S. Mohan Jain

Jameel M. Al-Khayri

Lina M. Alnaddaf

This book focuses on the recent progress of nanotechnology with emphasis on the interaction between nanoparticles and plants on the cellular level. It is devoted to understanding the pathways of nanomaterials entry into plant cell and their influence on cellular organelle processes and influence on crop yield. It consists of 16 chapters grouped in 3 parts: Part I Cellular mechanisms, Part II Cellular macromolecules, and Part III Implications of nanomaterials. Chapters present the plant response to nanomaterial applications including morphological, physiochemical, and anatomical changes and their effect on plant growth and productivity. The book discusses the mechanisms of absorbance and translocation of nanoparticles and their interaction with the plant cellular biochemical compounds and organelles. It presents the current perspective of nanomaterials influence on cellular processes which include photosynthesis, photorespiration and pigment synthesis and accumulation. In addition, it provides current understanding of the impact of nanomaterials on cellular macromolecules including carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, proteins, hormones, and antioxidant defense activities. Collectively, these processes and biochemical compounds have implications on crop yield. Chapters are written by globally recognized scientists and subjected to a rigorous review process to ensure quality presentation and scientific precision. 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. Chapter "Impact of Nanomaterials on Plant Secondary Metabolism" is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

Nanomaterial Interactions with Plant Cellular Mechanisms and Macromolecules and Agricultural Implications

Suprasanna Penna

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.

Mutation Breeding for Sustainable Food Production and Climate Resilience

S.K. Sopory

Ricahrd Veilleux

The 18 chapters making up In Vitro Haploid Production in Higher Plants are divided into two sections. Section 1 (eight chapters) covers historical and fundamental aspects of haploidy in crop improvement. Section 2 deals with methods of haploid production, including anther culture, micropore culture, ovary culture, pollination with irradiated pollen, in vitro pollination, and special culture techniques, including polyhaploid production in the Triticeae by sexual hybridization, the influence of ethylene and gelling agents on anther culture, conditional lethal markers, and methods of chromosome doubling.

Volume 1: Fundamental Aspects and Methods

In Vitro Haploid Production in Higher Plants

R.J. Newton

Pramod P.K. Gupta

The quality of human life has been maintained and enhanced for generations by the use of trees and their products. In recent years, ever rising human population growth has put tremendous pressure on trees and tree products; growing awareness of the potential of previously unexploited tree resources and environmental pollution have both accelerated development of new technologies for tree propagation, breeding and improvement. Biotechnology of trees may be the answer to solve the problems which cannot be solved by conventional breeding methods. The combination of biotechnology and conventional methods such as plant propagation and breeding may be a novel approach to improving and multiplying in large number the trees and woody plants. So far, plant tissue culture technology has largely been exploited in the propagation of ornamental plants, especially foliage house plants, by com mercial companies. Generally, tissue culture of woody plants has been recal citrant. However, limited success has been achieved in tissue culture of angiosperm and gymnosperm woody plants. A number of recent reports on somatic embryogenesis in woody plants such as Norway spruce (Picea abies), Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), Sandalwood (Santalurn album), Citrus, Mango (Mangifera indica), etc. , offer a ray of hope of: a) inexpensive clonal propa gation for large-scale production of plants or "emblings" or "somatic embryo plants", b) protoplast work, c) cryopreservation, d) genetic transformation, and e) artificial or manufactured seed production.

Volume 2 — Angiosperms

Somatic Embryogenesis in Woody Plants

Beyond Rituals and Superstitions

Pristine Jainism

This reference book is a joint publication of FAO/IAEA and International Network for the improvement of Banana and Plantain (INIBAP) and will be useful to international researchers engaged in banana genetic improvement for enhanced food security, nutrition, and employment generation.

Cellular, Molecular Biology, and Induced Mutations

Banana Improvement

Dennis Victor Johnson

Plant breeders and geneticists are under constant pressure to sustain and expand food production by using innovative breeding strategies and introducing minor crops, which are well adapted to marginal lands, provide a source of nutrition, and have abiotic and biotic stress tolerance, to feed an ever-increasing human population. The basic concept of this book is to examine the use of innovative methods, augmenting traditional plant breeding, towards the improvement and development of new crop varieties, under the increasingly limiting environmental and cultivation factors, to achieve sustainable agricultural production and enhanced food security. Three volumes of the book series Advances in Plant Breeding Strategies were published in 2015, 2016 and 2018, respectively: Volume 1. Breeding, Biotechnology and Molecular Tools; Volume 2. Agronomic, Abiotic and Biotic Stress Traits and Volume 3. Fruits. In 2019, the following four volumes were published: Volume 4. Nut and Beverage Crops, Volume 5. Cereals, Volume 6. Industrial and Food Crops and Volume 7. Legumes. Recent volumes published in 2021 include: Volume 8. Vegetable Crops: Bulbs, Roots and Tubers, Volume 9. Vegetable Crops: Fruits and Young Shoots and Volume 10. Vegetable Crops: Leaves, Flowerheads, Green Pods, Mushrooms and Truffles. This Volume 10, subtitled Vegetable Crops: Leaves, Flowerheads, Green Pods, Mushrooms and Truffles, consists of 14 chapters focusing on advances in breeding strategies using both traditional and modern approaches for the improvement of individual vegetable crops. Chapters are arranged in 4 parts according to the edible vegetable parts. Part I: Leaves - Chicory, Chinese cabbage, Rocket salad, Spring onion, Water spinach and Watercress; Pat II: Flowerheads and Green Pods - Cauliflower, Globe artichoke, Garden pea and Yardlong bean; Part III: Mushrooms - Enoki mushroom and Shiitake mushroom; Part IV: Truffles - Desert truffles and White truffle. Each chapter comprehensively reviews the contemporary literature on the subject and reflects the experiences of the authors. Chapters are written by internationally-reputable scientists and subjected to a review process to assure quality presentation and scientific accuracy. Each chapter begins with an introduction covering related backgrounds and provides in-depth discussion of the subject supported with high-quality color photos, illustrations and relevant data. The chapter concludes with recommendations for future research directions, a comprehensive list of pertinent references to facilitate further reading, and appendixes of genetic resources and concerned research institutes. This book series is a valuable resource for advanced students, researchers, scientists, commercial producers and seed companies as well as consultants and policymakers interested in agriculture, particularly in modern breeding technologies.

Volume 10: Leaves, Flowerheads, Green Pods, Mushrooms and Truffles

Advances in Plant Breeding Strategies: Vegetable Crops

This book is the first volume of a comprehensive assemblage of contemporary knowledge relevant to genomics and other omics in date palm. Volume 1 consists of 11 chapters arranged in 3 parts grouped according to subject. Part I, Biology and Phylogeny, focuses on date palm biology, evolution and origin. Part II, Biodiversity and Molecular Identification, covers conformity of in vitro derived plants, molecular markers, barcoding, pollinizer genetics and gender determination. Part III, Genome Mapping and Bioinformatics, addresses genome mapping of nuclear, chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA, in addition to a chapter on progress made in date palm bioinformatics. This volume represents the efforts of 30 international scientists from 10 countries and contains 78 figures and 30 tables to illustrate presented concepts. Volume 2 is published under the title: Omics and Molecular Breeding.

Phylogeny, biodiversity and mapping

The Date Palm Genome

Dennis V. Johnson

Phylogeny, Biodiversity and Mapping

The Date Palm Genome, Vol. 1

M. R. Ahuja

Genetic erosion is the loss of genetic diversity within a species. It can happen very quickly, due to catastrophic events, or changes in land use leading to habitat loss. But it can also occur more gradually and remain unnoticed for a long time. One of the main causes of genetic erosion is the replacement of local varieties by modern varieties. Other causes include environmental degradation, urbanization, and land clearing through deforestation and brush fires. In order to conserve biodiversity in plants, it is important to targets three independent levels that include ecosystems, species and genes. Genetic diversity is important to a species’ fitness, long-term viability, and ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions. Chapters in this book are written by leading geneticists, molecular biologists and other specialists on relevant topics on genetic erosion and conservation genetic diversity in plants. This divisible set of two volumes deals with a broad spectrum of topics on genetic erosion, and approaches to biodiversity conservation in crop plants and trees. Volume 1 deals with indicators and prevention of genetic erosion, while volume 2 covers genetic diversity and erosion in a number of plants species. These two volumes will also be useful to botanists, biotechnologists, environmentalists, policy makers, conservationists, and NGOs working to manage genetic erosion and biodiversity.

Indicators and Prevention

Genetic Diversity and Erosion in Plants

This book provides complete, comprehensive, and broad subject-based reviews for students, teachers, researchers, policymakers, conservationists, and NGOs interested in the biodiversity and conservation of woody plants. Forests cover approximately 31 percent of the world’s total landmass; 93 percent is natural forest and only 7 percent consists of planted trees. Forest decline is progressing at an alarming rate worldwide. In addition to human activities (logging, deforestation, and exploiting forest lands for agriculture and industrial use), a number of other factors – including pests and diseases, drought, soil acidity, radiation, and ozone – are cumulatively contributing to global forest decline. The present situation forces us to focus on forest conservation strategies for the present and future. Gene conservation and maintaining genetic diversity in forest ecosystems are crucial to the preservation of forest genetic resources. This calls for integrated action to implement both the in situ (on site) preservation of forest stands and ex situ (distant from the original site) strategies for the conservation of woody plants’ genetic resources. Selected priority areas include: 1) assessing patterns of genetic diversity and threats, 2) understanding the biological processes regulating genetic diversity, 3) assessing the impact of human activities and climate change on genetic diversity, and 5) finding methods for prioritizing species and populations for the conservation of forest trees genetic resources. All chapters were written by leading scientists in their respective fields, which include: woody plant diversity, ecology and evolution; assessment of genetic diversity in forest tree populations; conservation planning under climate change; and in situ and ex situ strategies, including biotechnological approaches, for the conservation of woody plants genetic resources.

Biodiversity and Conservation of Woody Plants

R.E. Veilleux

Since the beginning of agricultural production, there has been a continuous effort to grow more and better quality food to feed ever increasing popula tions. Both improved cultural practices and improved crop plants have allowed us to divert more human resources to non-agricultural activities while still increasing agricultural production. Malthusian population predictions continue to alarm agricultural researchers, especially plant breeders, to seek new technologies that will continue to allow us to produce more and better food by fewer people on less land. Both improvement of existing cultivars and development of new high-yielding cultivars are common goals for breeders of all crops. In vitro haploid production is among the new technologies that show great promise toward the goal of increasing crop yields by making similar germplasm available for many crops that was used to implement one of the greatest plant breeding success stories of this century, i. e. , the development of hybrid maize by crosses of inbred lines. One of the main applications of anther culture has been to produce diploid homozygous pure lines in a single generation, thus saving many generations of backcrossing to reach homozygosity by traditional means or in crops where self-pollination is not possible. Because doubled haploids are equivalent to inbred lines, their value has been appreciated by plant breeders for decades. The search for natural haploids and methods to induce them has been ongoing since the beginning of the 20th century.

S. Mohan Jain

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