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This book aims to provide fundamental knowledge and information for research in molecular systematics on parasitic helminths (nematode, trematode, cestode). The shreds of evidence of molecular systematics studies will be compiled and discussed in terms of the utilities and pitfalls of the genetic marker used for various purposes, which have been implemented for molecular systematics of parasitic nematodes, cestodes, and trematodes. Moreover, this book will also provide the procedure for research on molecular systematics and DNA taxonomy as the guideline to explore parasitic helminths. Finally, the further perspectives of utilizing genetic markers for molecular studies on parasitic helminths will be addressed in the context of applications from the laboratory to fieldwork such as DNA barcoding and environmental DNA metabarcoding of parasitic helminths. The book will benefit postgraduate students and researchers requiring the detailed knowledge of molecular systematics,as well as researchers desiring a guideline to select genetic markers and analyze DNA sequences to make phylogenetic inferences

Demand for agricultural crops and nutritional requirement continues to escalate in response to increasing population. Also, climate change exerts adverse effects on agriculture crop productivity. Plant researchers have, therefore, focused to identify the scientific approaches that minimize the negative impacts of climate change on agricultural crops. Thus, it is the need of the hour to expedite the process for improving stress tolerance mechanisms in agricultural crops against various environmental factors, in order to fulfil the world's food demand. Among the various applied approaches, the application of phytohormones has gained significant attention in inducing stress tolerance mechanisms.Jasmonates are phytohormones with ubiquitous distribution among plants and generally considered to modulate many physiological events in higher plants such as defence responses, flowering and senescence. Also, jasmonates mediate plant responses to many biotic and abiotic stresses by triggering a transcriptional reprogramming that allows cells to cope with pathogens and stresses. Likewise, salicylates are important signal molecules for modulating plant responses to environmental stresses. Salicylic acid influences a range of diverse processes in plants, including seed germination, stomatal closure, ion uptake and transport, membrane permeability and photosynthetic and growth rate.Understanding the significant roles of these phytohormones in plant biology and from agriculture point of view, the current subject has recently attracted the attention of scientists from across the globe. Therefore, we bring forth a comprehensive book “Jasmonates and Salicylates Signalling in Plants” highlighting the various prospects involved in the current scenario. The book comprises chapters from diverse areas dealing with biotechnology, molecular biology, proteomics, genomics, metabolomics, etc. We are hopeful that this comprehensive book furnishes the requisite of all those who are working or have interest in this topic.

This book shares the latest insights into the genetic basis of molecular communication between plants and their microbial consortia. Further, the book highlights the capabilities of the rhizosphere and endosphere, which help manage ecosystem responses to climate change, nutrient cycling and sequestration of carbon; and discusses their application to the development and management of renewable energy sources.In their natural environments, plants are surrounded by a tremendous number of microorganisms. Some microbes directly interact with plants in a mutually beneficial fashion, while others colonize plants solely for their own advantage. In addition, microbes can indirectly affect plants by drastically altering their environments. Understanding the complex nature of the plant-microbe interface (PMI) can pave the way for novel strategies to improve plant productivity in an eco-friendly manner.The PMI approach focuses on understanding the physical, molecular, and chemical interactions between organisms in order to determine their functional roles in biological, physical, chemical and environmental systems. Although several metabolites from plants and microbes have now been fully characterized, their roles in chemical interactions between these associates remain poorly understood, and require further investigation.

This book presents advanced ecological techniques for crop cultivation and the chapters are arranged into four sections, namely general aspects, weeds, fungi, worms and microbes. Biocontrol is an ecological method of controlling pests such as insects, mites, weeds and plant diseases using other organisms. This practice has been used for centuries. Biocontrol relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or other natural mechanisms. Natural enemies of insect pests, also known as biological control agents, include predators, parasitoids, pathogens, and competitors.

This book sheds new light on the role of various environmental factors in regulating the metabolic adaptation of medicinal and aromatic plants. Many of the chapters present cutting-edge findings on the contamination of medicinal plants through horizontal transfer, as well as nanomaterials and the biosynthesis of pharmacologically active compounds. In addition, the book highlights the impacts of environmental factors (e.g., high and low temperature, climate change, global warming, UV irradiation, intense sunlight and shade, ozone, carbon dioxide, drought, salinity, nutrient deficiency, agrochemicals, waste, heavy metals, nanomaterials, weeds, pests and pathogen infections) on medicinal and aromatic plants, emphasizing secondary metabolisms. In recent years, interest has grown in the use of bioactive compounds from natural sources. Medicinal and aromatic plants constitute an important part of the natural environment and agro-ecosystems, and contain a wealth of chemical compounds known as secondary metabolites and including alkaloids, glycosides, essential oils and other miscellaneous active substances. These metabolites help plants cope with environmental and/or external stimuli in a rapid, reversible and ecologically meaningful manner. Additionally, environmental factors play a crucial role in regulating the metabolic yield of these biologically active molecules. Understanding how medicinal plants respond to environmental perturbations and climate change could open new frontiers in plant production and in agriculture, where successive innovation is urgently needed due to the looming challenges in connection with global food security and climate change. Readers will discover a range of revealing perspectives and the latest research on this vital topic.

This book summarizes the status quo of the knowledge about the biodiversity in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine animals that live in Japan. Consisting of some 6,800 islands that are arrayed for approximately 3,500 km from north to south, the Japanese archipelago has a complex history in a paleogeographic formation process over time and harbors rich flora and fauna. This work will contribute to establishing a general biogeographic theory in archipelagoes around continental shelves.Facing the ongoing extinction crisis, one of the most important tasks for our generation is to bequeath this precious natural heritage to future generations. As the first step toward this goal, a species list has been compiled through solid, steady alpha-taxonomic work in each taxon. Furthermore, the phylogeography and population genetic structure for each species is elucidated for deeper understanding of the local fauna, the scientific results of which should be the basis for establishing conservation policies and strategies. Also the problem of alien or introduced species is investigated as another threat to the native fauna.Each of the 27 chapters is written by the most active specialist leading the field, thus readers can acquire up-to-date knowledge of the animal species diversity and their formation process of Japanese animals in the most comprehensive form available. This book is recommended for researchers and students who are interested in species diversity, biogeography, and phylogeography.

This book summarizes our current knowledge on belowground defence strategies in plants by world-class scientists actively working in the area. The volume includes chapters covering belowground defence to main soil pathogens such as Fusarium, Rhizoctonia, Verticillium, Phytophthora, Pythium and Plasmodiophora, as well as to migratory and sedentary plant parasitic nematodes. In addition, the role of root exudates in belowground plant defence will be highlighted, as well as the crucial roles of pathogen effectors in overcoming root defences. Finally, accumulating evidence on how plants can differentiate beneficial soil microbes from the pathogenic ones will be covered as well. Better understanding of belowground defences can lead to the development of environmentally friendly plant protection strategies effective against soil-borne pathogens which cause substantial damage on many crop plants all over the world. The book will be a useful reference for plant pathologists, agronomists, plantmolecular biologists as well as students working on these and related areas.

Identification of desirable genotypes with traits of interest is discernible for making genetic improvement of crop plants. In this direction, screening of a large number of germplasm for desirable traits and transfer of identified traits into agronomic backgrounds through recombination breeding is the common breeding approach. Although visual screening is easier for qualitative traits, its use is not much effective for quantitative traits and also for those, which are difficult to score visually. Therefore, it is imperative to phenotype the germplasm accessions and breeding materials precisely using high throughput phenomics tools for challenging and complex traits under natural, controlled and harsh environmental conditions. Realizing the importance of phenotyping data towards identification and utilization of a germplasm as donors, global scientific community has exerted increased focus on advancing phenomics in crop plants leading to development of a number of techniques and methodologies for screening of agronomic, physiological, and biochemical traits. These technologies have now become much advanced and entered the era of digital science. This book provides exhaustive information on various aspects related to phenotyping of crop plants and offers a most comprehensive reference on the developments made in traditional and high throughput phenotyping of agricultural crops.

Advances in Botanical Research publishes in-depth and up-to-date reviews on a wide range of topics in plant sciences. Currently in its 73rd volume, the series features several reviews by recognized experts on all aspects of plant genetics, biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, physiology and ecology. This thematic volume features reviews on molecular and developmental aspects of the compatible plant-nematode interaction. The contributors all actively work in the field of molecular genetics and genomics of plant parasitic nematodes and nematode feeding sites. Reviews focus on molecular and physiological aspects of nematode feeding site development and includes specific chapters on nematode effectors as well as plant responses. - Publishes in-depth and up-to-date reviews on a wide range of topics in plant sciences - This volume features reviews of the fast moving field of compatible interaction between plants and sedentary endo-parasitic nematodes - A strong focus on molecular and physiological aspects of nematode feeding site development and includes specific chapters on nematode effectors as well as plant responses

This section of the Handbook of Zoology is intended as a comprehensive and exhaustive account of the biology of the taxa Gastrotricha, Nematoda, Nematomorpha, Priapulida, Kinorhyncha, Loricifera, Gnathostomulida, Micrognathozoa, Rotifera, Seisonida and Acanthocephala, covering all relevant topics such as morphology, ecology, phylogeny and diversity. The series is intended to be a detailed and up-to-date account of these taxa. As was the case with the first edition, the Handbook is intended to serve as a reliable resource for decades. Many of the taxa of this volume are comparatively unknown to many biologists, despite their diversity and importance for example in meiofaunal communities (Gastrotricha, Rotifera, Gnathostomulida), their fascinating recent discoveries (Loricifera and Micrognathozoa), their importance as parasites (many nematodes, Nematomorpha, Acanthocephala) and their importance for evolutionary questions (e.g. Priapulida, Gastrotricha). The groups covered range from those poor in species (such as Micrognathozoa with 2 known species) to the species-rich and diverse Nematoda and their ca. 20.000 described species. While each taxon is covered by one chapter, nematodes are treated in several chapters dedicated to their structural, taxonomic and ecological diversity.

This fifth volume in the series The Plant Viruses, dealing with viruses with bipartite genomes, completes the coverage of viruses with isometric parti­ cles and genomes consisting of single-stranded, positive-sense RNA: viruses that have tripartite and monopartite genomes of this kind were dealt with in Volumes 1 and 3, respectively. How close are the affinities among the viruses within the groupings distinguished in this way? All those with tripartite genomes are considered to be sufficiently closely related to be included in the family Bromoviridae, whereas the monopartite-genome viruses covered in Volume 3 clearly are a much more diverse collection. Affinities among the viruses with bipartite genomes are considered in Chapter 1 of this volume, along with the possible origins, advantages, and disadvantages of these ge­ nomes. The conclusion reached from this assessment is that the bipartite­ genome viruses fall into four categories, those within each category having closer affinities with viruses not included in this book than with viruses in the other categories. No evidence was found that possession of a bipartite genome gives a virus overwhelming advantages over viruses of other sorts. More probably, any advantages are largely balanced by disadvantages, and bipartite genomes may be best considered simply as an alternative design for the hereditary material of a virus.

Intensive and extensive cultivation of grapes (Vitis vinifera L.) leads to serious pest problem in vineyards in major grape growing areas of the world. Climatic conditions in India are favorable for high production of table and wine grapes, and thus also for incidence of variety of pests. These include the sucking insect pests namely thrips, hoppers, mealybugs etc., and beetle pests like stem borer, stem girdler, flea beetles, chafer beetles, shot hole borer and several lepidopteron, mites, nematodes and vertebrate pests. Pests of grapes in other countries relevant to Indian conditions are also dealt herewith since they may get introduced in India in future. Up to date information on biology, damage, seasonal development, management practices of the pests are covered in this book. Some of the pest management practices followed in other countries are also given, which will be useful to Indian conditions. Pesticide residue is a serious problem both for export and internal market in grapes. Guideline for pesticide residue management in grapes is also given in this book. The authors have tried to accommodate almost all the important information generated on the grape pests up to 2012. A complete list of grape pests (except disease) occurring in different grape growing regions of the world is also covered in this book which will be ready reckoner for the grape workers. The authors sincerely hope that this book will provide useful information to many entomologists, students working on grapes and the grape growers in the country. It is a pleasure to thank all those people who gave help, suggestions and encouragement in the preparation of our book “The Grape Entomology”.

The original aim of this book was to cover different aspects of the tradi­ tionally'filamentous'potex-, carla-, poty-, clostero-, and capilloviruses. The title The Filamentous Plant Viruses seemed the only suitable one, but it has led us to discuss also the quite different filamentous viruses of the rice stripe group-recently officially named the tenuivirus group­ which otherwise, indeed, might not have been conveniently covered in any volume of this series. The question must be asked: What is there new that justifies the presentation of a book of this kind? An outline of the answer may be Among the traditional filamentous viruses, much pro­ given as follows. gress has been made in elucidating the physical structure of potexvirus particles, and this work serves as an excellent model for discussion of and future experiments on the poty-, carla-, clostero-, and capilloviruses, which have comparable structures, although they are more difficult to manipulate. Work on the structure and strategy of the genomes of poty­ viruses is, however, relatively advanced and at a very interesting stage. The helper component that assists the aphid transmission of potyviruses has also recently received considerable attention, although the more we know about that, the less seems clear about the aphid transmission of the carlaviruses and closteroviruses, which apparently neither possess nor require a helper component.

This volume of the series The Plant Viruses is devoted to viruses with rod-shaped particles belonging to the following four groups: the toba­ moviruses (named after tobacco mosaic virus), the tobraviruses (after to­ bacco rattle), the hordeiviruses (after the latin hordeum in honor of the type member barley stripe mosaic virus), and the not yet officially rec­ ognized furoviruses (fungus-transmitted rod-shaped viruses, Shirako and Brakke, 1984). At present these clusters of plant viruses are called groups instead of genera or families as is customary in other areas of virology. This pe­ culiarity of plant viral taxonomy (Matthews, 1982) is due to the fact that the current Plant Virus Subcommittee of the International Committee of Taxonomy of Viruses is deeply split on what to call the categories or ranks used in virus classification. Some plant virologists believe that the species concept cannot be applied to viruses because this concept, according to them, necessarily involves sexual reproduction and genetic isolation (Milne, 1984; Murant, 1985). This belief no doubt stems from the fact that these authors restrict the use of the term species to biological species. According to them, a collection of similar viral isolates and strains does constitute an individ­ ual virus, i. e., it is a taxonomy entity separate from other individual viruses.

Acarology is on the move! For a long time the development of Acarology as a field of biological science has been dominated by systematists and applied scientists. In the last 15 years, however, Acari have been increasingly recognized as highly suitable for the testing of theories in ecological and evolutionary sciences. The growing interest from evolutionary and molecular biologists and from population and community ecologists in mites and ticks has a strong impetus on the field of Acarology, and has already led to significant progress. This book contains many chapters that illustrate the recent progress in - mainly evolutionary and ecological aspects of - Acarology.

A number of economically important diseases are caused by potyviruses, the largest group of plant viruses. Many of these diseases are distributed worldwide. The development of effective control strategies against viruses is dependent on the availability of reliable methods of identification and detection. To date this has not seemed possible for the potyvirus group, because of its size, complexity, and immense variation. This book brings together the collaborative efforts of exports in the field. It summarizes characteristics of potyviruses which relate to their taxonomy and points to areas which require consideration before an international consensus can be reached. Main topics dealt with in detail are: serological relationships, nucleic acid sequence information, biological properties, and specific problems with several virus subgroups or pairs of viruses.

Plant based biotechnology has come to represent a means of mitigating the problems of global food security in the twenty-first century. Products and processes in agriculture are increasingly becoming linked to science and cutting edge technology, to enable the engineering of what are in effect, designer plants. One of the most successful, non-chemical approaches to pest management and disease control is biological control, which seeks a solution in terms of using living organisms to regulate the incidence of pests and pathogens, providing a natural control'while still maintaining the biological balance with the ecosystem. This volume, (the first of two), addresses the different types of biocontrol for different pests, namely, crop diseases, weeds and nematodes, and details the biology of both the pest and its enemies, which is vital for efficient use of biological control. The book has numerous contributors who are authorities in their fields, and would be an asset to those who have interest in sustainable agriculture and crop productivity.

After a brief survey of biotopic and vegetational features and an account of the main groups of desert animals, the most unusual patterns of the behaviour of the xerophilous fauna are examined. The importance of the thermohygric regulation and self-protective and locomotor mechanisms to the survival of arid-adapted animals is emphasized and various adaptations in the alimentary, reproductive and social spheres are analyzed.The clear and fluent treatment will awaken the interest of the reading public, from the amateur naturalists to research scientists.

The goal of the Second International Food Legume Research Conference held in Cairo, Egypt was to build on the success of the first conference held nearly 6 years earlier at Spokane, Washington, USA. It was at that first conference where the decision was made to hold the second Conference in Egypt and so near the ancestral home of these food legume crops. It has been a long held view that the cool season food legumes had their origin in the Mediterranean basin and the Near-east arc, and there is little doubt that food legumes were a staple food of the ancient Egyptian civilization. The cool season food legumes have the reputation for producing at least some yield under adverse conditions of poor fertility and limited moisture, i. e., in circumstances where other crops are likely to fail completely. Yields of cool season food legumes are particularly poor in those regions where they are most important to local populations. The influx of more profitable crops such as wheat, maize, and soybeans have gradually relegated the food legumes to marginal areas with poor fertility and limited water which exposes them to even greater degrees of stress. In the past two decades, production of food legumes has declined in most of the developing countries while at the same time it has expanded greatly in Canada, Australia, and most notably in Turkey.

Wild crop relatives are now playing a significant part in the elucidation and improvement of the genomes of their cultivated counterparts. This work includes comprehensive examinations of the status, origin, distribution, morphology, cytology, genetic diversity and available genetic and genomic resources of numerous wild crop relatives, as well as of their evolution and phylogenetic relationship. Further topics include their role as model plants, genetic erosion and conservation efforts, and their domestication for the purposes of bioenergy, phytomedicines, nutraceuticals and phytoremediation. Wild Crop Relatives: Genomic and Breeding Resources comprises 10 volumes on Cereals, Millets and Grasses, Oilseeds, Legume Crops and Forages, Vegetables, Temperate Fruits, Tropical and Subtropical Fruits, Industrial Crops, Plantation and Ornamental Crops, and Forest Trees. It contains 125 chapters written by nearly 400 well-known authors from about 40 countries.

Fungi enjoy great popularity in pharmaceutical, agricultural, and biotechnological applications. Recent advances in the decipherment of whole fungal genomes promise an acceleration of these trends. This timely book links scientists from different parts of the world who are interested in the molecular identification of fungi combined with the exploration of the fungal biodiversity in different ecosystems. It provides a compendium for scientists who rely on a rapid and reliable detection of fungal specimens in environmental as well as clinical resources in order to ensure the benefit of industrial and clinical applications. Chapters focus on the opportunities and limits of the molecular marker-mediated identification of fungi. Various methods, procedures and strategies are outlined. Furthermore, the book offers an update of the current progress in the development of fungal molecular techniques, and draws attention to potential and associated problems, as well as integrating theory and practice.

This volume focuses on integrated pest and disease management (IPM/IDM) and biocontrol of some key diseases of perennial and annual crops. It continues a series originated during a visit of prof. K. G. Mukerji to the CNR Plant Protection Institute in Bari (Italy), in November 2005. Both editors aim at a series of five volumes embracing, in a multi-disciplinary approach, advances and achievements in the practice of crop protection, for a wide range of plant parasites and pathogens. Two volumes of the series were already produced, dedicated to general concepts in IPM and to management and biocontrol of nematodes of grain crops and vegetables. This Volume deals, in particular, with diseases due to bacteria, phytoplasma and fungi. Every day, in any agroecosystem, farmers face problems related to plant diseases. Since the beginning of agriculture, indeed, and probably for a long time in the future, farmers will continue to do so. Every year, plant diseases cause severe losses in the global production of food and other agricultural commodities, worldwide. Plant diseases are not limited to episodic events occurring in single farms or crops, and should not be regarded as single independent cases, affecting only farms on a local scale. The impact of plant disease epidemics on food shortage ignited, in the last two centuries, deep cultural, social and demographic changes, affecting million human beings, through i. e. migration, death and hunger.

This series originated during a visit of prof. Mukerji to the Plant Protection Institute of CNR at Bari, Italy, in November 2005. Both editors agreed to produce a series of five volumes focusing, in a multi-disciplinary approach, on recent advances and achievements in the practice of crop protection. This Volume deals with nematodes parasitic on plants. Nematodes inhabit the earth since almost half a billion years and will probably remain for an even longer time in the future. They represent a very successful, diversified and specialised animal group, present in all ecological niches in nature. Only a small fraction of species is actually described and, among them, only a reduced number is known to feed on plants. Among them, however, a few species exert an heavy economic impact on crops, representing a severe limiting factor for agricultural productions. This statement explains the attention devoted in last decades to plant parasitic nematodes, and the efforts deployed for their control. As for other disciplines concerning plant protection, nematology is now in a mature stage in which the optimism initially underlining the widespread use of chemicals and fumigants lent space to a more pragmatic, comprehensive and integrated vision of control.

The proposal for this series originated during a short term visit of Professor Mukerji to the Plant Protection Institute of CNR at Bari, Italy, in November 2005. Both editors agreed on the need to produce a volume focusing on recent advances and achievements which changed the practice of crop protection in the last decade. The opera rapidly evolved towards a long term editorial endeavour, yielding a mul- disciplinary series of five volumes. In view of environmental and health concerns, a determined effort is currently made in almost any agroecosystem in the world, to reduce and rationalize the use of chemicals (pesticides, fungicides, nematocides etc.) and to manage pests/pathogens more effectively. This consciousness is not only related to the need of nourishing a still growing world population, but also derives from the impact of side effects of farming, like soil, water and environmental contamination, calling for a responsible conservation of renewable resources. There are increasing expectations at the producers and consumers levels, concerning low inputs agriculture and residues-free food. Disciplines like IPM/IDM (integrated pest management / integrated disease management) are now central to the science and technology of crop protection. In the classical version of IPM/IDM, a pesticide/fungicide is applied only when the pathogen population reaches a level that would lead to economic losses in the crop. In other words, classical IPM/IDM concentrates on reducing the numbers of noxious organisms through the application of agrochemicals.

It has been ten years since the publication of the third edition of this seminal text on plant virology, during which there has been an explosion of conceptual and factual advances. The fourth edition updates and revises many details of the previous editon, while retaining the important older results that constitute the field's conceptual foundation.Key features of the fourth edition include:• Thumbnail sketches of each genera and family groups• Genome maps of all genera for which they are known• Genetic engineered resistance strategies for virus disease control• Latest understanding of virus interactions with plants, including gene silencing• Interactions between viruses and insect, fungal, and nematode vectors• New plate section containing over 50 full-color illustrations

Parasites have evolved numerous complex and fascinating ways of interacting with their hosts. The subject attracts the interest of numerous biologists from the perspective of ecology and behavioural biology, as well as from those concerned with more applied aspects of parasitology. However, until now there has been no recent book to synthesize this field.This book, written by leading authorities from the USA, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, provides the most comprehensive coverage of this important topic on the market.