Conventional plant breeding alone can no longer sustain the rising global demand for food. Genetic engineering technology makes it possible to develop new crop varieties with improved yield performance, specific quality attributes (external and internal in vegetable crops), resistance to diseases and insect pests, and environmental stresses. Genetic engineering technology for developing GM crops is complementary to genome editing and other breeding technologies. In addition to food require...

Molecular Methods in Plant Pathology covers methods in phytopathology at the molecular level, including PCR techniques, electron microscopy, tissue culturing, and the cloning of disease-resistant genes. Phytopathologists, botanists, horticulturists, and anyone working in agriculture will find this a useful reference on biophysical, biochemical, biomolecular, and biotechnological methods.

"A true mystery is not just about finding the right answers — it is about surviving the stages of investigations that refuse to stay quiet.”

The aim of this volume is to merge classical concepts of plant cell biology with the recent findings of molecular studies and real-world applications in a form attractive not only to specialists in the realm of fundamental research, but also to breeders and plant producers. Four sections deal with the control of development, the control of stress tolerance, the control of metabolic activity, and novel additions to the toolbox of modern plant cell biology in an exemplary and comprehensive m...

This book offers a collection of information on successive steps of molecular 'dialogue' between plants and pathogens. It additionally presents data that reflects intrinsic logic of plant-parasite interactions. New findings discussed include: host and non-host resistance, specific and nonspecific elicitors, elicitors and suppressors, and plant and animal immunity. This book enables the reader to understand how to promote or prevent disease development, and allows them to systematize their ...

Auxin is an important signaling compound in plants and vital for plant development and growth. The present book, Auxin and its Role in Plant Development, provides the reader with detailed and comprehensive insight into the functioning of the molecule on the whole and specifically in plant development. In the first part, the functioning, metabolism and signaling pathways of auxin in plants are explained, the second part depicts the specific role of auxin in plant development and the third p...

Sugarcane is the most important plant source for sugar and alcohol production and is cultivated in more than 80 countries in tropical and subtropical areas. However, environmental factors negatively influence its yield and jeopardize the prospect to meet the increasing demand for sugar, other sugarcane derived by products and bioethanol. The development of stress tolerant plants is fundamental for the maintenance and increase of crop yields. Biotechnology to Enhance Sugarcane Productivity ...

The past decade has witnessed an explosion of our knowledge on the structure, coding capacity and evolution of the genomes of the two DNA-containing cell organelles in plants: chloroplasts (plastids) and mitochondria. Comparative genomics analyses have provided new insights into the origin of organelles by endosymbioses and uncovered an enormous evolutionary dynamics of organellar genomes. In addition, they have greatly helped to clarify phylogenetic relationships, especially in algae and ...

Current trends in population growth hint that global food production is unlikely to gratify future demands under predicted climate change scenarios unless the rates of crop improvement are accelerated. Crop production faces numerous challenges, due to changing environmental conditions and evolving needs for new plant-derived materials. These challenges come at a time when the plant sciences are witnessing remarkable progress in understanding fundamental processes of plant growth and develo...

This volume describes the more relevant secondary metabolites of different fungi with current information on their biosynthesis and molecular genetics. Bolstered with color illustrations and photographs, the book describes the possible application of molecular genetics to directed strain improvement in great detail. The needs for future developments in this field are also discussed at lengthWritten by authorities in the field, Biosynthesis and Molecular Genetics of Fungal Secon...

The centromere is a chromosomal region that enables the accurate segregation of chromosomes during mitosis and meiosis. It holds sister chromatids together, and through its centromere DNA–protein complex known as the kinetochore binds spindle microtubules to bring about accurate chromosome movements. Despite this conserved function, centromeres exhibit dramatic difference in structure, size, and complexity. Extensive studies on centromeric DNA revealed its rapid evolution resulting often i...

As a collection of papers that includes material presented at the 2008 International Congress for Plant Pathology, this text features research right at the leading edge of the field. The latest findings are particularly crucial in their implications for fruit production; an important market sector where in some areas up to 50 per cent of the crop can be lost after harvest. While post-harvest fruit treatments with fungicides are the most effective means to reduce decay, rising concerns abou...