While there has been great progress in the development of plant breeding over the last decade, the selection of suitable plants for human consumption began over 13,000 years ago. Since the Neolithic era, the cultivation of plants has progressed in Asia Minor, Asia, Europe, and ancient America, each specific to the locally wild plants as well as the ecological and social conditions. A handy reference for knowing our past, understanding the present, and creating the future, this book provides a comprehensive treatment of the development of crop improvement methods over the centuries. It features an extensive historical treatment of development, including influential individuals in the field, plant cultivation in various regions, techniques used in the Old World, and cropping in ancient America. The advances of scientific plant breeding in the twentieth century is extensively explored, including efficient selection methods, hybrid breeding, induced polyploidy, mutation research, biotechnology, and genetic manipulation. Finally, this book presents information on approaches to the sustainability of breeding and to cope with climatic changes as well as the growing world population.

One of the oldest scientific traditions, plant breeding began in Neolithic times with methods as simple as saving the seeds of desirable plants and sowing them later. It was not until the re-encounter with Mendel's discoveries thousands of years later, the genetic basis of breeding was understood. Developments following have provided further insight into how genes acting alone or in concert with other genes and the environment, result in a particular phenotype. From Abaxial to Zymogram, the third edition of Dictionary of Plant Breeding contains clear and useful definitions of the terms associated with plant breeding and related scientific/technological disciplines. It defines jargon; provides helpful tables, examples, and breeding schemes; and includes a list of crop plants with salient details. Packed with data and organized to make that data easy to access, this revised and expanded reference provides comprehensive coverage of the latest discoveries in cytogenetics, molecular genetics, marker-assisted selection, experimental gene transfer, CRISPR technology, seed sciences, crop physiology, and genetically modified crops. Features: Provides a comprehensive list of technical terms used in plant breeding Explores the historical development of crop improvement Discusses applications of molecular genetics and biotechnology Includes numerous figures, drawings, tables, and schemes supplementing the glossary A complex subject, plant breeding draws from many scientific and technological disciplines, often making it difficult to know the precise meanings of many terms and to accurately interpret specific concepts. As in the previous editions, this dictionary unifies concepts by including the specific terms of plant breeding and terms that are adjusted from other disciplines. Drawing on Rolf Schlegel's 50 years of experience, the book provides an encyclopedic list of commonly used technical terms that reflect the latest developments in the field.

Owing to its considerable winter hardiness, rye is a cereal that played a major role in the feeding of European populations throughout the Middle Ages. Recent data shows that rye is grown on about 5.4 million hectares, with a world production of approximately 13 million tons. While still an important bread food in many countries, rye produced for bread making has decreased or stagnated, whereas production is increasing for other market segments. Particularly, rye for feeding, ethanol processing, and biogas is promoted in Europe. The first comprehensive monograph on rye, Rye: Genetics, Breeding, and Cultivation gathers all the relevant and historic information from botany and genetics to utilization and sustainability of rye. The book covers taxonomy, morphology, and other botany-related aspects of rye. It describes its physiology, cytology, and genetics, including use for genetic improvement of other cereals. The author addresses various types of breeding such as population, hybrid, and molecular breeding. He also discusses rye cropping, including seeding techniques, fungal and viral diseases, and predators. The book examines the various uses for rye beyond bread making. This includes feeding, biomass and biogas production, ethanol production, and other important characteristics such as phytosterol content and antioxidant activity. It also explores the nutritional value of rye. Written by a leading expert in the field, this monograph compiles the most important facets of rye research, past and present.

One of the oldest scientific traditions, plant breeding began in Neolithic times with methods as simple as saving the seeds of desirable plants and sowing them later. It was not until the re-encounter with Mendel's discoveries thousands of years later, the genetic basis of breeding was understood. Developments following have provided further insight into how genes acting alone or in concert with other genes and the environment, result in a particular phenotype. From Abaxial to Zymogram, the third edition of Dictionary of Plant Breeding contains clear and useful definitions of the terms associated with plant breeding and related scientific/technological disciplines. It defines jargon; provides helpful tables, examples, and breeding schemes; and includes a list of crop plants with salient details. Packed with data and organized to make that data easy to access, this revised and expanded reference provides comprehensive coverage of the latest discoveries in cytogenetics, molecular genetics, marker-assisted selection, experimental gene transfer, CRISPR technology, seed sciences, crop physiology, and genetically modified crops. Features: Provides a comprehensive list of technical terms used in plant breeding Explores the historical development of crop improvement Discusses applications of molecular genetics and biotechnology Includes numerous figures, drawings, tables, and schemes supplementing the glossary A complex subject, plant breeding draws from many scientific and technological disciplines, often making it difficult to know the precise meanings of many terms and to accurately interpret specific concepts. As in the previous editions, this dictionary unifies concepts by including the specific terms of plant breeding and terms that are adjusted from other disciplines. Drawing on Rolf Schlegel's 50 years of experience, the book provides an encyclopedic list of commonly used technical terms that reflect the latest developments in the field.

Owing to its considerable winter hardiness, rye is a cereal that played a major role in the feeding of European populations throughout the Middle Ages. Recent data shows that rye is grown on about 5.4 million hectares, with a world production of approximately 13 million tons. While still an important bread food in many countries, rye produced for bread making has decreased or stagnated, whereas production is increasing for other market segments. Particularly, rye for feeding, ethanol processing, and biogas is promoted in Europe. The first comprehensive monograph on rye, Rye: Genetics, Breeding, and Cultivation gathers all the relevant and historic information from botany and genetics to utilization and sustainability of rye. The book covers taxonomy, morphology, and other botany-related aspects of rye. It describes its physiology, cytology, and genetics, including use for genetic improvement of other cereals. The author addresses various types of breeding such as population, hybrid, and molecular breeding. He also discusses rye cropping, including seeding techniques, fungal and viral diseases, and predators. The book examines the various uses for rye beyond bread making. This includes feeding, biomass and biogas production, ethanol production, and other important characteristics such as phytosterol content and antioxidant activity. It also explores the nutritional value of rye. Written by a leading expert in the field, this monograph compiles the most important facets of rye research, past and present.

While there has been great progress in the development of plant breeding over the last decade, the selection of suitable plants for human consumption began over 13,000 years ago. Since the Neolithic era, the cultivation of plants has progressed in Asia Minor, Asia, Europe, and ancient America, each specific to the locally wild plants as well as the ecological and social conditions. A handy reference for knowing our past, understanding the present, and creating the future, this book provides a comprehensive treatment of the development of crop improvement methods over the centuries. It features an extensive historical treatment of development, including influential individuals in the field, plant cultivation in various regions, techniques used in the Old World, and cropping in ancient America. The advances of scientific plant breeding in the twentieth century is extensively explored, including efficient selection methods, hybrid breeding, induced polyploidy, mutation research, biotechnology, and genetic manipulation. Finally, this book presents information on approaches to the sustainability of breeding and to cope with climatic changes as well as the growing world population.