Genetic Resources, Chromosome Engineering, and Crop Improvement

Summarizing landmark research, Volume 4 of this essential seriesfurnishes information on the availability of germplasm resources that breeders can exploit for producing high-yielding oilseed crop varieties. Written by leading international experts, this volume presents the most up-to-date information on employing genetic resources to increase the yield of the major seven oilseed crops. In eight succinct chapters, Genetic Resources, Chromosome Engineering, and Crop Improvement: Oilseed Crops, Volume 4 focuses on soybean, groundnut, cottonseed, sunflower, safflower, brassica oilseeds, and sesame. An introductory chapter outlines the economic and nutritional importance of oilseed crops, describes the principles and strategies of cytogenetics and breeding, and summarizes landmarks in current research. This sets the stage for the ensuing crop-specific chapters. Each chapter generally provides a complete account of the crop, its origin, wild relatives, exploitation of genetic resources in the primary, secondary, and tertiary gene pools through breeding and cytogenetic manipulation, and genetic enrichment using the tools of molecular genetics and biotechnology. Certain to become the standard reference for improving the yields of these critical crops, this book is the definitive source of information for plant breeders, agronomists, cytogeneticists, taxonomists, pathologists, entomologists, molecular biologists, food technologists, consumers, biotechnologists, and graduate students and researchers in these fields.