Agricultural Biotechnology: Latest Research and Trends

This book caters to the need of researchers working in the ever-evolving field of agricultural biotechnology. It discusses and provides in-depth information about latest advancements happening in this field. The book discusses evolution of plant tissue culture techniques, development of doubled haploids technology, role of recombinant-DNA technology in crop improvement. It also provides an insight into the global status of genetically modified crops, use of RNAi technology and mi-RNAs in plant improvement. Chapters are also dedicated for different branches of ‘omics’ science including genomics, bioinformatics, proteomics, metabolomics and phenomics along with the use of molecular markers in tagging and mapping of various genes/QTLs of agronomic importance. This book also covers the role of enzymes and microbes in agriculture in productivity enhancement. It is of interest to teachers, researchers of biotechnology and agriculture scientists. Also the book serves as additional readingmaterial for undergraduate and postgraduate students of biotechnology, agriculture, horticulture, forestry, ecology, soil science, and environmental sciences. National and international biotechnologists and agricultural scientists will also find this to be a useful read.

Dr. Dinesh Kumar Srivastava has retired as Director Extension Education, prior to this he worked as Professor and Head in the Department of Biotechnology, Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India. He did his post-doctoral studies in the field of Plant Molecular Biology at the Institute of Molecular Genetics, Moscow, USSR and at Washington University, St. Louis, USA. He has 32 years of research and teaching experience in the field of Plant Biotechnology and Molecular Biology. He has guided several M.Sc. and Ph.D. students and published 110 research/ review papers in the journals of national and international repute. He has participated in many national and international conferences. His main area of research includes Plant tissue culture, Genetic transformation and Molecular characterization of plants. He is life member of various National and International Academic bodies/societies. He has receivedmany awards for his scientific contributions.

Dr. Ajay Kumar Thakur is presently working as Senior Scientist (Biotechnlogy) at ICAR-Directorate of Rapeseed-Mustard Research, Bharatpur, Rajasthan. He has published 46 research/review papers in various journals of International and National repute, authored/edited three books, contributed 8 book chapters and 22 popular articles. Dr. Thakur is associated with Brassica juncea improvement programme using biotechnological interventions from last thirteen years. He is presently working on germplasm characterization and association mapping of various agronomically important traits in this oilseed crop. He has been granted one Indian patent and associated in the development of two high yielding Indian mustard varieties and one gobhi sarson variety, and three disease resistant Indian mustard genetic stocks. Dr. Thakur has received many awards from various societies and scientific organizations forhis scientific contribution. He is also an esteemed Member of Plant Tissue Culture Association of India and National Academy of Sciences-India.

Dr. Pankaj Kumar is presently working as Assistant Professor (Biotechnology), Department of Biotechnology, Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India. He did his post-doctoral studies at the National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi and at Council of Scientific & Industrial Research - Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India. Dr. Kumar research specialization is plant molecular biology, functional genomics, plant genetic engineering, and medicinal plant biotechnology. He has published 35 research/review papers in various journals of International and National repute, contributed 13 book chapters and 5 popular articles. Dr. Kumar has received many awards from various societies and scientific organizations for his scientific contribution.