Product Description
In continuation of Somaclonal Variation and Crop Improvement I (1990), this volume is comprised of twenty-four chapters dealing with somaclonal variants showing resistance to salt drought, herbicides, viruses, Alternaria, Fusarium, Glomerella, Verticillium, Phytophthora, fall armyworm, etc. in a number of plants of economic importance.
It is divided into two sections:
Section I. Somaclonal Variation in Agricultural Crops: wheat, rice, maize, sorghum, potato, tomato, Lotus, Stylosanthes, banana, strawberry, citrus, colt cherry.
Section II. Somaclonal Variation in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Atropa, Carthamus, Hypericum, Lavatera, Nicotiana, Primula, Rauwolfia, scilla, and Zinnia. ... Read more

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This book is the first to provide a systematic review of the latest techniques of plant biotechnology as applied to perennial fruit crops, a subject that has seen many recent advances. The emphasis is on molecular and tissue culture techniques that facilitate genetic manipulation rather than on tissue culture techniques that facilitate plant propagation (miropropatation). The book is divided into two parts: the first seven chapters cover various methodologies applicable to a range of fruits, and the following fifteen chapters review individual temperate, subtropical and tropical fruit crops. Thus readers will find accessible information whether they are interested in one particular technique or in a specific crop. Contributors are international authorities drawn from the USA, Europe, South America, India and Bangladesh, and all chapters have been specifically commissioned for this volume. The book will be an indispensable volume for research workers in horticulture and plant biotechnology. ... Read more

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Most estimates of the total loss of worldwide agricultural production to pests, pathogens and weeds suggest figures of between 20 and 40 percent. A major goal therefore in current plant biotechnology is the modification of plant genomes to producecrops with enhanced resistance to pests, pathogens and herbicides. This will permit crop protection with reduced levels of application of chemical insecticides and fungicides, and the more selective use of herbicides. This book reviews our current knowledge of this rapidly advancing field and will be of great interest to plant biotechnologists and genetic engineers, as well as workers in plant pathology or agricultural entomology wishing to keep abreast of the subject. ... Read more

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Contains the latest biochemical backgound on how crop plants make, assemble and store the sucrose, fructan, starch, cellulose, rubber, oils and protein they accumulate. These are the bulk chemicals of agriculture production which form the basis of our diet. As globally traded commodities, these crop products are second in value only to petroleum. For each product, the author indicates where our biochemical knowledge offers a basis for future biotechnological developments. ... Read more

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Doubled haploid technology is an important tool for plant breeding. It allows for significant time reduction in the achievement of homozygous breeding lines of value in crop improvement.

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The incorporation of haploids in breeding programs is one of the latest techniques used for crop improvement. The present volume comprises 30 chapters by international experts and informs on the methods involved, such as in vitro production of haploids by culture of anthers, studies of pollen embryogenesis, genetic analysis of haploids. It also discusses the genetic stability of haploid cell cultures as well as the practical importance of haploids in breeding for the release of new varieties. Results of experiments with wheat, barley, maize, rice, rubber, poplar, apple, litchi, Digitalis, Hyoscyamus, Arabidopsis, asparagus, sugarbeet, cabbage, pepper, carrot, strawberry, Gerbera, sunflower, tomato, alfalfa, winged bean, sugarcane, and Solanum are presented. ... Read more

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The status of crop biotechnology before 2001 was reviewed in Transgenic Crops I-III, but recent advances in plant cell and molecular biology have prompted the need for new volumes. This volume is devoted to fruit, trees and beverage crops. It presents the current knowledge of plant biotechnology as an important tool for crop improvement and includes up-to-date methodologies.

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Thirty-five chapters on various aspects of fusion of plant protoplasts and somatic hybridization deal with the regeneration of interspecific and intergeneric somatic hybrids and cybrids in various plants: cereals, grasses, legumes, potato, tomato, eggplant, lettuce, Brassica, Datura, Hyoscyamus, Nicotiana, Catharanthus, Rauwolfia, Citrus, Poncirus, Prunus, Pyrus, Populus, algae, bryophytes, and ferns. The implications of somatic hybridization in gene transfer in wide crosses and for the induction of genetic variability in various crops are discussed. The book is an invaluable source of information for advanced students, teachers, and research scientists in the field of plant breeding, genetic engineering, plant tissue culture, and general plant biotechnology. ... Read more

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Tropical crops such as cowpea, yam, plantain, and cassava are heavily underresearched but, in addition to rice, maize, wheat, and potato, are important as primary or secondary food staples in the developing countries. The modern tools of molecular and cellular technology offer the opportunity not only to make substantial gains in knowledge of these crops, but also they overcome some of the obstacles which presently restrain both the genetic improvement and the productivity of these crops in tropical farming systems. Increased nutritional value of these crops, reduced post-harvest perishability, and lower costs of production are some of the advantages taken from biotechnology. Engineered genetic resistance would also allow to drastically reduce employment of pesticides, which at present are expensive or unavailable for farmers in developing countries and may create environmental and health hazards. In this book experts present opportunities to improve the efficiency of conventional plant breeding programs also taking into account the ethical and sociopolitical aspects of these technologies. ... Read more

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Rice represents a unique opportunity for improvement through genetic engineering. This new book provides a detailed review of past and present developments in the genetic engineering of rice, as well as an informed examination of current genetic engineering material and methods. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Comment
In the preface, the author admits that the main body of this book is the fourth of its five chapters, entitled "Rice Transformation", an area in which the author is an undisputed expert. This topic is precededwith Chapter 1 which summarizes the worldwide importance and general botanyof rice, and chapters 2 and 3 which present a historical overview of tissueculture in rice. The author rounds out this book on rice biotechnology withChapter 5 which addresses the introduction of rice genes into other cropsvia genetic engineering. With this book, the author strove to present acomprehensive and up-to-date review of rice biotechnology. Some new andsignificant accomplishments are herein presented. The portion of the bookdedicated to the author's specific expertise was laced with severalinteresting comments from the author's own experience, but was somewhatdifficult to read due to intentional repetition as well as someunintentional errors. The sections on rice transformation, as the"meat" of this book, could be said to be "plentiful andtasty but a bit gristly". However, the "top slice of bread"on the "sandwich", Chapters 1, 2, and 3, was "stale"and had some holes. This book contains much important information, but Iwould suggest that readers supplement its reading with the followingsources: (1) Khush, G.S., and G.H. Toenniessen, eds. 1991. RiceBiotechnology. CAB International, Wallingford. (2) Ayres, N.N. and W.D.Park. 1994. Genetic transformation of rice. Crit. Rev. in Plant Sci.13:219-239. ... Read more

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Our knowledge of pollen, the gold dust that carries the male germ line of flowering plants and is vital for sexual reproduction and seed formation, has 'come of age' with the publication of this book. Here, for the first time in a single volume, are all the ideas and techniques developed in the last two decades concerning the manipulation of pollen and pollen tubes in plant breeding and biotechnology. Pollen has never been an easy topic to come to grips with, with its variable and often inexplicable terminology that has made it a more difficult field in which to work. This book will remedy that, with its overview of pollen biology and pollen-pistil interactions that explains terms and concepts of the male function of pollen in a way that is readily understandable to the student and professional plant scientist and plant breeder. ... Read more

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Controversies on the use and conservation of plant genetic information have become major obstacles in international negotiations on trade, agriculture, and biodiversity conservation. This book examines the origins of these controversies. It stresses the importance of agricultural politics in directing developments in conservation and intellectual property protection. ... Read more

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Investigates the circumstances and processes required to establish the new Ogene Revolutiono in which genetically modified crops are tailored to address chronic agricultural problems in specific regions of the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Concise, level-headed, intelligent, & inspiring analysis of a controversial subject where so many authors mislead or misinform
The approach of this analysis was:
1) to determine the factors and historical conditions that resulted in the successes of the Green Revolution of 1960-1990 in Latin America, S Asia, E Asia and SE Asia
2) to consider parallels and differences with the 'Gene Revolution' on-going today which is proceeding in N America, China, Argentina but stalled in Europe & Africa.

The author argues that the Green Revolution was able to mobilize 'shuttle-bred' crops with nitrogen-based fertilizer & chemical pesticides to increase production of corn, rice, and wheat about threefold over these 30 years. Funding from Rockefeller Foundation, USAID, UN,funded these improvements and governments of industrializing nations also financed tractors and irrigation on a vast scale. The author contends that much of this aid must be understood in Cold War terms. Cheap, sufficient food supply was perceived byWestern govts. & international aid donors as a deterrent to the rise of communism.
In contrast, the 'Gene Revolution' has been driven by private research & development, mostly multinational agribusinesses like Monsanto,Sygenta, etc. GM technology is not as conventional as shuttle breeding and GMC acceptance by farmers and consumers is far from assured. The developed world's aid donors are not of one mind on GMCs as they were during the Green Revolution. ... Read more

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This book is a comprehensive reference work on the current status of biotechnology of the major temperate, subtropical and tropical fruit and nut crop species of the world. It is a replacement of Biotechnology of Perennial Fruit Crops (eds Hammerschlag and Litz, CABI, 1992) and includes coverage of more fruit as well as nut crop species. Each chapter contains a general introduction to the particular plant family, with an overview of the economic significance and potential of biotechnology for fruit and nut species within the family, before examining individual species in more detail. ... Read more

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A text of interest to instructors, advanced students, and researchers in plant breeding, genetics, and plant biotechnology, compiling information on the progress in the genetic transformation of agricultural crops. Focuses on specific breeds of plants, such as Eustoma and Artemisia. ... Read more

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Throughout history, humankind has pursued means to improve the yield of crop plants through selective plant breeding and hybridization. Today, genetic manipulation provides a powerful tool for directing plant breeding. But how is genetic manipulation implemented? What benefits can it offer? And what are the broader issues surrounding the use of this technology?

The second edition of Plant Biotechnology: The Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants presents a balanced, objective exploration of the technology behind genetic manipulation, and the application of this technology to the growth and cultivation of plants. The book describes the techniques underpinning genetic manipulation in a clear, lucid manner, and this influential tool is used in practice.
... Read more

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Successful release of new and better crop varieties increasingly requires genomics and molecular biology. This volume presents basic information on plant molecular marker techniques from marker location up to gene cloning. The text includes a description of technical approaches in genome analysis such as comparison of marker systems, positional cloning, and array techniques in 19 crop plants.