Search

This new volume focuses on novel breeding and biotechnological approaches for crop improvement, covering recent advances in molecular breeding and plant breeding, such as pre-breeding, reverse breeding, allele mining, next-generation sequencing, etc. The authors consider the important necessity and development of climate-resilient crops that can withstand hostility or adversities of climate without substantially compromising yield and discuss ways to mitigate plant stress.The recent developments in breeding and biotechnological approaches concerning crop improvement that are discussed in the book include molecular markers, their genesis, and their significant applications for crop improvement; QTL mapping, a modern breeding approach for mapping quantitative traits; pulse molecular breeding and genomics; and approaches for precise gene alterations in the genome of organisms by using genome editing.Other techniques include reverse breeding, a technique that allows breeders to develop parental lines directly from the heterozygous plant within a shorter time frame; pre-breeding approaches for biotic and abiotic stress management in crop plants; allele mining as a way to find existing variations in an organism's gene pool by scanning the entire gene; marker-assisted selection, where molecular markers have played a significant role in accelerating breeding programs; and next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms in crop improvement, where the authors summarize the technical know-how of each sequencing platform and its merits and demerits.The book introduces the design and importance of Mutmap and its variant in modern breeding, a novel gene mapping approaches that allows rapid identification of causal nucleotide changes of mutants by whole-genome resequencing.Examples and case studies of the various approaches are included as well, with several examples of marker-assisted selection of rice and maize crop and other agriculturally important crops.This informative volume will enhance readers'knowledge about the recent developments in breeding and biotechnological approaches concerning crop improvement.

Biodiversity and Bioeconomy: Status Quo, Challenges, and Opportuniti es comprehensively delivers the latest developments in theories of biodiversity and ecosystem functi oning and their major implicati ons for biodiversity conservati on through diversifying agriculture, forestry, and biomass producti on systems and linking these developments with sustainability of bioeconomy. This book provides basic understanding of biodiversity and bioeconomy, diff erent views of their interrelati onship, and their links with sustainable development goals. It also examines the research and practi ce of biodiversity and ecosystem functi oning in agriculture, forestry, and biomass producti on systems to achieve sustainable bioeconomy. Finally, this book examines status, challenges, and opportuniti es for biodiversity-centered bioeconomy providing a way forward. - Examines the status of scienti fi c understanding of biodiversity and bioeconomy and interrelatedness - Describes challenges and opportuniti es for socioeconomic and ecologically sustainable development of bioeconomy - Covers agriculture, forestry, and aquati c ecosystems and explores their biodiversity and bioeconomy potentials

This book deliberates on the concept, strategies, tools, and techniques of allele mining in oilseed crops and its application potential in genome elucidation and improvement, including studying allele evolution, discovery of superior alleles, discerning new haplotypes, assessment of intra- and interspecific similarity, and studies of gene expression and gene prediction. Available gene pools in global germplasm collections, specifically consisting of wild allied species and local landraces for almost all major crops, have facilitated allele mining. The development of advanced genomic techniques, including PCR-based allele priming and Eco-TILLING-based allele mining, is now widely used for mining superior alleles. Allele's discovery has become more relevant now for employing molecular breeding to develop designed crop varieties matching consumer needs and with genome plasticity to adapt to climate change scenarios. All these concepts and strategies, along with precise success stories, are presented in the chapters dedicated to the major oilseed crops.1. This is the first book on the novel strategy of allele mining in oilseed crops for precise breeding.2. This book presents genomic strategies for mining superior alleles underlying agronomic traits from genomic resources.3. This book depicts case studies of PCR-based allele priming and Eco-TILLING based allele mining.4. This book elaborates on gene discovery and gene prediction in major oilseed crops.This book will be useful to students and faculties in various plant science disciplines, including genetics, genomics, molecular breeding, agronomy, and bioinformatics; scientists in seed industries; and policymakers and funding agencies interested in crop improvement.

The field of horticultural biotechnology has witnessed remarkable growth in recent years, offering profound insights and innovations that are reshaping agriculture's future. Biotechnological Advances in Horticultural Crops serves as a comprehensive guide to the latest innovations and applications. This meticulously curated volume bridges the gap between fundamental knowledge and cutting-edge advancements. From plant tissue culture to genomic approaches, this book spans a diverse array of topics, catering to a broad audience of students, researchers, and academics.Key Features: In-depth exploration of plant tissue culture and its applications in horticultural crop improvement. Insightful coverage of transgenic approaches in fruit crops, including genetic modifications for enhancing fruit quality, yield, and resistance to pests and diseases. Detailed examination of the application of omics sciences in tropical fruits, opening up new perspectives for crop improvement and sustainable production. Extensive discussion on the potential of in vitro production techniques for underutilized and unconventional horticultural crops. Exploration of sustainable agriculture practices, including the use of beneficial microbes and the scientific validation of natural and organic farming practices. This book is more than just a collection of topics; it's a gateway to the transformative potential of biotechnology in horticulture. It empowers readers (students, researchers, and academicians) to comprehend and harness these advancements, promoting innovation and sustainability in horticultural crop improvement.

Structured into four main parts, this book navigates the intersection between food and functionality of plant-based products and provides insight into the nutritional composition of some key elements of plant-based diets. The book also introduces the most abundant adulteration practices and points out the analytical methods of quality monitoring, their current trends, and their potential future applications.The volume first looks at plant-based sustainable health foods, with a primary focus on millets, their nutritional and health benefits, as well as their potential as food security crops. The chapters also shed some light on demographics of millet production and discuss the impact of processing on the nutritional and organoleptic attributes of millet-based products. New advances in production, quality determination, and functional health benefits of two globally renowned beverages—wine and beer—are discussed while mapping consumption trends and consumers'expectations and preferences.Sustainable and Functional Foods from Plants also explores some ethnic foodstuffs, ingredients, and condiments of functional importance for the cuisines of African, European, and Far Eastern countries, and then looks at the potential of bioactive compounds in medicinal foods and measurement techniques for quality of natural foods.The book will be informative for upper-level students as well as for food science teaching staff, researchers, and industrial personnel interested in theoretical and practical knowledge about sustainable and functional foods from plants.

Industrial crops offer farmers new market opportunities to increase their revenue by producing high-value products, focusing on fiber, forest, and energy crops, industrial oilseeds, rubber and resins, pharmaceuticals, and more. Technological innovations in agriculture have facilitated higher yields, but conserving crop genetic resources and diversity remains crucial for sustainable agricultural production. This poses a challenge that can be addressed through modern tools of biotechnology and genomics, utilizing the wealth of sequenced plant genomes. This book addresses the need for knowledge in managing the risks and conservation of genetic diversity associated with advanced technology. It provides comprehensive coverage of plant genomics and biotechnology, catering to post-graduate students, researchers, employees of seed and biotechnology companies, as well as instructors in plant genetics, breeding, and biotechnology fields.

This book deliberates on the concept, strategies, tools, and techniques of allele mining in vegetable crops and its application potential in genome elucidation and improvement including studying allele evolution, discovery of superior alleles, discerning new haplotypes, assessment of intra- and interspecific similarity, and studies of gene expression and gene prediction. Available gene pools in global germplasm collections specifically consisting of wild allied species and local landraces for almost all major crops have facilitated allele mining. Development of advanced genomic techniques including PCR-based allele priming and Eco-TILLING based allele mining are being widely used now for mining superior alleles. Allele's discovery has become more relevant now for employing molecular breeding to develop designed crop varieties matching consumer needs and with genome plasticity to adapt the climate change scenarios. All these concepts and strategies along with precise success stories are presented in the chapters dedicated to the major vegetable crops. The first book on the novel strategy of allele mining in vegetable crops for precise breeding Presents genomic strategies for mining superior alleles underlying agronomic traits from genomic resources Depicts case studies of PCR-based allele priming and Eco-TILLING based allele mining Elaborates on gene discovery and gene prediction in major vegetable crops This book will be useful to the students and faculties in various plant science disciplines including genetics, genomics, molecular breeding, agronomy, and bioinformatics; the scientists in seed industries; and, the policymakers and funding agencies interested in crop improvement.

This book deliberates on the concept, strategies, tools, and techniques of allele mining in cereal crops and its application potential in genome elucidation and improvement, including studying allele evolution, discovery of superior alleles, discerning new haplotypes, assessment of intra- and interspecific similarity, and studies of gene expression and gene prediction. Available gene pools in global germplasm collections specifically consisting of wild allied species and local landraces for almost all major crops have facilitated allele mining. Development of advanced genomic techniques including PCR-based allele priming and Eco-TILLING-based allele mining are being widely used now for mining superior alleles. Allele's discovery has become more relevant now for employing molecular breeding to develop designed crop varieties matching consumer needs and with genome plasticity to adapt the climate change scenarios. All these concepts and strategies along with precise success stories are presented in the chapters dedicated to the major cereal crops. The first book on the novel strategy of allele mining in cereal crops for precise breeding Presents genomic strategies for mining superior alleles underlying agronomic traits from genomic resources Depicts case studies of PCR-based allele priming and Eco-Tilling-based allele mining Elaborates on gene discovery and gene prediction in major cereal crops This book will be useful to the students and faculties in various plant science disciplines including genetics, genomics, molecular breeding, agronomy, and bioinformatics; the scientists in seed industries; and the policymakers and funding agencies interested in crop improvement.

African Flora to Fight Bacterial Resistance, Part Two: The Best Source of Herbal Drugs and Pharmaceuticals, Volume 107 offers detailed information on the best African medicinal plants that could be useful for the development of efficient herbal drugs, as well as the best phytochemicals that could be explored as potential pharmaceuticals to efficiently tackle bacterial drug resistance. Chapters cover Phytochemistry and antibacterial potential of the genus Allanblackia, Phytochemistry and antibacterial potential of the genus Beilschmiedia, Phytochemistry and antibacterial potential of the genus Fagara, Phytochemistry and antibacterial potential of the genus Garcinia, Harungana madagascariensis as a source of antibacterial agents, Hypericum roeperianum as a source of antibacterial agents, and much more. - Provides a unique resource and compilation of the best African plants with amazing potential against multidrug-resistant bacteria - Discusses, in detail, the antibacterial potential of the best phytochemicals identified in African plants against multidrug-resistant bacteria - Compiles the ethnomedicinal, pharmacological and phytochemistry information of the best antibacterial African plants and their most potent phytochemicals

Plants are an indispensable part of human and animal lives for nutrition and health. But pests, diseases and abiotic stress adversely affect crop yield, which ultimately places significant pressure on society to provide food to an increasing population. Moreover, it also encourages increased chemical/pesticide usage on crops, which we see in the biomagnification of toxic and hazardous compounds polluting water bodies, soil and the environment. This condition will continue to worsen in the future due to the resistance-acquiring ability of pathogens against plant defense and chemical treatments. In addition, environmental disturbances and consumer health issues are being reported more promptly than before due to intensive use of pesticides in food production. Plant diseases affect our daily lives, as the use of insecticides and pesticides has become part of our food chain. As a result, precise disease diagnosis and management is crucial in order to avoid huge losses in plant production and related commodities. Accurate detection, precise diagnosis and proper management can play a significant role in keeping plants free from pathogens. In this book, scientists, researchers and scholars share their research knowledge, offering a valuable resource for understanding plant diseases, pathogen interaction and responses to stress through an omics perspective, contributing to further advancements in the fieldDiseases in plants may be caused by various factors, such as viruses, bacteria, fungi and abiotic stress. Disease causes low crop yield, production of poor-quality fruits and grains, and deficiency of nutrients, which have a direct impact on human and animal health. A genomics-based approach can be applied to disease diagnosis; disease outbreak; evolution of plant and pathogen genome for disease outbreak in relation to climate change; and development of long-term strategies for plant health and defense. This book presents an overview of omics technologies and approaches used to understand: the relation between plants and their environment in terms of diseases responses to abiotic stress the genomics of plant–pathogen interaction herbicide-resistance mechanisms the epigenetics of plant–pathogen interaction gene regulation during abiotic stress response the oxidative stress response

Cereal Crops: Genetic Resources and Breeding Techniques provides the reader practical tools for understanding relationships and challenges of successful farming; improvements to genetic modifications; and environmentally sound methods of production of bulk and quality cereals including wheat, maize, rice, barley, and millets. It explores the trait mapping, cropping systems, genome engineering, and identification of specific germplasms needed for the more effective development of biotic and abiotic stress resistant cereals within the framework of ensuring future food supplies around the world. Features:Focuses on cropping systems, genetics and genome engineering for higher crop production at a global level.Features information on specific prebiotic formulas to ward off adverse effects of antibiotics.Covers mechanistic as well as practical approaches for enhancing crop production in a sustainable way.Includes further in-depth analysis of various topics following each chapter.This is a vital resource for researchers, crop biologists, and students working with crop production and climate changes that have a significant impact on crop production, spanning basic to advanced level discussions of plant breeding, molecular genetics, and agronomy. Covering mechanistic and practical approaches for enhancing crop production in a sustainable way, this text is beneficial to intensive farmers and stakeholders in the field of crop production.

Plant bioactive compounds are plant-based natural products that display a variety of pharmacological applications. These bioactive compounds are important as medicines, pigments and flavorings since most of the pharmaceutical industries are highly dependent on medicinal plants and their extraction. The types and concentrations of bioactive compounds produced by plants are determined by the species, genotype, physiology, developmental stage and environmental factors during growth, determining the physiological adaptive responses employed by various plant taxonomic groups in coping with the stress and defensive stimuli. In the past two decades there has been a renewed interest in the study of conventional aspects such as elicitors and biotic and abiotic stress factors that influence secondary metabolism during in vitro and in vivo growth of plants. the application of molecular biology tools and techniques are facilitating increased understanding of the signaling processes and pathwaysinvolved in the bioactive compounds production in subcellular, cellular, organ and whole plant systems during in vivo and in vitro growth, with application in the metabolic engineering of biosynthetic pathways intermediates. Biosynthesis and Manipulation of Bioactive compounds in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants provides a comprehensive introduction and review of the state-of-the-art biotechnological tools used in enhancement of bioactive compounds in medicinal and aromatic plants. Readers will find a systematic overview of techniques such as Omics, Crisper /Cas9 and RNAi to enhance plant bioactive contents including various in vitro techniques, hairy root culture and transgenic technology to enhance plant bioactive contents using plant tissue culture approaches. The chapters provide an overview of the role of induced mutation, biotic and abiotic stress to increase the bioactive contents in plants, plus the role of endophytes to enhance the contents of plant bioactive compounds and standard operating procedures using hydroponics system of cultivation for significant enhancement of bioactive compounds.This book serves as a single source for researchers working in plant secondary metabolites and the pharmaceutical industry.

Plants are autotrophs and sessile, while animals are heterotrophs and motile. Sessility has imposed on plants 94% hermaphroditism, 23% selfing, 3% polyploidization and 39% clonality, in comparison to 19 and < 1% are pollinated by fast flying animals, wind and water, respectively. Increasing pollen load enhances fruit- and seed-set. In contrast to animals, the life cycle of plants is direct but complicated. Unlike animals, plants have greatly contributed to weathering of rocks and the atmospheric gas composition during the geological past. From dormant spores and seeds of plants, life can be restored after thousands of years.

Prosopis describes the enormous historical importance of these trees as a human food source and reviews the contemporary food science of the fruit derived from these trees. As well, this treatise reviews the native genetic resources of this genus on 4 continents and classical genetic and horticultural techniques that could help stabilize the environment and alleviate human suffering on some of the world's most destitute agro-ecosystems. This book is an essential read for researchers interested in forestry and plant science, environmental science, and functional foods. The legume family (Fabaceae) contains many genera and species that through their nitrogen fixing process provide high protein food and feed for humans and animals. As evidenced by its presence in Death Valley, California, which holds the record for the highest temperatures in the world, these types of plants can thrive in extreme environments. - Edited by the world's leading experts on Prospis species with globally recognized contributors - Covers the different perspectives surrounding the advantages and disadvantages of planting different Prosopis species - Discusses the applications of Prosopis species, including how the fruits of this tree can be used as a raw food material

This book deals with an array of topics in the broad area of abiotic stress responses in plants focusing “problems and their management” by selecting some of the widely investigated themes. Such as, Cell signalling in Plants during abiotic and biotic stress, Salinity stress induced metabolic changes and its management, High temperature stress: responses, mechanism and management, Low temperature stress induced changes in plants and their management, Biotechnological approaches to improve abiotic stress tolerance, Nutritional poverty in wheat under abiotic stress scenario, Strategies for improving soil health under current climate change scenario, Abiotic stress management in Pulse crops, Mitigation strategies of abiotic stress in fruit crops, Impacts of abiotic stress and possible management option in vegetable crops, and Abiotic stress: impact and management in ornamental crops. This book is useful for under-graduate and post-graduate students in Plant Physiology, Biochemistry, agronomy, horticulture, Botany, Environmental sciences and other cognate disciplines of agriculture and allied sciences and other research workers. We fervently believe that this book will provide good information and understanding of abiotic stress problems and their management in plants.Note: T& F does not sell or distribute the Hardback in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. This title is co-published with NIPA.

The book consists of 32 chapters featuring the concepts and applications of precision farmingand protected cultivation broadly covered with theoretical and practical approach. The first 8 chapters areexclusively designed to provide detailed information on concept, need, objectives, benefits, components,applications and limitations of precision farming; laser leveler and its working mechanism, componentsand functioning; mechanized sowing and types of mechanical seeders and their use; approaches formapping of soils and plant attributes; site-specific weed and nutrient management; precision managementof insect-pests and diseases; yield mapping in horticultural crops.An attempt has been made to cover the concept and application of protected cultivation in chaptersfrom 9 to 30 characteristically highlighting the concept of greenhouse technology, its principles as well ashistorical and technological developments, agrivoltaic system, its concept and features, response of plant speciesunder greenhouse conditions, criteria for the selection of crops and varieties for protected cultivation,basic considerations for site selection, orientation and designing of greenhouse structures, climate controlmechanisms for cooling and heating in greenhouses, components, accessories and BIS codes for protectedcultivation, types of Irrigation system for greenhouse production system, growing media for greenhouse cultivation, soil pasteurization namely solarization, steam sterilization, chemical sterilization andaugmentation with biological agents, checking the suitability of soil and water for greenhouse crops, plugtray nursery raising, basics of fertigation in greenhouse production system, packages of practice forgreenhouse cucumber, bell pepper, tomato and melons, potential of pruning as unconventional alternativefor mass multiplication of greenhouse cucumber and tomato, types of soil-less cultures, GAP forprotected cultivation and economic analysis of protected cultivation.Note: T&F does not sell or distribute the Hardback in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

This book, Petroleum Nanobiotechnology: Modern Applications for a Sustainable Future, explores the unique fusion of biotechnology and nanotechnology as applied to the different sectors of the oil and gas industry. It is a concise resource on the most recent and most up-to-date bottom-up fabrication techniques in petroleum nanobiotechnology, covering the advantages of biofabrication over chemical or physical techniques from the point of being more cost-effective, ecofriendly, biocompatibly superior, and highly stable.The volume covers the important topic of microbial and phytosynthesis of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles. The key applications discussed here include the application of these nanoparticles in different sectors of the oil and gas industry, with special emphasis on antimicrobial applications, reduction of environmental pollutants, and bio-upgrading of petroleum and its fractions. The discussion of each application is augmented with a critical review of the potential for continued development.The book first provides an overview of petroleum microbiology and nanotechnology and proceeds to consider phytosynthesis of metal nanoparticles, microbial synthesis of metal nanoparticles, biosynthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles, nanobiotechnology and mitigation of microbial-influenced corrosion in petroleum industry, applications of nanobiotechnology in petroleum refining, and how nanobiotechnology can be used for petroleum wastewater treatment.This book covers the very important principle of nanobiotechnology as applied in the petroleum industry and how it can be used for: Oil recovery Microbial enhanced oil recovery Petroleum refinery, such as, for example, desulfurization, denitrogenation, demetallization, biotransformation, and bio-upgrading Bioremediation of oil polluted soil and water Mitigation of microbial corrosion and bio-fouling Toxicity of nano-materials and its obstacles upon application Nanobiotechnology in petroleum industry and the 17 goals of sustainable development The advantages of the application of nanobiotechnology in the oil industries are enormous and clearly outweigh any negligible cons. The success can have a huge impact on the exploration, production, refining, mitigation of corrosion, waste management, and economics. This informative volume will be valuable for petroleum engineers and petroleum microbiologists, scientists, and researchers concerned with nanotechnology, environmental pollution, petroleum biotechnology, petroleum microbiology, petroleum refining, and the petroleum industry in general.

Volume 2 of this 4-volume set tackles the problems presented by diseases in vegetable crops that can reduce yield and quality. The effective management of plant diseases involves a detailed study of the disease symptoms, causal agents, disease cycles, and epidemiology.Written by nationally known scientists in their respective fields, the chapters incorporate the experience and knowledge of the authors. The chapters provide an introduction along with plant disease symptoms, causal organisms, disease cycles, epidemiology, and effective management solutions for diseases of economically important vegetables. Some of the vegetables addressed include brinjal (or eggplant), chili, cole crops (such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, and kohlrabi), cucurbits (gourds), garlic, green peas, potatoes, and more.The volumes provide an abundance of information for understanding and managing plant diseases, with emphasis on diagnostic techniques. The collection includes:Volume 1: Fruit CropsVolume 2: Vegetable CropsVolume 3: Ornamental Plants and Spice CropsVolume 4: Important Plantation Crops, Medicinal Crops, and Mushrooms

Postharvest Handling and Diseases of Horticultural Produce describes all the postharvest techniques, handling, pre-cooling, postharvest treatment, edible coating and storage of the horticultural produce available to handle perishable horticultural food commodities, covering the areas of horticulture, agricultural process engineering, postharvest technology, plant pathology and microbiology. Postharvest diseases of major fruits and vegetables, with their causal agents, are described. The integrative strategies for management of postharvest diseases include effectively inhibiting the growth of pathogens, enhancing the resistance of hosts and improving environmental conditions, with results that are favourable to the host and unfavourable to the pathogen growth, including biotechnological approaches. Adopting a thematic style, chapters are organized by type of treatment, with sections devoted to postharvest risk factors and their amelioration. The chapters are written by experts in the fields of plant pathology, horticulture, food science, etc. Core insights into identifying and utilizing appropriate postharvest options for minimizing postharvest losses and enhancing benefits to end-users are also provided.Features Presents the most recent developments in the field of postharvest handling technologies and diseases in a single volume Includes postharvest diseases of cut flowers, fruits, vegetables and tuber crops. Appropriate for students, researchers and professionals Written by experts and can be used as a reference resource

Continuous discoveries in plant and crop physiology have resulted in an abundance of new information since the publication of the third edition of the Handbook of Plant and Crop Physiology. Following its predecessors, the fourth edition of this well-regarded handbook offers a unique, comprehensive, and complete collection of topics in the field of plant and crop physiology.Divided into eleven sections, for easy access of information, this edition contains more than 90 percent new material, substantial revisions, and two new sections. The handbook covers the physiology of plant and crop growth and development, cellular and molecular aspects, plant genetics and production processes. The book presents findings on plant and crop growth in response to climatic changes, and considers the potential for plants and crops adaptation, exploring the biotechnological aspects of plant and crop improvement.This content is used to plan, implement, and evaluate strategies for increasing plant growth and crop yield. Readers benefit from numerous tables, figures, case studies and illustrations, as well as thousands of index words, all of which increase the accessibility of the information contained in this important handbook.New to the Edition: Contains 37 new chapters and 13 extensively revised and expanded chapters from the third edition of this book. Includes new or modified sections on soil-plant-water-nutrients-microorganisms physiological relations; and on plant growth regulators, both promoters and inhibitors. Additional new and modified chapters cover the physiological responses of lower plants and vascular plants and crops to metal-based nanoparticles and agrichemicals; and the growth responses of plants and crops to climate change and environmental stresses. With contributions from 95 scientists from 20 countries, this book provides a comprehensive resource for research and for university courses, covering plant and crop physiological responses under normal and stressful conditions ranging from cellular aspects to whole plants.

The life sciences comprise all fields of science that involve the scientific study of living organisms, like plants, animals, and human beings. However, the study of behaviour of organisms, such as practised in ethology and psychology, is only included in as much as it involves a clearly biological aspect. While biology and medicine remain centerpieces of the life sciences, technological advances in molecular biology and biotechnology have led to a burgeoning of specializations and new, often interdisciplinary, fields. The following is an incomplete list of life science fields, as well as topics of study in the life sciences, in which several entries coincide with, are included in, or overlap with other entries Biological engineering, biotechnological engineering or bioengineering (including biological systems engineering) is the application of concepts and methods of physics, chemistry, and mathematics to solve problems in life sciences, using engineering's own analytical and synthetic methodologies. In this context, while traditional engineering applies physical and mathematical sciences to analyze, design and manufacture inanimate tools, structures and processes, bioengineering uses the same sciences to study many aspects of living organisms. Usually it is used to analyze and solve problems related to human health. Biological engineering is a science-based discipline founded upon the biological sciences in the same way that chemical engineering, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering are based upon chemistry, electricity and magnetism and statics, respectively.

Capsicum, more commonly as chili or chili pepper, is an important global vegetable and spice crop. Anthracnose disease, caused by a complex of Colletotrichum species, is the major biotic stress limiting chili production in tropical and subtropical countries. Anthracnose disease mainly manifests itself as a post-harvest disease, resulting in large necrotic lesions on the fruit. This disease is mainly controlled by the application of a'cocktail'of fungicides as commercial resistant cultivars are not available.In recent years, insights into the complexity of the pathogen and the genomics of the host have been accomplished using cutting-edge molecular technologies. The author has been at the forefront of this technology revolution in Capsicum breeding through her research to understand the host and pathogen which has led to the development of new anthracnose resistant genotypes. Capsicum: Breeding Strategies for Anthracnose Resistance is structured based on a review of the origin and evolution of Capsicum, Capsicum genetic diversity and germplasm resources, the latest research in the biology and taxonomy of Colletotrichum pathogens of Capsicum, and the classic and molecular breeding for resistance in Capsicum to the suite of Colletotrichum pathogens that infect Capsicum globally. This book brings together knowledge on both the pathogen and the host, which is often overlooked when reviewing the breeding and genetics of a crop plant. It informs the facts behind breeding for resistance from both the host and pathogen perspectives.

Lactic acid fermentation has been practiced for thousands of years mainly to preserve surplus and perishable foodstuff and also to enhance them organoleptically. Lactic acid fermentation of fruits and vegetables is no exception, leading to the production of a wide range of products, some of which are now considered as characteristic of certain geographical areas and cultures. The aim of this book is to collect, present, and discuss all available information regarding lactic acid fermentation of fruits and vegetables. For this purpose, an international group of experts was invited to contribute their knowledge and experience in a highly informative and comprehensive way.The book consists of fourteen chapters. The first five chapters integrate aspects that apply to all products. Then, chapters 6 to 9 are dedicated to products that have met commercial significance and have been extensively studied, i.e. sauerkraut, kimchi, fermented cucumbers and olives. In chapters 10 to 13, regional products with great potential from Asia, Europe and Africa, as well as lactic acid fermented juices and smoothies, are presented and thoroughly discussed. Finally, chapter 14 discusses the fields in which intensive study is expected to take place in the coming years.

The Handbook of Cucurbits: Growth, Cultural Practices, and Physiology contains information on cultural practices, nutrition, and physiological processes of cucurbits under both normal and stressful conditions. It presents the history and importance of cucurbit crop production as well as exhaustive information on growth responses of cucurbits to var

Our lives and well being intimately depend on the exploitation of the plant genetic resources available to our breeding programs. Therefore, more extensive exploration and effective exploitation of plant genetic resources are essential prerequisites for the release of improved cultivars. Accordingly, the remarkable progress in genomics approaches and more recently in sequencing and bioinformatics offers unprecedented opportunities for mining germplasm collections, mapping and cloning loci of interest, identifying novel alleles and deploying them for breeding purposes. This book collects 48 highly interdisciplinary articles describing how genomics improves our capacity to characterize and harness natural and artificially induced variation in order to boost crop productivity and provide consumers with high-quality food. This book will be an invaluable reference for all those interested in managing, mining and harnessing the genetic richness of plant genetic resources.

Sustainable agriculture is a rapidly growing field aiming at producing food and energy in a sustainable way for humans and their children. Sustainable agriculture is a discipline that addresses current issues such as climate change, increasing food and fuel prices, poor-nation starvation, rich-nation obesity, water pollution, soil erosion, fertility loss, pest control, and biodiversity depletion. Novel solutions are proposed based on integrated knowledge from sciences as diverse as agronomy, soil science, molecular biology, chemistry, toxicology, ecology, economy, philosophy and social sciences. Because actual society issues are now intertwined, global, and fast-developing, sustainable agriculture will bring solutions to build a safer world. This book series gathers review articles that analyze current agricultural issues and knowledge, then propose alternative solutions. It will therefore help all scientists, decision-makers, professors, farmers and politicians who wish to build a safe agriculture, energy and food system for future generations.

The explosion of the field of genetics over the last decade, with the new technologies that have stimulated research, suggests that a new sort of reference work is needed to keep pace with such a fast-moving and interdisciplinary field. Brenner's Encyclopedia of Genetics, Second Edition, Seven Volume Set, builds on the foundation of the first edition by addressing many of the key subfields of genetics that were just in their infancy when the first edition was published. The currency and accessibility of this foundational content will be unrivalled, making this work useful for scientists and non-scientists alike.Featuring relatively short entries on genetics topics written by experts in that topic, Brenner's Encyclopedia of Genetics, Second Edition, Seven Volume Set provides an effective way to quickly learn about any aspect of genetics, from Abortive Transduction to Zygotes. Adding to its utility, the work provides short entries that briefly define key terms, and a guide to additional reading and relevant websites for further study. Many of the entries include figures to explain difficult concepts. Key terms in related areas such as biochemistry, cell, and molecular biology are also included, and there are entries that describe historical figures in genetics, providing insights into their careers and discoveries. This 7-volume set represents a 25% expansion from the first edition, with over 1600 articles encompassing this burgeoning field Thoroughly up-to-date, with many new topics and subfields covered that were in their infancy or not inexistence at the time of the first edition. Timely coverage of emergent areas such as epigenetics, personalized genomic medicine, pharmacogenetics, and genetic enhancement technologies Interdisciplinary and global in its outlook, as befits the field of genetics Brief articles, written by experts in the field, which not only discuss, define, and explain key elements of the field, but also provide definition of key terms, suggestions for further reading, and biographical sketches of the key people in the history of genetics

This volume covers the advances in the study of tomato diversity and taxonomy. It examines the mapping of simple and complex traits, classical genetics and breeding, association studies, molecular breeding, positional cloning, and structural and comparative genomics. The contributors also discuss transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and bioin

Peppers and eggplants are two leading vegetable crops produced and consumed worldwide. To facilitate the breeding for agronomical traits such as disease resistance and quality, diverse molecular genetic studies have been carried out. Recent achievements on pepper genome sequencing and trait-linked marker development have enabled the cloning of gene

Many edible plants considered exotic in the Western world are actually quite mainstream in other cultures. While some of these plants are only encountered in ethnic food markets or during travels to foreign lands, many are now finding their way onto supermarket shelves. Top 100 Exotic Food Plants provides comprehensive coverage of tropical and semi