Despite the recent advances made in the improvement of crucifer crops using conventional breeding techniques, the yield levels and the oil and meal quality could not be improved as expected. The understanding of genetic material (DNA/RNA) and its manipulation by scientists has provided the opportunity to improve crucifers by increasing its diversity beyond conventional genetic limitations. The application of the biotechnological techniques will have major impacts in two ways: first, it provides a number of techniques/methods for efficient selection for favorable variants and second, it gives an opportunity to utilize alien variation available in the crucifers by using the novel techniques of biotechnology to develop high yielding varieties with good nutritional quality, having resistance to insect, pest, and disease resistance.

Breeding Oilseed Crops for Sustainable Production: Opportunities and Constraints presents key insights into accelerating the breeding of sustainable and superior varieties. The book explores the genetic engineering/biotechnology that has played a vital role in transforming economically important traits from distant/wild species to cultivated varieties, enhancing the quality and quantity of oil and seed yield production. Integrated nutrient management, efficient water management, and forecasting models for pests diseases outbreaks and integrated pest and pest management have also added new dimensions in breeding for sustainable production. With the rise in demand, the scientific community has responded positively by directing a greater amount of research towards sustainable production both for edible and industrial uses. Covering the latest information on various major world oil crops including rapeseed mustard, sunflower, groundnut, sesame, oilpalm, cotton, linseed/flax, castor and olive, this book brings the latest advances together in a single volume for researchers and advanced level students.

Rapeseed is an important oilseed crop belonging to Crucifereae family and grown in subtropical to temperate climate. Recent discoveries have caused the scientific community to respond positively by directing a greater amount of research towards increasing production and improving the quality of rapeseed oil. Today, the annual worldwide production is approximately 7.5 million tons on 4 million acres. Canola ranks 5th in the production of world's oilseed crops following soybean, sunflower, groundnut and cottonseed.
"Rapeseed Breeding" fully explains the miraculous discoveries about the genetic material which have contributed to the growth of this important crop. With contributions from world-renowned researchers from North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, this book provides the first scientific reference for scientists interested in the further exploitation of this important crop.

* Presents history, origin and evolution, breeding methods, practical applications of DNA markers, fingerprinting of cultivars, and conservation of rapeseed germplasm
* Includes detail of different breeding purposes including breeding for improved oil and meal quality, breeding for winter hardiness, breeding for herbicides, and breeding for hybrid rape.
* Provides analysis of ecology, usage, degeneration and application

Considerable interest has developed in recent years in crucifers and particularly in their wild relatives, as they contain genetic material that may be utilized for further evolution of superior crop varieties through introgression and distant hybridization. Until now, there has been no single volume that focuses exclusively on the biology and breeding aspects of the wild brassica species. Bringing together contributions of leading international experts, Biology and Breeding of Crucifers provides a unique perspective on this species which is so important to research in crop genetics. This treatise begins by exploring the systematics and phylogenies of wild crucifers. Supported by sharp close-up photos and descriptions to assist in identification of wild crucifers, the book further examines breeding methods, self-incompatibility, male sterility, germination, viability of seeds, and plant-insect interactions. Detailed accounts of comparative cytogenetics, distant hybridization, and the role of phytoalexins are also presented. The book contains comprehensive discussions on floral variations, biotechnology, and haploidy breeding. Reflecting the concern of botanists and plant genetic engineers in enhancing rapeseed-mustard production, the contributors also examine genetic improvement of vegetable crucifers, industrial products from wild crucifers, and the preservation and maintenance of plant genetic resources. The information contained in this text will assist researchers in developing ways to increase genetic variability among brassicas, improve crop productivity and quality, and adopt synergistic approaches to ensure food and nutritional security worldwide.

This book is a result of research undertaken on the subject by the scholars associated with the IDSA project on Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) - also known as Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) - which includes both the so-called "Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK)" and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). This was legally a part of the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, which acceded to India in October 1947. The authors of this book seek to provide a critical analysis of the politics of the above mentioned two regions within PoK; throw light on the genesis and evolution of various political parties and interest groups, and acquaint the readers with different personalities playing important role in politics therein. The main aim of the publication is to help the scholars, analysts, and policy-makers to understand the dynamics of the political systems in PoK, the complex interaction of these systems with the government in Islamabad and the responses of the local leadership to Pakistan's strategy of keeping them under strict control in the name of representative governance over the last 70 years.

This book is a compilation of invaluable contributions in the field of isothiocyanate chemistry. It clearly presents multidisciplinary chapters which focus on the various applications of isothiocyanates in the fields of health, fitness, and environmental sciences. Isothiocyanates are a class of agents that can simultaneously deliver diagnostic and therapeutic functions, enabling the detection and treatment of diseases in a single procedure, and play an efficient role in fighting against the global problem of pollution.

Despite the recent advances made in the improvement of crucifer crops using conventional breeding techniques, the yield levels and the oil and meal quality could not be improved as expected. The understanding of genetic material (DNA/RNA) and its manipulation by scientists has provided the opportunity to improve crucifers by increasing its diversity beyond conventional genetic limitations. The application of the biotechnological techniques will have major impacts in two ways: first, it provides a number of techniques/methods for efficient selection for favorable variants and second, it gives an opportunity to utilize alien variation available in the crucifers by using the novel techniques of biotechnology to develop high yielding varieties with good nutritional quality, having resistance to insect, pest, and disease resistance.

Published in association with Institute for Development and Communication, ChandigarhA comprehensive review of the technical performance of the Punjab State Electricity Board and erstwhile Haryana State Electricity Board has been conducted to identify the key factors responsible for poor technical and financial performance. It has been observed that no reforms in power sector in general and of power distribution in particular will be successful unless the problem of theft and pilferage of power is tackled. To identify the dynamics of this ailment, a survey based study, of perceptions of the consumers and the employees regarding the theft and pilferage of power shows that the evil has got highly institutionalized and has acquired a social acceptability and legitimacy among consumers as well as employees. Pilferage of power is not just a technical problem; hence simple technical solutions will not be adequate. Passing of laws by itself does not ensure their enforcement. The attitude of the people towards publicly provided goods evolved over the last five decades needs a change for which social marketing strategies need to be evolved as necessary complement to the appropriate type of restructuring of the state electricity boards. Based on firm data and rigorous analysis, this book makes a case for suitable institutional interventions.

Considerable interest has developed in recent years in crucifers and particularly in their wild relatives, as they contain genetic material that may be utilized for further evolution of superior crop varieties through introgression and distant hybridization. Until now, there has been no single volume that focuses exclusively on the biology and breeding aspects of the wild brassica species. Bringing together contributions of leading international experts, Biology and Breeding of Crucifers provides a unique perspective on this species which is so important to research in crop genetics.

This treatise begins by exploring the systematics and phylogenies of wild crucifers. Supported by sharp close-up photos and descriptions to assist in identification of wild crucifers, the book further examines breeding methods, self-incompatibility, male sterility, germination, viability of seeds, and plant-insect interactions. Detailed accounts of comparative cytogenetics, distant hybridization, and the role of phytoalexins are also presented.

The book contains comprehensive discussions on floral variations, biotechnology, and haploidy breeding. Reflecting the concern of botanists and plant genetic engineers in enhancing rapeseed-mustard production, the contributors also examine genetic improvement of vegetable crucifers, industrial products from wild crucifers, and the preservation and maintenance of plant genetic resources.

The information contained in this text will assist researchers in developing ways to increase genetic variability among brassicas, improve crop productivity and quality, and adopt synergistic approaches to ensure food and nutritional security worldwide.