Crop Improvement Utilizing Biotechnology

This book discusses; somaclonal variation in crop improvement, the role of tissue culture in rapid clonal propagation and production of pathogen-free plant, protoplasts in crop improvement, cell selection and long-term high-frequency regeneration of cereals and legumes, agrobacteria-mediated gene transformation and vectors for gene cloning in plants, and plant frost injury and its management.

Biotechnology and Crop Improvement The green revolution led to the development of improved varieties of crops, especially cereals, and since then, classical or molecular breeding has resulted in the creation of economically valuable species. Thanks to recent developments in biotechnology, it has become possible to introduce genes from different sources, such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, mice and humans, to plants. This technology has made the scientific community aware of the critical role of transgenic, not only as a means of producing stress tolerant crops but also as a platform for the production of therapeutics through molecular farming. Biotechnology and Crop Improvement: Tissue Culture and Transgenic Approaches focuses on important field crops to highlight germplasm enhancement for developing resistance to newly emerging diseases, pests, nutrient- and water-use efficiency, root traits and improved tolerance to increasing temperature and introduces significant recent achievements in crop improvement using methods such as micropropagation, somaclonal variation, somatic embryogenesis, anther/pollen/embryo culture, and compressing the breeding cycle for accelerated breeding and early release of crop varieties. Plant biotechnology has now become an integral part of tissue culture research. The tremendous impact generated by genetic engineering and consequently of transgenic now allows us to manipulate plant genomes at will. There has indeed been a rapid development in this area with major successes in both developed and developing countries. Development of transgenic crop plants, their utilization for improved agriculture, health, ecology and environment and their socio-political impacts are currently important fields in education, research, and industry and also of interest to policy makers, social activists and regulatory and funding agencies. This work prepared with a class-room approach on this multidisciplinary subject will fill an existing gap and meet the requirements of such a broad section of readers. It describes the recent biotechnological advancement and developments in plant tissue culture and transgenic. Plant tissue culture techniques such as such as micropropagation, regeneration, somaclonal variation, somatic embryogenesis, anther/pollen/embryo culture are discussed for genetic improvement of crop plant. Transgenic techniques are discussed for developing resistance to newly emerging diseases, pests, nutrient- and water-use efficiency, root traits, and improved tolerance to increasing temperature. Key Features Shows the importance of plant tissue culture and transgenic technology on plant biology research and its application to agricultural production Provides insight into what may lie ahead in this rapidly expanding area of plant research and development Contains contributions from major leaders in the field of plant tissue culture and transgenic technology This book is devoted to topics with references at both graduate and postgraduate levels. The book traces the roots of plant biotechnology from the basic sciences to current applications in the biological and agricultural sciences, industry, and medicine. The processes and methods used to genetically engineer plants for agricultural, environmental, and industrial purposes along with bioethical and biosafety issues of the technology are vividly described in the book.

Crop Improvement: Biotechnological Advances – Biomedical Science The field of biotechnology is advancing at a fast pace. The availability of low-cost DNA/genome sequencing technologies has led to the discovery and functional characterization of myriad of genes imparting stress tolerance and quality traits. The ‘omics’ group of technologies including genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics and metabolomics has revolutionized the agricultural biotechnology sector. The Nobel Prize-winning technology, such as the genome editing technique, is being employed to edit various gene functions in plants aiding in crop improvement. This technology may be adopted very quickly by consumers compared with the transgenic technique because the genome-edited plants have no adverse effects on the genome of the plant itself and on the environment and related species/non-target organisms. In this book, authors have attempted to compile the latest techniques of agricultural biotechnology and their applications in crop improvement. Certain chapters have been dedicated to describe the use of nanotechnology, a fast emerging new technique in the agriculture sector. Features Development, potential and safety issues in biotechnology Advances in genomics, proteomics and transcriptomics in agriculture Protein bioinformatics and its applications Genetically modified (GM) technology and its implications Genome editing in crop improvement Marker-assisted selection (MAS) in crop improvement Mutation breeding Cryobiotechnology Nanotechnology and biosensors This book includes real-world examples and applications making it accessible to a broader interdisciplinary readership. We hope that it will serve as a reference book for researchers engaged in molecular biology and biotechnology and will act as a ready reckoner for postgraduate (PG) students in the biotechnology discipline.

During the past 15 years, cellular and molecular approaches have emerged as valuable adjuncts to supplement and complement conventional breeding methods for a wide variety of crop plants. Biotechnology increasingly plays a role in the creation, conservation, characterization and utilization of genetic variability for germplasm enhancement. For instance, anther/microspore culture, somaclonal variation, embryo culture and somatic hybridization are being exploited for obtaining incremental improvement in the existing cultivars. In addition, genes that confer insect- and disease-resistance, abiotic stress tolerance, herbicide tolerance and quality traits have been isolated and re-introduced into otherwise sensitive or susceptible species by a variety of transgenic techniques. Together these transformative methodologies grant access to a greater repertoire of genetic diversity as the gene(s) may come from viruses, bacteria, fungi, insects, animals, human beings, unrelated plants or even be artificially derived. Remarkable achievements have been made in the production, characterization, field evaluation and commercialization of transgenic crop varieties worldwide. Likewise, significant advances have been made towards increasing crop yields, improving nutritional quality, enabling crops to be raised under adverse conditions and developing resistance to pests and diseases for sustaining global food and nutritional security. The overarching purpose of this 3-volume work is to summarize the history of crop improvement from a technological perspective but to do so with a forward outlook on further advancement and adaptability to a changing world. Our carefully chosen “case studies of important plant crops” intend to serve a diverse spectrum of audience looking for the right tools to tackle complicated local and global issues.

Biotechnology is the application of biology to the creation of new products, organisms and methods with the goal of benefiting the society as well as improving human health. It has a wide range of applications most notably in agriculture and medicine. Modern biotechnology offers innovative products and technologies to lessen environmental footprint, use cleaner and less energy, combat debilitating and uncommon diseases, and have cleaner, safer and more effective industrial manufacturing processes. Biotechnology in agriculture not only aids in increasing productivity but also improves quality of crop production. Another advantage of biotechnology is the creation of crops that are resistant to diseases and pests. Gene editing technology enables targeted and high-precision restructuring of plant genomes which decreases the cost of product development. This book explores all the important aspects of biotechnology and its applications in crop improvement. It consists of contributions made by international experts. This book will serve as a reference to a broad spectrum of readers.

The improvement of crop species has been a basic pursuit since cultivation began thousands of years ago. To feed an ever increasing world population will require a great increase in food production. Wheat, corn, rice, potato and few others are expected to lead as the most important crops in the world. Enormous efforts are made all over the world to document as well as use these resources. Everybody knows that the introgression of genes in wheat provided the foundation for the “Green Revolution”. Later also demonstrated the great impact that genetic resources have on production. Several factors are contributing to high plant performance under different environmental conditions, therefore an effective and complementary use of all available technological tools and resources is needed to meet the challenge.

During the past 15 years, cellular and molecular approaches have emerged as valuable adjuncts to supplement and complement conventional breeding methods for a wide variety of crop plants. Biotechnology increasingly plays a role in the creation, conservation, characterization and utilization of genetic variability for germplasm enhancement. For instance, anther/microspore culture, somaclonal variation, embryo culture and somatic hybridization are being exploited for obtaining incremental improvement in the existing cultivars. In addition, genes that confer insect- and disease-resistance, abiotic stress tolerance, herbicide tolerance and quality traits have been isolated and re-introduced into otherwise sensitive or susceptible species by a variety of transgenic techniques. Together these transformative methodologies grant access to a greater repertoire of genetic diversity as the gene(s) may come from viruses, bacteria, fungi, insects, animals, human beings, unrelated plants or even be artificially derived. Remarkable achievements have been made in the production, characterization, field evaluation and commercialization of transgenic crop varieties worldwide. Likewise, significant advances have been made towards increasing crop yields, improving nutritional quality, enabling crops to be raised under adverse conditions and developing resistance to pests and diseases for sustaining global food and nutritional security. The overarching purpose of this 3-volume work is to summarize the history of crop improvement from a technological perspective but to do so with a forward outlook on further advancement and adaptability to a changing world. Our carefully chosen “case studies of important plant crops” intend to serve a diverse spectrum of audience looking for the right tools to tackle complicated local and global issues.