Wild Germplasm for Genetic Improvement in Crop Plants addresses the need for an integrated reference on a wide variety of crop plants, facilitating comparison and contrast, as well as providing relevant relationships for future research and development. The book presents the genetic and natural history value of wild relatives, covers what wild relatives exist, explores the existing knowledge regarding specific relatives and the research surrounding them and identifies knowledge gaps. As understanding the role of crop wild relatives in plant breeding expands the genetic pool for abiotic and biotic stress resistance, this is an ideal reference on this important topic.

Biofortification of Grain and Vegetable Crops: Molecular and Breeding Approaches is a comprehensive overview of important food crops whose vitamin and mineral enhancement can contribute significantly to improved food and nutrition security. Providing the latest information on crops including cereals, oilseeds, legumes and vegetables, this book provides details of agronomic and molecular resources for enhanced mineral production. Each chapter focuses on a specific food crop and the unique opportunities offered by each through breeding practices. This will be a valuable resource for researchers, academics and those in industry who are exploring biotechnological approaches as a powerful tool to combat malnutrition.

Efforts have been made to find out natural resistant/tolerant resources from cultivated and wild species of GOSSYPIUM. Various biotechnological assays were carried out for the detection of begomoviruses and the betasatellite in available cotton species collected from Central Cotton Research Institute, Multan, Pakistan where these species have been grown in the field for four decades. Two possible approaches for resistance against cotton leaf curl disease (CLCuD) are the utilization of GOSSYPIUM ARBOREUM in interspecific crosses or isolation of relevant resistance genes from this species and transformation into susceptible cotton species. To facilitate both approaches resistance gene analogs (RGAs) from G. ARBOREUM were cloned. Unique RGAs from G. ARBOREUM can be used as markers in interspecific crosses. The introgression of natural and genetically-engineered sources of resistance studies showed increased tolerance against CLCuD. Based on the data generated in this dissertation it is suggested that introgression of multiple genetically-engineered and natural sources of resistance may provide durable solution for management of CLCuD.