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The book deals with latest research achievements of Brassica scientists using omics approaches in understanding host-pathogen interaction, molecular detection, identification, and functional characterization of effectors/genes including pathogenomics and biometabolomics. Genomics of host-pathogen interaction is a source of information for the teachers, students, researchers, and policy makers to foster success in enhancing the Brassica production and productivity through the development of improved disease-resistant varieties with the use of omics technologies. It is a base and sound plate form for managing biological stresses of Brassica at global level. The book covers up-to-date information on genomics of host-pathogen interaction, pathogenomics of crucifers'pathogen, and biometabolomics of host pathosystem supplemented with ample photographs, illustrations, and figures which make it stimulating, effective, and easy to comprehend for readers, researchers, biology students, teachers, and policy makers.

The book presents comprehensive information on fundamental, and applied knowledge for developing varieties resistant individually as well as to all the major pathogens of crucifers, such as Albugo, Alternaria, Erysiphe, Hyaloperonospora, Plasmodiophora, Leptosphaeria, Sclerotinia, Turnip mosaic virus, Verticillium, and Xanthomonas through the use of latest biotechnological approaches including identification of R genes and their incorporation into agronomically superior varieties. The chapters include the information's viz., principles of host resistance, identification of R-genes sources, inheritance of disease resistance, host resistance signaling network system to multiple stresses. The book also covers transfer of disease resistance, and management of disease resistance. Standardized, reproducible techniques are also included for the researchers of cruciferous crops for developing resistant cultivars. The book deals with the gaps in understanding, knowledge of genomics, and offers suggestions for future research priorities in order to initiate the advance research on disease resistance. This book is immensely useful to the researchers especially Brassica breeders, teachers, extension specialists, students, industrialists, farmers, and all others who are interested to grow healthy, and profitable cruciferous crops all over the world.

Human population is escalating at an enormous pace and is estimated to reach 9.7 billion by 2050. As a result, there will be an increase in demand for agricultural production by 60–110% between the years 2005 and 2050 at the global level; the number will be even more drastic in the developing world. Pathogens, animals, and weeds are altogether responsible for between 20 to 40% of global agricultural productivity decrease. As such, managing disease development in plants continues to be a major strategy to ensure adequate food supply for the world. Accordingly, both the public and private sectors are moving to harness the tools and paradigms that promise resistance against pests and diseases. While the next generation of disease resistance research is progressing, maximum disease resistance traits are expected to be polygenic in nature and controlled by selective genes positioned at putative quantitative trait loci (QTLs). It has also been realized that sources of resistance are generally found in wild relatives or cultivars of lesser agronomic significance. However, introgression of disease resistance traits into commercial crop varieties typically involves many generations of backcrossing to transmit a promising genotype. Molecular marker-assisted breeding (MAB) has been found to facilitate the pre-selection of traits even prior to their expression. To date, researchers have utilized disease resistance genes (R-genes) in different crops including cereals, pulses, and oilseeds and other economically important plants, to improve productivity. Interestingly, comparison of different R genes that empower plants to resist an array of pathogens has led to the realization that the proteins encoded by these genes have numerous features in common. The above observation therefore suggests that plants may have co-evolved signal transduction pathways to adopt resistance against a wide range of divergent pathogens. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms necessary for pathogen identification and a thorough dissection of the cellular responses to biotic stresses will certainly open new vistas for sustainable crop disease management. This book summarizes the recent advances in molecular and genetic techniques that have been successfully applied to impart disease resistance for plants and crops. It integrates the contributions from plant scientists targeting disease resistance mechanisms using molecular, genetic, and genomic approaches. This collection therefore serves as a reference source for scientists, academicians and post graduate students interested in or are actively engaged in dissecting disease resistance in plants using advanced genetic tools.

The book highlights the state of research in plant genetics and breeding and the results and applications of biotechnology procedures: i.e. achievements and perspectives of molecular biology and genetic engineering in the improvement of quantitative, qualitative and nutritional characters of crops, including their resistance to pests and diseases and their adaptation to different ecosystems. The book is divided into seven chapters. The first six are focused on the research aimed at improvement of resistance to Fungi, Bacteria, Nematode, Virus and Insect, and improvement of Quality. The latter was assigned two keynote lectures, respectively on agro-food quality and on quality of wood plants. Each chapter begins with a keynote paper. The seventh chapter includes the special lectures which opened and closed the Congress.

A few members of the Gossypium (cotton) genus are cultivated for the production of elongated single-celled fibers valued worldwide at about $20 billion annually at the farm gate, and which sustain one of the world's largest industries (textiles) with an annual worldwide economic impact of about $500 billion. In a number of ways, cotton production and the textile industry are closely tied to petrochemical usage. At a practical level, cotton genomics offers both bio-based carbon sequestration alternatives to petrochemical use, and improved sustainability of crop production. The Gossypium (cotton) also genus presents novel opportunities to advance our understanding of the natural world and its organic evolution. In particular, the evolution of cultivated cottons from their wild ancestors has involved a fascinating series of events that offer scientists the opportunity to dissect the evolution of a novel organ, the ‘lint fiber', and also to unravel the consequences of polyploidy, both for the generation of biodiversity and for crop productivity. In this book, advances of the past decade will be summarized and synthesized to elucidate the current state of knowledge of the structure, function, and evolution of the Gossypium genome, and progress in the application of this knowledge to cotton improvement. This book will address five broad topics. First, as a backdrop for all studies of the genus, it is important to understand the naturally-occurring diversity in the genus, its organization and distribution, and its evolutionary history. Of special importance is the formation of a single polyploid from two (among 8) diploid genome types, the radiation of this polyploid, and the domestication and improvement of two (among 5 extant) polyploid species.

Having spent most of my life in Academia teaching and carrying out fundam- tal research on plant form and function, I found this collection of essays to be of considerable interest as they expanded my knowledge of genomics to plants - yond the well-studied model systems of Arabidopsis, rice, and temperate maize. It was even more valuable to me in terms of my more recent interest in international agriculture—in particular,my personal interest in promotingthe integration of - ings from the advanced plant sciences into current approaches to crop impro- ment for the bene t of poor, small-scale farmers in the developing world. In my experience, one of the greatest challenges to such integration is the relatively weak interactionamongscientists workingat the forefrontofgenomicsresearchandthose involved in the improvement of crops important to such farmers. Since most of the crops important to the poor are of tropical origin, one hopes that this very readable collection of essays will help bridge that gap as they should be of interest to both types of scientists. My own experience is interesting in this regard—I had thought that it might be useful to read just a few of these essays and ended up wanting to read them all! Reading this collection forced me to consider several important issues.