Muhammad Ashraf – författare

Phytohormones and Stress Responsive Secondary Metabolites provides a deep dive into the signaling pathways associated with phytohormones and phytometabolites. With a strong focus on plant stress responses and DNA technology, the book highlights plant biotechnology and metabolic engineering principles. Biotechnology, by using DNA editing technologies, allows the expression of plant genes into other plant species with desirable modulation on plant behavior. Beginning with an overview of phytohormone signaling, growth and abiotic and biotic stresses, subsequent chapters explore DNA modification strategies, epigenetic and epigenomic regulation, and miRNA regulation.

This book will be an essential resource for students, researchers and agriculturalists interested in plant physiology, plant genetics and plant biotechnology.

Provides a comprehensive review of phytohormone and phytometabolite signaling pathways Highlights recombinant DNA technology and therapeutic potential Analyzes plant stress responses under both abiotic and biotic stresses

This book discusses the biology, breeding, care, and management of camels, with a focus on camels from Pakistan. The book provides a sound understanding of how to look after camels, their senses, behavior, and adaptations. The chapters describe the practical aspects of camel husbandry such as how to maintain their body condition, feet, and cleanliness. It covers the types of feeds, feeding methods, and their needs at different stages of life. The book provides a detailed account of camel husbandry, breeding, and reproduction. It is meant for camel breeders, veterinarians, livestock advisers, students, and researchers working on animal sciences, camel rearing, feeding, and management.FEATURESIncludes information about different species of camels present in Pakistan and their importance to humansDiscusses the nutrition and feeding of camels, the medicinal qualities of camel milk, and the peculiar immunity-enhancing properties of their nutritious meatDescribes the features of camels that help them survive and thrive in deserts and make them the animals of the futureCovers the range of unique products obtained from camels and their economic valueExplores the management, types of diseases in camels, causes of their spread, their control, and therapeutic measures for successful and productive farming

This book presents principles of animal biodiversity, its importance, sustainable utilization, and conservation. The introductory chapter explores the origins and evolution of biodiversity throughout time, shedding light on the remarkable developments that have taken place over the ages. The subsequent chapters of the book reveal the tools and techniques used to assess the status of biodiversity at any given stage. The book meticulously details the indicators and measurement methods employed to gauge the health and vitality of biodiversity. Furthermore, it elucidates the vital role biodiversity plays in serving humanity and underscores the dire consequences that may ensue if we fail to preserve it. It also introduces the nomenclature of species and explores their intricate phylogenetic relationships with both living and non-living entities. The spatial and temporal distribution of animals, unraveling the fascinating patterns and dynamics that govern their presence across the globe, is also discussed in the book. Additionally, the book unveils a repertoire of conservation methods aimed at preserving existing biodiversity and ensuring its sustainable future. Toward the end, the book offers valuable suggestions and highlights untapped avenues for future research, all geared toward safeguarding the current level of biodiversity and ensuring its prosperity in the years to come. This book is a valuable source for students and professionals in the fields of biology, ecology, and conservation biology.

Crop Production Technologies for Sustainable Use and Conservation:Physiological and Molecular Advances presents an abundance of research on important and new production technologies for the successful sustainable production of major crops. The volume covers most of the major crops used the production of food, sugar, and commercial fiber. With the focus on sustainability and conservation issues in crop production, the chapters present molecular and physiological research and innovations for increasing yield, quality, and safety while also taking into considering increasing demand, diminishing water and land resources, and the agricultural consequences of climate change on crop production.The major crops discussed include wheat, mungbean, cotton, jute, sugarcane, eggplant, Solanum (such as potatoes and tomatoes), peppers, okra, fruits such as apples and pears, and more. The chapters report on new developments and research on production techniques related to various fertilizers, biosystematics and molecular biology of various crops, and building resistance to climatic change, including drought tolerance, salinity stresses, and more.

Crop Production Technologies for Sustainable Use and Conservation:Physiological and Molecular Advances presents an abundance of research on important and new production technologies for the successful sustainable production of major crops. The volume covers most of the major crops used the production of food, sugar, and commercial fiber. With the focus on sustainability and conservation issues in crop production, the chapters present molecular and physiological research and innovations for increasing yield, quality, and safety while also taking into considering increasing demand, diminishing water and land resources, and the agricultural consequences of climate change on crop production.The major crops discussed include wheat, mungbean, cotton, jute, sugarcane, eggplant, Solanum (such as potatoes and tomatoes), peppers, okra, fruits such as apples and pears, and more. The chapters report on new developments and research on production techniques related to various fertilizers, biosystematics and molecular biology of various crops, and building resistance to climatic change, including drought tolerance, salinity stresses, and more.

Underutilized crops have a great potential to alleviate hunger directly, through increasing food production in challenging environments where major crops are severely limited.“Global Perspectives on Underutilized Crops” is therefore topical and highlights the unmet agricultural challenges that we face today.

Increase in world population, extreme weather conditions, decrease in fresh water supplies, and changes of dietary habits are major issues that affect global food security. We are expected to face the challenges of land use by 2050 because population will reach 9 billion while agricultural productivity losses are expected due to overuse of lands.  How can we feed the next generations in a manner that respects our finite natural resources? Managing our resources in a sustainable way have only begun for selected crops. Much remains to be done to increase food yield. Cropping practices capable of sustainable production need to be elaborated, especially in fragile ecosystems. Typical applications will include the improvement and use of genetic resources; crop management and diversification; diffusion of improved varieties; development of cropping systems; sustainable cropping systems for areas prone to environmental degradation; use of agro-ecological data for crop production forecasting; and networks for regional coordination, and data exchange.  The impetus behind this book is to bring attention to a cropping system that bears direct relevance to sustainable agriculture and food security.  “Underutilized” crops are found in numerous agricultural ecosystems and often survive mainly in marginal areas. It is timely to review their status because, in recent decades, scientific and economic interests have emerged which focus on lesser-known cultivated species. Underutilized crops have a great potential to alleviate hunger directly, through increasing food production in challenging environments where major crops are severely limited.“Global Perspectives on Underutilized Crops” is therefore topical and highlights the unmet agricultural challenges that we face today.  This book is an important resource for students and researchers of crop science and agricultural policy makers.

A major threat to agricultural productivity worldwide is undoubtedly due to environments with stressful factors including drought, salinity, waterlogging, extreme temperatures, non-optimal levels of mineral nutrients etc. Based on contributions presented at the International Conference on Biosaline Agriculture and High Salinity Tolerance in November 2006 in Gammarth, Tunisia, this book reviews the current state of knowledge in biosaline agriculture and high salinity tolerance in plants. It mainly focuses on the biotic approach to economically utilize the stress-prone areas by growing resistant plants.This volume comprises three sections: physiology and biochemistry, ecology, and molecular biology. Thus, a systematic approach has been adopted to uncover plant responses to various ecological factors at physiological and molecular levels.It is of interest to students, researchers and professionals in plant physiology, molecular biology, biotechnology, agriculture, soil science, and environmental biology.

In the recent years, the looming food scarcity problem has highlighted plant sciences as an emerging discipline committed to devise new strategies for enhanced crop productivity.

For example, the increased organic and inorganic pollution in our environment is leading to loss of biodiversity, degradation of environment and thus ultimately causing food insecurity.

In the era of current industrial and civil development, everyone is expressing a deep concern about the problem of environmental pollution. The majority of the global community has a vested interest in supporting and sustaining any move for the protection of environment. In the greater part of the last century it was the fast pace of industrialization, galloping demand for energy and reckless exploitation of natural resources that were mainly responsible for creating the problem of environmental pollution. In the current scenario, high illiteracy rates of the developing nations leads to increasing environmental pollution. When it comes to the hazards of environmental pollution, there is only a very thin dividing line between different countries. One pollutes and the other suffers-there are no eventual winners without significant changes globally. Pollution is posing serious threats to all kinds of diversities on earth in particular plants. The plant world is of vital importance for our planet. It is a worldwide priority aimed at better meeting the needs for food, livelihoods and nature. To meet the food demand of fast-growing population, global food production will have to be doubled. The sustainability of food production depends on the sustainability of plant resources and using tolerant varieties to augment food production.This volume therefore covers discussions on the recent developments in this connection and the emerging role of plants as indicators, remediation, and such related issues as biodiversity conservation and the effects of on edible plants. It reviews issues concerning the future of plant life. Taking cognizance of this, several experts from different parts of the globe have contributed from their experience and knowledge to the critical issues of "Environmental Pollution," and the "Role of Plants in this connection”.

In the recent years, the looming food scarcity problem has highlighted plant sciences as an emerging discipline committed to devise new strategies for enhanced crop productivity. The major factors causing food scarcity are biotic and abiotic stresses such as plant pathogens, salinity, drought, flooding, nutrient deficiency or toxicity which substantially limit crop productivity world-wide. In this scenario, strategies should be adopted to achieve maximum productivity and economic crop returns. In this book we have mainly focused on physiological, biochemical, molecular and genetic bases of crop development and related approaches that can be used for crop improvement under environmental adversaries. In addition, the adverse effects of different biotic (diseases, pathogens etc.) and abiotic (salinity, drought, high temperatures, metals etc) stresses on crop development and the potential strategies to enhance crop productivity under stressful environments are also discussed.

Human demand for energy has grown multi-folds in recent years. This is the result of rapidly increasing human population, which, in turn, has resulted in increased organic (petroleum) and inorganic pollution on the biosphere. Due to this, we are now facing a number of challenges to sustain life on earth. For example, the increased organic and inorganic pollution in our environment is leading to loss of biodiversity, degradation of environment and thus ultimately causing food insecurity. In this situation, it is imperative to keep updated ourselves with advances on the effects of pollutants, tolerance mechanisms and the potential of different plants and microbes in removing these pollutants from the environment. For this purpose, we invited a number of scientists worldwide to review the current scenario of the problems, current development, and future prospects of the challenges and their solutions in an International Conference on ‘‘Plants and Environmental Pollution’’ held in KAYSERI, TURKEY from 6-11 July 2009. The output of this conference has been summarized in the form of this book.