Many of the crops widely grown today stem from a very narrow genetic base; understanding and preserving crop genetic resources is vital to the security of food systems worldwide. Plant Breeding Reviews presents state-of-the-art reviews on plant genetics and the breeding of all types of crops by both traditional means and molecular methods. The emphasis on this landmark series is on methodology, a fundamental understanding of crop genetics, and applications to major crops. Coverage includes a wide range of crops: row crops, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and trees grown for timber and pulp. Numerous references provide easy, time-saving, and cost-effective access to the primary literature.

Biofertilizers, Volume One: Advances in Bio-inoculants provides state-of-the-art descriptions of various approaches, techniques and basic fundamentals of BI used in crop fertilization practices. The book presents research within a relevant theoretical framework to improve our understanding of core issues as applied to natural resource management. Authored by renowned scientists actively working on bio-inoculant, biofertilizer and bio-stimulant sciences, the book addresses the scope of inexpensive and energy neutral bio-inoculant technologies and the impact regulation has on biofertilizer utilization. This book is a valuable reference for agricultural/environmental scientists in academic and corporate environments, graduate and post-graduate students, regulators and policymakers.

This breakthrough handbook for botanical garden and arboretum curators (and curators in training) has now been expanded and updated fifteen years after the last edition was published. The new edition includes up-to-date information and methods for the preservation and conservation of plants and their use in both ex-situ and in-situ conservation programs, habitat restorations, and conservation research. There are expanded and updated sections on plant acquisitions and field collecting that conform to the Convention on Biological Diversity protocols. New technologies for documenting plant collections are described including reviews of the most common software programs to streamline this process. Recommendations for plant preservation-caring for collections-have been updated with expanded information on basic horticulture practice, sustainable techniques, special applications for conservation collections, and examples of preservation plans. There is an entirely new section on collections research and applications with several chapters on the latest conservation practices, technologies, and programs involving collections. All of the basic and essential information for collections management contained within the first edition, including specific recommendations and examples, has been expanded and updated with recommendations on new technologies and procedures to assist and guide curators in their critical role as plant collection developers, managers, and programmers. What is an important resource for public garden professionals and students has now become even more essential.

This collection features four peer-reviewed reviews on improving the shelf life of horticultural produce. The first chapter introduces the concept of smart distribution and highlights how optimising the management of produce distribution systems can reduce loss and waste in the horticultural sector and extend shelf life by minimising quality deterioration. The chapter also discusses the use of remote sensing technology to determine food quality. The second chapter reviews a selection of pre- and postharvest strategies used to optimise fruit quality. The chapter considers ways of measuring harvest maturity, as well as the role of temperature controlled environments in extending the shelf life of tree fruit. The third chapter summarises the wealth of recent research on the preservation of fruit quality in mango production, as well as how postharvest operations can be optimised to reduce loss and waste and maximise shelf life, including the use of controlled environments, waxes and edible coatings. The final chapter explores the advantages and disadvantages of cultivating ripening-impaired tomato mutants and genetically engineered genotypes characterized by inhibition of the ripening process. The chapter considers the use of ethylene inhibitors and controlled environments as a means of mitigating devastating yield losses.

A little plant science grows a long way Plant Science for Gardeners empowers growers to analyze common problems, find solutions, and make better decisions in the garden for optimal plant health and productivity. Most gardeners learn by accumulating rules - water once a week, never dry out snowdrop bulbs, prune lilacs after flowering, plant garlic in October-the list is endless. Rules take years to learn and yet leave you floundering when the unexpected strikes and plants look unhealthy, produce poorly, or die. There is a better way. By understanding the basic biology of how plants grow, you can become a thinking gardener with the confidence to problem solve for optimized plant health and productivity. Learn the science and ditch the rules! Coverage includes: The biology of roots, stems, leaves, and flowers Understanding how plants function as whole organisms The role of nutrients and inputs Vegetables, flowers, grasses, and trees and shrubs Propagation and genetics Sidebars that explode common gardening myths Tips for evaluating plant problems and finding solutions. Whether you're a home gardener, micro-farmer, market gardener, or homesteader, this entertaining and accessible guide shortens the learning curve and gives you the knowledge to succeed no matter where you live.

This collection features five peer-reviewed reviews on optimising rootstock health. The first chapter explores optimising rootstock health to improve root function, resource-use efficiency, sustainability and agricultural productivity. The chapter also presents a case study on tomato rootstocks as a viable strategy to overcome abiotic stresses in Ghana. The second chapter reviews the important aspects of tree growth and development in apple production which are integral to ensure product quality. The chapter discusses the importance of rootstocks and emphasises the mechanisms and morphological effects of dwarfing on rootstocks. The third chapter considers recent advances in the development and utilisation of fruit tree rootstocks, focussing primarily on apples. The chapter also reviews rootstock tolerance to both abiotic and biotic stresses. The fourth chapter discusses advances in avocado tissue culture for clonal propagation and highlights the potential of this technology for improving the sustainable supply of high-quality avocado plants to support future avocado industry growth. The final chapter addresses the challenges and opportunities in pear breeding, focussing on pear cultivars, pear rootstocks and germplasm resources. The chapter also considers the use of dwarfing as a means of improving particular traits.

This collection features six peer-reviewed reviews on optimising rootstock health. The first chapter considers recent advances in irrigation techniques used in sustainable vegetable cultivation and reviews the performance and efficiency of these systems. The second chapter details the need to optimise precision in orchard irrigation management, focussing on matching water supply to plant demand as a means of achieving this. The third chapter assesses irrigation management systems for tomato production and how these can be optimised alongside nutrient management to ensure the production of safe and nutritious tomatoes. The fourth chapter summarises the common types of irrigation systems found in soilless culture production, as well as the emergence of new systems, including plant-based sensing and monitoring systems. The fifth chapter highlights the need for more sustainable water use in ornamental production systems and the methods which can be used to achieve this, such as reducing runoff volume. The final chapter considers recent advances in irrigation management in greenhouse cultivation, focussing on water balance, crop evapotranspiration techniques and irrigation scheduling.

Fruit Crops: Diagnosis and Management of Nutrient Constraints is the first and only resource to holistically relate fruits as a nutritional source for human health to the state-of-the-art methodologies currently used to diagnose and manage nutritional constraints placed on those fruits. This book explores a variety of advanced management techniques, including open field hydroponic, fertigation/bio-fertigation, the use of nano-fertilizers, sensors-based nutrient management, climate- smart integrated soil fertility management, inoculation with microbial consortium, and endophytes backed up by ecophysiology of fruit crops. These intricate issues are effectively presented, including real-world applications and future insights.

"Fully illustrated, the charm of his English Roses comes across on every page, even if the reader has to imagine their scent." - The Irish Garden "Experts will appreciate the notes on each rose's breeding." - Historic Gardens Foundation Informative, accessible and stunningly illustrated, David Austin's English Roses introduces the reader to the world of rose propagation and care. The book focuses on English Roses, bred by David Austin to combine the sumptuousness of Old Roses with the strength and practical virtues of Modern Roses. It will be greatly prized by rose-growers and rose-lovers everywhere, whether professional or amateur. Also available: Climbing and Rambler Roses ISBN: 9781870673655 Modern, Shrub and Species Roses ISBN: 9781870673716 Old Roses ISBN: 9781870673693

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 collection features six peer-reviewed reviews on advances and in detecting and forecasting crop pests and diseases. The first chapter introduces the concept of machine learning to identify and diagnose crop diseases, focussing on the deep learning concept. The second chapter discusses recent advances in crop disease forecasting models, focussing on the application of precision agriculture technologies and Earth observation satellites to identify areas at risk of possible disease outbreaks. The third chapter explores the contribution of remote sensing in improving the ways in which plant health is monitored in response to exposure to biotic stresses, such as disease. The fourth chapter reviews how sensor technologies in combination with informatics and modern application technologies can contribute to more effective pest control. The fifth chapter assesses the role of decision support systems for pest monitoring and management through information technology, such as spectral indices and image-based diagnostics. The final chapter addresses key issues and challenges in pest monitoring and forecasting models, such as the limitation of some traps in attracting insects through the use of sex pheromones.

Plant Breeding Reviews, Volume 24, Part 2 presents state-of-the-art reviews on plant genetics and the breeding of all types of crops by both traditional means and molecular methods. The emphasis of the series is on methodology, a practical understanding of crop genetics, and applications to major 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.

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 collection features five peer-reviewed reviews on biostimulant applications in agriculture. The first chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the optimal design and formulation of microbial and non-microbial biostimulants. The chapter presents two case studies to demonstrate the successful commercialisation of microbial and non-microbial biostimulant products. The second chapter considers the utilisation of humic substances (HS) as plant biostimulants in agriculture and their impact on the physical and chemical properties of soil. The chapter also discusses the production of HS. The third chapter reviews the wealth of research on the mechanism of action, applications and efficacy of key biostimulants such as Bacillus species, Pseudomonas species, Trichoderma species and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. The fourth chapter assesses recent advances in the use of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) as a means of enhancing crop root function and nutrient use. The chapter also considers the challenge of practical adoption and use of PGPR in commercial agricultural settings. The final chapter reviews the utilisation of biostimulants as an integrated pest management tool in horticulture. The chapter considers their role in promoting plant growth, building soil structure, as well as pest and disease suppression.

Identifying, interpreting, and managing soil constraints are major challenges, especially when multiple constraints occur in the same soil at various depth zones. Although amelioration tools and strategies are available to manage some of these constraints, field adoption of these technologies is a major challenge to the farming community. Soil Constraints and Productivity helps in identifying and understanding soil constraints, focusing on management practices to alleviate problems associated with these restrictions, and their impacts on crop productivity. Soil Constraints and Productivity aims to: * Describe various amendments suitable for mitigating soil constraints * Provide data on cost-benefit analysis of managing soil constraints * Provide case studies of managing soil constraints to increase productivity Soil is essential for the doubling of major grain production proposed to be necessary to avoid major food security collapses in the future. This book will be a key resource for soil and environmental scientists, farmers, students majoring in agricultural and environmental sciences, and crop consultants.