosphate solubilizing microorganisms and environmental variables, as well as their importance in the production of crops such as legumes, cereals, vegetables etc. are discussed and considered. The use of cold-tolerant phosphate solubilizing microorganisms to enhance crop productivity in mountainous regions is examined, as are the ecological diversity and biotechnological implications of phosphate solubilizing microorganisms. Lastly, the role of phosphate solubilizing microorganisms in aerobic rice cultivation is highlighted. This volume offers a broad overview of plant disease management using phosphate solubilizing microbes and presents strategies for the management of cultivated crops. It will therefore be of special interest to both academics and professionals working in the fields of microbiology, soil microbiology, biotechnology and agronomy, as well as the plant protection sciences. This timely reference book provides an essential and comprehensive source of material, as it includes recent findings on phosphate solubilizing microorganisms and their role in crop production.

Genetic mapping and marker assisted selection (MAS) is considered as one of the major tools in genetic improvement of crop plants in this genomics era. This book describes basics in linkage mapping, step-by-step procedure to perform MAS, achievements made so far in different crops, and limitations and prospects of MAS in plant breeding. It summarizes all this in a simple but comprehensive mode using suitable examples so as to explain the concept and its historical developments. To summarize, this book describes technologies for identification of genes of interest through genetic mapping, recaps the major applications of MAS to plant breeding; lists examples in which MAS is being applied to various breeding programs, and emphasizes the various difficulties that limit the application of MAS in plant breeding, providing possible solutions to overcome these difficulties, and finally tries to illustrate the future prospects. This book would be a valuable guide to the under-graduates and post-graduates of agricultural universities and institutes that are interested and/or involved in genetic improvement of crop plants using modern tools. Bibliography listed in this book constitutes two parts: literature cited and further reading. Literature cited contains references cited in the text and further information on the given concept/technique can be obtained from these references. Further reading provides a list of suggested readings for in-depth coverage of the topics.

Conceived with the aim of sorting fact from fiction over genetically modified (GM) crops, this book brings together the knowledge of 30 specialists in the field of transgenic plants. It covers the generation and detection of these plants as well as the genetic traits conferred on transgenic plants. In addition, the book looks at a wide variety of crops, ornamental plants and tree species that are subject to genetic modifications, assessing the risks involved in genetic modification as well as the potential economic benefits of the technology in specific cases. The book's structure, with fully cross-referenced chapters, gives readers a quick access to specific topics, whether that is comprehensive data on particular species of ornamentals, or coverage of the socioeconomic implications of GM technology. With an increasing demand for bioenergy, and the necessary higher yields relying on wider genetic variation, this book supplies all the technical details required to move forward to a new era in agriculture.

This book provides in-depth information on clusterbean, its cultivation, genetic improvement, plant protection measures, management of abiotic stresses, molecular aspects etc. It is divided into seven chapters including an introduction to the crop, prospects, constraints, genetic improvement, variability, application of clusterbean gum and its byproducts, cultivation, plant protection, physiological and abiotic stress aspects, along with related genetic markers and biotechnological advances. Clusterbean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub.), commonly known as 'guar,' is an important leguminous crop grown for seed, green fodder, vegetable and green manuring in arid and semi-arid regions and has a special commercial role due to the gum content in its seeds. India's arid environment provides ideal agro-climatic conditions for the successful cultivation of clusterbean, as the plant needs little surface water, long-duration sunshine and low relative humidity during the cropping season. India accounts for nearly 82 percent of global clusterbean seed production, making it an important export product. Based on essential industry and market data, the book offers a comprehensive overview of this unique crop, and will be of interest to researchers active in the field of clusterbean breeding.

The book mainly describes the QTL mappings and efficacy analyses that are associated with wheat productivity, quality, physiology and various stress resistances and provides summaries of results from studies conducted both at home and abroad. It presents comparable data and analyses, helping readers to arrive at a more comprehensive understanding of the latest development in this field. The book provides a wealth of novel information, broad range of applications and in-depth findings on crop genetics and molecular breeding, making it valuable not only for plant breeders but also for academic faculties, senior researchers and advanced graduate students who are involved in plant breeding and genetics. Dr. Jichun Tian is a professor at the Department of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, China.

The volume on Industrial Crop Breeding will be part of the series, Handbook of Plant Breeding. This volume will focus on the emerging area of plant breeding for sustainable production of transportation fuels and bio based products using the current advances in the field. The book is scheduled to consist of a total number of 30 chapters divided into four sections. The sections will emphasize crops being considered for different challenge areas including oil crops for biodiesel; sugar, starch and cellulosic crops for biofuel; crops for bio products and issues and future prospects. A chapter introducing the first three sections will also be included. Outstanding scientists for each crop species are proposed as senior authors, who may invite co-authors to contribute part of a chapter to provide additional expertise or perspective. The proposed authors will represent various national and international institutions to get a more diverse view on the topic and somehow get a global view on the common issues that researchers on industrial crops are facing. The book will comprise primarily of specific issues, available germplasm, breeding techniques, and potential geographical areas of production pertaining to individual crops being considered for industrial uses. We hope to encourage the proposed authors of new crops to provide an estimate of the crop readiness for commercial development and discuss the limitations. This book will be will be of interest and envisioned to serve as an updated reference to researchers in both academic and industrial setting, to students and teachers of plant breeding and to policy makers who are looking for alternative solutions to dependency on imported petroleum products.

Laboratory Protocols in Fungal Biology presents the latest techniques in fungal biology. This book analyzes information derived through real experiments, and focuses on cutting edge techniques in the field. The book comprises 57 chapters contributed from internationally recognised scientists and researchers. Experts in the field have provided up-to-date protocols covering a range of frequently used methods in fungal biology. Almost all important methods available in the area of fungal biology viz. taxonomic keys in fungi; histopathological and microscopy techniques; proteomics methods; genomics methods; industrial applications and related techniques; and bioinformatics tools in fungi are covered and complied in one book. Chapters include introductions to their respective topics, list of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and notes on troubleshooting. Each chapter is self-contained and written in a style that enables the reader to progress from elementary concepts to advanced research techniques. Laboratory Protocols in Fungal Biology is a valuable tool for both beginner research workers and experienced professionals. Coming Soon in the Fungal Biology series: Goyal, Manoharachary / Future Challenges in Crop Protection Against Fungal Pathogens Martin, Garcia-Estrada, Zeilinger / Biosynthesis and Molecular Genetics of Fungal Secondary Metabolites Zeilinger, Martin, Garcia-Estrada / Biosynthesis and Molecular Genetics of Fungal Secondary Metabolites, Volume 2 van den Berg, Maruthachalam / Genetic Transformation Systems in Fungi Schmoll, Dattenbock / Gene Expression Systems in Fungi Dahms / Advanced Microscopy in Mycology

Forest tree breeding has been ongoing for more than 70 years across Europe. It has successfully generated improved varieties for the major economical forest tree species. They are part of the present European forestry landscape and largely contribute to intensive wood production and other forest activities. In this book, we describe the state-of-art of breeding for the main forest tree species. We provide a comprehensive, unique and up-to-date overview of the major scientific results and breeding achievements gathered from the many programmes scattered across Europe. The book is divided into 10 chapters, each as a monograph corresponding to a species or group of species Abies spp., (Larix spp., Picea abies, Picea sitchensis, Pinus sylvestris, Pseudotsuga menziesii, and Mediterranean pines; Acer pseudoplatanus, Fraxinus excelsior, and Prunus avium). Each of them is written by a group of experts and focuses on the distribution and economical importance of the species; motivation for breeding and breeding objectives; intraspecific genetic variability, breeding populations and breeding strategy; forest reproductive material deployment including mass-propagation and, prospects and perspectives for joint research and breeding. The book is a unique and up-dated source of information for students, researchers and professionals interested in the genetics and domestication of forest tree species.

The book provides an overview of current trends in biotechnology and medicinal plant sciences. The work includes detailed chapters on various advance biotechnological tools involved in production of phytoactive compounds of medicinal significance. Some recent and novel research studies on therapeutic applications of different medicinal plants from various geographical regions of the world have also been included. These studies report the antimicrobial activity of various natural plant products against various pathogenic microbial strains. Informative chapters on recent emerging applications of plant products such as source for nutraceuticals and vaccines have been integrated to cover latest advances in the field. This book also explores the conservation aspect of medicinal plants. Thus, chapters having comprehensively complied in vitro conservation protocols for various commercially important rare, threatened and endangered medicinal plants were provided in the present book.

This important reference is the first comprehensive resource worldwide that reflects research achievements in neglected and underutilized crop biotechnology, documenting research events during the last three decades, current status, and future outlook. This book has 16 chapters divided into 4 sections. Section 1 has three chapters dealing with Chenopodium as a potential food source, thin cell layer technology in micropropagation of Jatropha, and Panax vietnamensis. Section 2 deals with molecular biology and physiology of Haberlea rhodopensis, cell trait prediction in vitro and in vivo of legumes, and application of TILLING in orphan crops. Section 3 has five chapters on biotechnology of neglected oil crops, Quinoa, Erucia sativa, Stylosanthes, and Miscanthus. And Section 4 contains five chapters mainly on genetic transformation of Safflower, Jatropha, Bael, and Taro. This section also includes a chapter on genetic engineering of Mangroves.

This book serves as the first comprehensive compilation describing the breeding strategies and genetics and genomics of the coconut palm. It describes gene evolution of economically important traits such as oil biosynthesis, aroma and fragrance, disease-resistant genes and small RNAs-mediated gene regulation of coconut. Application of "omics" approaches in palms and the prospects of genome editing technologies in coconut are also discussed. The author list includes pioneers and experts in the field of coconut genomics. The book appeals to postgraduate students, researchers and industry players in the field of plantation crops in general and coconut in particular.

The book is about the seed development in the model and crop plants. Seed development is a key step of the plant life cycle that determines the nutrient value of seeds - the life for human civilization, growth, and development. The nutrient value of seeds is mainly due to storage reserve products such as carbohydrates, lipids (triacylglycerols), and proteins. The book primarily focuses on application of the 21st century high-throughput technologies transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and systems biology in near complete understanding of the various processes involved in seed development in different crop plants. The book reveals how such technologies have revolutionized our understanding of the multilayer processes and regulations involved therein by generating large-scale datasets. Accumulated datasets provide basic knowledge to develop integrated strategies to eventually improve the nutritional value of plant seed and crop yield, a critical goal in food security issues around the globe.

The study of origin and domestication of legumes described in this book emerged when it became apparent that while this kind of information is adequate for cereals, the pulses lagged behind. At the end of the 1960s the senior author initiated a study on the chickpea's wild relatives followed by similar attempts for broad bean, fenugreek, common vetch, bitter vetch, and lentil. The junior author joined the project in the late 1980s with a study of the genetics of interspecific hybrid embryo abortion in lentil and later has extensively investigated chickpea domestication and wild peas. While this book mainly describes our research findings, pertinent results obtained by others are also discussed and evaluated. Studying the wild relatives of legumes included evaluation of their taxonomic status, their morphological variation, ecological requirements, exploration of their distribution, and seed collection in their natural habitats. Seeds were examined for their protein profile as preliminary hints of their affinity to the cultigens and plants grown from these seeds were used for establishing their karyotype, producing intra- and interspecific hybrids and analyses of their chromosome pairing at meiosis and fertility. The aim of these investigations was the identification of the potential wild gene pool of the domesticated forms. Assessment of genetic variation among accessions, particularly in the genus Lens, was made by isozymes and chloroplast DNA studies. The main findings include the discovery of the chickpea wild progenitor; studies of lentil in three crossability groups; wild peas proceeded in two lines of study; faba bean and fenugreek and their wild progenitors have not yet been identified; common vetch and its related form were treated here as an aggregate (A. sativa); we found gene flow between members of different karyotypes is possible; bitter vetch and its relation to the domesticated form were established by breeding experiments.

Sebacinales have emerged as a fascinating order with mutualistic plant-fungal symbionts that consists of exclusively beneficial fungi. This volume of Soil Biology presents an overview of the current results in Sebacinales research with a focus on the potential of these fungi in crop improvement and stress tolerance. The authors demonstrate that Sebacinales are not only extremely versatile in their associations with roots, but are also almost universally present as symptomless endophytes. With this extraordinary diversity, Sebacinales with the key fungus Piriformospora indica might possess remarkable significance in natural ecosystems. Their biotechnological applications are expected to improve the quality of crops while maintaining ecologically and economically sustainable production systems.