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This open access book is a compilation of advances in sweetpotato genomics, which have been used to improve our understanding of the evolution of sweetpotato, increase our knowledge of crop growth and development, and provided critical information required for genomic-assisted breeding in sweetpotato. Sweetpotato is a critical food staple for millions of people in the developing world that has long been considered an under-resourced, orphan crop. However, this perception is changing, and significantly, more resources have been devoted to the improvement of sweetpotato in both the private and public sectors around the world during the last decade. Its twelve chapters review the changing food security and commercial food product landscape of sweetpotato in the developed and developing world, global wild and cultivated genome sequencing efforts in sweetpotato, the evolution of molecular markers and the development of novel polyploid linkage mapping, quantitative trait loci and genomic selection strategies required for gene discovery in this complex crop, and the use of these new tool in sweetpotato crop improvement programs around the globe. This book is useful to students, teachers, and scientists in universities, research institutes, and private companies.

Agriculture is facing unprecedented challenges including climate change, declining arable land, and a growing global population. To meet the increasing demand for food while minimizing environmental impact, innovative solutions are required. Nanotechnology offers promising avenues to enhance agricultural productivity, sustainability, and food security.'Revolutionizing Agriculture: A Comprehensive Exploration of Agri-Nanotechnology'is an ambitious and timely book that sheds light on the transformative potential of nanotechnology in agriculture. This book is an exploration of agri-nanotechnology covering foundational principles, various applications, environmental considerations, and future trends. It serves as a valuable resource for researchers, academics, students, policymakers, and industry professionals interested in the intersection of nanotechnology and agriculture. By addressing both the scientific and societal implications of agri-nanotechnology, this book contributes to the sustainable development of agriculture in the 21st century. This book... Expands existing knowledge and understanding of applications of nano-materials in agriculture, exploring their chemical structures, properties, and biological activities; Provides readers with a foundational understanding of nanoscale science and its relevance to agriculture; Explores various types of nanomaterials and their applications in crop production, soil management, and pest control; Discusses the use of nanosensors for real-time monitoring of soil and crop conditions, as well as data analytics for precision agriculture; Addresses the development of nanopesticides, nanofertilizers, and nanodelivery systems to reduce chemical use and enhance crop protection; Examines how nanotechnology can contribute to sustainable practices such as water management, waste reduction, and energy efficiency; Discusses the regulatory framework and ethical concerns surrounding the use of nanotechnology in agriculture; Bridges the gap between the fields of agriculture, biotechnology, chemical and physical sciences.

Advances in plant genomics, plant molecular biology and genome editing have revolutionized opportunities for more efficient plant breeding. Successful application requires a concrete understanding of the concepts. Molecular Plant Breeding is an interface of issues from basic concepts to applications to crop improvement. The tools include molecular marker technology, gene mapping, genetic transformation, precise gene editing, and climate smart agriculture. This book provides a comprehensive coverage of molecular tools and methodologies that should be integrated within plant breeding programs for the improvement of crop plants. The book covers all relevant areas of molecular breeding in plants, with concepts and tools of relevance to plant genomics research and advanced molecular breeding. Chapters comprehensively review the contemporary literature on the subject and reflect the experiences of the authors. Each chapter emphasizes introduction covering related backgrounds and providesin-depth discussion of the subject supported with high-quality color illustrations and relevant data. Chapters conclude with future research perspective and, a comprehensive list of pertinent references.

This book explores two Rubus species from South America. It will address the species Rubus bogotensis Kunth and Rubus acanthophyllos Focke. It addresses aspects, such as origin, phenology, propagation, floral and fruit morphology, arthropod visitors, pollination, breeding, morphological diversity, and genetic diversity. It includes new unpublished data and results about plant phenology, flowering, insect visitors, fruit length-weight relationships, and fruit and pyrene morphology. This work includes an in-depth review of the most recently published information on the topic. The Rubus species studies are underutilized crops from Latin America. Furthermore, these species could be used in breeding programs for improvement. They can also be hybridized with other Rubus species to obtain better-quality hybrids. This book contains numerous photographs selected by the author to provide the reader with detailed information about the plant´s morphological features and arthropod visitors.

This edited book is a compilation of information on existing frontier technologies in agriculture, such as driving modernized crop improvement programs via digitalization, mechanization and automation, artificial intelligence, speed breeding. The major focus of the book is on the technologies related to genetic gain, nutrition and food safety. Agriculture is core to industry as well as human civilization and sustainability of the society. Therefore, advancement and investment of technology is essential for enhancing the quality and quantity of the produce for ensuring food and nutritional security. The frontier technologies bring drastic change in the way of functioning leading to multi-fold increase in efficiency and outcome. Chapters in this book addresses a particular enabling technology and forward-looking strategy. Compiled information with successful deployment examples of these technologies is not been made available from a single platform, therefore, this volume is a unified compilation of information from international experts. The book is a relevant reading material for students, researchers, academicians and industry players in agriculture.

This book is the 11th volume of the popular series'Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of the World'. It is a comprehensive compilation of 30 chapters on selected important species representative of India's rich and diverse flora. This collection provides current scientific information highlighting the traditional, contemporary, and prospective uses of both well-known and lesser-known plant species. The volume serves as a bridge between traditional knowledge and modern scientific advancements, providing a critical analysis of this broad interdisciplinary field with a particular focus on India. The chapters cover topics such as the pharmacological properties, biochemical composition, and therapeutic applications of these plants. Readers will find contributions by renowned scholars who delve into the innovative product development stemming from the ancient medicinal plant systems. Particular attention is given to how these plants can contribute to health and wellness in the era of global climate change and pandemics. This book invites readers to face critical questions about the survival and utilization of medicinal and aromatic plants in India. Researchers, scholars, and practitioners in fields of botany, pharmacology, and traditional medicine will find this volume invaluable. It is also an essential resource for anyone interested in botanicals, plant-based nutraceuticals and herbal formulations. Whether you are an academic or a professional working in the field of medicinal plants, this book offers a wealth of knowledge that bridges rich ancient traditions with modern science.

Meliponini, the stingless bees of the tropics, process and store honey, pollen and plant resins to maintain their colonies. The chemical components of their nests are bioactive and believed to be therapeutic for a long list of maladies. However, only recently are tests and analyses being done with molecular and modern laboratory techniques, such as high throughput EDX, HPIC, HPLC, GC, NMR, PCR, and ultrastructural SEM; coupled with diverse detectors such as DAD, RI, MS, SCD.This two-volume book is about the cerumen –plant resins mixed with stingless bee wax– and propolis, which fortify the colony in ways that are beginning to be understood. It includes reviews and new research on diverse topics involving the chemistry and bioactivity of plant resins, cerumen, propolis, besides bee and microbe behavior and ecology. These analytic studies are presented along with stingless bee biodiversity, palynology, cultural knowledge, bee foraging behavior, resin flower evolution, ecology, and evolution of nest microbe mutualisms, social immunity, human health, the decisive role of microbiology investigation in moving forward, natural history of stingless bee colonies and nests, marketing, and bibliometrics for plant resin use by bees, propolis, and the Starmerella yeast.

This book focuses on recent advances in biosensors and nanosensors to monitor, manage and improve horticultural crops in terms of plant growth, nutrient deficiency, toxicity, diseases, abiotic stress, soil amendments and agrochemicals entry into surrounding environment. Besides contributing to sustainable agriculture, these innovative tools facilitate promoting plant health and horticultural products quality and safety. The book consists of 11 chapters grouped in 4 parts. Part I Growth, Development and Productivity, Part II Trends in Abiotic and Biotic Stress Management, Part III Harvest Quality, Part IV Precision Agriculture and Environment Sustainability. Increased productivity, stimulation of plant growth, precise farming, monitoring food quality and freshness during production, processing, distribution and storage, reduced costs and waste, and sustainable agriculture are some of the concepts discussed. The book presents the mechanisms of biosensors and nanosensors for monitoring the various changes during pre- and post-harvest stages of horticultural crops. These are considered as efficient tools to achieve goals of plant breeders in horticultural crops improvement programs. Chapters are written by globally recognized scientists and subjected to a rigorous review process to ensure quality presentation and scientific precision. Each chapter begins with an introduction that covers similar contexts and includes a detailed discussion of the topic accompanied by high-quality color images, diagrams and relevant details and concludes with recommendations for future study directions in addition to a comprehensive bibliography.

South Africa boasts high biodiversity among its flora and this is associated with many undiscovered medicinal plants with therapeutic potential. To target this untapped resource, the first step is to introduce these species to a wider spectrum of audience, be they the academics who carry out research, students interested in holistic medicine and healing, or those working in the natural product industry. In this work, we document a list of medicinal plants from Sub-Saharan Africa that have been underestimated in their therapeutic value and not thoroughly studied. Our book contains the recent scientific studies and validation on the individual plants. Written and organised in an easily accessible way, each entry includes specific information on the plant's distribution, traditional usage and their phytochemical content. In summary, this book introduces new and exciting plants of Sub-Saharan Africa in a comprehensive and well-thought-out format for academia, pharmacists, clinicians, complementary and alternative medicine practitioners, traditional healers, industry and the general experienced or novice botanist.

This book provides new insight and a better understanding of nanotechnology in mitigating crop biotic stresses.It covers crop diseases and different nano-based management strategies used to manage pathogens and plant-parasitic nematodes damaging crops. Nanoparticles have the potential to revolutionize crop yield and can control plant biotic stress. Nanotechnology in plant pathology is a new frontier among various nanotechnological applications. Nanotechnology applications include the development of nano-based pesticides and nanoformulations of chemicals for crop improvement by reducing biotic stress. Different nanomaterials like ZnONPs, SiO2NPs, CuONPs, AgNPs, and TiO2NPs have been examined for their impacts on plant growth and biotic stress management. This book deals with the advanced use of nanotechnology in managing the biotic stress of crops and improving crop production. It covers these issues and many more. Each chapter focus on one particular topic. Incorporate chapters provide detailed information on nanotechnology and may help in future research. This book will be useful for researchers, professors, and postgraduate and undergraduate students, especially concerning agriculture and plant pathology.

This handbook covers both principal and applications aspects of hydroponics. This reference book shows the state-of-the-art in this area, while offering a clear view of supplying plants with nutrients other than soil. Chapters about hydroponics provides the reader with an understanding of the properties of the various soilless media and how these properties affect plant performance in relation to basic agricultural operations, such as fertilization and irrigation. Chapters explore the drawbacks and advantages of using hydroponics as a soilless crop production system and provide a wider view of science, technology, and economic impact of hydroponics. This book is a valuable resource to agriculturists, horticulturalists, greenhouse and nursery managers, and professionals involved with the production of plants. The handbook provides chapters about technology and applications of hydroponics. It contains an overview of the relevance of aquaponics in the fulfillment of the SDGs.

This book addresses sustainable solutions to problems in various environments using microorganisms dwelling in the soil and sustainable approaches applicable now and in the future. It focuses on the role of the soil microbiome—a rich community of beneficial bacteria and fungi—in green technology for a safe environment. This volume delves into the dynamics between the soil ecosystem and microorganisms; their interrelationships; and man's role in maintaining soil health and quality. The chapters cover topics such as pollution control, enhancing soil fertility, climate change mitigation, biocontrol of pathogens, and nanotechnology applications. The authors provide an expert analysis of how these microbial communities contribute to green technological sustainability. Readers will find contributions by renowned scholars who explore these themes through empirical research and practical case studies. The book highlights how these microorganisms can be major players in nature-based solutions while shifting perceptions from harmful to beneficial roles. Soil Microbiome in Green Technology Sustainability is essential reading for researchers, scholars, practitioners, students at all levels, and anyone interested in environmental science or biotechnology. It offers valuable insights into using microbial capabilities for sustainable development across various industrial sectors. This volume is particularly relevant for those involved in renewable energy, recycling, carbon capturing, storage technologies, or any field seeking eco-friendly solutions to global challenges.

Almond and peach species have global importance as food crops as well as use in landscaping including restoration and reforestation. Because currently available breeding germplasm has a very narrow genetic base, genetic improvement programs are turning to wild germplasm as sources of improved quality, productivity and resistance traits. This germplasm is also enabling the dramatic modification of traditional cropping systems as with the transfer of self-fruitfulness from related wild almond and peach species to normally self-sterile cultivated almond. While presence of an extensive wild almond and related germplasm has been documented in the literature over the past century, most information remains dispersed and often not generally accessible owing to its publication in treatises and journals of limited distribution. This monograph brings together a comprehensive characterization of almond and its related species including the cultivated and wild peaches. Because it represents the only comprehensive source of information on almond, peach and their wild relatives, it represents a basic reference text of interest to researchers in both the basic and applied plant and ecological sciences.

This book covers cadmium contamination of soil and plants, its sources, acute and long-term impacts on the environment and human health, and overall challenges posed by the global poisoning issue. Cadmium is among the elements that have been most broadly used by man over time, which has led to extensive pollution of surface soils, mainly associated with the mining and smelting of the metal and the addition of organic cadmium compounds to petrol. The release of cadmium into the atmosphere from various high-temperature processes has also led to surface contamination on a regional and even global scale. Cadmium is particularly firmly bound to humic matter in organic-rich soil and to iron oxides in mineral soil and is rather immobile in the soil unless present at very high concentrations. Plants grown on cadmium-rich soils incorporate cadmium, thus increasing the concentration of cadmium in crop plants. Cadmium thus enters the food chain through the consumption of plant material, whichposes important health risks to humans and animals. In this book, readers will find out about the latest mitigation strategies, including a multi-disciplinary approach to address cadmium contamination. Recent methods in cadmium detoxification, speciation, and molecular mechanisms are included, and the book offers the knowledge required for efficient risk assessment, prevention, and countermeasure. Divided into 3 parts, this book brings together expert contributions on cadmium toxicity. In the first part, readers will find out about the different sources and distribution of cadmium in soil and plant ecosystems. The second part of the book outlines the health risks linked to cadmium toxicity, and in the final part, readers will discover sustainable cadmium toxicity mitigation strategies and potential applications of recent biological technology in providing solutions. This book is a valuable resource for students, academics, researchers, and environmental professionalsdoing fieldwork on cadmium contamination throughout the world.

This book focuses on recent advances in Molecular Tools, Nanotechnology and Artificial Intelligence to monitor, manage and improve horticultural crops in terms of plant growth, nutrient deficiency, toxicity, diseases, abiotic stress, soil amendments and agrochemicals entering the surrounding environment. The book consists of 11 chapters grouped in 3 parts. Part I Nanotechnology and Artificial Intelligence, Part II Monitoring Abiotic and Biotic Stress, Part III Genetic Engineering and Genomics. This book provides an overview of nanotechnology and omics used to improve the productivity of crops and sustainability in the future. It also describes the basic structures of six popular artificial intelligence techniques and their applications in horticultural crop improvement. The book presents molecular techniques such as molecular markers, genome sequencing, genome editing and genetic modification that are considered efficient tools to achieve the goals of plant breeders in horticultural crop improvement programs. Chapters are written by globally recognized scientists and subjected to a rigorous review process to ensure quality presentation and scientific precision. Each chapter begins with an introduction that covers similar contexts and includes a detailed discussion of the topic accompanied by high-quality color images, diagrams and relevant details and concludes with recommendations for future study directions in addition to a comprehensive bibliography.

This book is focused on the production, cultivation, processing, composition, nutritional value, value addition, health implications, limitations and safety of nutricereals with an emphasis on their functional significance. With changing food habits and increasing health concerns, consumers around the world are opting for a more nutritious diet than that was consumed until recently. Nutricereals are now becoming a food of choice for many and newer products are being developed using them. Thus, a better understanding of these valuable crops is becoming essential. Researchers and scientists around the world have now turned their attention to nutricereals as a cheaper and most important solution to nutritional deficiencies. Processing of these cereals is matter of advanced research in recent times to make it suitable and palatable for human consumption and taste, and hence high emphasis is given on processing and value addition of these cereals. A comprehensive account of these important aspects is highly required. The book covers specific aspects of the nutricereals of consumption pattern and acceptance and the cultivation practices and health benefits associated with their consumption. Considerations on processing, value addition and safety associated with various nutricereals and current and future challenges and the opportunities for its utilization are highlighted in the book. This book forms an important resource on nutricereals for food technologists and food scientists.

This book entitled, The Pearl Millet Genome, is the first comprehensive compilation of deliberations on history, domestication, genetic and genomic resources, traditional breeding, genetic diversity, molecular maps and mapping of important biotic stress as well as nutritional quality traits, whole genome sequencing and comparative genomics, functional genomics, genetic transformation. The economic, nutritional, and health importance of the pearl millet is also discussed. It also presents the input use efficiency and wide adaptation of the crop. Altogether, the book will contain about 200 pages over 10 chapters authored by globally reputed experts on the relevant field in this crop. This book will be useful to the students, teachers, and scientists in the academia and relevant private companies interested in genetics, pathology, molecular genetics and breeding, genetic engineering, structural and functional genomics, and nutritional quality aspects of the crop. This book will also be also useful to seed and pharmaceutical industries.

This edited book addresses the introduction to wheat, advancements in breeding, the contribution of biotechnological approaches, the development of climate-resilient wheat cultivars, and biofortification efforts to create nutrient-rich wheat cultivars.The world faces simultaneous challenges of a growing population and climate change. It is anticipated that the world population will exceed 9 billion by 2050. Meanwhile, climate change significantly impacts agriculture through uneven patterns, expected to worsen in the coming years, resulting in substantial losses due to biotic and abiotic stresses. Wheat, a staple food for millions worldwide, requires more studies to develop climate-resilient cultivars with improved nutritional content. Given these considerations, it is crucial to understand the activities conducted for wheat breeding and address the current gap to ensure an ample food supply for future generations.This book is beneficial for researchers, teachers, agriculturists, biologists, climate change scientists, and organizations involved in wheat breeding. It also serves as a valuable resource for undergraduate, master, and PhD students interested in wheat.

This book is the first comprehensive compilation of elucidation of the genome of cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum Maton) and its genetic improvement. It includes reviews on the genetic resources, genetics and breeding and in vitro culture in cardamom and molecular characterization of phylogenetic relationship of cardamom of Columbia and Costa Rica. This book presents deliberations on the whole genome sequencing and SSR markers of small cardamom. It also enumerates on the genetics and genomics of biotic stress and host-pathogen interaction, genomics of flavors, and transcriptomics resources and their implications and finally functional regulation of mRNAs in cardamom. Altogether, the book contains about 150 pages over 10 chapters authored by globally reputed experts on the relevant field in this crop. The book is useful to the students, teachers, and scientists in the academia and relevant private companies interested in classical genetics and breeding, molecular genetics, structural genomics, functional genomics, plant pathology and plant physiology of cardamom.

The book combines knowledge about salinity problems from soil science and plant science and presents an in-depth treatment of the current scientific findings to enable plant production on saline soils. It discusses soil parameters in the context of the development of plants with salt resistance as a multigenic trait. An integrated view helps to comprehend the complicated metabolic and biophysical aspects involved in salt resistance. Findings in recent years promise to promote salt resistance significantly. The possibility to cultivate plants on so far barren land is of utmost importance with regard to a fast-growing world population and an increasing need for food, feed, and regrowing resources under particular consideration of environmental protection.

This reference guide covers information on the true bugs (Heteroptera) of Middle East and includes taxonomy, general biology, economic importance, applied aspects, and distributional data. It also includes up-to-date reviews of the literature on the Heteroptera of the Middle East. The book represents a clear guide for future research in heteropteran biology. Apart from providing a taxonomic treatment of all the families known from the Middle East, information is provided on Iranian and general geographic distributions, bionomics, ecology, natural enemies, prey records, and plant associations for the various species. General discussion also is included on morphology, economic importance, family characters of each group, and affinity with related groups. This book includes detailed information on more than 2,000 species of the Middle East Heteroptera belonging to 58 families. An exhaustive bibliography (over 4,000) has been provided to facilitate studies of chosen aspects of the various species. Up-to-date information for the various species has been provided as far as possible. The book contains the contributions of 37 heteropteran specialists from 17 countries. This book is of interest to teachers, researchers, and masters and Ph. D students of entomology, biosciences, agriculture, biological control, IPM (Integrated Pest Management), and environmental sciences. Also, the book serves as additional reading material for undergraduate and graduate students of the mentioned scientific fields. National and international entomological and agricultural scientists may also find the book to be a useful read as well as those individuals who are active in medical, urban, and forensic entomology because there are several heteropteran pests in these fields.

For centuries, research has been conducted on the therapeutics of Brassicaceae plants and their health-promoting effects. Cato the Elder (234-149 BCE) documented their properties in his work De agri cultura and recommended using cabbage to compress wounds, swelling, burns, and bone dislocations. For arthritis, he recommended chopped raw cabbage mixed with coriander and cured cabbage mixed with vinegar and honey. In a groundbreaking discovery in the 1990s, scientists at Johns Hopkins University isolated sulforaphane from broccoli, revealing its potent anticancer properties. This naturally occurring compound has proven highly effective, safe, and tolerable and holds immense promise as a chemoprevention agent. It has the potential to combat various cancers, including breast, prostate, gastrointestinal, melanoma, lung, brain, and bladder. But its potential does not stop there. It also shows promise in treating cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases and diabetes, offering hope for those affected. The cancer-protecting properties of Brassica plants are mediated through compounds that induce a variety of physiological processes, including antioxidant action, detoxifying enzymes, inducing apoptosis, and cell cycle regulation. Glucosinolate breakdown products can affect several stages of cancer development, including the inhibition of activation enzymes (phase I) and the induction of detoxification enzymes (phase II). Isothiocyanates and indole products formed from glucosinolates regulate cancer cell development by regulating target enzymes, controlling apoptosis, inhibiting angiogenesis, metastasis, and the migration of cancer cells, and blocking the cell cycle. Sulforaphane, found in abundance in broccoli sprouts, plays a crucial role in upregulating the transcriptional activity of specific genes and restoring epigenetic alterations. This is particularly significant as it modifies epigenetic pathways by targeting histone deacetylases and DNA methyltransferases. These modifications, in turn, alter gene transcription and expression, particularly in the case of cancers. This intricate process of gene regulation is a fascinating study area, making broccoli sprouts a compelling component of the'epigenetic diet.'Sulforaphane induces the cytoprotective enzyme NQO1. The inducible expression of NQO1 is regulated principally through the Keap1-Nrf2-ARE signaling pathway. The activation of the Nrf2-Keap1 signaling pathway heralds the beneficial actions of drugs known to affect Nrf2 signaling, such as dimethyl fumarate, an FDA-approved treatment for multiple sclerosis, and bardoxolone methyl for chronic kidney disease. There is optimism that the overall strategies are moving forward. Sulforaphane-rich broccoli sprout extracts provide one avenue toward this end.

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 book explores the interaction between climate change phenomena and the soil–plant–atmosphere continuum (SPAC), which inspects the crucial role of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions in modifying the net ecosystem response towards the modified environment. Increasing concentration of anthropogenic greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide) from massive deforestation, fossil fuel burning and rapid industrialization in the post-nineteenth century have led to adverse changes in our global climate system. The book evaluates the net impact of climate change on soil, plants and the atmosphere individually and in totality. Among the topics it covers are the impact of climate change on soil environment which encompasses soil processes, nutrient cycling, soil carbon sequestration, soil biota response and soil health management. Also included are the impact on plants with respect to the dry matter assimilation pattern, modification in resource use efficiency, rhizosphere interactions, management of biotic and abiotic stress factors, and regulatory mechanisms of biotic stress factors in modifying the net agroecosystem response towards climate change. Moreover, potential genetic engineering options for establishing C4 or Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) in C3 plants, heat–drought stress on pollen biology, breeding ideotype, ecological indicators and crop simulation modelling are considered. Lastly, the impact on the atmosphere takes into account greenhouse gas measurements, mitigation options, eddy covariance measurement of greenhouse gasses, satellite-based monitoring, ecosystem services, abiotic stress management options, air pollution and atmospheric modelling. This book is a valuable resource for researchers, students and policymakers in understanding climate change impacts on interaction processes among the atmosphere, soil and plants from the local to regional scales.

The edited volume deals with the origin, evolution, genetic diversity, commercial, and cultural aspects of selected tree species such as Rubber, Pine, Poplar, Almond, Cashew, Teak, Olive, Eucalyptus, Mango, Jack, Fig, Sandalwood and Ashoka. It covers major aspects of the altered gene pool of each tree species, its impact on biodiversity, the current scenario, and the strategies to protect and conserve the wild progenitors of these trees. Human interventions in the evolution and development of these economically important trees began at least four thousand years ago. Over these years, significant improvements in the traits of economic value were achieved for most of these tree species. However, the long history of domestication and the selective breeding pressure applied to their wild progenitors accelerated the loss of biodiversity, resulting in reduced genetic diversity and shrunken germplasm resources of these domesticated species. The book portrays the novel dimensions of the propitiousness of tree domestication and the interesting history behind it, which is interlaced with the development of civilizations, religions, local traditions, medicine and cuisine. This book is of interest to teachers, researchers, biodiversity experts, and policymakers. It can be used as additional reading material for undergraduate and graduate students of forestry, ecology, genetics, and environmental sciences. The book also serves as an interesting and useful read for national and international agricultural scientists, as well as historians and the general public.

Over the years, the interventions of genomics tools have paved the way for molecular breeding to meet the challenges of food security and climate resilience. Advances in plant molecular breeding encompassing approaches of genomics, molecular markers, genetic transformation and genome editing have revolutionized crop improvement. Successful application of these tools has led to improvement of a wide range of traits of agronomic relevance. This book provides a comprehensive coverage of successful applications of molecular approaches that can be integrated within plant breeding programs aimed at improvement of crop plants. The book covers all relevant areas of molecular breeding applications in plants, with many examples drawn from the advanced genomics and molecular breeding research. Chapters present a critical appraisal of the current literature in the respective fields of molecular breeding written by expert authors. Each chapter provides in-depth discussion of the subject supported with high-quality color illustrations relevant data and future research perspective and, a comprehensive list of pertinent references.

Biopolymers are polymers that are naturally sourced from renewable resources such as plants, animals, and microorganisms. These polymers are gaining increasing attention due to their biodegradability, biocompatibility, and non-toxicity, making them an attractive alternative to traditional synthetic polymers.'Biopolymeric Nanoparticles for Agricultural Applications'focuses on the use of biopolymeric nanoparticles for various agricultural purposes. It explores the potential of these nanoparticles in improving crop productivity, enhancing soil quality, and reducing the environmental impact of agricultural practices. Biopolymeric nanoparticles have gained significant attention in recent years as a promising technology for various agricultural applications such as crop protection, nutrient delivery, and soil remediation. These nanoparticles are typically made from biodegradable and biocompatible materials, such as chitosan, alginate, and starch, and offer several advantages over conventional agricultural formulations including improved stability, controlled release, and enhanced efficacy. This book provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in the design, synthesis, characterization, and application of biopolymeric nanoparticles in agriculture. It discusses the various biopolymeric nanoparticles that can be utilized in agriculture such as chitosan, cellulose, starch, and protein-based nanoparticles. It delves into their properties, synthesis methods, and characterization techniques. The primary purpose of this book is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the applications of biopolymeric nanoparticles in agriculture. It bridges the gap between the fields of nanotechnology and agriculture, offering insights into the potential benefits and challenges associated with their use.

Meliponini, the stingless bees of the tropics, process and store honey, pollen and plant resins to maintain their colonies. The chemical components of their nests are bioactive and believed to be therapeutic for a long list of maladies. However, only recently are tests and analyses being done with molecular and modern laboratory techniques, such as high throughput EDX, HPIC, HPLC, GC, NMR, PCR, and ultrastructural SEM; coupled with diverse detectors such as DAD, RI, MS, SCD.This two-volume book is about the cerumen –plant resins mixed with stingless bee wax– and propolis, which fortify the colony in ways that are beginning to be understood. It includes reviews and new research on diverse topics involving the chemistry and bioactivity of plant resins, cerumen, propolis, besides bee and microbe behavior and ecology. These analytic studies are presented along with stingless bee biodiversity, palynology, cultural knowledge, bee foraging behavior, resin flower evolution, ecology, and evolution of nest microbe mutualisms, social immunity, human health, the decisive role of microbiology investigation in moving forward, natural history of stingless bee colonies and nests, marketing, and bibliometrics for plant resin use by bees, propolis, and the Starmerella yeast.

This edited volume elucidates state-of-the-art information and provides new paradigms of soil health-based pathways for sustaining plantation crops and diversified systems. The book covers soil characteristics, soil fertility constraints, issues of soil contamination, the impact of climate change on plantation soils, indicators of soil health and soil health assessment, fertility management for healthy soils, soil amendments, soil biodiversity, and biological functions and micro-biome as well as meta-genomic approach.Plantation crops are perennials, cultivated in tropical and sub-tropical agroecosystems in a contiguous area, and comprise estate crops which include tea, coffee, and rubber and small holders'plantation crops such as coconut, areca nut, oil palm, cashew, cocoa, and spices. These are high-value crops with considerable significance in livelihood security, commerce, and trade, and are grown in ecologically vulnerable regions such as coastal belts, hilly areas, andregions with high rainfall and high humidity, which makes maintenance of soil health a major challenge. Sustainable agricultural production depends on the health, quality, and functionality of the soil. The book includes technological options to achieve sustainable production encompassing soil health improvement through multi-strata, multi-species cropping systems, integrated farming systems, conservation agriculture practices, cover cropping and green manuring, crop residue recycling, bio-fertilizer and bio-stimulant technologies and organic farming systems.This book is an essential resource for researchers, plantation professionals, educators, and policymakers. It provides valuable insights and practical solutions for addressing emerging issues in soil health management and is a must-read for students of agriculture, forestry, ecology, microbiology, soil science, and environmental sciences.

This book is the 9th volume in the series Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of the World. India being one of the countries with the longest and richest past/present/future of Medicinal and Aromatic Plant (MAP) production and utilization has accumulated more than sufficient knowledge to fill two volumes. This is shown by the vivid interest of Indian colleagues to contribute. Similar to the previous volumes, this one deals with the various important aspects (from botanical through phytochemical to pharmacological) of MAPs', famous or simply known of India. Scientific and technological achievements will be equally presented.In addition to the first volume, India V1, this volume is aimed to look carefully at our present knowledge of this vas interdisciplinary domain with an Indian focus. In the era of global climate change and pandemics, building on the huge Indian traditions, this book is expected to make an important contribution to the better knowledge andunderstanding of MAPs.

This edited book is a comprehensive collection of scientific research on different plants under drought and salt stress conditions. The main focus of this book is to elaborate on the mechanisms being operative in plants under stress and how various biological factors mitigate the adverse effects for better plant productivity. This book covers all physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms operating under drought and saline stresses. The current status and impact of drought and salinity on various crop plants have been elaborated on in different chapters. Agricultural lands are either turning barren or becoming more saline and drought-prone with increasing temperatures, decreasing water tables, untimely rainfall, and other environmental factors. In India, salt-affected soils occupy an area of about 6.73 million ha of which saline and sodic soils constitute roughly 40 and 60%, respectively. All these factors individually or cumulatively, affect the plant growth and development and hence, the crop productivity with the monetary loss. The inbuilt plant's ability with modified/acclimatized mechanisms has been described in various chapters with step-wise descriptions. The role of various plant growth-promoting agents including nano-particles, micro-organisms, metabolites or phytohormones, etc in mitigating adverse effects of drought and salinity has been explained precisely. Updated information on the use of speed breeding, proteomics, epigenetics, and transcriptomics in different crops along with high throughput technologies is included for the cross-talk of various network mechanisms. This book is helpful for the readers in knowing salinity and drought through the physiological, biochemical and genetic, and molecular levels to understand plant behaviour under stress conditions. Also, the book serves as additional reading material for undergraduate and graduate students of agriculture, plant physiology, biochemistry, forestry, and environmental sciences. National and international agricultural scientists and policymakers will also find this to be a useful read.

This book provides a comprehensive understanding of the complex relationship between microbial symbionts and plants in the era of climate change. It focuses on the plant microbiome associated with different plant organs like roots, leaves, stems, fruit, and seeds, and showcases their significant role in the enhancement of crop yield and protection in a sustainable manner. Concomitantly, acumens to the most emerging trends in plant microbial research that includes rhizosphere engineering and metagenomics are also covered in this title. The association of microbial symbionts with the host offers a wide advantage in terms of acclimatization to varied environmental conditions. A large number of microbes such as cyanobacteria, PGPR, endophytes, and AMF have been shown to improve plant growth and production under the effect of various abiotic and biotic stresses. These microbial symbionts secrete several secondary metabolites, signaling molecules, and hydrolytic enzymes that play a multifarious role in improving plant growth and yield. Moreover, the symbionts have been known to regulate the host responses at the molecular level. Bioprospecting these microbial symbionts will provide an alternative to the chemical-based fertilizers and pave the path for the development of biofertilizers. The book is a suitable reading material for undergraduate and postgraduate students, researchers, and scientists working in the field of agricultural biotechnology, microbiology, mycology and plant pathology, and allied fields of plant and microbial sciences. The book in this context attempts to provide an integrative and exhaustive study as well as research material that would help the scientific community in wide respect.

This book aims to describe the role of silicon in the environment from the biogeochemical cycle of terrestrial ecosystems, uptake to cellular and tissue bioaccumulation and its effects in mitigating abiotic and biotic stresses. From an agronomic point of view, this knowledge is essential to boost agricultural production and improve its quality and the sustainability of crops in the face of the growing pressure of different stresses on crop systems of different natures. Si is the only multi-stress mitigator in plant nutrition. It plays an important role in mitigating nutritional deficiency by increasing nutrient use efficiency, something that will be very important in the future: producing more with less nutrient accumulated in the plant. The book focuses on the effects of Si on plant mineral nutrition, exploring nutritional deficiencies and toxicity of Al and potentially toxic heavy metals such as Cd, as well as important stresses such as salinity, water deficit and high temperature. The book will also discuss the Si extractors in the soil and criteria for recommending Si in crops and the sources of the element for its application in soil and leaves, as well as the role of Si in the activity of microorganisms and in plant diseases and pests. São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)(2022/10092-9).

This edited book provides a comprehensive review of the current agricultural waste disposal techniques focusing on the ongoing research in the production of various agro waste-derived value-added products. Further topic includes the techno-economic aspects in up-scaling the technology from lab scale to commercial/pilot scale. Sustainable waste management and alternative renewable energy sources are the most important requirements in this era of rapid industrialization and urbanization. Agricultural waste, which is one of the major contributors to overall waste production, has the ability to be an essential source of renewable energy and other valuable products. The ongoing research and technical advancements in agro-waste treatment lead to the efficient conversion of waste into different value-added products. This book is of primary interest to academicians, researchers, scientists and engineers working in the field of agro-residue management, and biomass to bio-energy conversion technologies. Also, the book serves as reading material for students of Environmental Engineering/Civil and Environmental Engineering and Agricultural Engineering. Rural Management authorities, Industrial and Government policy-making agencies may also find it useful read.

This book is the first comprehensive compilation of deliberations on botany, genetic resources and diversity, classical genetics and traditional breeding, genetic transformation, and detailed enumeration on molecular maps and mapping of economic genes and QTLs, whole genome sequencing and comparative genomics in watermelon, and elucidation on functional genomics. The genomic resources for disease resistance, genomics of fruit and quality traits of watermelon, and molecular and metabolic regulation of nutraceuticals in watermelon are discussed. Mapping of quality traits, and biotic and abiotic resistance is also to be discussed. The genome draft of watermelon and application of genome editing are covered. The book contains approximately 250 pages and over 10 chapters authored by globally reputed experts on the relevant field in this crop. This book is useful to the students, teachers, and scientists in academia and relevant private companies interested in horticulture, genetics, breeding, pathology, entomology, physiology, molecular genetics and genomics, in vitro culture and genetic engineering, and structural and functional genomics. This book is also useful for seed industries.

This book creates a multidisciplinary forum of discussion on Ficus carica with particular emphasis on its horticulture, post-harvest, marketability, phytochemistry, extraction protocols, biochemistry, nutritional value, functionality, health-promoting properties, ethnomedicinal applications, technology and processing. The impact of traditional and innovative processing on the recovery of high-added value compounds from Ficus carica byproducts is extensively reported. Also, the text discusses the potential applications of Ficus carica in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical products. Fig (Ficus carica): Production, Processing, and Properties illustrates a diversity of developments in food science and horticultural research including:Production, processing, chemistry, and functional properties of Ficus carica.Ficus carica phytochemicals and its health-promoting effects.Food, non-food and technological applications of Ficus carica.Recent research focuses on studying the bioactive compounds and therapeutic traits and investigating the mode of action and toxicological impacts of medical plant extracts and bioactive phytochemicals. Ficus carica is of significant importance due to its widespread food, industrial and medicinal applications. Although Ficus carica products are already commercially available in the international market, it is hard to find a reference work covering the production, processing, chemistry and properties of Ficus carica. This book will be the first publication focusing specifically on this important topic.

The book addresses recent advances in biofortification using different approaches like foliar fertilizer, plant breeding, and genetic engineering as well as its utilization for improvement of nutritional quality of cereals. The content compiled is contributed by the renowned scientists actively working in the area of the cereal biofortification. This is an authentic, reliable, and exhaustive compilation bringing together the technological advancements, fundamental principles, and applicability of scientific innovations in biofortification. It also discusses policies and regulations for the implication of various strategies. It is useful reading material for researchers and students in the field.

This book is a compendium of rare and unique spices, which have been least researched but hold immense economic potential on a global scale. They are Aniseed, Shallot, Saffron, Caraway or Siah Zira, European or Indian Dill, Poppy, Star Anise and Japanese Star Anise, Sage, Savory, Tarragon, Thyme, Calamus or Sweet Flag, Horse Radish, Galangal, and Long Pepper or Pipli. Some of these are seed spices and others, like Saffron, are grown in the hills of Jammu and Srinagar, India and have varied uses, ranging from being very popular food flavorants to being used for religious purposes. Even within India, the country of the origin for most of the spices listed, many Indians are simply unaware of their immense economic potential. This is also the case with other countries, like Iran, where some spices, like Saffron, is widely used as a food flavorant. The book aims to be a unique compendium of these rare and unique spices to primarilyenable researchers to tap into their great economic potential and, on a wider scale, help developmental agencies to tap into their immense potential in global spice trade. The book provides a cross-sectoral multi-scale assessment of developmental possibilities, globally, for rare and unique spices of immense economic importance.

This edited book covers the applications of molecular markers in the genetic improvement of crop plants. Recent advances in molecular marker techniques such as the development of high-throughput genotyping platforms, marker-assisted selection, and non-coding RNA-based markers have been discussed. Essential information is provided on functional markers, genotype-by-sequencing, and association mapping methodologies that can facilitate accelerated crop breeding programs for increased yield, high nutritional quality, and tolerance to a variety of abiotic and biotic stresses. This volume presents basic information on molecular marker techniques from marker location up to gene cloning. The book includes a description of technical approaches in genome analysis such as comparison of marker systems, positional cloning, and array techniques. This book is of interest to teachers, researchers, and plant breeders. The book also serves as additional reading material for undergraduate and graduate students of agriculture, horticulture, and forestry.

This book highlights the recent progress on the applications of mutation breeding technology in crop plants. Plant breeders and agriculturists are faced with the new challenges of climate change, human population growth, and dwindling arable land and water resources which threaten to sustain food production worldwide. Genetic variation is the basis which plant breeders require to produce new and improved cultivars. The understanding of mutation induction and exploring its applications has paved the way for enhancing genetic variability for various plant and agronomic characters, and led to advances in gene discovery for various traits. Induced mutagenesis has played a significant role in crop improvement and currently, the technology has resulted in the development and release of more than 3600 mutant varieties in most of the crop plants with great economic impact. The field of ‘mutation breeding'has come long way to become an important approach for crop improvement. This book covers various methodologies of mutation induction, screening of mutants, genome editing and genomics advances and mutant gene discovery. The book further discusses success stories in different countries and applications of mutation breeding in food crops, horticultural plants and plantation crops.This informative book is very useful to plant breeders, students and researchers in the field of agriculture, plant sciences, food science and genetics.

This book is the first comprehensive compilation of current knowledge on mulberry (Morus L.) covering botany, cytogenetics, biodiversity, genetics and breeding, tissue culture and genetic transformation, biotic and abiotic stresses, molecular mapping, QTL identification, whole genome sequencing and elucidation on functional genomics. As mulberry is one of the most economically important trees in Asian countries, it has attracted the attention of both academicians as well as industrialists. Being highly heterozygous due to long juvenile life coupled cross pollination among species, the genetics of this important crop species is yet to be unravelled. Nonetheless, the recent success of sequencing the genomes of haploid and diploid domesticated species has ushered in an era of intense molecular and genetic research to understand this crop well for its better utilization for mankind.In this book, efforts have been made to bring together key information on origin and distribution, taxonomy, morphological features, economic importance, abiotic stress responses, disease and pest resilience, current breeding strategies and their constraints, progress and prospects of gene mapping, elucidation of genes controlling metabolic and physiological pathways, and their utilization in crop improvement which are elaborated in about 250 pages over 13 chapters authored by globally leading experts on the species presented.This book is useful to the sericulture community in the world in general and students, teachers, and scientists in the academia for forage and fruit production, genetics, breeding, pathology, entomology, physiology, molecular genetics, in vitro culture and genetic engineering, and structural and functional genomics. This book is also useful to seed and biofuel industries.

This book deals with the gasotransmitters signaling in redox reactions and homeostasis for the adaptation of plants to unfavorable abiotic stress environments. There are lots of interesting chapters in this book that cover both research and educational objectives. This book serves as a reference illustrated book for all who are interested in the regulation of gasotransmitters and redox homeostasis in agriculture. Maintenance of redox homeostasis strengthens the potentiality of plants to resist abiotic stress conditions through the enhanced antioxidant system and the subsequent impact on other signaling molecules. The book presents novel outcomes and implications in plant biology concerning the study of different types of gasotransmitters signaling such as nitric oxide (NO), ethylene, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), etc. under diverse abiotic stresses in one place. The chapters of the book discuss the recent progress and current perspectives on the role of gasotransmitters relevance to plant functions and adaptations to abiotic stresses, the influence of gasotransmitters on the physiology of plants with respect to abiotic stress tolerance, gasotransmitters and omics for abiotic stress tolerance, advancement in the biology of gasotransmitters in regulating salinity and drought stress response in plants, new insights of gasotransmitters and cellular redox homeostasis in plants and the chapter also deliberate the emerging role of gasotransmitters in regulating redox homeostasis for plant stress management. This book is the first comprehensive book covering all aspects and advancements in the biology of gasotransmitters in redox homeostasis conferring different abiotic stress tolerance, from which readers from all backgrounds can get benefitted. This book will appeal to researchers, students, scientific societies, agriculturists, etc.

Abiotic stressors, such as drought, extreme temperatures, heavy metals, or high salinity, are causing huge crop losses worldwide. These abiotic stressors are expected to become more extreme, less predictable, and more widespread in the near future. The harm of abiotic stresses includes the disruption of cellular redox homeostasis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and oxidative stress in the plant. Plants have different mechanisms to fight stress, and these mechanisms are responsible for maintaining the required homeostasis in plants. Research on gasotransmitters is rapidly expanding and knowledge regarding the potential of gasotransmitters in biology and medicine is accumulating. Over the past few decades, the roles of these signaling molecules, especially NO and H2S, have been extensively studied for their application in plants. Recently, the emissions of endogenous gasotransmitters in plants have been widely studied and analyzed, thereby providing information to facilitate our understanding of new gasotransmitters signaling pathways. Given the multidimensional role of these signaling molecules, research over the past decades in mitigating abiotic stresses in plant biology and from an agriculture point of view, we intend to bring forth a comprehensive volume “Gasotransmitters Signaling in Plants under Challenging Environment'. We are hopeful that this comprehensive volume will furnish the requisite of all those who are working or have an interest in the proposed topic

This book presents an important contribution to the knowledge of the banana soils of Venezuela. Banana, the edible fruit of Musaceae, is a staple food for more than 400 million people worldwide due to their nutritional and energy attributes. This makes Musaceae a crop of worldwide relevance, particularly in tropical regions, highlighting the impact of improved Musaceae cropping systems in the current efforts worldwide oriented towards a new agricultural revolution based on sustainable intensification. To achieve this, better practices for food production based on scientific and technical research capable to consider the complexity and variability within the agri-food sector are necessary. The research presented in this book is oriented towards providing answers to the causes of two aspects considered of high relevance for banana production, both affecting productivity and sustainability, always addressed for the Venezuelan conditions, one of the world's largest producing countries: 1- The impact of phytosanitary risks related to Fusarium Wilt (FW) and the influence of the soil on the incidence of Banana Wilt (BW); and 2- An observed trend towards loss of productivity and decline of soil quality in some commercial farms of Aragua and Trujillo states in Venezuela. The book presents a pioneering study in the application of categorical regression (CATREG) in the characterization of banana soils and analyses soil morphological variables, such as texture, dry consistency, biological activity, reaction to HCl, and type of structure to characterize soil productivity for growing healthy bananas. It develops, for the first time in Venezuela, risk analysis and climatic suitability maps for lethal wilt disease in bananas caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) Tropical Race 4 (TR4) (syn. Fusarium odoratissimum). Innovative machine learning techniques are used to predict BW so that future crop development can be done more efficiently and sustainably.

This is meant to be the 10th volume of the series Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of the World. Similarly, to the previous volumes, the work will deal -in a monographic form- with MAPs characteristic/famous or simply known of Turkey, a large country that is connecting Europe with Asia. Turkey has extremely rich and varied topographic/ecologic conditions. As a result, the flora of Turkey abounds in an astonishingly great number of endemic MAP species. Traditional, present and possible prospective uses will be discussed. Scientific and technological achievements will be equally presented. Briefly, the volume is aimed to look carefully at our present knowledge of this vast interdisciplinary domain of medicinal and aromatic plants with a focus on Turkey. In the era of global climate change and Covid-pandemics, building on the huge Turkish traditions, the proposed volume of the series is expected to make an important contribution to the better knowledge and understanding of the MAP wealth of the World.

This monograph provides a comprehensive review of many aspects of current interest and progress on mutation research on vegetatively propagated ornamentals. It covers almost all aspects of induced mutagenesis on ornamental plants. Chapters in this title provides information about mutation technology for the development of new ornamental varieties. Taking all aspects together, it is an excellent reference book of updated information on mutation breeding on vegetatively propagated ornamentals. Floriculture has become a very important industry in many countries as a result of science-based techniques and a steady supply of improved plant materials. The induced mutation is now recognized as well as a standardized valuable tool for the development of new varieties. The book provides an authoritative review account of all important aspects related to inducing mutagenesis in the field of ornamental crops. The primary objective of the book is to give a coherent and concise account of earlier work with an emphasis on recent developments. The knowledge generated so far has been reviewed in this book which can work as a knowledge base to prepare guidelines for future planning of successful application of mutation technology for the floriculture industry. The information in the book is an excellent informative document for researchers, teachers, students, and breeders for understanding the application of induced mutations and planning future strategies for the development of new ornamental varieties for the floriculture industry.

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

By examining historical applications of the compounds found in plants, this five-volume series serves as a reference for quality assurance, research, product development, and regulatory guidance of the compounds found in plant-based medicines. This work supports the growing consumers'interest in herbal medicine for wellness and health. Plant-Based Therapeutics, Volume 1: Cannabis sativa, the first in the series, covers a unique plant species and provides the framework to integrate its evidence-based scientific discoveries with healthcare therapies. Cannabis has been used in religious ceremonies and medical purposes for thousands of years. Cannabidiol (CBD), the main non-psychoactive component of Cannabis, was isolated in the 1940s, and its structure was established in the 1960s. In 1964 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component, was isolated. Cannabis has more than 500 components, of which 104 cannabinoids have been identified. Two of them, THC and CBD, have been the primary components of scientific investigations. They were approved by the FDA for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in 1985; for appetite stimulation in wasting conditions, such as AIDS, in 1992, and in 2018 for treating two forms of pediatric epilepsy, Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Beyond the indications for which cannabinoids are FDA-approved, the evidence reveals that cannabinoid receptors are present throughout the body, embedded in cell membranes, and are believed to be more numerous than any other receptor system. When cannabinoid receptors are stimulated, a variety of physiologic processes ensue. Thus, other constituents of Cannabis are extremely promising either as individual compounds or their potential synergistic or entourage effects in the treatment of numerous medical conditions.

The current book focuses on Mora de Castilla (Rubus glaucus Benth.). It explores aspects, such as origin, phenology, propagation, floral and fruit morphology, arthropod visitors, pollination mechanisms, propagation methods, chromosome number, fruit development, breeding, morphological diversity, and the impact of climate change. It includes novel data about plant phenology, flowering, insect visitors, seed germination, fruit morphology, and allometric relationships. This work includes an in-depth review of the most recently published information on the topic. Mora de Castilla is an economically important fruit crop from the Andes. It has been crossed with other Rubus species due to its high yield and everbearing habit. Currently, it is an economically important plant. It has been hybridized with other Rubus species producing new and better-quality hybrids This book contains numerous photographs selected by the author to provide the reader with detailed information about the plant´s morphological features and arthropod visitors.

This book highlights the uses for underutilized crops, presenting the state-of-the-art in terms of genome sequencing for over 30 crops, previously understudied and under-researched. In a changing climate and with significant pressure on the land, it is the ideal time to be discussing novel crops, with significant biotic and abiotic tolerances and/or rich nutrient profiles for consumers. Previously, the only species with sequenced genomes were high-profile internationally recognized crops, but in the current era genomes are being sequenced for dozens of crops, including those previously classified as underutilized, now being investigated. This book covers food crops, from fruits to tubers, and from grasses to legumes, as well as crops with non-food applications. Some of these crops have draft genomes, and others have polished genomes with extensive resequencing panels. Each chapter tells the story of an individual crop or crop group, written by experts, focusing on thegenome data available, revealing more about crop domestication and genetic variation, and the current and future prospects given that this data is now becoming available. It also highlights how even small sequencing projects can provide draft genome sequences suitable for gene discovery, comparative genomics, and identification of molecular markers for understanding these crops further.