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Ethanol as an alternative fuel is receiving a lot of attention because it addresses concerns related to dwindling oil supplies, energy independence, and climate change. The majority of the ethanol in the US is produced from corn starch. With the US Department of Energy’s target that 30% of the fuel in the US is produced from renewable resources by 2030, the anticipated demand for corn starch will quickly exceed the current production of corn. This, plus the concern that less grain will become available for food and feed purposes, necessitates the use of other feedstocks for the production of ethanol. For the very same reasons, there is increasing research activity and growing interest in many other biomass crops.

Genetic Improvement of Bio-Energy Crops focuses on the production of ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass, which includes corn stover, biomass from dedicated annual and perennial energy crops, and trees as well as a number of important biomass crops. The biomass is typically pretreated through thermochemical processing to make it more amenable to hydrolysis with cellulolytic enzymes. The enzymatic hydrolysis yields monomeric sugars that can be fermented to ethanol by micro-organisms. While much emphasis has been placed on the optimization of thermo-chemical pretreatment processes, production of more efficient hydrolytic enzymes, and the development of robust microbial strains, relatively little effort has been dedicated to the improvement of the biomass itself.

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Discusses the latest technologies and current research on the engineering, synthesis, utilization, and control of primary and secondary plant metabolites. Contains case studies illustrating the cell culture production of pigments, flavors, and antineoplastic compounds. ... Read more

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The purpose of this textbook is to present classical plant development in modern, molecular-genetic terms. The study of plant development is rapidly changing as genome sequencing projects uncover a multitude of new genes. This book provides a framework for integrating gene discovery and genome analysis into the context of plant development. Taking a systems approach, concepts in plant development are compared to those in animal development, and complex processes, such as flowering and photomorphogenesis, are presented as pathways of gene action regulated by positional and environmental cues. The author places emphasis on organ formation, such as the development of roots, shoots and leaves; and life cycle events such as embryogenesis, seedling development, and the transition to flowering. The book takes examples primarily from model plants with well-studied genetic systems, particularly Arabidopsis and maize.Molecular Genetics of Plant Development is designed to be used as a textbook for upper division or graduate courses in plant development. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Best one out there.
This is a very good book for anyone interested in the molecular basis of plant development.It contains a few errors as it was published 3 years ago, but this is still a good book if you are looking for a solid background on the current theories of molecular plant development.I can easily say that this is the best book out there by far on this material.

Understanding plant development through molecular genetics
Really, interesting and impressive book. This book shows why we have to apply molecular genetics to study plant development. The study of plant development is rapidly changing as genome sequencing projects uncover amultitude of new genes. This book provides the modern trend towardmolecular genetics of plant development study through well-defined modelplant system. It also gives many figures and conceptual drawings. ... Read more

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This book is essential reading for second-year undergraduatecourses in plant biology and plant genetic conservation. It will alsobe valuable for postgraduate courses in plant genetics, conservation,and cell biology. It provides invaluable information for professionalplant conservationists. No book of this nature has been published in which ex situgenetic resources conservation has been addressed in such detail. This book will also be of great value to professional biologicalconservationists and students, and is unique in this field. ... Read more

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The first chapter details the different techniques of molecular markers, emphasizing genetic aspects, because these determine the type of use one can put it to. The construction of genetic linkage maps is the subject of the second chapter, where the advantages and disadvantages of the most common mapping populations are specified. The particular case of mapping of major genes, especially for the purpose of positional cloning, is addressed in the third chapter. Detection and applications of QTLs controlling the expression of quantitative traits are presented in the fourth chapter, which also tackles the complex question of their identification. The fifth chapter underscores the major contribution of molecular markers in the analysis of the structure and evolution of natural populations. Finally, the advantages of markers in selection, for studies of diversity and in the context of marker-assisted selection, are discussed in the last chapter. The authors have attempted to highlight the principles of markers, an ... Read more

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Conservation in protected areas has focused on preserving biodiversity of ecosystems and species, whereas conserving the genetic diversity contained within species has historically often been ignored. However, maintaining genetic diversity is fundamental to food security and the provision of raw materials and it is best preserved within plants' natural habitats. This is particularly true for wild plants that are directly related to crop species and can play a key role in providing beneficial traits, such as pest or disease resistance and yield improvement. These wild relatives are presently threatened due to processes of habitat destruction and change and methodologies have been adapted to provide in-situ conservation through the establishment of genetic reserves within the existing network of protected areas.Providing a long-awaited synthesis of these new methodologies, this book presents a practical set of management guidelines that can be used for the conservation of plant genetic diversity of crop wild relatives in protected areas. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

Brilliant Book
Gently ambling through the seasons of Norfolk and occasionally checking out a thistle in the church graveyard, the author provides a relaxing background for a journey into the heart of genetics.
Some of the concepts are quite challenging, which is not surprising because what is being presented is at the frontier of our current knowledge of how genetic coding enables an organism to develop, defend and thrive in the world of changing seasons and unpredictable events.
The revelation for me, is that the control mechanisms are not concerned with the controlled and selective promotion of certain built-in functions that enable the organism to react to the environment. The mechanism is actually the controlled and selective release of inhibition. For me this was startling and changed the context for a lot of mythinking on man made mechanisms.
I have purchased a copy of this book for my sister and she is also finding it a joy to read.

Great read
Thoroughly enjoyable read, that gives great insight into scientific thinking. It tells the story of a year in the life of a man, his research, and the weed he is studying. It painlessly explains fairly complex plant genetics and cell biology which was interesting to me, as I produce vegetable seeds and haven't thought much about the plant genetics at a cellular level. I was also intrigued as he holidays in West cork, where I live, and describes a Martin Hayes concert that I was probably at.

Best Gift Ever!
My best friend gave me this for my birthday and it truly is one of the best gifts I've ever gotten. I've always loved biology because of its almost mystical qualities. I struggle with the complex jargon and dry language, however. This book is so satisfying for someone who loves science, but doesn't necessarily understand it in a linear way. Harberd explains the science behind plant biology in attainable language and captures all of the beauty and awe that a living thing possesses. What a satisfying, soul-nurturing book!

"It's about seeing"
Completing a research project and polishing off a journal paper left Nicholas Harberd at loose ends.While casting about for a new project, he struck out on a new course.It is good for us that he did.His quest led him to reflect on Nature's mysterious ways in terms that turned him away from his laboratory work to seek fresh insights.Many years of study of the thale-cress, a humble-looking but informative little plant, had provided much detailed information.Harberd, finding a thale-cress atop a grave in a church cemetery, began considering the plant in a fresh view.He developed a broader vision by studying it in Nature instead of his laboratory.

As the notes progress, Harberd describes the processes involved in the plant's growth and development.He explains how the leaves bud, then expand, each new leaf set 137 degrees away from its neighbour.The angle is a mystery, but many plants make rosettes of leaves, each with their own separation formula.The core of plant is the meristem, and there are two of these in each plant - one for roots and one for the shoot.There are genetic triggers launching the growth process.Harberd explains how these work and, as far as is known, how they interact.The plant, all plants apparently, start with a set of proteins, the DELLAs, that actually inhibit the growth process.He develops the scene with other genes and their proteins that "restrict restraint" allowing the plant to flourish - if the conditions are right.

This book is a reflection of his thoughts, dreams, research problems and other facets of his life and work.Harberd describes the conditions of each day of his note-taking, the weather, the other plants, the soil conditions.The notes are expressive of his reaction to the environment around him, the meanderings of his thoughts as they jump from the pressure of his work to the progress of the little thale-cress.There are setbacks, of course.A slug finds the cress.So does a rabbit, which nearly terminates his study.His reactions in each case are mixed - should he relocate the slug elsewhere?What to do about the rabbit?What happens if caretakers clean up the grave site?Underlying it all are the questions about the next project and what kind of contributions might his group now undertake?What new views of Nature and plant life might result from their work?

Non-scientists don't understand researchers or what they do, claiming scientists lack feeling, notes Harberd. Yet, "wonder is what drives us" says this scientist.The feeling of wonder at how things work is the basis of all research.Nature isn't driven by divine mandate, yet Harberd insists that all research results in a sense of awe.As the notes progress over the days and months, the words "wonder", "exciting" and even "breathtaking" appear with increasing frequency.He rediscovers that himself during an Autumn review of his jottings.

It's impossible not to be caught up in his enthusiasm as he depicts the experiments he and his team perform in developing new ideas or confirming older ones.One experiment, half a century old, proposed an idea for one plant type.Harberd and his group refined the test and tried it on the thale-cress.It confirmed the earlier findings and expanded on it.This kind of work demonstrates the uniformity of cellular processes across many plant species, from scrawny cress to towering redwood."Wondrous", indeed![stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

It Was A Very Good Year
You know about writer's block, the frightening state of an author who just cannot come up with another idea about which to write.Nicholas Harberd had researcher's block.He had done plenty of work as a laboratory scientist, working out the biochemical mechanisms of some very basic capabilities of growth in plants.Having gotten some answers, there turned out to be more and deeper questions (the familiar pattern that will keep science going forever), but he was not inspired into a next project.What to do?Part of the charm of his book, _Seed to Seed: The Secret Life of Plants_ (Bloomsbury) is that he lets us know how he as a working scientist came to solve that problem.He lets us in on some biological secrets, as he opens up some of the mechanisms that are at the core of what roots and shoots do.Best of all, he gives himself, and imparts to us, a higher appreciation for the natural world, invoking a mystic unity inspired by science, and an appreciation for all the paradoxes that this entails.

The specific subject of Harberd's research and his book is _Arabidopsis thaliana_, the thale-cress, a humble weed which has gained stardom as the first plant to have its DNA entirely sequenced.To dismantle the block that has left him uninspired to start up any new project, Harberd started a journal for 2004 to record the history of one thale-cress plant; this book is his journal.His selected plant isn't one of the thousands of plants in his lab, but one in the wild, for which he (and the reader) come to have interest and affection.In watching the plant, he describes for himself and for us the intricate dance between DNA, RNA, and the proteins for which they code.By experimentation, and there is a good deal described in these pages, the exquisitely fine-tuned molecular symphony takes place; even in the humble root of this humble plant there are regulators, and regulators to regulate the regulators, and so on in dizzying iterations.

It is fair to ask what use all this detailed knowledge is.Even his daughter, when being told about proteins that restrain the growth of plants, wants Harberd to use them on a neighbor's sycamore that increasingly is shading their garden.The real goal, Harberd says, is not utility (although it is certainly possible that plants are going to be improved the better we know the details of their molecular workings).And for him, the real goal is also not simply a better understanding of how the molecules do their jobs."I'm more motivated by the sense that understanding brings me closer to Nature.That there's a link between understanding and reverence."It is a pleasure to read Harberd's musings on how nature may be perceived as a unity in different ways, how his plant is so connected with the air and soil around it that distinctions between those entities seem artificial, or how, if one considers the sun as the nucleus of a globe defined by the spread of its light, then the plants which respond to the light, their germinated seeds, and those of us who live on plants, are all parts of the sun.Harberd has done a wonderful job of telling what a scientist goes through, how decisions get made about what sort of work should be done next, and even about the difficulties of getting published.These are not reflections strictly confined to plant biology, and while _Seed to Seed_ has within it a great deal of explanation about molecular complexity, it is best in its vivid musings on how science can reflect nature and bring us closer to it.
... Read more

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Outlining successful breeding techniques to augment the yields of the world's major crops, this reference analyzes the physiological and genetic basis for past and potential future increases in crop yields.;Covering crops with wide differences in morphology, photosynthetic rates, and nitrogen metabolisms, Genetic Improvement of Field Crops: investigates the changes produced by breeders in the physiological attributes affecting wheat grain yield and nitrogen content during the last century; discusses those crop characteristics of oats that have already been altered or might be manipulated through breeding to further increase yield potential; describes several genetic factors responsible for both yield potential and stress resistance in barley; offers insights into the relationship between increases in the yield potential and stress tolerance of corn; examines the evolution of sunflower crop yields and yield stability and estimates the contribution of improved cultivars; evaluates the effects of breeding on tuber characteristics related to the crop growth and yield of the potato; elucidates the possibilities for simultaneous improvement of yield and fiber strength in cotton; and identifies the features to be considered in the development of high yielding varieties of rice for different agricultural systems.;Providing nearly 1600 key literature citations allowing further in-depth study of particular topics, Genetic Improvement of Field Crops is for plant physiologists and breeders, crop and agricultural scientists, agronomists, biochemists, geneticists, biotechnologists, microbiologists, and upper-level undergraduate and graduate students in these disciplines. ... Read more

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The soybean is an economically important leguminous seed crop for feed and food products that is rich in seed protein (about 40 percent) and oil (about 20 percent); it enriches the soil by fixing nitrogen in symbiosis with bacteria.

Soybean was domesticated in northeastern China about 2500 BC and subsequently spread to other countries. The enormous economic value of soybean was realized in the first two decades of the 20th century, with world production of soybean tripling in the last 20 years. In addition to human consumption, it is a major protein source in animal feeds and is becoming a major crop for biodiesel production. In the international trade markets, soybean is ranked number one in the world among the major oil crops.

For many decades, plant breeders have used conventional breeding techniques to improve soybeans. While soybean production continues to expand as demand for soybeans and soybean products increases, there is a need for more sophisticated techniques. Bridging traditional research with modern molecular investigations on soybean, this volume explores the recent advances in soybean genome mapping, molecular breeding, genomics, sequencing, and bioinformatics. The book will be useful to soybean researchers as well as researchers working with other crop species.

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This volume presents the principles of plant biotechnology as related to crop improvement and the controlled but directed use of natural plant processes in industry. It serves as an introduction to this rapidly expanding field for undergraduates and those working in the plant sciences or related disciplines who wish to exploit the potential of the emerging techniques of gene manipulation and tissue culture in the broad area of crop improvement and development. ... Read more

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Plant Nutrition - From Genetic Engineering to FieldPractice, the 12th International Colloquium on Plant Nutrition, isthe latest in a series which began in 1954. Early meetings were mainlyconcerned with the practical problems of soil fertility, with soilassessment, fertilizer requirements and methods of analysis. As thecolloquia have progressed, the emphasis has slowly changed. Thepractical problems are still important, but there is increasingemphasis on plant physiology, plant biochemistry, membranebiochemistry, and even on the chemistry of genes which control theproteins which transfer nutrient ions to the inside of cells. Themeetings therefore provide a valuable opportunity for each half of thescience of plant nutrition to interact with, and learn from the otherhalf.This volume begins with five papers which review current knowledge inimportant fields: the rhizosphere, molecular biology, electronmicroscopy, location and function of elements in vivo, andmodelling nutrient responses in the field. These themes are continuedin groups of shorter papers which follow. In addition, there aresections on nutrient dynamics and partitioning, diagnostic techniques,plant survival strategies, mycorrhizas, and on nutrients such as P, N,S, K, Ca, Mg, and micronutrients. A large section is devotedspecifically to boron - reflecting the considerable current interestin this element. In total there are 177 refereed papers providing botha broad overview and a detailed picture of the latest developments inpure and applied plant nutrition. ... Read more

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This book provides an overview of the rapidly developing integration and interdependence of quantitative genetics, genomics, bioinformatics and their application to plant breeding. Chapters have been developed from a symposium held in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in March 2001, although additional contributions have also been commissioned especially for this volume. The main topics covered include: quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping, genomics, bioinformatics and marker-assisted selection; tissue culture and alien introgression for crop improvement; and advances in genotype by environment interaction/stability analysis. ... Read more

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This benchmark text integrates the recent revolution in the molecular-developmental genetics of plants with mainstream evolutionary thought. There is increasing co-operation between strongly genomics-influenced researchers, with their strong grasp of technology, and evolutionary morphogenetists and systematics who are more deeply rooted in comparative biology and patterns of plant evolution. This book discusses our increasing understanding of gene function and expression, along with modern phylogenies integrating morphological and molecular data to highlight specific key transitions in plant evolution most worthy of intensive study. Furthermore, it explores increasing knowledge of the physical expression of plant development from disciplines such as anatomy and palaeobotany. Rather than focus on the technical aspects of plant genomics, this book provides genuinely integrated explanations of plant evolution.
This leading panel of contributors have succeeded in turning a demanding subject into an accessible volume for a wide range of professional botanists and postgraduate and senior undergraduates in developmental biology, applied molecular biology, molecular evolution, morphogenesis, organismal botany and theoretical systematics. ... Read more

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A practical guide that covers both in situ and ex situ techniques for plant diversity conservation

The conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources is of increasing importance globally. Plant Conservation Genetics addresses this issue by providing an extensive overview of this emerging area of science, exploring various practical strategies and the latest technology for conservation of plant biodiversity. Leading specialists and experts discuss topics ranging from the science’s foundations through every aspect of plant conservation genetics. This informative text includes several ex situ (outside of natural habitat) and in situ (inside of natural habitat) techniques for plant conservation useful for researchers, educators, and students.

Plant Conservation Genetics first reviews the importance, opportunities, and numerous advantages of this type of conservation, then explores various effective ex situ (for specific species) and in situ (for certain species on up to full ecosystems and habitats) techniques for conservation. Essential detailed information is presented on collection strategies, botanic gardens, DNA banks, biodiversity management, and genetic resources in seedbanks. Each specialist reveals his or her personal experience of working in the field, allowing direct experience to illustrate and provide expert perspective on the key issues of plant conservation. The book is carefully referenced and includes tables and figures to enhance clarity of data.

Plant Conservation Genetics topics include:

• strategies for plant conservation
  
• opportunities for application of plant conservation genetics
  
• botanic garden conservation
  
• DNA extraction and storage
  
• field genebanks
  
• in vitro techniques
  
• cryopreservation
  
• germplasm collection and management
  
• collecting missions
  
• genetic and biological property rights and benefit-sharing
  
• database and sample management for genebank collections
  
• monitoring and maintaining ecosystems in in situ conservation
  
• habitat fragmentation
  
• molecular analysis of plant genetic resources
  
• molecular marker analysis
  
• nuclear, mitochondrial, and chloroplast genome analysis
  
• genomics in the management of plant biodiversity
  
  

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In continuation of Volumes 8, 9, 22, and 23, this new volume deals with the regeneration of plants from isolated protoplasts and genetic transformation in various species of Actinidia, Allocasuarina, Anthurium, Antirrhinum, Asparagus, Beta, Brassica, Carica, Casuarina, Cyphomandra, Eucalyptus, Ipomoea, Larix, Limonium, Liriodendron, Malus, Musa, Physcomitrella, Physalis, Picea, Rosa, Tagetes, Triticum, and Ulmus.
These studies reflect the far-reaching implications of protoplast technology in genetic engineering of plants. The book contains a wealth of useful information for advanced students, teachers, and researchers in the field of plant tissue culture, molecular biology, genetic engineering, plant breeding, and general biotechnology. ... Read more

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A concise, clear writing style and a detailed and rich coverage of topics are the reasons that students found the first edition of the book so engaging and useful. Riding on this wave, all chapters within the second edition of this popular book have been thoroughly updated and expanded, especially the human and animal materials. A wider range of animals is covered, including dogs and cats as well as farm animals. The use of cord blood for therapy, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis and animal cloning are also explored and dealt with. ... Read more

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The past decade has seen the emergence of plants as a viable alternative to the current production systems for therapeutic proteins. In Recombinant Proteins from Plants, expert researchers explore plants and their potential for the production of increasingly safe, high quality and biologically active complex recombinant pharmaceutical proteins. Chapters present several production platforms, focusing on the largest and most important group of biotechnological products in clinical trials: antibodies and their derived fragments with acknowledged potential for immunotherapy in humans. Due to the shortage of step by step protocols that can be used easily by beginners, this volume aims to fill the void with several chapters of detailed instructions for using the main plant expression systems. Composed in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology™ series format, each chapter contains a brief introduction, step-by-step methods, a list of necessary materials, and a Notes section which shares tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

Comprehensive and cutting-edge, Recombinant Proteins from Plants serves as an ideal guide for those new and seasoned plant scientists, pharmaceutical scientists, and molecular and cellular biologists interested in molecular pharming.

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A simple solution to complicated statistical techniques and formulas!

The Handbook of Formulas and Software for Plant Geneticists and Breeders is an up-to-date reference source that eliminates the need for hand calculations of complicated genetic formulas and equations. Contributions from members of the C1 Division of the Crop Science Society of America include computer program codes not found in Statistical Analysis System (SAS) and other commonly available statistical packages. The book provides an invaluable shortcut to sorting through piles of literature in search of programs that may have been published in abbreviated forms or never at all.

The Handbook of Formulas and Software for Plant Geneticists and Breeders puts full-fledged program codes of specialized statistical and genetics-related software programs at your fingertips. It shows practicing geneticists, breeders, and students how to use specialized software through practical examples. The book is an excellent research and teaching tool in quantitative genetics and plant breeding, providing definitions of key terms and information on how to obtain desired software and key references. It also includes an extensive listing of programs available for linkage and mapping software that can be accessed through the Internet.

The Handbook of Formulas and Software for Plant Geneticists and Breeders presents, among others, programs related to:

• genotype-by-environmental interaction (GEI) and stability analysis
• genetic diversity estimation
• best linear unbiased predictors (BLUPs)
• principal component and additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) analyses
• quantitative trait loci -by-environment (QTL x E) analysis
• GGE biplot analysis
• diallel analyses
• path analysis
• trend analysis
• field plot technique