CABI Biotechnology Series – serie

* Gathers together more than 150 feeding studies with food-producing animals and covers both first and second generation transgenic plants * The first central resource of this information for researchers, students and policy makers * Includes contributions from a wide range of specialists in the field

Describing recent developments in the engineering and generation of plants as production platforms for biopharmaceuticals, this book includes both vaccines and monoclonal antibodies. It has a particular emphasis on targeting diseases which predominate in less developed countries, encompassing the current state of technologies and describing expression systems and applications. This book also includes a variety of vaccine case studies, protecting against pervasive infectious diseases such as rabies, influenza and HIV.

Developments in genomics and biotechnology are opening up new avenues for accelerating the domestication of forest trees in a climate change driven world. This book presents an authoritative update of forest tree biotechnology and genomics methodologies, procedures and accomplishments, from basic biological science to applications in forestry and related sciences. It gives expert evaluation of achievements and discussion about the impact that novel forest biotechnological and genomics approaches are having on traditional breeding for improvement of forest tree species and production of forest-based products. It also describes the legal and regulatory aspects of forest biotechnology, with an emphasis on biosafety. It is a reference for forest biologists, including basic and applied scientists involved in forest tree breeding and biotechnology, bioenergy research, and biomaterial product development. Key features: Advances in tree genomic selection. Next-generation sequencing technologies. Domesticating forest-tree species via genetic engineering. Regulatory affairs related to forest biotechnology. Protecting intellectual property. This title is suitable for graduate-level students working in plant biology and forest genetics, silviculture and agroforestry, and bioenergy science and technology. It is also relevant to scientists and foresters researching genetics, genomics and biotechnology, molecular biology and physiology of forest trees, and their application to production forestry, and conservation, as well as for sustainable forestry for bioenergy and bio-based products.

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) bacteria use Cry proteins to kill their insect larval hosts. The expression of certain Cry toxins in transgenic crops has been widely used to achieve efficient control of insect pests. This book describes the use of Bt crops and the emerging problem of resistance, recent progress in understanding the mechanism of action of Bt toxins, different resistance mechanisms and strategies to cope with resistance in the field. It describes resistant insects found in the field in different countries, particularly in the developing world, and ways to counter resistance such as gene stalking, refuges, modified toxins and gene discovery of novel toxins with different mode of action.

Plant gene silencing is a crucially important phenomenon in gene expression and epigenetics. This book describes the way small RNA is produced and acts to silence genes, its likely origins in defence against viruses, and also its potential to improve plants. Plant gene silencing can be used to improve industrial traits, make plants more nutritious or more valuable to consumers, to remove allergens, and to improve resistance to weeds and pathogens.

The introduction of new technologies can be controversial, especially when they create ethical tensions as well as winners and losers among stakeholders and interest groups. While ethical tensions resulting from the genetic modification of crops and plants and their supportive gene technologies have been apparent for decades, persistent challenges remain. This book explores the contemporary nature, type, extent and implications of ethical tensions resulting from agricultural biotechnology specifically and technology generally. There are four main arenas of ethical tensions: public opinion, policy and regulation, technology as solutions to problems, and older versus new technologies. Contributions focus on one or more of these arenas by identifying the ethical tensions technology creates and articulating emerging fault lines and, where possible, viable solutions. Key features include: Focusing on contemporary challenges created by new and emerging technologies, especially agricultural biotechnology. Identifying a unique perspective by considering the problem of ethical tensions created or enhanced by new technologies. Providing an interdisciplinary perspective by including perspectives from sociologists, economists, philosophers and other social scientists. This book will be of interest to academics in agricultural economics, sociology and philosophy and policymakers concerned with introducing new technology into agriculture.

Insect transgenesis promises improvements in agriculture, pharmaceuticals and public health. This book discusses the latest insect transgenesis technology and its applications. It considers the larger risks, social and economic aspects of transgenic insects whose value must be proven in political, regulatory and public acceptance arenas.

Describing recent developments in the engineering and generation of plants as production platforms for biopharmaceuticals, this book includes both vaccines and monoclonal antibodies. It has a particular emphasis on targeting diseases which predominate in less developed countries, encompassing the current state of technologies and describing expression systems and applications. This book also includes a variety of vaccine case studies, protecting against pervasive infectious diseases such as rabies, influenza and HIV.

Endophytes are bacterial and fungal microorganisms that colonize plants without usually eliciting visible disease symptoms but establishing intricate and mutually beneficial interactions with their host plant. This can lead to an increase in plant vigour, growth, development, and changes in plant metabolism. Endophytes may assist in the development of more productive and sustainable agricultural practices or discoveries of novel pharmacologicals. These elusive organisms are often overlooked and their benefits underrated. Endophytes can support plants in a variety of ways to cope with biotic and abiotic stress factors, such as drought, heat, pest and diseases. They can produce particular metabolites, facilitate access to nutrients, change the plant's chemistry, physiology and responses, or by a combination of these factors. The biosynthetic pathways present in endophytes alone or in combinations with the plant's, can lead to novel chemicals, with yet undiscovered pharmacological characteristics. With state-of-the-art knowledge on their discovery and roles, this book describes the diversity of endophytes, their value, exploitation and future challenges. Key features: Provides an overview of the endophytes that are encountered in nature. Demonstrates the beneficial effects of endophytes together with their practical applications in agriculture. Explores how endophytes are valuable candidates for research on future drugs and biopesticides. This title is a valuable resource for students and researchers in plant science and plant pathology as well as those working in the pharmaceutical and pesticide industries.

The development of transgenic crops is revolutionary, but what does it mean for food production, prices and the environment? This is the first book to examine the economic evidence in a methodical way. It initially describes the historical evolution of biotechnology and defines key terms, before moving on to explore transgenic technology and food regime concepts. The book analyzes genetically modified organism (GMO) policy as part of overall agrarian policy, considering neoregulation in the USA, the EU, Brazil, Russia, China, India, South Africa and Serbia; as well as discussing agricultural performance, support and trade relations. The effect of transgenic food production on world food prices is also examined, along with food security at global and regional levels, and the links between GMOs and world hunger. The environmental implications of transgenic technology are considered through analysis of pesticide and fertilizer usage and efficiency, and pesticide consumption in GMO and non-GMO producing countries. Finally, the book considers the entry of transgenic ingredients into the food chain and lists the products affected. Key features: - Detailed analysis of economic data. - Comparison of international trends, including BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and Serbia. - Evaluation of environmental and food security implications. - Glossary of important terms. This book will be valuable for agricultural economists, including students at Masters and PhD level. It will also be of interest to agricultural engineers, food technologists, nutritionists, industry representatives, policy makers, policy advisers and analysts and NGOs.

The genetic improvement of fish for aquaculture and related fisheries has seen huge advances over recent years. Building upon the previous two editions of Aquaculture and Fisheries Biotechnology: Genetic Approaches, this 3rd edition offers a presentation of traditional selective breeding, modern genetic biotechnology, genomics, gene transfer and gene editing, and the latest developments in genetic biotechnology such as epigenetics, xenogenesis and genome-wide association study coupled with commercial application, the impact of government regulation and expectations for the future. It provides a firm grounding in relevant aspects of classical genetics, before focusing on particular aspects such as sex reversal and breeding as applied in aquaculture and fisheries. It also explores how more recent molecular genetics, genomics and biotechnology techniques can be used and combined in improvement programmes for fish and aquaculture species. A glossary explains the latest terminology used in biotechnology and genetics. This book will be useful for research scientists and students in marine biotechnology, aquaculture biotechnology, and fish genetics and breeding.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of plant omics and big data in the fields of plant and crop biology. It discusses each omics layer individually, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and covers model and non-model species. In a section on advanced topics, it considers developments in each specialized domain, including genome editing and enhanced breeding strategies (such as genomic selection and high-throughput phenotyping), with the aim of providing tools to help tackle global food security issues. The importance of online resources in big data biology are highlighted in a section summarizing both wet- and dry-biological portals. This section introduces biological resources, datasets, online bioinformatics tools and approaches that are in the public domain. This title: reviews each omics layer individually; focuses on new advanced research domains and technology; and summarizes publicly available experimental and informatics resources. This book is for students, engineers, researchers and academics in plant biology, genetics, biotechnology and bioinformatics.

Genome sequencing has become a basic tool of plant and animal breeding. Reduced costs have allowed the sequencing of thousands of plant lines or cultivars, leading to previously unobtainable insights into genetic impacts during breeding and generating large numbers of novel candidate breeding genes. This book summarizes the impacts that the genome sequencing revolution has had on agriculture with reference to applications across species and locations. It explains new techniques and their use in understanding epigenetics, breeding and conservation. It is a useful resource for scientists wanting to learn how different fields of agriculture have adapted novel genome sequencing technologies to their requirements, and for those wanting to transfer technologies and lessons learned from one field of agriculture to another. This book is a useful resource for students and researchers in biotechnology, genetics, genomics and breeding.

Technology for modifying the genotypes and phenotypes of insects and other arthropods has steadily progressed with the development of more precise and powerful methods, most prominently transgenic modification. For many insect pests, there is now almost unlimited ability to modify phenotypes to benefit human health and agriculture. Precise DNA modifications and gene drive have the power to make wild-type populations less harmful in ways that could never have been performed with previous transgenic approaches. This transition from primarily laboratory science to greater application for field use has also necessitated greater development of modeling, ethical considerations and regulatory oversight. The 2nd Edition of Transgenic Insects contains chapters contributed by experts in the field that cover technologies and applications that are now possible. This edition includes increased attention to associated challenges of risk assessment, regulation, and public engagement. Featuring: Up-to-date analysis of molecular techniques, such as gene editing. Consideration of public attitudes and regulatory aspects associated with transgenic insects. Many examples of the wide range of applications of transgenic insects. This book will be very valuable to students and researchers in entomology, molecular biology, genetics, public health and agriculture, and will also appeal to practitioners who are implementing the technology, and to regulators, stakeholders and ethicists.

Algae are sunlight-driven cell factories, and can efficiently absorb CO2 and convert light energy to chemical energy such as lipid, starch and other carbohydrates and release O2. Algal feedstock is a promising resource for bioproduct production, given its high photosynthetic efficiency for producing biomass compared to conventional crops. Microalgae can be used for flue-gas and wastewater bioremediation. This book highlights recent breakthroughs in the multidisciplinary areas of algal biotechnology and the chapters feature recent developments from cyanobacteria to eukaryotic algae, from theoretical biology to applied biology. It also includes the latest advancements in algal-based synthetic biology, including metabolic engineering, artificial biological system construction and green chemicals production. With contributions by leading authorities in algal biotechnology research, it is a valuable resource for graduate students and researchers in the field, and those involved in the study of photosynthesis and green-cell factories.

This book highlights the latest and most exciting technological tools for plant breeding that are becoming the staple of all crop improvement programs. Using case studies and an evidence-based approach to examine the current status of each technique, the book discusses the challenges so far uncovered and future trends. Crop improvement relies on modulating the genes and genomic regions underlying key traits, either directly or indirectly. Direct approaches include overexpression, RNA interference, and genome editing, while conventional breeding constitutes the indirect approach. The integration of cutting-edge tools and technologies has the potential to expedite improvements in crop species. Innovations such as next-generation sequencing, high-throughput genotyping, precision editing, and the utilization of space technology to accelerate growth have opened new avenues in crop improvement programs, aimed at delivering new crop varieties capable of resilience to a variety of challenges. The book presents a systematic guide to various genomics approaches deployed for trait discovery and improvement in crop species. The chapters comprehensively cover each application, its advantages, and disadvantages, and its potential for improvement, supported by illustrative examples. The book: · Emphasizes the latest scientific and technological tools which are becoming the norm in all major crop improvement programs · Explores innovative approaches and cutting-edge technologies utilized in the development and improvement of climate-resilient crops. · Each chapter is supplemented with ample illustrations to clarify and summarize the key points and provides an easy-to-understand overview of the most important concepts, applications and advances in crop improvement technologies.

This book summarizes the current achievements of metabolomics in revealing the roles of primary and secondary metabolisms of plants both used as major crops and for the production of medicines. It presents methods and applications of metabolomics for the exploration of stress responses, which may pave the way for obtaining climate-smart and stress-tolerant crops able to face biotic and abiotic stressors in a globally-changing climate. These technologies can advance the exploration of plant physiology as well as precision crop breeding for future anti-stress, high-quality, and high-yield plants and in doing so can achieve sustainable agriculture and therefore support the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement, and the vision of sustainable agriculture. This book is an ideal reference for students, researchers, teachers, professors, and experts in the field of plant science and crop breeding. It provides an effective overview of the critical topic of plant science and will help to inspire and assist researchers as they design new experiments and methods.

Conventional plant breeding alone can no longer sustain the rising global demand for food. Genetic engineering technology makes it possible to develop new crop varieties with improved yield performance, specific quality attributes (external and internal in vegetable crops), resistance to diseases and insect pests, and environmental stresses. Genetic engineering technology for developing GM crops is complementary to genome editing and other breeding technologies. In addition to food requirements, transgenic crops have the possibility to carry edible vaccines and therapeutic proteins, to help combat human disease and malnutrition. This book reviews the importance and safety of transgenic vegetable crops and covers a wide variety of crops and different technologies. It includes: Genetic engineering in tomato, eggplant, peppers, amaranth, cauliflower, carrot, cucurbits, potato, tropical tubers and melons. Transgenic resistance to viral diseases. Embryogenic cell suspension culture. Genome editing and CRISPR/Cas9. Molecular techniques for biofortification. RNAi strategies for vegetable crop improvement. Designing futuristic vegetable crop varieties. This book is suitable for researchers in horticulture, plant science, and agricultural biotechnology as well as practitioners in vegetable breeding and seed production.

Climate change is exerting profound and increasingly complex pressures on global agriculture, threatening food security, ecosystem viability and rural livelihoods worldwide. While past gains in crop productivity have been realized largely using fertilizers, agrochemicals, and intensive farming practices, these methods rely on finite resources and pose long-term environmental and economic sustainability challenges. In this context, recent advancements in genomics are transforming crop improvement by facilitating a shift from input-intensive practices toward knowledge-driven, climate-smart and sustainable agricultural systems. The rapid expansion of high-quality crop reference genomes, driven by the widespread adoption of high-throughput sequencing, long-read technologies and advanced assembly platforms, has ushered in the era of pangenomes and super-pangenomes. These genomic frameworks capture the full spectrum of allelic, structural and haplotypic diversity, providing unprecedented opportunities to discover, deploy and stack climate-adaptive traits. As a result, genomics-assisted breeding is now enabling the precise identification of quantitative trait loci, genomic regions and genes associated with abiotic and biotic stress tolerance, as well as improved resource-use efficiency and yield stability. This book provides a comprehensive and forward-looking synthesis of how climate change is reshaping agriculture and how cutting-edge genomic technologies can be leveraged to deliver resilient, high-performing and environmentally sustainable crops. It will appeal to researchers in plant genetics, breeding and genomics, and also to crop breeders, plant biotechnologists, environmental scientists and policymakers.

Climate change and the increase in environmental stress that it causes has made the need for more stress-tolerant crops to be developed worldwide. This book presents cutting-edge coordinated "omics-CRISPR-nanotechnology" strategies for combating diverse stressors and complicated or multiple stress conditions experienced by crops today. It covers both abiotic and biotic stresses including salinity, temperature, drought, heavy metals, pests and pathogens, and proposes ways to develop stress-tolerant crops with high-yield and high-quality traits through the integration or coordination of three mainstream technologies (multiple omics, CRISPR/Cas9, and nanotechnology). This book is a valuable reference and guide to crucial aspects of methods, applications, and future directions and it opens the door for students and researchers to efficiently view these critical subtopics of plant science and technology and inspire ideas for future experiments. These techniques will help create a more sustainable agriculture in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations and the Paris Agreement. The book: · Presents strategies for coordinating multiple omics, CRISPR/Cas9, and nanotechnology techniques for crop improvement · Describes ways to develop abiotic and biotic stress-tolerant crops · Summarizes current achievements in developing climate-smart agriculture

Plant biotechnology offers an array of powerful tools and techniques that can revolutionize the way we cultivate crops, enhance their nutritional value, and address critical challenges such as climate change, pests, and limited resources. Through understanding the genetic makeup of plants and manipulating it using scientific techniques, we can develop crops that are more resistant to pests and diseases, more tolerant of abiotic stresses such as drought and salinity, and more nutritious. Ultimately this helps us to produce more food with fewer resources and less environmental impact. As the global population continues to grow, the need for sustainable and efficient agricultural practices becomes increasingly pressing. This book describes the latest advances in genetic engineering, molecular biology, and stress physiology, and explores the ethical and regulatory considerations that underpin this transformative science.

Advancement of plant tissue culture, or micropropagation, breeding, genetics and genomics have contributed to mass production of propagules, creating novel hybrids or cultivars, as well as modern tools for improving the molecular breeding efficiency of important crop plants, including ornamentals. This book covers these areas in relation to ornamental plants to fulfil the needs of students and researchers, in addition to commercial vendors. Ornamental biotechnology enables the mass production of young plants, including seed-derived seedlings, and tissue-culture-derived propagules, or mericloned plants. Two chapters are focused on flower industry development and tissue culture business in both Taiwan and Thailand as each produces a large quantity of tropical and subtropical ornamentals, both pot plants and cut flowers, as well as having a strong micropropagation industry to support the floriculture business worldwide. Work in the emerging markets of Latin America is also covered. Breeding and micropropagation of economically important or novelty orchids are elaborated in several chapters, including Dendrobium and Phalaenopsis hybrids. Aroids and roses are also covered. Modern molecular tools such as genomics, molecular markers, gene editing and transformation can help in improving desirable traits and creating potential novel hybrids of ornamentals, and these are covered in detail.

This book presents methods for the application or integration of AI tools (including machine learning, deep learning, and generative AI) with plant omics approaches (including functional genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, epigenomics, and other omics systems) and proposes AI-based strategies for crops resistant to diverse biotic and abiotic stressors and even complicated or multiple stress conditions. It aims to advance the construction of digital plant omics to assist future breeding for developing stress-resilient crops with high-yield and high-quality traits. The book is meant as a reference and a guide to AI technologies and is designed for students and researchers to efficiently overview these critical topics of plant science and technology and thus inspire ideas of future experiments. This book is the first to provide a comprehensive summary of AI-based strategies for constructing digital plant omics involving functional genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and epigenomics for developing digital plant biology at single-cell and spatial resolution. The book: · Presents ways to apply AI approaches for advancing plant omics · Summarizes AI-enhanced plant functional genomics · Includes current achievements in developing stress-resilient crops · Is essential reading for researchers and graduate students of crop science using omics methodologies

This book introduces the fundamentals of deep learning models and their current applications in a diverse range of subtopics in plant sciences and agriculture. Areas covered include: functional genomics, multiple omics, stress physiology, plant disease diagnosis, plant-microbe interactions, and high-throughput technologies (phenotyping and synthetic biology). Deep-learning models are also being used in developing pest and weed control strategies, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles in agriculture, greenhouse management and strategies for stress-smart and sustainable precision agriculture. This book offers an ideal reference for readers in a range of research fields in plant biology, plant pathology, and agricultural crop sciences. It is designed to be an inspiration for new ideas and future experiments to advance the progress of stress-smart and sustainable agriculture.