This book is the first comprehensive compilation of deliberations on whole genome sequencing of sesame including genome assembly, annotation, structure and synteny analysis, and sequencing of its chloroplast genome and also its wild species. It presents narratives on classical genetics and breeding, tissue culture and genetic transformation, molecular mapping and breeding. Other chapters describe the beneficial components in sesame protein and oil, botanical depictions and cytological features. Prospects of designed breeding in the post-genomics era including gene discovery have also been enumerated. Altogether, the book contains 19 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 classical and molecular genetics, biotechnology, breeding, biochemistry, traditional and molecular breeding, and structural and evolutionary genomics. The work is also useful to seed and oil industries.

This collection features four peer-reviewed literature reviews on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in agriculture. The first chapter reviews the use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) as biostimulants for sustainable crop production and explores the benefits of its use, such as bidirectional nutrient exchange and soil quality. The chapter discusses the requirements needed for successful implementation of AMF in sustainable crop production, and also maps the current market for mycorrhizal products. The second chapter explores our understanding of how AMF can modify nutrient availability in soil, specifically concerning the roles that fungal ecology and physiology may play during the processes of nutrient acquisition and transformation. The chapter also refers to future opportunities in research to exploit AMF to improve nutrient-use efficiency. The third chapter highlights further advances in our understanding of how AMF can improve root function in agricultural systems. The chapter also discusses the functional diversity apparent in plant responses to AMF colonisation. The final chapter reviews the use of AMF-based bio-inoculants in tea cultivation. The chapter also discusses the range of AMF associated with tea and their effects on the tea rhizosphere, plant growth and quality.