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Embark on an illuminating voyage into the realm of botanical brilliance with Benefits and Uses of Plant Extracts. This captivating book is your passport to unlocking the extraordinary potential hidden within nature's green treasures. Dive into the depths of botanical knowledge as each chapter unfolds, revealing the incredible diversity of bioactive compounds found in plants. From terpenes to alkaloids, phenolic compounds to flavonoids, you'll discover a wealth of natural wonders waiting to be explored. Learn the art and science behind extracting these precious compounds in Chapter 1, where you'll uncover the secrets to optimizing extraction processes for maximum efficacy. Then, journey through the plant kingdom as subsequent chapters illuminate the therapeutic properties of specific species, from Smilax fluminensis to Morinda citrifolia L., and beyond. Prepare to be inspired as you uncover the myriad uses of plant extracts in combating diseases, enhancing well-being, and promoting sustainable living. Whether you're passionate about natural health remedies, eco-friendly living, or simply curious about the wonders of the natural world, this book is your essential guide to harnessing the power of plants for a healthier, happier life. Packed with invaluable insights, practical tips, and fascinating research, this book is a must-read for anyone seeking to unlock the full potential of nature's pharmacy. Join us on this transformative journey and discover the endless benefits of plant extracts for yourself!

This compendium presents comprehensive information on more than 25 important spice crops commercially grown in India and traded globally, apart from over 40 spices that have the potential to be popularized. In 70 chapters the book covers the achievements in research and development made in India for the past 75 years in various organizations including research institutes, agricultural universities and private sector laboratories. Spices are natural products of plant origin, used primarily for flavouring and seasoning or for adding pungency and flavour to foods and beverages. The flavour and fragrance of Indian spices had a magic spell on human culture since very ancient days. The importance of spices in Indian life and its contribution to the economy are substantial. India, as the world's leading producer of spices is also a significant stakeholder in spices export trade globally. Indian spices being sources of many high value compounds, are also gaining muchimportance for other diversified uses especially for their pharmaceutical and nutraceutical properties. A wide variety of 52 spices are grown in India including black pepper, chillies, cardamom, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg, garlic, onion, cumin, coriander, saffron and vanilla. This book complies a comprehensive, holistic review on the subject, written by the best experts in the field in India representing diverse agencies. This book is a single point reference book for all those involved in the research, study, teaching and use of spices in India and abroad.

Mechanical Circulatory and Respiratory Support, Second Edition, continues to provide a comprehensive overview of the past, present and future development of mechanical circulatory and respiratory support devices. This new edition provides an update on the field while also introducing new elements within the field such as ex-vivo perfusion, devices for HFpEF, design for manufacture, oxygenator design, and more content on route to market. Chapters from over 60 internationally-renowned experts focuses on the entire life-cycle of mechanical circulatory and respiratory support – from the descent into heart and lung failure, alternative medical management, device options, device design, implantation techniques, complications and medical management of the supported patient, patient-device interactions, cost effectiveness, route to market and a view to the future. This second edition is a useful resource for biomedical engineers and clinicians who are designing new mechanical circulatory or respiratory support devices, while also providing a comprehensive guide of the entire field for those who are already familiar with some areas and want to learn more. Reviews of the most cutting-edge research are provided throughout each chapter, along with guides on how to design new devices and which areas require specific focus for future research and development. - Presents an engineering pathway to develop the most advanced medical devices - Features a clinical summary of how to select the right patients and treat them optimally while supported with these devices - Includes a detailed path to market for those developing new devices in this field

The book explores the world of medicinal plants through a groundbreaking and comprehensive book. It delves into high-throughput technologies and multi-omics approaches to unlock the untapped potential of endophytic fungi, revealing novel bioactive compounds. It further talks about the diverse biodiversity and ethnopharmacological knowledge, unravelling the molecular intricacies of secondary metabolites under varying ecological conditions. This gives insights into medicinal plant research, offering cutting-edge insights into genome-based barcoding, nanotechnology, and functional genomics for revolutionary drug discoveries. From proteomic and epigenomic analysis to big data exploration, this book presents a holistic view of medicinal plants'potential and discusses the latest advancements in micropropagation, agronomical approaches, and genome editing, paving the way for transformative medicines and healthcare breakthroughs.It serves as a great resource for academicians, researchers, and pharmacologists.

This edited book gives an in-depth coverage of various aspects of biotechnological procedures followed by international scientists and researchers to sustain growth and improvement of forests in context of current climatic change. Forests especially trees play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance as well as in the functioning of natural ecosystem. More importantly, they contribute to the economic growth of a country through its products such as timber, fuel, pharmaceuticals, fibre for textile industry and edible fruits. The denudation of trees due to urbanisation of towns/cities/villages by various construction activities and industrialisation directly impact the climate change resulting in global warming, short rainfall or erroneous weather currently experienced. This book is an effort to address these problems and attempts to find out solutions using biotechnological approaches. Most of the proposed chapters cover latest information. The proposed book deals with biotechnological aspects of forest trees such as micropropagation, somatic embryogenesis, somaclonal variation, synthetic seeds, cryopreservation, disease amangement and genetic engineering. Further, applications and limitations of these approaches to improve the forest trees are discussed. The book is of relevance to teachers, students and researchers working in area of forest and plant biotechnology globally.

This book explains the translational aspects of ethnomedicinal plants of different geographical regions including India by explaining the medicinal properties against several diseases, genomic evolution in changing environments, metabolic profiling for biomarker discovery, the role of non-coding RNA in the synthesis of secondary metabolites, genome-wide transcriptome profiling, application of pluripotent stem cells for drug discovery, the importance of high-throughput omics, and genome-editing techniques. In addition, some of the chapters have been designed to describe the role of artificial intelligence, plant database, and network-based drug discovery to explore the medicinal importance of compounds as well as challenges and opportunities in drug discovery from ethnomedicinal plants. The book serves as a great source of information for the students, researchers/scientists of diverse fields such as pharmacognosy, plant physiologists, biotechnologists, and pharmaceutical scientists etc., working in the areas of phytotherapy from ethnomedicinal plants.

This contributed volume explores the latest breakthroughs in genetic and genomic resources for enhancing biotic stress responses in grain legumes – including minor ones. It covers the advances made to date, including gene identification, transcriptomics, proteomics, transgenics, genome editing, genomic selection, epigenetic breeding, and speed breeding related to different biotic stresses. Authored by crop-specific experts, the chapters in this book are essential resources for those directly involved in improving grain legume crops. Legumes play a vital role in ensuring food and nutritional security, enhancing soil quality, and promoting environmental sustainability. Rich in protein, they are essential in preventing hunger and malnutrition while adding to dietary diversity. However, as these crops are commonly grown in marginal lands with poor inputs, they are highly susceptible to biotic stresses such as diseases and pests, which can cause significant yield losses. This book consolidates all available knowledge about genetic and genomic aspects of biotic stress responses in various grain legumes. It is a must-have resource for all stakeholders involved in grain legume improvement. Whether you are a breeder, pathologist, biotechnologist, seed production specialist, market manager, graduate or post-graduate student, or any other industry professional, this book serves as an excellent guide to help you stay at the forefront of grain legume improvement.

This book delves into diverse facets and applications of medicinal plants. It discusses the metabolic, transcriptomic, and genomic intricacies of medicinal plants, shedding light on their chemical compositions, genetic makeup, and regulatory mechanisms. It includes a chapter on nanotechnology, investigating the influence of nanoparticles on medicinal plants. Subsequent chapters explore functional genomics and genome editing, showcasing innovative approaches to modifying plant genetics. It also discusses plant-associated microorganisms in the microbiome and endophytic fungi. Furthermore, the book addresses the critical issues of genetic diversity, agrotechnology for sustainable production, intellectual property rights, and the impact of various stresses on medicinal plants. This book serves as a valuable resource for researchers, educators, and students of pharmacology, offering a comprehensive understanding of medicinal plants and their evolving role in science and medicine.

This handbook discusses the relationships and effects of climate change on waste treatment and its sustainable management. The waste management sector is in a unique position to transition from a minor source of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to a major contributor to reducing GHG emissions. This book compiles the potential impacts and benefits of various waste management systems in terms of climate impact. It investigates the global climate impact of municipal solid waste, commercial and industrial waste, agricultural waste, and hazardous waste management systems.Key features: Reviews advanced and innovative processes for sustainable waste management Covers green waste treatment technologies using microbes, green soldier flies, earthworms and bacteriophages Discusses the negative and positive effects of waste treatment and disposal Provides relevant case studies from different regions of the world Examines the role of climate change on emerging pollutants The book is meant for researchers and professionals in environmental sciences, chemical and biochemical engineering.

This new book takes an in-depth look at the emerging and prospective field of computational biology and bioinformatics, which possesses the ability to analyze large accumulated biological data collected from sequence analysis of proteins and genes and cell population with an aim to make new predictions pertaining to drug discovery and new biology. The book explains the basic methodology associated with a bioinformatics and computational approach in drug designing. It then goes on to cover the implementation of computational programming, bioinformatics, pharmacophore modeling, biotechnological techniques, and pharmaceutical chemistry in designing drugs. The major advantage of intervention of computer language or programming is to cut down the number of steps and costs in the field of drug designing, reducing the repeating steps and saving time in screening the potent component for drug or vaccine designing.The book describes algorithms used for drug designing and the use of machine learning and AI in drug delivery and disease diagnosis, which are valuable in clinical decision-making. The implementation of robotics in different diseases like stroke, cancer, COVID-19, etc. is also addressed. Topics include machine learning, AI, databases in drug design, molecular docking, bioinformatics tools, target-based drug design, and immunoinformatics, chemoinformatics, and nanoinformatics in drug design. Drug repurposing in drug design in general as well as for specific diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer's disease, tuberculosis, COVID-19, etc., is also addressed in depth.

Biorationals or biopesticides are pest control agents of biological origin. Biopesticides are emerging alternatives to harmful chemical pest control agents. The book provides essential information on botanical, biological originated insecticidal, herbicidal, fungicidal, nematicidal agents, insect growth hormones, insect pheromones and plant growth regulators. It will help researchers and students to develop new strategies for pest management.

Research in recent years has increasingly shifted away from purely academic research, and into applied aspects of the discipline, including climate change research, conservation, and sustainable development. It has by now widely been recognized that “traditional” knowledge is always in flux and adapting to a quickly changing environment. Trends of globalization, especially the globalization of plant markets, have greatly influenced how plant resources are managed nowadays. While ethnobotanical studies are now available from many regions of the world, no comprehensive encyclopedic series focusing on the worlds mountain regions is available in the market. Scholars in plant sciences worldwide will be interested in this website and its dynamic content. The field (and thus the market) of ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology has grown considerably in recent years. Student interest is on the rise, attendance at professional conferences has grown steadily, and the number of professionals calling themselves ethnobotanists has increased significantly (the various societies (Society for Economic Botany, International Society of Ethnopharmacology, Society of Ethnobiology, International Society for Ethnobiology, and many regional and national societies in the field currently have thousands of members). Growth has been most robust in BRIC countries.The objective of this new MRW on Ethnobotany of Mountain Regions is to take advantage of the increasing international interest and scholarship in the field of mountain research. We anticipate including the best and latest research on a full range of descriptive, methodological, theoretical, and applied research on the most important plants for each region. Each contribution will be scientifically rigorous and contribute to the overall field of study.

This edited book provides the first comprehensive overview on conventional and emerging processing technologies for the extraction and purification of proteins and/or peptides from plant sources with a special focus on subsequent product development.The book opens with an introduction to the most conventional processing technologies used in industry today: the alkaline extraction followed by isoelectric precipitation, and air classification. The book also focusses on novel extraction and purification technologies, covering the most recent green emerging technologies based on enzymatic processes, solvents, high-pressure processing, barometric membrane technologies, and microwave-assisted extraction, among others. The final chapters bridge the gap between the presented methods and product development and highlight how these technologies can alter protein functionality and nutritional quality of the extracted protein, and thereby, impact human health.In the context of rising consumer interest in foods from plant-protein ingredients and the United Nations targets for Sustainable Development Goal 12 on ‘Responsible Consumption and Production', this book will provide an indispensable resource for students, engineers and researchers in academia and industry, working in the area of food science, food technology and plant-based product development.

Human health and wildlife are both affected by environmental contaminants. Plant-based bioremediation offers a cost-effective, non-intrusive, and natural alternative to chemical contamination by using plants and associated soil microbes to help reduce contaminants and their effects on the environment. This new volume provides an informative overview of the emerging issues related to bioremediation and phytoremediation.The author explains key concepts and aspects that underlie environmental awareness that have resulted in regulatory measures aimed at rectifying past mistakes and at protecting the environment from future contamination and exploitation. The book goes on to discuss alternative technologies for the removal of pollutants from the environment, restoring contaminated sites, and preventing further pollution using bioremediation. The multitude of bioremediation and phytoremediation technologies and methods covered include biochar for remediation, cyanobacteria, biosensors and bioindicators, rhizoremediation, and plant tissue culture studies.

This contributed volume brings out a comprehensive collection of changes from cellular to molecular levels in medicinal plants under extreme environments. The focus of this book is to address the molecular changes in medicinal plants under different abiotic stresses. Medicinal plants are regarded as rich resources of components that can be used for drug development in the pharmaceutical industry. A few medicinal plants are considered vital sources of nutrients and solicited for their therapeutic properties. Therefore, it is essential to understand medicinal plants'interaction under abiotic stresses as compounds obtained from these plants play an important role in human health. This book is of interest to students, teachers, researchers, scientists, medicinal plant experts, and policymakers. Also, the book provides study material for undergraduate and graduate students of botany, environmental sciences, medicinal and aromatic plants, biochemistry, and biotechnology. National and international scientists working in the area of medicinal plants, drug development, and policymakers will also find this a useful read

This contributed volume discusses the impact of bioenergy on the environment and economy. The book contents include contributions on themes, such as the impact of emulsified biofuels on the environment, environmental impacts of the current uses of biomass energy, sustainable development in ecosystem, trends in microbial fuel cells and the ecological and economic impacts on biofuel production, among others. The book also uses visual elements to aid learning. This book is a valuable, hands-on resource for researchers, academics and industry professionals, who are interested in alternative fuels, sustainability, clean energy, biofuel production, waste management, environmental pollution, renewable energy and allied fields.

This book targets new advances in areas of treatment and drug delivery sciences for Malaria. This is the only published book which compiles the complete road map of malarial drug delivery systems along with an overview on the pathology, current state of malaria across the globe, new clinical trials, emerging drugs and evolving novel drug delivery platforms. A wide variety of novel micro-and nano-formulations using promising technologies are being explored to deliver the malarial drug via different administration routes. This book addresses the gap between new approaches and old treatment modalities and how the former is superior in pharmacological performance when tested in in-vitro and in-vivo. Audience from wide range group like from researchers to regulatory bodies can benefit from the compiled information to find out patient needs and addresses a much-needed update to the existing malaria drug delivery research.

This is an open access book.Molecular biology has given a great impact in life science investigation. The advances in molecular biology over the last several decades have boosted research and product development in many disciplines of life science, including Biotechnology and Pharmacy. This advances comprise: (1) the progression of more sophisticated techniques in molecular biology with a broad, interdisciplinary applications; (2) the expanding flow of information of technical novelties and scientific discoveries across scientific community; and (3) the development of more sophisticated software and continuously updated databases. This has changed the rationale and approach of experimentations giving rise to revolutionizing discoveries in many fields od science. It has become evident that the deregulation of molecular processes in body is associated with, and in certain circumstances is the direct cause of, a wide range of pathological conditions. It is necessary to mention the biomedical relevance of molecular biology-related investigations for drug discovery and the development of a more personalized medicine. Given the rapidly changing and continuously evolving nature of the molecular biology field, we can anticipate that the revolutionary impact of molecular biology in life sciences is only at the beginning and is far from being finished. To highlight the rapidly growing research and product development in the field of Biotechnology and Pharmacy, the 4th International Conference on Natural Resources and Life Sciences (NRLS)” themed Biotechnology- and pharmacy-driven research and product development is presented. Following the successful program of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd NRLS, we intend to hold the next two-day conference along with a one-day optional workshop in 4th NRLS, as a scientific forum for biotechnology and pharmacy researchers and product developers to discuss the recent advances in the fields and their application. It isa great pleasure to invite you to the forthcoming 4th NRLS Conference, which will be held virtually, on August 24th-25th 2022, and the following onsite workshop on August 26th, 2022.

The book provides an overview relevant to various biological mechanisms that regulate carbon exchanges between the major components and their response to climate change. Climate change has a significant impact on people's lives, energy demand, food security, etc. The soil microbial ecology is vital for assessing terrestrial and aquatic carbon cycles and climate feedback. However, the primary concern is the complexity of the soil microbial community and its severely affected functions due to the climate and other global changes. Global warming comprises an assessment of the dynamic interactions and feedback between microbes, plants, and their physical environment due to climate change. The book will address the need to use a multifactor experimental approach to understand how soil microorganisms and their activities adapt to climate change and the implications of carbon cycle feedback. The most pressing concern is a clearer understanding of the biological factors that regulate carbon exchanges between land, oceans, and the atmosphere and how these exchanges will respond to climate change via climate–ecosystem feedbacks, which could augment or quell regional and global climate change. Terrestrial ecosystems play an important role in climate feedback as they produce and absorb greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxides. They also strongly contribute to storing enormous amounts of carbon in living vegetation and soils, rendering them a significant global carbon sink. If climate change projections are realistic, such a rapid increase in carbon loss from soil could exacerbate the soil carbon cycle feedback. The book will determine the role of microbial feedback in regulating soil-land-atmosphere carbon exchange under changing climatic conditions at the regional and global levels. The current book will also focus on recent research designed to use beneficial microbes such as plant growth-promoting microorganisms, fungi, endophytic microbes, and others to improve understanding of the interaction and their potential role in promoting advanced management for sustainable agricultural solutions. Understanding the influence on the native microbiome, such as the distribution of methanogens and methanotrophs, nutritional content, microbial biomass, and other factors, is becoming increasingly crucial to establishing climate-resilient agriculture.

This contributed volume provides a comprehensive, in-depth and subject-based reviews on the current status of active ingredients, sustainable use, biodiversity and conservation of certain endangered medicinal plants. The book also explores conventional and non-conventional biotechnological interventions for their biodiversity conservation. Medicinal plants have been used in worldwide as a major source of raw material for the traditional herbal healthcare practices as well as for drug discovery and development in pharmaceutical industry. The cumulative consequences of various human activities and environmental factors cause decline in the biodiversity of medicinal plants at an unprecedented rate worldwide. Thus, the overall understanding of ecology, species and genetic diversity along with assessment of the status of different threats and their impact on medicinal plants is crucial to sustain existing biodiversity, its utilization and conservation. All the latest advancements in the biotechnological approaches for the conservation research of endangered medicinal plants and the future perspectives have been described. This book provides comprehensive reviews spreading over about 25 chapters divided in three sections. The chapters of this book are written by recognized scientists in their respective fields which are useful to students, academicians, researchers, botanists, biotechnologists, policy makers, conservationists and industries interested in biodiversity conservation and medicinal plant research for the production of secondary metabolites.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of medicinal plants and their interaction with abiotic stress in terms of morphological, physiological, biochemical, and molecular variations, and explains the adaptation and tolerance mechanisms involved. It presents various mechanisms that become operative in medicinal plants to combat stressful situations. The book discusses the secondary metabolites and/or bioactive compounds produced in medicinal plants under abiotic stress conditions, and the use of biostimulants and/or phytoprotectants to alleviate the adverse effects of abiotic stresses on medicinal plants. Additionally, it is likely to address opportunities and challenges in molecular and omics studies of medicinal plants under abiotic stress conditions. Overall, the chapters are developed by eminent subject experts with due care and clarity and cover an up-to-date literature review with relevant illustrations. The book would cater to the need of graduate and post-graduate students, researchers as well as scientists, and may attract the attention of pharmaceutical companies/industrialists and health policymakers.

This edited book details the plant-assisted remediation methods, which involves the interaction of plant roots with associated rhizospheric microorganisms for the remediation of soil and water contaminated with high levels of heavy metals, pesticides, radionuclides, agricultural by-products, municipal wastes, industrial solvents, petroleum hydrocarbons, organic compounds, and various other contaminants. Each chapter highlights and compares the beneficial and economical alternatives of phytoremediation to currently practiced soil, water, and air removal. This book covers state-of-the-art approaches in phytoremediation contributed by leading and eminent scientists from across the world. Phytoremediation approaches for environmental sustainability dealing the readers with a cutting-edge of multidisciplinary understanding in the principal and practical approaches of phytoremediation from laboratory research to field application. This book is of interest to researchers, teachers, environmental scientists, environmental engineers, environmentalists, and policy makers. Also, the book serves as additional reading material for undergraduate and graduate students of environmental microbiology, biotechnology, eco-toxicology, environmental remediation, waste management, and environmental sciences as well as the general audience.

Nanomaterials in the Battle Against Pathogens and Disease Vectors presents an overview of the use of nanotechnology to mitigate pathogens of concern, and is the first book to discuss applications of nanotechnology in the fight against all three major domains of disease-causing pathogens. Bacteria, viruses, and parasites constitute the list of emerging and re-emerging pathogens of high priority. Nanotechnology has proven to be a groundbreaking success in the elimination, targeted toxicity, precise immunogenicity, diagnosis, and imaging of these major pathogens and disease vectors. This text discusses basic concepts and advanced applications for bacteria, viruses, and parasites. It describes the use of metallic and non-metallic nanoparticles and nanotoxicity, as well as presents future applications of nanotechnology in biological applications. This work is ideal for engineers and scientists across the interdisciplinary fields of materials science, biomedical engineering, biotechnology, and others concerned with mitigating the risk and effect of pathogens.

With contributions from leading researchers in the nanomedicine field from industry, academia, and government and private research institutions across the globe, the volume provides an up-to-date report on topical issues in nano-drug delivery and nanotechnological approaches to tissue engineering. The volume offers research on a variety of diverse nano-based drug delivery systems along with discussions of their efficacy, safety, toxicology, and applications for different purposes. Focusing on nanotechnology approaches to tissue engineering, this volume considers the use of hydrogel systems, nanoceria and micro- and nano-structured biomaterials for bone tissue engineering, mesenchymal stem cells, and more.

Industrial microbiology utilizes microorganisms to produce industrially important products in a more sustainable way, as opposed to the traditional chemical and energy intensive processes. The present book is an attempt to provide its readers with compiled and updated information in the area of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology. This book provides the basics of microbiology and how it has been exploited at an industrial scale. The book focuses on the role of biotechnological advances that directly impact the industrial production of several bioactive compounds using microbes-based methods under a controlled and regulated environment. On one hand, this book presents detailed information on the basics of microbiology such as types of microbes and their applications, bioreactor design, fermentation techniques, strain improvement strategies, etc. At the same time it also provides recent and updated information on industrial production, recovery, and applications of enzymes, alcohols, organic acids, steroids as a drug precursor, etc., using microbial biotechnological approaches. The book presents an overview of modern technological advances for the generation of energy (biomethane, bioethanol, and bioelectricity) and resource recovery from waste. It also highlights the application of CRISPR-based technologies in the industrial microbiology sector. This book is developed with the motive to benefit students, academicians, as well as researchers. The book will also find interests among microbiologists, biotechnologists, environmentalists, and engineers working in the application of the microbes-based approach for the development of greener technologies.

This book presents deliberations on molecular and genomic mechanisms underlying the interactions of crop plants to the abiotic stresses caused by heat, cold, drought, flooding, submergence, salinity, acidity, etc., important to develop resistant crop varieties. Knowledge on the advanced genetic and genomic crop improvement strategies including molecular breeding, transgenics, genomic-assisted breeding, and the recently emerging genome editing for developing resistant varieties in fruit crops is imperative for addressing FHNEE (food, health, nutrition, energy, and environment) security. Whole genome sequencing in many of these crops followed by genotyping-by-sequencing has provided precise information regarding the genes conferring resistance useful for gene discovery, allele mining, and shuttle breeding which in turn opened up the scope for'designing'crop genomes with resistance to abiotic stresses. The seven chapters each dedicated to a fruit crop and a fruit crop group inthis volume elucidate different types of abiotic stresses and their effects on and interaction with the crops; enumerate the available genetic diversity with regard to abiotic stress resistance among available cultivars; illuminate the potential gene pools for utilization in interspecific gene transfer; present brief on classical genetics of stress resistance and traditional breeding for transferring them to their cultivated counterparts; depict the success stories of genetic engineering for developing abiotic stress-resistant crop varieties; discuss on molecular mapping of genes and QTLs underlying stress resistance and their marker-assisted introgression into elite varieties; enunciate different genomics-aided techniques including genomic selection, allele mining, gene discovery, and gene pyramiding for developing adaptive crop varieties with higher quantity and quality of yields, and also elaborate some case studies on genome editing focusing on specific genes for generating abiotic stress-resistant crops.

This book discusses different approaches for successful pest-management through biotechnological interventions. Pest management is directly associated with the agricultural productivity. The book introduces the reader to various kinds of biopesticides that have been developed and are being developed for field application. Chemical pesticides have been widely used to control pests, and these induce pesticide resistance as well as other environmental problems. This book discusses the necessity to develop alternate pest control strategies, especially environment-friendly and target-specific biopesticides against destructive pests. The book describes important aspects such as microbial biopesticides, plant-based biopesticides, natural products that act against pests and the various other biotechnological advances and limitations of these biopesticides. It provides an in-depth knowledge of the latest research and development in the area of biopesticides. This informative book is meant for students and researchers in the fields of biotechnology, agriculture and applied microbiology.

The book discusses up-to-date and detailed information about the nutritional quality of forage in the biodiversity-rich Himalayan region and their potential in livestock feeding.• Provides a comprehensive discussion on the prospects of Himalayan forages.• Collates findings and data based on more than two decades of research on nutritional quality of different temperate grasses, fodder trees, legumes and non-conventional forage resources.• Includes information on different forage resources, nutritional quality of forages, niche based nutritive forage species, varietal improvement of different species for nutritionally rich forages, non-conventional forages and modern biotechnological intervention for quality improvement of forages.• Offers a valuable resource of information on forages for researchers and policymakers• Include information oriented toward livestock feeding, influencing their health, production and productivity affecting economic status of farmers.• Presents exhaustive information on forage species along with pictorial presentations. The target audience will be researchers and scientists in public and private institutions (e.g. government, academia, dairy industry), policy planners, animal nutritionists and students. The monograph is relevant for the readers interested in understanding forage quality for livestock feeding and suggest models for quality improvement of forages worldwide, in similar topographies. It is also relevant to the researchers studying forage improvement and biofortification for nutritional enhancement for improving livestock health and productivity

This book covers the important diseases and pests of potato which are of global significance. The pests and diseases in potato lead to huge economic losses by reducing the yield and quality of the produce. This book describes major pests and diseases in detail with particular emphasis on the latest developments with respect to their biology, ecology, and management. It highlights the importance of virus infection for seed potato production and diagnostic symptoms, along with management guidelines. The book brings forth tips for judicious use of pesticides for sustainable potato production and management of pesticide resistance. Use of novel approaches such as RNA interference, genome editing, and other genomic resources for drug designing in diseases and pest management is also emphasized in the book. This book is of interest to teachers, researchers, extension workers, potato growers, and policy makers. Also, the book serves as additional reading material for undergraduate and graduate students of agriculture and plant pathology. National and international agricultural scientists and policy makers will also find this to be a useful read.

This edited book is a comprehensive compilation highlighting sources of biostimulants, their production, influence on plant growth and development, and regulatory status of plant biostimulants for better understanding and opening new vistas for future research. Biostimulants, the biological formulations are known to meliorate the plants growth and vigour, improve nutritional efficiency along with maintaining their well-being mainly via providing protection against a wide range of infections. Both horticultural as well as agricultural crops involve the utilization of the biostimulants. Fulvic and humic acids, nitrogen-containing compounds, protein hydrolysates, favourable bacteria and fungi, and extracts of seaweed are the chief active components of these. The major driving force for these materials is the organic farming industry and demand for sustainable crop production. This book will be of great interest to researchers, teachers, climate change scientists, capacity builders, and policy makers. Moreover, this book does the work of a supplementary reading for students in various fields such as agriculture, soil science, ecology, environmental science and forestry at undergraduate as well as graduate level. This will be a gainful read for national and international agricultural scientists and the policy makers.• Elaborates on biostimulants induced influence of plant growth and development • Covers all aspects of biostimulants sources and its role in plant life in detail • Discusses evidence based approach in biostimulants sources and its useful applications in plants

Research in recent years has increasingly shifted away from purely academic research, and into applied aspects of the discipline, including climate change research, conservation, and sustainable development. It has by now widely been recognized that “traditional” knowledge is always in flux and adapting to a quickly changing environment. Trends of globalization, especially the globalization of plant markets, have greatly influenced how plant resources are managed nowadays. While ethnobotanical studies are now available from many regions of the world, no comprehensive encyclopedic series focusing on the worlds mountain regions is available in the market. Scholars in plant sciences worldwide will be interested in this website and its dynamic content.The field (and thus the market) of ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology has grown considerably in recent years. Student interest is on the rise, attendance at professional conferences has grown steadily, and the number of professionals calling themselves ethnobotanists has increased significantly (the various societies, like the Society for Economic Botany, the International Society of Ethnopharmacology, the Society of Ethnobiology, and the International Society for Ethnobiology currently have thousands of members). Growth has been most robust in BRIC countries.This new MRW on Ethnobotany of the Himalayas takes advantage of the increasing international interest and scholarship in the field of mountain research. It includes the best and latest research on a full range of descriptive, methodological, theoretical, and applied research on the most important plants in the Himalayas. Each contribution is scientifically rigorous and contributes to the overall field of study.

Combined fields of Microbiology and Nanotechnology have been most successful in providing novel solutions for protecting the health of humans and environment. This book covers the implications of nano-strategies to combat bacterial pathogens, applications of nanotechniques in microbiology, and innovative advances in the area of medical microbiology. Contents are divided into three sections -- Nanoscience in controlling bacterial pathogens, Nanoscience in Microbiology, Medical Microbiology. This volume is going to provide timely information about the technological advances of Nanoscience in the domain of Microbiology, with a special emphasis on Pathobiology. The book is a useful read for students and researchers in microbiology, nanotechnology and medical microbiology.

The protein molecule is the basic building block of every living entity. Its deficiency leads to restricted growth and development of individuals. Globally, such malnutrition is on the rise due to various reasons such as rapid population growth, stagnation of productivity, and ever-rising costs. Millions of people, especially in developing and under-developed countries, suffer from protein malnutrition and the only possible solution is to encourage farmers to grow high-protein food legume crops in their fields for domestic consumption. This, however, could be possible if farmers are provided with new cultivars with high yield, and resistance to major insects, diseases, and key abiotic stresses. The major food legume crops are chickpea, cowpea, common bean, groundnut, lentil, pigeonpea, and soybean. Predominantly, the legume crops are grown under a subsistence level and, therefore, in comparison to cereals and horticultural crops their productivity is low and highly variable. The crop breeders around the globe are engaged in breeding suitable cultivars for harsh and changing environments but success has been limited and not up to needs.With the recent development of new technologies in plant sciences, efforts are being made to help under-privileged farmers through breeding new cultivars which will produce more protein per unit of land area. In this book, the contributors analyze the constraints, review new technologies, and propose a future course of crop breeding programs in seven cold and warm season legume crops.

Fungi are an understudied, biotechnologically valuable group of organisms. Due to their immense range of habitats, and the consequent need to compete against a diverse array of other fungi, bacteria, and animals, fungi have developed numerous survival mechanisms. However, besides their major basic positive role in the cycling of minerals, organic matter and mobilizing insoluble nutrients, fungi have other beneficial impacts: they are considered good sources of food and active agents for a number of industrial processes involving fermentation mechanisms as in the bread, wine and beer industry. A number of fungi also produce biologically important metabolites such as enzymes, vitamins, antibiotics and several products of important pharmaceutical use; still others are involved in the production of single cell proteins. The economic value of these marked positive activities has been estimated as approximating to trillions of US dollars. The unique attributes of fungi thus herald greatpromise for their application in biotechnology and industry. Since ancient Egyptians mentioned in their medical prescriptions how they can use green molds in curing wounds as the obvious historical uses of penicillin, fungi can be grown with relative ease, making production at scale viable. The search for fungal biodiversity, and the construction of a living fungi collection, both have incredible economic potential in locating organisms with novel industrial uses that will lead to novel products. Fungi have provided the world with penicillin, lovastatin, and other globally significant medicines, and they remain an untapped resource with enormous industrial potential.Volume 1 of Industrially Important Fungi for Sustainable Development provides an overview to understanding fungal diversity from diverse habitats and their industrial application for future sustainability. It encompasses current advanced knowledge of fungal communities and their potential biotechnological applications in industry and allied sectors. The book will be useful to scientists, researchers, and students of microbiology, biotechnology, agriculture, molecular biology, and environmental biology.

This book presents the latest knowledge on both the physiological and the microbiological aspects of wound healing. Fresh insights into the process of cutaneous wound healing are described, which involves tissue regeneration and repair processes consisting of a sequence of molecular and cellular events. The management of infected wounds is then discussed in detail, covering the roles of traditional medicine practices, novel anti-infective formulations, non-antibiotic approaches, and probiotic bacteria. A section devoted to the interdisciplinary approach to wound care addresses topics including in vitro and in vivo research models, the development of advanced wound dressings, tissue engineering, and the potential applications of bioscaffolds. The authors are all leading researchers in the field. This book is an attempt to showcase current research status and future directions in the area of wound-healing research, which must be of interest to a large group ofreaders and researchers interested in this field.

Selenium plays a significant role in preventing certain types of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. The level of Selenium in the human body depends on its concentration in food. In turn, the content in vegetable crops is a function of the soil-plant system. There are many countries in the world with low Selenium content in the soil. The average daily human intake is thus limited through food chain. Analysis of Selenium status suggests that fortification of the soil substrate with Sodium Selenate, and foliar application to agricultural crops are both effective means of Selenium enrichment. Our intention for this publication is to present the possibilities of augmenting Selenium content by biofortification of soils and plants through differentiated nutrition. In the first part of the monograph, the results of Selenium supplementation in model vegetation experiments are presented. The next part of the monograph presents the results of foliar supplementationof Selenium in field conditions. This book is an outstanding reference source for plant breeders and researchers engaged in biofortification of horticulture crops. It is also beneficial to agricultural companies and other stakeholders.

Research in recent years has increasingly shifted away from purely academic research, and into applied aspects of the discipline, including climate change research, conservation, and sustainable development. It has by now widely been recognized that “traditional” knowledge is always in flux and adapting to a quickly changing environment. Trends of globalization, especially the globalization of plant markets, have greatly influenced how plant resources are managed nowadays. While ethnobotanical studies are now available from many regions of the world, no comprehensive encyclopedic series focusing on the worlds mountain regions is available in the market. Scholars in plant sciences worldwide will be interested in this website and its dynamic content. The field (and thus the market) of ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology has grown considerably in recent years. Student interest is on the rise, attendance at professional conferences has grown steadily, and the number of professionals calling themselves ethnobotanists has increased significantly (the various societies (Society for Economic Botany, International Society of Ethnopharmacology, Society of Ethnobiology, International Society for Ethnobiology, and many regional and national societies in the field currently have thousands of members). Growth has been most robust in BRIC countries.The objective of this new MRW on Ethnobotany of Mountain Regions is to take advantage of the increasing international interest and scholarship in the field of mountain research. We anticipate including the best and latest research on a full range of descriptive, methodological, theoretical, and applied research on the most important plants for each region. Each contribution will be scientifically rigorous and contribute to the overall field of study.

In this monograph, the core elements of multidisciplinary bioremediation practices are addressed and environmental pollutants which can be effectively remediated using weeds is focused upon. Weeds plants can easily grow in waste dumping sites with their rapidly colonizing ability. The contents include recent results in bioremediation and focuses on the current trend of introduction of potentials of weeds in bioremediation practice. This volume will be a useful guide for researchers, academics and scientists. ^

This book explores microbial symbiosis, with a particular focus on soil microorganisms, highlighting their application in enhancing plant growth and yield. It addresses various types of bacterial and fungal microbes associated with symbiotic phenomena, including rhizobium symbiosis, arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis, ectomycorrhizal symbiosis, algal/lichen symbiosis, and Archeal symbiosis.Presenting strategies for employing a diverse range of bacterial and fungal symbioses in nutrient fortification, adaptation of plants in contaminated soils, and mitigating pathogenesis, it investigates ways of integrating diverse approaches to increase crop production under the current conventional agroecosystem.Providing insights into microbial symbioses and the challenges of adopting a plant-microbe synergistic approach towards plant health, this book is a valuable resource for researchers, graduate students and anyone in industry working on bio-fertilizers and their agricultural applications.

Im vorliegenden Buch werden verschiedene Aspekte der Produktion der pharmakologisch relevanten Oleanol- und Ursolsäure mit Salbeizellen untersucht und optimiert. Chromatographische Techniken zur Analyse dieser Triterpensäuren und weiterer Metabolite in Pflanzenextrakten wurden untersucht und offenbaren einen Überblick über die stoffliche Zusammensetzung der Kulturen sowie weiterer potentiell interessanter Wirkstoffe. Neben der Extraktion von OS und US wurde für eine hormonbasierte Salvia fruticosa Zellsuspension die Kryokonservierung entwickelt um den Erhalt des biosynthetischen Potentials dieser Kulturen zu gewährleisten und somit das Produktionsverfahren zu stabilisieren. Zur Steigerung der Ausbeute an OS und US stellten sich Elizitoren aus dem Kulturmedium von Schimmelpilzen sowie eine Kultivierung in Kombination mit Saccharose im Zulauf als vielversprechend heraus. Weiterhin wurden hormonautotrophe Kulturen induziert und hinsichtlich ihrer Produktionsleistung überprüft.

As a substrate, cellulose plays a crucial role in the biomass-based biofuel production process, and is essential to enzyme and sugar production. Accordingly, ensuring maximum availability of cellulose for enzyme production and bioconversion for sugar generation is one of the major challenges for sustainable biofuels production. To date there has been extensive research on biofuel production using lignocellulosic biomass, but there is a huge gap when it comes to the critical analysis of cellulose content, structural feasibility, availability, and economic processing, so that it can be converted for enzyme and fuel production at low cost.Consequently, this book discusses the availability of lignocellulosic substrate for biofuel production in light of the challenges that the biofuels industry is currently facing. After identifying the major substrate selection challenges for the practical biofuel production process, the book addresses said challenges by focusing on various issues such as: potential substrates that have high cellulosic content, structural feasibility, and low-cost & effective processing to remedy the structural complexity of biomass structure and create added value. In addition, it covers recent advancements in cellulase production and outlines future prospects.Given its scope, it offers a valuable guide for research students and industry practitioners alike.

The book entitled “Microbes, Environment and Human Welfare” is divided into fifteen chapters that cover various aspects of microorganism-based biotechnology, including recent methodologies such as advanced molecular techniques, as well developments in classical microbiological techniques. The authors also explain how the latest and classical techniques are being used in modern-day microbial biotechnology. All chapters were written by experts from prominent universities, research laboratories, and institutes around the globe. Above all, they focus on recent advances in microbial technology that promote the welfare of living beings and the environment. Microbes in human welfare from different angles starting from source of antibiotics to fermented food to production of biofuel have been discussed with environmental relevance. Separate chapters discussing the use of microbes for remedy of environmental problems help the book to stand with the moto of sustainable development and protection of nature. Global problem in clinical microbiology is discussed with plausible novel remedial approaches. Further, it explains how and why microbes play an important role in preserving the welfare of living beings and the environment. Many bacteria play a significant part in cleaning our environment by detoxifying various xenobiotic compounds, while several microbes produce secondary metabolites that are useful to human beings.

Pearl millet is mainly used for animal and poultry feed. It is the principal source of energy, protein, vitamins, minerals and contains many phenolic compounds, which are a good source of natural antioxidants. Pearl millet is a rich source of bioactive compounds and contains phytates and polyphenols. Owing to high nutritional and phytochemical properties, it has gained considerable attention as a botanical dietary supplement in many functional foods. Pearl Millet: Properties, Functionality and Its Applications provides comprehensive knowledge on nutritional and non-nutritional aspects of pearl millet. It covers recent research on pearl millet and provides information to improve the property and shelf life of flour, as well as the starch, and their uses in various food products.Features: Reviews structure, functional and antioxidant properties in pearl millet flour Deals with the latest developments in modification of native starch Provides information in enhancing shelf life and its utilization in phytochemical-rich product development Covers updated information for grain science professionals and food technologists

This book provides updated and comprehensive information on the effective functioning of earthworms used alone or in combination with other biological systems/microbes, as well as factors affecting the process and performance of vermiremediation under a range of conditions. It also compares earthworm assisted vermifiltration with other conventional biochemical methods. Presenting cutting-edge research on the earthworm assisted remediation of industrial and municipal effluents and sludges, along with its role in solid waste management (SWM), the book will benefit readers from the research community and industrial sector alike, familiarizing them with the latest remediation techniques for wastewater and different types of solid waste.

The book discusses the various methods and protocols available in hairy root culture-based research. The utilization of Agrobacterium mediated genetic transformation and establishment of hairy root cultures has paved the way for large-scale secondary metabolite production in medicinal plants. Presenting recent research and offering insights from eminent research groups, the book covers a range of topics related to hairy root-based applications, including (i) establishment of hairy roots and native production of SM (ii) yield enhancement strategies for increased SM production, like elicitation (iii) hairy roots as a tool for value-added applications such as plant-microbe interaction, characterization of plant genes and root biology studies. As such it is an informative guide and experimental manual for researchers in diverse fields of plant biology.

In the pursuit of technological advancement in the field of biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries to counteract health issues, bacterial infections remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality. The ability of bacterial pathogens to form biofilms further agglomerates the situation by showing resistance to conventional antibiotics. To overcome this serious issue, bioactive metabolites and other natural products were exploited to combat bacterial infections and biofilm-related health consequences. Natural products exhibited promising results in vitro, however; their efficacy in in vivo conditions remain obscured due to their low-solubility, bioavailability, and biocompatibility issues. In this scenario, nanotechnological interventions provide a multifaceted platform for targeted delivery of bioactive compounds by slow and sustained release of drug-like compounds. The unique physico-chemical properties, biocompatibility and eco-friendly nature of bioinspired nanostructures has revolutionized the field of biology to eradicate microbial infections and biofilm-related complications. The green-nanotechnology based metal and metal oxide nanoparticles and polymeric nanoparticles have been regularly employed for antimicrobial and antibiofilm applications without causing damage to host tissues. The implications of these nanoparticles toward achieving sustainability in agriculture by providing systemic resistance against a variety of phytopathogens therefore plays crucial role in growth and crop productivity. Also the advent of smart and hybrid nanomaterials such as metal-based polymer nanocomposites, lipid-based nanomaterials and liposomes have the inherent potential to eradicate bacterial biofilm-related infections in an efficient manner. The recent development of carbon-based nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and silica based nanomaterials such as mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) also exploit a target of dreadful healthcare conditions such as cancer, immunomodulatory diseases, and microbial infections, as well as biofilm-related issues owing to their stability profile, biocompatibility, and unique physio-chemical properties. Recently novel physical approaches such as photothermal therapy (PTT) and antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) also revolutionized conventional strategies and are engaged in eradicating microbial biofilm-related infections and related health consequences. These promising advancements in the development of novel strategies to treat microbial infections and biofilm-related multidrug resistance (MDR) phenomenon may provide new avenues and aid to conventional antimicrobial therapeutics.

Under ongoing climate changes, natural and cultivated habitats of major crops are being continuously disturbed. Such conditions impose and exacerbate abiotic and biotic stressors. Drought, salinity, flood, cold, heat, heavy metals, metalloids, oxidants, irradiation, etc. are important abiotic stressors, while diseases and infections caused by plant pathogens, such as fungal agents, bacteria and viruses, are major biotic stresses. In many instances, stresses have become the major limiting factor for agricultural productivity and exert detrimental role on growth and yield of the crops. To help feed an ever increasing world population and to ensure global food security, concerted efforts from scientists and researchers have identified strategies to manage and mitigate the impacts of climate-induced stresses. This book, summarizing their findings, is aimed at crop improvement beyond such kind of barriers, by agronomic practices (genetics, breeding, phenotyping, etc.) and biotechnological applications, including molecular markers, QTL mapping, genetic engineering, transgenesis, tissue culture, various'omics'technologies and gene editing. It will cover a wide range of topics under environmental challenges, agronomy and agriculture processes, and biotechnological approaches. Additionally, fundamental mechanisms and applied information on stress responses and tolerance will be discussed. This book highlights problems and offers proper solutions for crop stress management with recent information and up-to-date citations. We believe this book is suitable for scientists, researchers and students working in the fields of agriculture, plant science, environmental biology and biotechnology.

Plants require essential nutrients (macronutrients and micronutrients) for normal functioning. Sufficiency range is the levels of nutrients necessary to meet the plant's needs for optimal growth. This range depends on individual plant species and the particular nutrient. Nutrient levels outside of a plant's sufficiency range cause overall crop growth and health to decline, due either to deficiency or toxicity from over-accumulation. Apart from micronutrients (B, Cl, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu and Mo), Aluminum (Al), cerium (Ce), cobalt (Co), iodine (I), lanthanum (La), sodium (Na), selenium (Se), silicon (Si), titanium (Ti), and vanadium (V) are emerging as novel biostimulants that may enhance crop productivity and nutritional quality. These beneficial elements are not'essential'but when supplied at low dosages, they augment plant growth, development, and yield by stimulating specific molecular, biochemical, and physiological pathways in responses to challenging environments.The book is the first reference volume that approaches plant micronutrient management with the latest biotechnological and omics tools. Expertly curated chapters highlight working solutions as well as open problems and future challenges in plant micronutrient deficiency or toxicity. We believe this book will introduce readers to state-of-the-art developments and research trends in this field.

This Reference Work is devoted to plant secondary metabolites and their evolutionary adaptation to different hosts and pests. Secondary metabolites play an important biological role in plants'defence against herbivores, abiotic stresses and pathogens, and they also attract beneficial organisms such as pollinators. In this work, readers will find a comprehensive review of the phytochemical diversity, modification and adaptation of secondary metabolites, and the consequences of their co-evolution with plant parasites, pollinators, and herbivores. Chapters from expert contributors are organised into twelve sections that collate the current knowledge in intra-/inter-specific diversity in plant secondary metabolites, changes in secondary metabolites during plants'adaptation to different environmental conditions, and co-evolution of host-parasite metabolites. Among the twelve themed parts, readers will also discover expert analysis on the genetics and chemical ecology evolution ofsecondary metabolites, and particular attention is also given to allelochemicals, bioactive molecules in plant defence and the evolution of sensory perception in vertebrates. This reference work will appeal to students, researchers and professionals interested in the field of plant pathology, plant breeding, biotechnology, agriculture and phytochemistry.

Allelopathic studies may be defined in various aspects; weed against weed/crop and vice versa. This book focuses on the ways to utilize the allelopathic potential of weeds or crops for controlling weeds in the agroecosystems. Vigorous use of herbicides is poisoning our environment at an alarming rate; allelopathy can be employed as a useful alternative to control weeds naturally under field conditions. The book contains chapters on the history of allelopathy; allelopathic potential of several important crops (rice, wheat, sorghum, maize, mustard, sunflower) and weeds (members of Solanaceae, Convolvulaceae, Asteraceae, Verbenaceae). Moreover, it highlights how the allelopathic potential of these weeds and crops can be employed effectively to suppress weeds under field conditions. The book also discusses topics on the role of allelochemicals in agroecosystems; impact on local flora; biotic stress induced by allelochemicals; mechanism of action of allelochemicals and future prospectiveof allelopathy. Prepared with basic concepts and importance of allelopathy, this book is intended for the agricultural community, botanists, students and researchers.