Abdul Qayyum – författare

This book delves into the history of Afghanistan, its people, and its relationship with neighbors, to unravel the intricate politics and ethnolinguistic diversity of the country.

It discusses the history of innumerable invasions which left imprints over the country and its people and created a complex fabric of different ethnic, linguistic, religious and cultural groups. The volume looks at the various empires which warred over the land including the Persian, Greek, Mongol, and Sassanid dynasties, as well as the later interferences by the British and the Russians and the emergence of the Taliban. It examines the correlations between war, power politics, religion, local governance, and the opium trade and economy in Afghanistan. The author through personal stories and anecdotes of his visits and journeys in Afghanistan provides a very rich and extensive view of Afghan politics, culture and history. The relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan and Afghanistan’s unique position in the politics of the region is also a thread which runs through the entire book.

This book will a great resource (and of interest) to researchers and students of politics, history, Central and South Asian Studies, war and international relations, political economy, and peace and reconciliation studies. It will also interest journalists, diplomats and international development organizations.

This book delves into the history of Afghanistan, its people, and its relationship with neighbors, to unravel the intricate politics and ethnolinguistic diversity of the country.

It discusses the history of innumerable invasions which left imprints over the country and its people and created a complex fabric of different ethnic, linguistic, religious and cultural groups. The volume looks at the various empires which warred over the land including the Persian, Greek, Mongol, and Sassanid dynasties, as well as the later interferences by the British and the Russians and the emergence of the Taliban. It examines the correlations between war, power politics, religion, local governance, and the opium trade and economy in Afghanistan. The author through personal stories and anecdotes of his visits and journeys in Afghanistan provides a very rich and extensive view of Afghan politics, culture and history. The relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan and Afghanistan’s unique position in the politics of the region is also a thread which runs through the entire book.

This book will a great resource (and of interest) to researchers and students of politics, history, Central and South Asian Studies, war and international relations, political economy, and peace and reconciliation studies. It will also interest journalists, diplomats and international development organizations.

Develop more nutritious crops to aid in the fight against world hunger with this timely volume

One in nine people worldwide suffer from hunger or food scarcity. Massively increasing food production is one of the most urgent scientific projects in the modern world, particularly as a changing climate places increasing pressure on the global food supply and on sustainable food production processes. Biofortification is a process in which plant breeding, improved agronomic practices, and/or modern biotechnology are employed to increase nutrient density of crops without sacrificing any of their desirable characteristics. It’s an essential tool in the global fight against hunger.

Crop Biofortification offers an up-to-the-minute overview of this essential subject and its recent advances. It covers all the latest methodologies and techniques deployed in biofortification, as well as surveying plant responses to genetically induced biofortification and the effect of climate change on biofortified crops. Designed to allow for the application of these techniques at the field level, it’s a significant contribution towards the search for a sustainable global food supply.

Crop Biofortification readers will also find:

Crop Biofortification is ideal for researchers, policymakers, and professionals interested in the potential biofortification of crop plants, as well as graduate and advanced undergraduate students in agronomy, plant physiology, plant breeding and genetics, agricultural biotechnology, and related fields.

Develop more nutritious crops to aid in the fight against world hunger with this timely volume

One in nine people worldwide suffer from hunger or food scarcity. Massively increasing food production is one of the most urgent scientific projects in the modern world, particularly as a changing climate places increasing pressure on the global food supply and on sustainable food production processes. Biofortification is a process in which plant breeding, improved agronomic practices, and/or modern biotechnology are employed to increase nutrient density of crops without sacrificing any of their desirable characteristics. It’s an essential tool in the global fight against hunger.

Crop Biofortification offers an up-to-the-minute overview of this essential subject and its recent advances. It covers all the latest methodologies and techniques deployed in biofortification, as well as surveying plant responses to genetically induced biofortification and the effect of climate change on biofortified crops. Designed to allow for the application of these techniques at the field level, it’s a significant contribution towards the search for a sustainable global food supply.

Crop Biofortification readers will also find:

Crop Biofortification is ideal for researchers, policymakers, and professionals interested in the potential biofortification of crop plants, as well as graduate and advanced undergraduate students in agronomy, plant physiology, plant breeding and genetics, agricultural biotechnology, and related fields.

Access to food with enough calories and nutrients is a fundamental right of every human. The global population has exceeded 7.8 billion and is expected to pass 10 billion by 2055. Such rapid population increase presents a great challenge for food supply. More grain production is needed to provide basic calories for humans. Thus, it is crucial to produce 60-110% more food to fill the gap between food production and the demand of future generations.

Meanwhile food nutritional values are of increasing interest to accommodate industrialized modern lives. The instability of food production caused by global climate change presents another great challenge. The global warming rate has become more rapid in recent decades, with more frequent extreme climate change including higher temperatures, drought, and floods. Our world faces various unprecedented scenarios such as rising temperatures, which causes melting glaciers and the resulting various biotic and abiotic stresses, ultimately leading to food scarcity. In these circumstances it is of utmost importance to examine the genetic basis and extensive utilization of germplasm to develop “climate resilient cultivars” through the application of plant breeding and biotechnological tools. Future crops must adapt to these new and unpredictable environments. Crop varieties resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses are also needed as plant disease, insects, drought, high- and low-temperature stresses are expected to be impacted by climate change. Thus, we need a food production system that can simultaneously satisfy societal demands and long-term development.

Since the Green Revolution in the 1960s, farming has been heavily dependent on high input of nitrogen and pesticides. This leads to environmental pollution which is not sustainable in the long run. Therefore, a new breeding scheme is urgently needed to enable sustainable agriculture; including new strategies to develop varieties and crops that have high yield potential, high yield stability, and superior grain quality and nutrition while also using less consumption of water, fertilizer, and chemicals in light of environmental protection.

While we face these challenges, we also have great opportunities, especially with flourishing developments in omics technologies. High-quality reference genomes are becoming available for a larger number of species, with some species having more than one reference genome. The genome-wide re-sequencing of diverse varieties enables the identification of core- and pan-genomes. An integration of omics data will enable a rapid and high-throughput identification of many genes simultaneously for a relevant trait. This will change our current research paradigm fundamentally from single gene analysis to pathway or network analysis. This will also expand our understanding of crop domestication and improvement. In addition, with the knowledge gained from omics data, in combination with new technologies liketargeted gene editing, we can breed new varieties and crops for sustainable agriculture.

Agriculture is facing unprecedented challenges including climate change, declining arable land, and a growing global population. To meet the increasing demand for food while minimizing environmental impact, innovative solutions are required. Nanotechnology offers promising avenues to enhance agricultural productivity, sustainability, and food security. "Revolutionizing Agriculture: A Comprehensive Exploration of Agri-Nanotechnology" is an ambitious and timely book that sheds light on the transformative potential of nanotechnology in agriculture.

This book is an exploration of agri-nanotechnology covering foundational principles, various applications, environmental considerations, and future trends. It serves as a valuable resource for researchers, academics, students, policymakers, and industry professionals interested in the intersection of nanotechnology and agriculture. By addressing both the scientific and societal implications of agri-nanotechnology, this book contributes to the sustainable development of agriculture in the 21st century.

This book...

This contributed volume on phytochemistry and pharmacology of the genus Bidens covers the chemical constituents and biological activities of this plant group in detail. 

Bidens is an important genus of the Asteraceae family, which is one of the dominant plant families globally, contributing medicinal species. It is a diverse genus of weedy herbs with roughly 230 species. Members of this genus have been listed in Oriental Materia Medica as remedies for rheumatoid arthritis, sprains, insect and scorpion stings, diarrhea, dysentery, hepatitis, acute nephritis, stomachaches, and sore throats. Despite its medicinal properties, the chemistry and pharmacology of this genus are disorganized. The aim of this book is to present comprehensive information on the chemical constituents, nutraceutical and ethnomedical uses, as well as the biological and pharmacological effects and toxicity of this plant, based on 218 literary sources reported over 40 years. Major chemical constituents (including 301 compounds) belonging to polyacetylenes, polyacetylene glycosides, flavonoids, flavone glycosides, aurones, chalcones, okanin glycosides, phenolic acids, terpenes, pheophytins, fatty acids, and phytosterols have been identified or isolated from different parts of this plant. Many of them are considered bioactive compounds potentially responsible for pharmacological actions. 

The book will appeal to a wide range of readers, including researchers, botanists, and students studying the phytochemistry and pharmacology of medicinal plants. It may also interest pharmaceutical companies seeking to develop new drugs based on the chemical constituents of Bidens.