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This proceedings is a collection of 46 selected papers that were presented at the 12th International Wheat Genetics Symposium (IWGS). Since the launch of the wheat genome sequencing project in 2005, the arrival of draft genome sequences has marked a new era in wheat genetics and genomics, catalyzing rapid advancement in the field. This book provides a comprehensive review of the forefront of wheat research, across various important topics such as germplasm and genetic diversity, cytogenetics and allopolyploid evolution, genome sequencing, structural and functional genomics, gene function and molecular biology, biotic stress, abiotic stress, grain quality, and classical and molecular breeding. Following an introduction, 9 parts of the book are dedicated to each of these topics. A final, 11th part entitled “Toward Sustainable Wheat Production” contains 7 excellent papers that were presented in the 12th IWGS Special Session supported by the OECD. With rapid population growth and radical climate changes, the world faces a global food crisis and is in need of another Green Revolution to boost yields of wheat and other widely grown staple crops. Although this book focuses on wheat, many of the newly developed techniques and results presented here can be applied to other plant species with large and complex genomes. As such, this volume is highly recommended for all students and researchers in wheat sciences and related plant sciences and for those who are interested in stable food production and food security.

The present volume contains papers developed from courses given at the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) Bio­ chemical Genetics Workshop (Working Party S.04-5) held at the Univer­ sity of Gottingen, Germany on July 5 through 28, 1973. The workshop was organized by Professor Robert G. Stanley and was held in memory of Professor Klaus Stern. Unfortunately, both met with untimely deaths. Professor Stanley was also instrumental in initiating the process of having the workshop proceedings published. I was asked by the workshop participants to complete this task, and I wish to acknowledge their cooperation, advice and encouragement. In addition to the courses and subsequent papers resulting from the above workshop, we have included some papers by colleagues who were unable to attend the meeting. The contents of this text may, there­ fore, be considered a working-manual of generally'modern'techniques that are applicable to forest genetics and breeding programs. The chapters are placed in five major categories. The first three categories follow according to classes of chemical constituents in­ herent to plants which are nucleic acids (DNA, RNA), primary gene products (amino acids, proteins and enzymes) and primary and secon­ dary metabolites (carbohydrate polymers, resins, phenolics, pigments, etc.). The fourth category is concerned with the interaction of en­ vironment and gene systems. Indirect selection, crossing and proto­ plasmic and flowering manipulation are factors covered in the fifth category.

Plant hormone research is the favorite topic of physiologists. Past three decades have witnessed that this subject has received much attention. The inquisitive nature of human mind has pumped much in literature on this subject and this volume is the product of such minds. In the following pages various hormonal-controlled physiological processes like, flowering, seed dormancy and germination, enzyme secretion, senes­ cence, ion transport, fruit ripening, root growth and development, thig­ momorphogenesis and tendril thigmonasty have been included. The volume also contains a review paper on'Growth Regulating Activity of Penicillin in Higher Plants'and has been presented for the first time. The vast contents of each review paper have been written by erudite scholars who have admirably carried out their evangelic task to make the text up TO date. This volume, I am sure, would stimulate the appetite of researchers of peripheral disciplines of botany and agricultural sciences and they will continue to enjoy the fun and adventures of plant hormone research. Save one. my most outstanding debts are due to the rich array of the contributors and other plant physiologists specially to Prof. Thomas Gaspar (Belgium), Prof. E. E. Goldschmidt (Isreal), Prof. H. Greppin (Switzerland), Dr. K. Gurumurti (India), Prof. M. A. Hall (U. K.), Prof. H. Harada (Japan), Dr. M. Kaminek (Czechoslovakia), Dr. J. L. Karm­ oker (BangIa Desh), Prof. Peter B. Kaufman (U. S. A.), Dr. V. I. Kefeli. / (U. S. S. R.), Dr. M. Kutaoek (Czechoslovakia), Prof. S.

This book offers a comprehensive collection of papers on CRISPR/Cas genome editing in connection with agriculture, climate-smart crops, food security, translational research applications, bioinformatics analysis, practical applications in cereals, floriculture crops, engineering plants for abiotic stress resistance, the intellectual landscape, regulatory framework, and policy decisions. Gathering contributions by internationally respected experts in the field of CRISPR/Cas genome editing, the book offers an essential guide for researchers, students, teachers and scientists in academia; policymakers; and public companies, private companies and cooperatives interested in understanding and/or applying CRISPR/Cas genome editing to develop new agricultural products.

The green revolution led to the development of improved varieties of crops, especially cereals, and since then, classical or molecular breeding has resulted in the creation of economically valuable species. Thanks to recent developments in genetic engineering, it has become possible to introduce genes from different sources, such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, mice and humans, to plants. This technology has made the scientific community aware of the critical role of transgenics, not only as a means of producing stress tolerant crops but also as a platform for the production of therapeutics through molecular farming. This book discusses the commercial applications of plant transgenic technologies, including the use of transgenic cell culture approachesto improve the production of metabolites and high-value therapeutics as well as transgenic plants in pest management. It also explores generation of novel vectors, protein production using chloroplast engineering and the latest developments in this area, such as genome editing in plants. Featuring general discussions and research papers by leading international experts, it is a valuable resource for scientists, teachers, students and industrialists working in the field.

The 10th IAPTC&B Congress, Plant Biotechnology 2002 and Beyond, was held June 23-28, 2002, at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, in Orlando, Florida, USA. It was attended by 1,176 scientists from 54 countries. The best and brightest stars of international plant biotechnology headlined the scientific program. It included the opening address by the President of the IAPTC&B, 14 plenary lectures, and 111 keynote lectures and contributed papers presented in 17 symposia covering all aspects of plant biotechnology. More than 500 posters supplemented the formal program. The distinguished speakers described, discussed and debated not only the best of science that has been done or is being done, but also how the power of plant biotechnology can be harnessed to meet future challenges and needs. The program was focused on what is new and what is exciting, what is state of the art, and what is on the cutting edge of science and technology. In keeping with the international mandate of the IAPTC&B, 73 of the 125 speakers were from outside the United States, representing 27 countries from every region of the world. The 10th IAPTC&B Congress was a truly world-class event. The IAPTC&B, founded in 1963 at the first international conference of plant tissue culture organized by Philip White in the United States, currently has over 1,500 members in 85 countries. It is the largest, oldest, and the most comprehensive international professional organization in the field of plant biotechnology. The IAPTC&B has served the plant biotechnology community well through its many active national chapters throughout the World, by maintaining and disseminating a membership list and a website, by the publication of an official journal (formerly the Newsletter), and by organizing quadrennial international congresses in France (1970), the United Kingdom (1974), Canada (1978), Japan (1982), the United States (1963, 1986, 2002), The Netherlands (1990), Italy (1994), and Israel (1998). In addition, the IAPTC&B has a long tradition of publishing the proceedings of its congresses. Individually, these volumes have provided authoritative quadrennial reports of the status of international plant biotechnology. Collectively, they document the history of plant biotechnology during the 20th century. They are indeed a valuable resource. We are pleased to continue this tradition by publishing this proceedings volume of the 10th IAPTC&B Congress. Regrettably, we are not able to publish seven of the lectures in full (only their abstracts are included). The American and Canadian chapters of the IAPTC&B, the Plant Section of the Society for In Vitro Biology, and the University of Florida hosted the 10th IAPTC&B Congress. The Congress was a true partnership between academia and industry, and was generously supported by both groups (see list of donors/sponsors on back cover). A number of prominent international biotechnology companies and publishers participated in the very successful Science and Technology Exhibit (see accompanying list of exhibitors) The IAPTC&B awarded 84 fellowships to young scientists from 31 countries (see accompanying list of fellowship recipients) to support their participation in the Congress.

Molecular Methods of Plant Analysis Concept of the Series The powerful recombinant DNA technology and related developments have had an enormous impact on molecular biology. Any treatment of plant analy­ sis must make use of these new methods. Developments have been so fast and the methods so powerful that the editors of Modern Methods of Plant Analy­ sis have now decided to rename the series Molecular Methods of Plant Analy­ sis. This will not change the general aims of the series, but best describes the thrust and content of the series as we go forward into the new millennium. This does not mean that all chapters a priori deal only with the methods of molecular biology, but rather that these methods are to be found in many chapters together with the more traditional methods of analysis which have seen recent advances. The numbering of the volumes of the series therefore continues on from 20, which is the most recently published volume under the title Modern Methods of Plant Analysis. As indicated for previous volumes, the methods to be found in Molecular Methods of Plant Analysis are described critically, with hints as to their limi­ tations, references to original papers and authors being given, and the chap­ ters written so that there is little need to consult other texts to carry out the All authors have been chosen because of their methods of analysis described.

At a round table discussion on the eukaryotic chromosome sponsor­ ed by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft in Diisseldorf, February 1978, the botanists among the participants felt that plant systems were under-represented. In this unsatisfactory situation, Professor V. HEMLEBEN, Tiibingen, suggested another meeting to discuss actual problems and results concerning botanical chromosome research. Professor W. NAGL was willing to organize a symposium at the University of Kaiserslautern, and Professor F. EHRENDoRFER, Wien, contacted the Rpringer-Verlag, Vienna-New York, to explore the possibility of publishing the results of this symposium in the form of a supplement volume to the journal Plant Systematics and Evol7ttion. The conference took place on 13-15 October 1978 in the Department of Biology of the University of Kaiserslautern and was attended by 40 participants from 11 universities between Hamburg and Vienna. Emphasis of this Chromosome Symposium was given to three aspects, which do not attract major interest at large international congresses: 1. Discussion and Demonstration of technical details which cannot be found in published papers (so-called tricks). 2. Orientation about actual trends and results in our understanding of the organization, evolution, and function of the plant genome at the level of the DNA (gene), the level of chromatin, and the level of the karyotype. 3. Presentation of hypotheses and models which may be stimulating for further research. Moreover, younger students should have the possibility to present their results and to discuss them with more experienced scientists.

While the majority of flowering plant species are hermaphroditic, gender di­ morphism, or the occurrence of two sexual morphs, has, nevertheless, evolved on repeated occasions. Gender dimorphism is found in nearly half of all angio­ sperm families and in approximately 10% of flowering plant species. Where plants are dimorphic in gender, they can also be dimorphic in secondary sex characters. We refer to dimorphism of the latter kind as sexual dimorphism, in keeping with the term's usage by most zoologists. This book is about the evolution of both forms of dimorphism -hence the book's lengthy title. Gender dimorphism in plants has been an active topic of research from theoretical and empirical perspectives, and has been the focus of several re­ cent reviews and book chapters. By contrast, sexual dimorphism in plants is of the much less widely appreciated. Indeed, the last comprehensive review subject dates back to Lloyd and Webb's 1977 paper on'Secondary Sex Char­ we first spoke of editing a book on sexual acters in Plants.'In addition, when dimorphism in plants, some people doubted that there was enough material to justify the effort. We hope that this book not only provides an update to Lloyd and Webb's seminal work but also dispels doubts about the widespread nature of sexual dimorphism in plants. We decided to combine reviews of both gender and sexual dimorphism in a single book, because each form of dimorphism can provide the evolutionary impetus for the other.

Current major interests in this area include the study of higher level phylogenetic relationships and character evolution in the angiosperms, floral evolution, the genetic basis of key floral differences in basal angiosperms, the genetic and genomic consequences of polyploid speciation, conservation genetics of rare plant species, and phylogeography. Developmental Genetics of the Flower provides a series of papers focused on the developmental genetics of flowering as well as the genetic control of the timing of flowering. Investigation of speciational mechanisms, evolutionary relationships, and character evolution in flowering plants and land plants utilizing a variety of experimental approaches are discussed. The chapters are excellent reviews of the current fast-moving area of research. - Provides a brief review of genes known to regulate flower development - Articles emphasize the classic ABC model of flower development

Advances in Genetics has established itself as an outstanding vehicle for the dissemination of research results in genetics. Once again, authoritative papers are presented here, beginning with a review by Rai and Black highlighting the salient features of mosquito genomes and their evolution. The recent progress which has been made by the cloning and characterization of two cooperating partners of the Neurospora blue light signal transduction chain is presented by Linden, Balario, Arpaia, and Macino. The emergence of the concept of X-linked mental retardation (XLMR) is discussed by Neri and Chiurazzi, as well as epidemiologic data and XLMR gene updates. In chapter 4, Mahato, Smith, and Rolland provide insights into the potentials of plasmid-based gene therapy and critical evaluation of gene delivery sciences and clinical applications of gene medicines. Kathleen Triman completes the volume with an outline of the genetic strategies designed to improve our understanding of the structure and function of 23S ribosomal RNA in E. coli.

Fruit and Nut Crops: A Treasure Trove of Diversity and ResilienceDive into the fascinating world of fruit and nut crops in this comprehensive volume. Explore their origins, evolution, and global journey, from wild ancestors to diverse cultivars nourishing us today. Uncover their crucial role in food security, providing vital nutrients and supporting livelihoods.This book champions urgent conservation efforts in the face of threats like habitat loss and climate change. It delves into both ex situ and in situ strategies, emphasizing the importance of preserving genetic diversity for the future. Learn about domestication processes and the development of gene pools adapted to specific environments.Discover the economic and social benefits of utilizing fruit and nut genetic resources, from breeding programs that empower communities to innovative techniques for enhancing yields and quality. This invaluable resource equips researchers, breeders, and policymakerswith the knowledge to safeguard and advance this critical agricultural sector

This book covers the biotechnological advances being used for the understanding of plant diseases and the subsequent enhancement of disease resistance in crop plants. Chapters are focused on recent advances in sequencing technologies, computational resources and genomics tools useful for the identification of loci governing disease resistance. In addition, emphasis is given to novel approaches like genomic selection for achieving significant genetic gain for quantitative disease resistance. The book thoroughly describes sequencing-based approaches like whole genome sequencing, resequencing, and transcriptome profiling being explored for the understanding of disease resistance mechanisms. Finally, several chapters systematically describing the utilities and concerns of high-end technologies like genome-editing are provided. Simplified Illustrations are provided in every chapter to explain different biotechnological approaches and strategies. The book will help to better explore the biotechnological advances in development of disease resistant crop varieties.

This book is a collection of information about applying CRISPR-Cas systems for genome editing in plants. The main focus of this book is to address the recent advances and future prospects of CRISPR-Cas technology in crops.Genome editing technology is important because it can be used to improve plant traits. The earlier genome-engineering tools, zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs), and TAL effector nucleases (TALENs) are complicated to design and not flexible. The novel genome editor, CRISPR-Cas systems, has advantages over ZFNs and TALENs. The advantages are simple and easy to design precision in targeting and efficiency. Due to its precision and simplicity, the CRISPR-Cas technology has rapidly become the most popular genome-editing platform in life-science fields. CRISPR-Cas technology has been used widely for human gene therapy to treat diseases and for plant breeding programs for crop improvement.This book is of interest and useful to genome-editing professionals, plant breeders, horticulturists, field-level extension workers, nurserymen, planters, ecologists, and valuable source of reference to the relevant researchers.

This volume presents detailed reviews on biochemistry, classical genetics and traditional breeding, germplasm diversity, molecular genetics, tissue culture, biotechnology, and structural and functional genomics of ten major seed spices including ajwain, anise, celery, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, fenugreek, Nigella and parsely. The seed spices include the most ancient crops of the world being cultivated for thousands of years as spices, condiments and herbal medicines. Besides adding attractive flavor and taste, seed spices are used as preservatives, and preventive and curative phytomedicines. Despite the immense importance of these crops and their multipurpose utilities, there is no comprehensive compilation of the information on genetics, genomics and breeding in these crops. The present book fills up that gap in literature. This book is useful to the students, teachers and scientists in the academia and relevant scientists interested in genetics, genomics, breeding and genetic engineering and also crop production, pathology, physiology, of seed spices. This book is also useful to the seed companies and industries engaged in long-term preservation, essential oil-based products and pharmaceuticals.

This book covers all aspects of smart-breeding technologies in creating novel crop architecture to meet future rice demand. Several advanced crop breeding technologies like, marker-assisted backcross breeding, marker-assisted recurrent selection, genomic assisted breeding, haplotype breeding and genome editing technologies have been introduced and employed for rice productivity improvement. Use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in crop phenotype prediction is paving the way for climate-smart breeding. Chapters in this volume cover all these relevant topics. The global rice demand is estimated to rise to 555 and 827.86 million tons in 2035 for milled rice and paddy, respectively. Enhancing high-nutrition rice production under the pressure of global climate change conditions is a hard task for breeders. Changing climatic scenarios and extreme weather conditions have increased the incidence of various biotic and abiotic stresses. Also, every degree rise in global mean temperature causes 3.2% reduction in rice yield globally. This creates an urgent need for developing high-yielding rice varieties to tackle the aggravated issue of food security. This book is meant for scientists, professionals, researchers, and students working on enhancing rice production through advanced plant-breeding technologies.

This edited volume provides insights into the current state of food and nutritional security, highlights the significance of micronutrients for human health, offers a historical perspective on biofortification, and covers current strategies and challenges. This book explores the role of multidisciplinary approaches to cope up with the challenges of major nutrient deficiency. Hidden hunger (aka micronutrient deficiencies), a prevalent global issue, refers to the chronic deficiency of essential micronutrients despite sufficient caloric intake. With over 2 billion affected individuals, particularly women and children in low-income countries, it impairs physical and cognitive development, increases disease susceptibility, and diminishes productivity. Despite economic progress, undernourishment remains prevalent in the developing countries including India. Among all nutrients, the deficiencies of iron, zinc, iodine, and vitamin A are highly prevalent. Crop biofortification seems a sustainable solution to reduce the global burden of hidden hunger. Previous reports examined the genetic diversity related to micronutrients in germplasm of staple crops and their wild relatives. A number of biofortified crops have been developed by utilizing genetic diversity and biotechnological approaches. This book explores crop-specific biofortification initiatives and diverse approaches, encompassing both traditional and genomics-driven enhancements. It also enlightens the efficacy of biofortification, bioavailability, and future thrust. This book serves as a valuable resource for researchers, academics, extension workers, policymakers, students, and all those involved in agriculture, nutrition, and health. It focuses on promoting diets that are rich in nutrition, benefiting everyone along the value chain.

Due to complex phytochemical components and associated beneficial properties, numerous medicinal and aromatic plants, in whole or parts, have been used for nutritional purposes or the treatment of various diseases and disorders in humans and animals. Essential oils from medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) have been exploited for product formulations of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food and beverage, colorants, biopesticides, and several other utility chemicals of industrial importance. There is scientific evidence of many medicinal plant extracts possessing immunomodulatory, immunostimulatory, antidiabetic, anticarcinogenic, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties, thus demonstrating their traditional use in popular medicine. With the advent of modern technology, the exploitation of natural resources has exponentially increased in order to fulfill the demand of an increased human population with improved quality of life. The traditional agriculture and production-based supply of commodities is inadequate to meet the current demand. Biotechnological approaches are gaining importance to bridge the gaps in demand and supply. In the proposed book, medicinal and aromatic plant-based secondary metabolites have been discussed in terms of their therapeutic potential and industrial relevance. To discuss the qualitative and quantitative analysis of a range of medicinal and aromatic plants-based secondary metabolites (SMs), bioprocess development for their extraction and bioseparation, a brief overview of their industrial relevance, various tissue culturing strategies, biotechnological approaches to enhance production, scale-up strategies, management of residual biomass post extraction of target SMs is central to the idea of the proposed book. A section will explore the verticals mentioned above. In the next section, the book addresses the approaches for conserving and improving medicinal and aromatic plant genetic resources. In the third section, approaches to managing the post-harvest crop residue and secondary metabolites extracted plant biomass will be thoroughly discussed. The recent integration of artificial intelligence to improve medicinal and aromatic plant research at several levels, including the development and employment of computational approaches to enhance secondary metabolite production, tissue culture, drug design and discovery, and disease treatment, will be included in the fourth section. The book summarizes current research status, gaps in knowledge, agro-industrial potential, waste or residual plant biomass management, conservation strategies, and computational approaches in the area of medicinal and aromatic plants with an aim to translate biotechnological interventions into reality.

This is the first comprehensive monograph dedicated to using Nicotiana species for tobacco genetic improvement. Unlike typical chapters constrained by size and scope, this book offers a detailed species-by-species analysis, with 27 tables providing relevant information. It marks a shift from focusing on specific topics to giving due attention to individual species. The review reflects on a century of exploiting Nicotiana species for usable germplasm and serves as an exhaustive guide to global literature on the subject, citing nearly 1000 literature items.The review delves into the involvement of Nicotiana species in interspecific hybrids with cultivated tobacco, covering sexual and asexual methods, including grafting. It addresses challenges in hybridization, such as cross incompatibility, maternal phenotypes, interspecific incongruity, lethality, and sterility, providing methods to overcome these barriers. Records on disease resistance for each Nicotianae species are compiled, and mechanisms of introgression, barriers, and limitations are discussed. The book lists Nicotiana species as successful donors of cytoplasmic genetic factors leading to cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) and discusses negative effects of alien cytoplasm, providing a list of agronomically acceptable CMS sources. Controversial issues, including the identity of genetic accessions, are explored. The book concludes with an updated list of all reported interspecific combinations for Nicotiana.Primarily aimed at scholars and students interested in the genus for genetic diversity, this book serves as a historical reference guide to the realized and potential uses of Nicotiana species in tobacco improvement.

This edited book is a compilation of tangible research findings and actual experiences on various salt tolerant rice breeding programmes, that have been successfully practiced and continuing to do so by research centres in South East Asia, with major emphasis in India, Bangladesh and Philippines. Rice being one of the most important staple crops of the world, its production and productivity have to be kept on increasing so as to feed the burgeoning population. This is a very challenging task in the midst of shrinking resource base and arable lands in the face of climate change. Salt stress is the second major abiotic stress, next only to drought, which greatly affects rice production. To overcome this problem, development of improved salt tolerant rice cultivars coupled with appropriate package of practices, an ecologically sound and socially acceptable strategy should be developed which is well within the reach of marginal farmers. With rapid advances in molecular biology, mechanisms underlying the complexity of the trait are better understood now than before. Selection of appropriate parents, desired mapping populations, precise phenotyping are the key components to underpin the mapping and utilization of reliable QTLs. Understanding genetics of salt tolerance, identifying the robust molecular markers and targeted utilization of available molecular markers form the sound basis to develop the commercial products with more precision and speed. This book covers entire range of topics: starting from biophysical characterization of salt stressed areas in different rice ecologies, conventional and molecular breeding approaches for mapping salt tolerance and subsequent development of improved rice varieties for commercial cultivation and their societal impacts. This book is of interest to scientists, faculty, policy makers and administrators. It also serves as a resource guide to graduate students of agriculture particularly plant breeding, plant physiology, molecularbiology and soil science.

This book reviews all important aspects of plant genome editing to shed new light on these genome editing technologies together in crop improvement and sustainable agriculture. The book is divided into three areas: the first of which reinterprets plant genome studies from an overview perspective, examining the safety and risk assessment of plants as well as breeding-related outcomes. The second area discusses recent advances in the understanding of crop improvement. A wide range of plant stress tolerance in relation to plant genome editing is then addressed, before turning attention to specific species approaches including rice, maize, wheat, and soybean. The entire book is devoted to an updated knowledge of plant genome editing technologies from all aspects of plant biology and agronomy as we move toward advancements in sustainable life research. The book will be highly recommended for agriculture biologists, agronomists, plant pathologists, and all related research areas.

This edited book support Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2): Zero Hunger. This book summarizes the contribution of genetic engineering for sustainable crop improvement toward global food and health security, climate resilience and economic growth. The book acts as a compendium of research reports on recent developments in the arena of cisgenics or transgenics or genome editing of crop plants for tolerance to biotic or abiotic stresses, introgression of value-added traits, molecular pharming etc. Sustainable crop productivity, yield and nutrition are the major constrain for food and nutritional security for the human population especially, in developing countries where arable land per capita is shrinking while the human population is steadily increasing. Zero hunger and achieving food security is the top priority of the United Nations development goals. This book explains various methods of genetic transformation such as transgenic, cisgenic, and genome editing for crop improvement. It also encompasses the advantages of genetic engineering in plants and their scope for sustainable crop improvement. The importance, limitations, challenges, GM biosafety regulations, recent advancements and future prospects of GM crops are covered in various chapters. This book is of interest to teachers, researchers, plant tissue culturists, GM crop experts, research scholars, academicians, plant breeders, policymakers etc. Also, the book serves as additional reading material for undergraduate and graduate students of agriculture, forestry, ecology, soil science, and environmental sciences. National and international agricultural scientists and policymakers will also find this to be a useful read.

Crop improvement using classically induced mutagenesis is now well standardized. Many new promising varieties of different crops have been successfully developed worldwide using both physical and chemical mutagens. Voluminous literature is now available on basic and applied aspects of mutagenesis. The mutation technique has been refined and holds the promise of generating much wider and more desirable variability than classical breeding. Recent advances in technology combined with classical mutation breeding offer new and exciting challenges for the development of new varieties. A global inventory of induced mutagenesis activities for crop improvement is requried. This book covers both basic and applied aspects of mutation and its impact on various crops: it is extremely well prepared and contains a huge volume of information accumulated using classically induced mutagenesis on different crops in different countries.Three key features: Describes the importance of induced mutation in crop plant research and its application to production Highlights new advances in the understanding of plant mutagenesis in crop improvement Contains contributions from major leaders in the field of plant mutation research This volume brings together all the important and relevant literature in the field. It provides a complete account of the mutation breeding of crops, presenting conclusions about the value of the method, its possibilities, limitations, and shortcomings, and the possible difficulties of further application in various crops. The initial chapters deal with the interactions between mutagenic treatment and plant material, such as aspects of mutagenic treatment, postirradiation behavior of shoot apices, and adventitious bud techniques. All available literature is then discussed crop by crop and critically evaluated. This will serve as an extremely comprehensive guide for researchers, teachers, students, and individuals who are interested in using induced mutagenesis as a tool for crop improvement.

Due to complex phytochemical components and associated beneficial properties, numerous medicinal and aromatic plants, in whole or parts, have been used for nutritional purposes or the treatment of various diseases and disorders in humans and animals. Essential oils from medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) have been exploited for product formulations of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food and beverage, colorants, biopesticides, and several other utility chemicals of industrial importance. There is scientific evidence of many medicinal plant extracts possessing immunomodulatory, immunostimulatory, antidiabetic, anticarcinogenic, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties, thus demonstrating their traditional use in popular medicine. With the advent of modern technology, the exploitation of natural resources has exponentially increased in order to fulfill the demand of an increased human population with improved quality of life. The traditional agriculture and production-based supply of commodities is inadequate to meet the current demand. Biotechnological approaches are gaining importance to bridge the gaps in demand and supply. In the proposed book, medicinal and aromatic plant-based secondary metabolites have been discussed in terms of their therapeutic potential and industrial relevance. To discuss the qualitative and quantitative analysis of a range of medicinal and aromatic plants-based secondary metabolites (SMs), bioprocess development for their extraction and bioseparation, a brief overview of their industrial relevance, various tissue culturing strategies, biotechnological approaches to enhance production, scale-up strategies, management of residual biomass post extraction of target SMs is central to the idea of the proposed book. A section will explore the verticals mentioned above. In the next section, the book addresses the approaches for conserving and improving medicinal and aromatic plant genetic resources. In the third section, approaches to managing the post-harvest crop residue and secondary metabolites extracted plant biomass will be thoroughly discussed. The recent integration of artificial intelligence to improve medicinal and aromatic plant research at several levels, including the development and employment of computational approaches to enhance secondary metabolite production, tissue culture, drug design and discovery, and disease treatment, will be included in the fourth section. The book summarizes current research status, gaps in knowledge, agro-industrial potential, waste or residual plant biomass management, conservation strategies, and computational approaches in the area of medicinal and aromatic plants with an aim to translate biotechnological interventions into reality.

This book provides an insightful journey into the realm of chloroplast biology. Chloroplasts are the organelles that perform photosynthesis and many of the metabolic processes in plant cells. They are a specialized form of plastids, whose differentiation is dependent on environmental and developmental signaling. Descended from a lineage of free-living, photosynthesizing prokaryotes, chloroplasts and other plastids contain remnants of their ancient genomes and chloroplast gene expression is essential for establishing functional organelles. Chloroplast gene expression has features of the prokaryotic gene expression but now involves large suites of nuclear proteins. Topics discussed are: the identification of these nuclear factors how chloroplast RNA is processed to produce functional organelles translation in chloroplasts and its regulation the environmental factors that influence chloroplast development and how plants deal with defective chloroplasts. The book also highlights the evolving landscape of chloroplast engineering in biotechnology, recent breakthroughs and their implications for the future. A valuable resource for researchers, students, and enthusiasts alike, this book is a compelling testament to the fascinating world of chloroplasts and their burgeoning role in scientific innovation.

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.

Gene expression in cells follows a prescribed pathway that conforms to the Central Dogma; where the genetic information stored in DNA is transcribed into RNA and then expressed into proteins, which influences most plant traits. Plant salt tolerance research is directed towards identifying nucleotide variants that could contribute to tolerant phenotypes. This book comprehensively presents the current state of knowledge on plant salt tolerance through meticulous analysis of the processes operating across the Central Dogma. It provides a detailed account of modulation of gene expression through genome editing systems to achieve crop improvement against salt stress. It also provides state-of-the-art information on advances in breeding technologies of genome selection and accelerated de novo domestication for rapidly improving the salt tolerance of plants for global food security. This book: 1.Provides a comprehensive coverage of plant salt tolerance mechanisms. 2.Spotlights various factors functioning along the Central Dogma pathway and their regulation in response to salinity. 3.Examines how these factors function to protect the plants from high salinity. 4.Highlights advances in cutting-edge breeding technologies for improving salt tolerance. The book will be of particular value to students and researchers of plant genetics, molecular biology and physiology and those with an interest in salinity and salt tolerance.

This edited volume presents recent advancements in genetic transformation and genome editing, offering a comprehensive understanding of their applications for creating more sustainable crops. These innovations are revolutionizing crop development, enhancing yields, and mitigating environmental challenges.The demand for sustainable crop production, driven by a growing global population and mounting environmental challenges, has never been more pressing. Genetic transformation and genome editing techniques offer precise and targeted ways to enhance crop traits, increase yields, and reduce the need for chemical inputs. The book traces the evolution of these technologies, from the early days of genetic modification to the current era of CRISPR-based genome editing. It covers cutting-edge technologies, from CRISPR-Cas9 to advanced gene editing techniques, while discussing the current scenario and future prospects of GM crops developed either by transgenic or genome editing approaches. The book explores the ethical and regulatory aspects surrounding genetic transformation, providing a complete perspective on this evolving domain.It is an essential read for researchers, students, and professionals in the fields of agriculture, plant sciences, biotechnology, agronomy, as well as policymakers.

With one volume each year, this series keeps scientists and advanced students informed of the latest developments and results in all areas of the plant sciences. This latest volume includes reviews on plant physiology, biochemistry, genetics and genomics, forests, and ecosystems.

Population genomics has revolutionized several disciplines of biology, genetic resource conservation and management, and breeding of crop plants by providing key and novel insights into population, evolutionary, ecological and conservation genetics, ecology, evolution and adaptation, and facilitating molecular breeding with an unprecedented power and accuracy. Crop plants have been domesticated from their wild progenitors over several centuries and have undergone severe genetic bottlenecks and selection sweeps. Population genomics research has unraveled novel insights into crop plants origin, evolution, demographic history, center of diversity, domestication history, genetic/genomic diversity and genetic structure of wild and domesticated populations and species, epigenomic diversity, genetic/genomic basis of domestication syndrome, genomic footprints of domestication, selection and breeding, de-domestication, speciation and admixture, taxonomy, phylogeny, ecology, biotic and abiotic stress tolerance, and ecological and climate adaptation. Population genomics has also facilitated the development of pangenomes, conservation and management of genetic diversity including in the pre-breeding and breeding programs, and genomics-assisted breeding via identifying genotype-phenotype associations and genomic selection in crop plants. This pioneering book presents the advances made and potential of population genomics in addressing the above crop plants aspects of basic and applied significance and brings together leading experts in crop plants population genomics to discuss these topics in major crop plants. Genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic and plant resources available for population genomics research and challenges, opportunities and future perspectives of crop plants population genomics are also discussed. Chapters'Population Genomics of Yams: Evolution and Domestication of Dioscorea Species'and'Population Genomics Along With Quantitative Genetics Provides a More Efficient Valorization of Crop Plant Genetic Diversity in Breeding and Pre-breeding Programs'are available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

This book explores the intricate mechanisms underlying the stress responses of phototrophs, which play a critical and foundational role in shaping and sustaining life on Earth.The photoautotrophic entities encounter a spectrum of natural and anthropogenic stresses, inducing a multitude of responses at the physiological, biochemical, genetic, and developmental levels. The comprehension of how these phototrophs adeptly counter stressors transcends mere scientific pursuit; it stands as an essential endeavor for predicting their adaptability in an ever-evolving world and, crucially, for conserving our delicate ecosystems. The book will shed light on the sophisticated interplay of stress signaling pathways and the nuanced engagement of stress-responsive hormones within these life forms. Furthermore, it unveils the cryptic genetic and epigenetic controls dictating stress-related gene expression, yielding profound insights into the enduring recollection of their responses to environmental challenges.This book is an essential read for researchers, educators, and students alike. It offers a comprehensive panorama of stress biology, unveiling the innermost mechanisms at play within photosynthetic organisms discussing their resilience and adaptation.

With one volume each year, this series keeps scientists and advanced students informed of the latest developments and results in all areas of the plant sciences. This latest volume includes reviews on plant physiology, biochemistry, genetics and genomics, forests, and ecosystems.

Applications of Genome Engineering in Plants Understand the keys to creating the food of the future Genome engineering in plants is a field that has made enormous strides in recent years. In particular, the CRISPR-Cas system has been used in a number of crop species to make significant leaps forward in nutritional improvement, stress tolerance, crop yield, and more. As scientists work to meet global food needs and foster sustainable agriculture in a changing world, genome engineering promises only to become more important. Applications of Genome Engineering in Plants details the history of, and recent developments in, this essential area of biotechnology. It describes advances enabling nutritional improvement, nutraceuticals improvement, flavonoid enrichment, and many more crop enhancements, as well as subjects such as biosafety and regulatory mechanisms. The result is a thorough and essential overview for researchers and biotech professionals. Applications of Genome Engineering in Plants readers will also find: Chapters on trans-gene free editing or non-transgenic approaches to plant genomes Detailed discussion of topics including nanotechnology-facilitated genome editing, engineering for virus resistance in plants, and more Applications of genome editing in oil seed crops, vegetables, ornamental plants, and many others Applications of Genome Engineering in Plants is ideal for academics, scientists, and industry professionals working in biotechnology, agriculture, food science, and related subjects.

With over 820 million people facing hunger in today's world, the need of the hour is the design of plant varieties with high yield, improved traits, and resistance properties in order to mitigate the detrimental impacts of biotic and abiotic stress conditions on food crops. This volume highlights the use of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated nuclease proteins as a solution for sustainable agriculture. CRISPR/Cas-mediated genome editing (GE) provides a robust, simple, precise, efficient, economical, and revolutionary toolbox that leads to improved plant traits with enhanced yield, quality, and resistance against various stresses, including climate-related stress, insect pests and diseases, pollution-related stresses, etc. Key features of the book: Explains the differences between conventional breeding, genetically modified crops, and genome editing approaches using CRISPR/Cas Introduces the tools of genome editing, such as ZFNS (zinc finger nucleases), mega nucleases, and TLENS (transcription activator-like effector nucleases) Covers the history, origin, discovery, structure, and classification of CRISPR/Cas Examines the databases and computational approaches of CRISPR/Cas Highlights genome editing of important crop plants with CRISPR/Cas systems, including wheat, maize. tomato, Brassica crops, rice, fruits Explores potential applications of CRISPR/Cas systems for climate smart crops

This book brings together the latest information on almond genomics and transcriptomics, with a particular focus on cutting-edge findings, tools, and strategies employed in genome sequencing and analysis with regard to the most important agronomic traits. Cultivated almond [(Prunus dulcis (Miller) D. A. Webb, syn. Prunus amygdalus Batsch., Amygdalus communis L., Amygdalus dulcis Mill.)] is a tree crop producing seeds of great economic interest, and adapted to hot and dry climates. Domesticated in Southeast Asia, its small diploid genome and phenotypic diversity make it an ideal model to complement genomics studies on peach, generally considered to be the reference Prunus species. Both represent consanguineous species that evolved in two distinct environments: warmer and more humid in the case of peach, and colder and xerophytic for almond. The advent of affordable whole-genome sequencing, in combination with existing Prunus functional genomics data, has now made it possible to leverage the novel diversity found in almond, providing an unmatched resource for the genetic improvement of this species.

This book emphasizes on cutting-edge next-generation smart plant breeding approaches for maximizing the use of genomic resources generated by high-throughput genomics in the post-genomic era. Through this book the readers would learn about the recent development in the genomic approaches such as genotype by sequencing (GBS) for genomic analysis (SNPs, Single Nucleotide Polymorphism), whole-genome re-sequencing (WGRS) and RNAseq for transcriptomic analysis (DEGs, Differentially Expressed Genes). To maximize the genetic gains in the cereal/food crops, the book covers topics on transgenic breeding, genome editing, high-throughput phenotyping, reliable/precision phenotyping and genomic information-based analysis. In the era of climate change and the ever-increasing population, food security and nutritional security are the primary concern of plant breeders, growers, and policymakers to address the UN's sustainable development goals. Chapters of this book cohere around these goals and covers techniques such as (QTL mapping, association studies, candidate gene identification), omics, RNAi [through micro RNA (miRNA), small interfering RNA (siRNA) and artificial micro RNA (amiRNA)]. It also covers other genomic techniques like antisense technology, genome editing (CRISPR/cas9, base editing) and epigenomics that assist the crop improvement programmes to fulfil the UNs sustainable development goals. It explores the influence of rapidly available sequencing data assisting in the next generation breeding programmes. This volume is a productive resource for the students, researchers, scientists, teachers, public and private sector stakeholders involved in the genetic enhancement of cereal crops.

This new volume offers a valuable introduction to plant ecology from a genomics point of view, presenting a thorough foundation and summary of modern approaches, methodologies, research goals, and evidence of plant ecology in the modern genomic era. The book also presents important updated information on the most recent knowledge of thedifferent aspects of plant populations. The volume gives an overview of the approaches to unravelling the genetic basis underlying fundamental responses of plants to their natural environments, describing in detail the concepts, aims, and approaches of plant ecological genomics along with the genomic tools embraced by ecologists for mining various ecological problems. Recent advances and breakthroughs made in molecular markers along with their applications in plant ecogenomic studies are shared, and specific applications, techniques, and tools are described as well, such advanced molecular techniques, next-generation sequencing, eDNA metabarcoding, among others.

This edited book is an in-depth compilation of recent tools and techniques, concepts and strategies used globally in plant molecular farming (PMF) for the cost-effective bulk production of recombinant proteins, secondary metabolites, and other biomolecules. The book presents an overview of success stories of PMF applications from developing countries to address poverty, achieve zero hunger, good health and well-being, thus achieving the UN SDGs 1, 2, and 3.The book deep dives into recent extraction and downstream processing methodologies, its co-existence with conventional agriculture, global governance and finally opportunities, challenges, and future perspectives in plant molecular farming. It focuses on plastid/chloroplast transformation (transplastomics) and its application in plant molecular farming. The books highlight recent advances in genome editing, synthetic biology, glycosylation and glyco-engineering for improved plant molecular farming by marker-free andtissue-specific systems via cisgenic and transgenic crops. In depth discussions on biosafety issues and bio-containment strategies have also been included.The book has 15 chapters authored by globally leading experts on the subject, presenting opportunities & challenges for bio-industrial researchers and entrepreneurs. It is useful to researchers, industrialists, entrepreneurs, policy planners, academician, and students across the disciplines.

Sustainable food production is vital to ensure food and nutritional security to growing human population. Recently, there has been a shift in agricultural production system, crop production is not only considering yield as primary interest to produce higher number of calories for reducing hunger, but also more nutrient-rich food to reduce malnutrition or “hidden hunger”. Micronutrient malnutrition is a continuing and serious public health problem in many countries, various Interventions to alleviate this problem have been implemented. Biofortification, the process of breeding nutrients into food crops, provides a comparatively cost effective, sustainable, and long-term means of delivering more micronutrients. Legumes have higher protein content than most plant foods approximately twice than cereals and are rich in the key micronutrients folate, niacin, thiamine, calcium, iron and zinc. This book summarizes the biofortification of legumes. Detailed information through contributed chapters shed light on legumes research relevant to human health, with key topics that include genomic and genetic resources for food security, conventional and modern breeding approaches for improving nutrition, agronomic traits and biotechnological interventions.

Readers will find in this book a comprehensive text on the intersection of genetic and agriculture, addressing the different levels at which DNA is studied for agricultural purposes. The different subdivisions of genetics (molecular, Mendelian, quantitative and populations) are all discussed in the light of agriculture research and practice. Agricultural Genetics aims to be a support for advanced and undergraduate students taking courses on biology, genetics and breeding applied to agriculture, both for plant sciences and animal sciences.

As per the reports of FAO, the human population will rise to 9 billion by the end of 2050 and 70% of more food must be produced over the next three decades to feed the additional population. The breeding approaches for crop improvement programs are dependent on the availability and accessibility of genetic variation, either spontaneous or induced by the mutagens. Plant breeders, agronomists, and geneticists are under constant pressure to expand food production by employing innovative breeding strategies to enhance yield, adaptability, nutrition, resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. In conventional breeding approaches, introgression of genes in crop varieties is laborious and time-consuming. Nowadays, new innovative plant breeding techniques such as molecular breeding and plant biotechnology, supplement the traditional breeding approaches to achieve the desired goals of enhanced food production. With the advent of recent molecular tools like genomics, transgenics, molecular marker-assisted back-crossing, TILLING, Eco-TILLING, gene editing, CRISPR CAS, non-targeted protein abundant comparative proteomics, genome wide association studies have made possible mapping of important QTLs, insertion of transgenes, reduction of linkage drags, and manipulation of genome. In general, conventional and modern plant breeding approaches would be strategically ideal for developing new elite crop varieties to meet the feeding requirement of the increasing world population.This book highlights the latest progress in the field of plant breeding, and their applicability in crop improvement. The basic concept of this 2-volume work is to assess the use of modern breeding strategies in supplementing the conventional breeding toward the development of elite crop varieties, for obtaining desired goals of food production.

As per the reports of FAO, the human population will rise to 9 billion by the end of 2050 and 70% of more food must be produced over the next three decades to feed the additional population. The breeding approaches for crop improvement programs are dependent on the availability and accessibility of genetic variation, either spontaneous or induced by the mutagens. Plant breeders, agronomists, and geneticists are under constant pressure to expand food production by employing innovative breeding strategies to enhance yield, adaptability, nutrition, resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. In conventional breeding approaches, introgression of genes in crop varieties is laborious and time-consuming. Nowadays, new innovative plant breeding techniques such as molecular breeding and plant biotechnology, supplement the traditional breeding approaches to achieve the desired goals of enhanced food production. With the advent of recent molecular tools like genomics, transgenics, molecular marker-assisted back-crossing, TILLING, Eco-TILLING, gene editing, CRISPR CAS, non-targeted protein abundant comparative proteomics, genome wide association studies have made possible mapping of important QTLs, insertion of transgenes, reduction of linkage drags, and manipulation of genome. In general, conventional and modern plant breeding approaches would be strategically ideal for developing new elite crop varieties to meet the feeding requirement of the increasing world population.This book highlights the latest progress in the field of plant breeding, and their applicability in crop improvement. The basic concept of this 2-volume work is to assess the use of modern breeding strategies in supplementing conventional breeding toward the development of elite crop varieties, for obtaining desired goals of food production.

With one volume each year, this series keeps scientists and advanced students informed of the latest developments and results in all areas of the plant sciences. This latest volume includes reviews on plant physiology, biochemistry, genetics and genomics, forests, and ecosystems.

Dramatic advances in computing power enable simulation of DNA sequences generated by complex microevolutionary scenarios that include mutation, population structure, natural selection, meiotic recombination, demographic change, and explicit spatial geographies. Although retrospective, coalescent simulation is computationally efficient—and covered here—the primary focus of this book is forward-in-time simulation, which frees us to simulate a wider variety of realistic microevolutionary models. The book walks the reader through the development of a forward-in-time evolutionary simulator dubbed FORward Time simUlatioN Application (FORTUNA). The capacity of FORTUNA grows with each chapter through the addition of a new evolutionary factor to its code. Each chapter also reviews the relevant theory and links simulation results to key evolutionary insights. The book addresses visualization of results through development of R code and reference to more than 100 figures. All code discussedin the book is freely available, which the reader may use directly or modify to better suit his or her own research needs. Advanced undergraduate students, graduate students, and professional researchers will all benefit from this introduction to the increasingly important skill of population genetic simulation.

This reference book comprehensively reviews the significance of DNA technology in forensic science. After presenting the theory, basic principles, tools and techniques that are used in forensic DNA typing, it summarizes various techniques, including autosomal STR, Y-STR, X-STR, mitochondrial DNA and NGS, used in solving both criminal as and civil cases, such as paternity disputes, identification of mutilated remains, and culprit identification in sexual assault and murder cases. It also provides an overview of DNA-based genetic diagnostics for various diseases, and discusses the role of DNA typing in drug reactions, as well as the application of non-human DNA profiling of animals and plants in forensic science investigations. Lastly, the book examines the role of internal quality control in maintaining the high quality of DNA profiling.

In the post-genomic era, several plant species have been sequenced and massive genomic information is now available which contributed to expand the development of novel technical strategies for the study of additional levels of biological information of plant species. This book focuses on the “omics” approaches together with systems analysis of several different plant species, which have revealed very interesting variations on the cellular responses at the protein, transcript and metabolite levels in response to changes environmental conditions. The volume covers recent technological advances in the area of “omics” and synthesizes recent findings of the field of plant “omics” and systems biology together along with techniques that can be applied for such studies.

The edited book highlights various emerging Omics tools and techniques that are currently being used in the analysis of responses to different abiotic stress in agronomically important cereals and their applications in enhancing tolerance mechanism. Plants are severely challenged by diverse abiotic stress factors such as low water availability (drought), excess water (flooding/ waterlogging), extremes of temperatures (cold, chilling, frost, and heat), salinity, mineral deficiency, and heavy metal toxicity. Agronomically important cereal crops like Rice, Wheat, Maize, Sorghum, Pearl Millet, Barley, Oats, Rye, Foxtail Millets etc. that are the major sources of food material and nutritional components for human health are mostly exposed to abiotic stresses during the critical phases of flowering and grain yield. Different Omics platforms like genomics, transcriptomics proteomics, metabolomics and phenomics, in conjunction with breeding and transgenic technology, and high throughput technologies like next generation sequencing, epigenomics, genome editing and CRISPR-Cas technology have emerged altogether in understanding abiotic stress response and strengthening defense and tolerance mechanism of different cereals. This book is beneficial to different universities and research institutes working with different cereal crops in the areas of stress physiology, stress-associated genes and proteins, genomics, proteomics, genetic engineering, and other fields of molecular plant physiology. The book can also be used as advanced textbook for the course work of research and master's level students. It will be of use to people involved in ecological studies and sustainable agriculture. The proposed book bring together the global leaders working on environmental stress in different cereal crops and motivate scientists to explore new horizons in the relevant areas of research.

This book collates the basic and advanced concepts of plant biotechnology and genomics along with the future trends. It discusses the combination of conventional breeding techniques with genomic tools and approaches leading to a new genomics-based plant breeding technology supporting crop plants that respond better to biotic and abiotic stress, and pathogen attacks. Plant genomics play an important role in developing more efficient plant cultivars which are essential for the neo green revolution needed to feed the world's rapidly growing population. Plant genomic data is being utilized in genetic engineering to ensure that better and resilient varieties of crops are available ensuring food security. This book is of immense interest to teachers, researchers, crop scientists, capacity builders, and policy makers. Also, the book serves as additional reading material for undergraduate and graduate students of agriculture, biotechnology, genomics, soil science, and environmental sciences. National and International agricultural scientists and policy makers will also find this to be a useful read.

This edited book brings together comprehensive information on various aspects of the biofortification of staple crops. It addresses the present status of food and nutritional security and highlights the importance of micronutrients in human health, a historical account of biofortification, current approaches and challenges, crop-specific biofortification efforts and various breeding approaches, including conventional, and genomics enabled improvement. It also explains the efficacy of biofortification, bioavailability, and future thrust. It is an inclusive source of information on different aspects of micronutrients in crops of global importance. Malnutrition is a serious global issue, with millions of people being undernourished, several suffering from micronutrient deficiencies, and the adult population struggling with obesity. Despite significant economic progress, South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa are still home to an undernourished population. Nutrition-related health problems are related to hidden hunger and are widespread in the developing world. Women and preschool children are more vulnerable. Even though global food production has increased manifolds, estimates indicate that over 60% of the world's population is deficient in essential micronutrients such as iron, zinc, iodine, and selenium, often causing health problems and developmental delays. Linking agricultural production with human nutrition and health is crucial for ensuring nutrition security. Much research has been carried out to assess genetic diversity related to micro-nutrients in staple crops, their bioavailability, and the efficacy of biofortified germplasm. Biofortified varieties developed in different crops through conventional breeding are being up-scaled for reducing the micronutrient deficiencies in other countries. This book is a ready reference for researchers, academicians, extension personnel, policymakers, students, and value chain stakeholdersengaged in agriculture, nutrition, and health sectors promoting nutrition-sensitive diets.

This edited book presents the latest research on cucumber, its genetic resources and diversity, tissue culture and genetic transformation, mapping of economic genes and QTLs, whole genome sequencing, comparative genomics, and breeding strategies. The mechanism of sex expression, interspecific hybridization, and cell biology are also described. The book discusses the genome draft of cucumber and the application of genome editing. This book is useful to the students, teachers and scientists in academia and relevant private companies interested in horticulture, genetics, breeding, and related areas.