Weeds, insects, rodents, and pathogens are major problems in agricultural and urban environments; there is a clear need to augment chemical methods of control with biological methods. Until now these efforts have had limited success because of insufficient virulence of the host-specific organisms used. Naturally occurring biological agents are in evolutionary balance with their hosts, and attaining the level of control typically desired would lead to extinction of both the control agent and its host.In this book, the main researchers involved in enhancing fungal, bacterial, virus and insect biological control agents on different targets review progress in overcoming the barrier of insufficient virulence. This multi-disciplinary group, with backgrounds in many facets of biotechnology and crop protection, reviews their work and that of others, and describes the approaches, the successes and the remaining barriers in an integrated manner.

This book was written in response to significant recent advances in understanding the mechanisms of parasitism in the Orobanchaceae, and breakthroughs in the control of the parasitic weeds Striga and Orobanche. It consists of 26 contributions by internationally recognized leading scientists. The main book chapters are grouped into two parts: * Part I - The Orobanchaceae and Their Parasitic Mechanisms * Part II - The Weedy Orobanchaceae and Their Control The first part provides cutting-edge information on all key aspects of plant parasitism, such as the structure, development and function of the haustorium; nutrient transfer and the physiology of the parasite-host association; host reaction to parasitic plants; seed production and germination; the strigolactones and host-parasite signaling mechanisms; the parasite genome, phylogenetics, evolution and epigenetics; and ecology. Topics of the second part include: the problem posed by the weedy parasites; population diversity and dynamics; molecular diagnosis of seed banks; and detailed discussion of the various management strategies, including agronomic, chemical and biotechnological approaches, as well as host breeding for resistance, allelopathy and biological control. This book is intended for plant scientists, university lecturers and students, agronomists and weed specialists, breeders and farmers, extension personnel and experts in tropical and subtropical agriculture.

As the world's population rises to an expected ten billion in the next few generations, the challenges of feeding humanity and maintaining an ecological balance will dramatically increase. Today we rely on just four crops for 80 percent of all consumed calories: wheat, rice, corn, and soybeans. Indeed, reliance on these four crops may also mean we are one global plant disease outbreak away from major famine.

In this revolutionary and controversial book, Jonathan Gressel argues that alternative plant crops lack the genetic diversity necessary for wider domestication and that even the Big Four have reached a "genetic glass ceiling": no matter how much they are bred, there is simply not enough genetic diversity available to significantly improve their agricultural value. Gressel points the way through the glass ceiling by advocating transgenics -- a technique where genes from one species are transferred to another. He maintains that with simple safeguards the technique is a safe solution to the genetic glass ceiling conundrum. Analyzing alternative crops -- including palm oil, papaya, buckwheat, tef, and sorghum -- Gressel demonstrates how gene manipulation could enhance their potential for widespread domestication and reduce our dependency on the Big Four. He also describes a number of ecological benefits that could be derived with the aid of transgenics.

A compelling synthesis of ideas from agronomy, medicine, breeding, physiology, population genetics, molecular biology, and biotechnology, Genetic Glass Ceilings presents transgenics as an inevitable and desperately necessary approach to securing and diversifying the world's food supply.

At a time when much of humanity is already but one failed harvest removed from starvation, we cannot afford to ignore any potential danger to food security, especially when that danger poses a threat to rice, the staff of life for so much of the world. Crop Ferality and Volunteerism brings together research pioneers from various disciplines including the crop, plant, and weed sciences to discuss crop ferality and volunteerism. The book provides thorough coverage of crop and plant molecular biology and genetics as it pertains to ferality and weeds. In an exhaustive effort to provide complete and highly useful coverage of this impending crisis, the authors go beyond the science of the problem to discuss the potential economic and social impact of crop ferality, particularly in relationship to rice. Readers will discover a wealth of well-organized and well-written material about the overall biology and management of weeds and weedy crops. Many examples of ferality are considered, because, as the editor states, readers will discover that there is no unified theory of ferality. Thanks to the incredible diversity of the plant kingdom, "Surprises abound in every chapter."

- Jim Westwood - Haustorium

- Pesticide Outlook