Zahoor Ahmad Dar – författare

Maize (Zea mays L.) in Cold: Journey Across Latitudes presents a compelling exploration of how one of the world’s most vital crops has expanded from its tropical origins to endure and thrive in cold and temperate regions. As agriculture increasingly faces the challenges of climate variability and low temperature extremes, this book offers a timely and comprehensive scientific account of maize’s resilience to chilling stress.Structured across seven in-depth chapters, the book takes readers through the core biology of maize, its latitudinal journey from the tropics to cooler climates, and a focused examination of what constitutes low temperature (LT) stress in maize. It further explores the physiological, biochemical, and genetic adjustments maize undergoes to cope with cold, and highlights emerging trends and scientific advancements aimed at improving maize performance under such stress, including seed priming, molecular interventions, and breeding strategies.Intended for researchers, maize breeders, plant biologists, agronomists, and postgraduate students, this volume also offers valuable insights for agricultural planners and policymakers working in cold-prone agro-climatic zones.Dr. Salika Ramazan, a low temperature stress biologist with a decade-long association with maize, brings together field expertise and academic depth to narrate the untold story of maize’s adaptation across latitudes. Her work connects the scientific understanding of cold stress biology with practical innovations to strengthen maize production under challenging climates.

Development of superior crops that have consistent performance in quality and in quantity has not received the same emphasis in the field of genetics and breeding as merited. Specialty trait requires special focus to propagate. Yet basic germplasm and breeding methodologies optimized to improve crops are often applied in the development of improved specialty types. However, because of the standards required for specialty traits, methods of development and improvement are usually more complex than those for common commodity crops. The same standards of performance are desired, but the genetics of the specialty traits often impose breeding criteria distinct from those of non-specialty possessing crops. Specifically, quality improvement programs have unique characteristics that require careful handling and monitoring during their development for specific needs. Adding value either via alternative products from the large volumes of grain produced or development of specialty types is of interest to producers and processors.  This work assimilates the most topical results about quality improvement with contemporary plant breeding approaches.The objective of this book is to provide a summary of the germplasm, methods of development, and specific problems involved for quality breeding. In total, fourteen chapters, written by leading scientists involved in crop improvement research, provide comprehensive coverage of the major factors impacting specialty crop improvement.

Through this book, we bring into one volume the various important aspects of maize improvement and the recent technological advances in development of maize genotypes with high yield, high quality and resilience to biotic and abiotic stresses