Fruit Breeding is an art and science demanding prolonged time, space and intrinsic qualities. Seed propagation leads to heterogeneity and asexual propagation of elite clones’ leads to newer and novel types. There are temperate, sub-tropical and tropical fruits differing in photo and thermo periodic requirements. There are also parthenocarpic and apomictic fruit trees demanding special breeding methods for improvement. Aroma, taste and flavor are unique to fruits unlike other horticultural crops like vegetables, spices, plantation crops and tubers. The book unravels history of fruit breeding, biodiversity, challenges approaches and prospects, apomixes, mutation breeding, role of insects in fruit production, molecular markers, statistical techniques, rootstock breeding, breeding of mango, citrus, banana, papaya, guava, sapota, jackfruit, sugarapple/sweetsop Indian jujube and jamun. The 20 s in the book authored by 15 scientists from six Research Institutes and Universities expose readers to a new world of fruit breeding, very seldom ventured by breeders.

This book examines the development of innovative modern methodologies towards augmenting conventional plant breeding for the production of new crop varieties, under the increasingly limiting environmental and cultivation factors, to achieve sustainable agricultural production and enhanced food security. Two volumes of Advances in Plant Breeding Strategies were published in 2015 and 2016, respectively; Volume 1: Breeding, Biotechnology and Molecular Tools and Volume 2: Agronomic, Abiotic and Biotic Stress Traits. This is Volume 3: Fruits, which is focused on advances in breeding strategies for the improvement of individual fruit crops. It consists of 23 chapters grouped into three parts, according to distribution classification of fruit trees: Part I, Temperate Fruits, Part II, Subtropical Fruits, and Part III, Tropical Fruits. Each chapter comprehensively reviews the modern literature on the subject and reflects the authors' own experience.

A major task of our time is to ensure adequate food supplies for the world's current population (now nearing 7 billion) in a sustainable way while protecting the vital functions and biological diversity of the global environment. The task of providing for a growing population is likely to be even more difficult in view of actual and potential changes in climatic conditions due to global warming, and as the population continues to grow. Current projections suggest that the world's temperatures will rise 1.8-4.0 by 2100 and population may reach 8 billion by the year 2025 and some 9 billion by mid-century, after which it may stabilize. This book addresses these critical issues by presenting the science needed not only to understand climate change effects on crops but also to adapt current agricultural systems, particularly in regard to genetics, to the changing conditions. Crop Adaptation to Climate Change covers a spectrum of issues related to both crops and climatic conditions. The first two sections provide a foundation on the factors involved in climate stress, assessing current climate change by region and covering crop physiological responses to these changes. The third and final section contains chapters focused on specific crops and the current research to improve their genetic adaptation to climate change. Written by an international team of authors, Crop Adaptation to Climate Change is a timely look at the potentially serious consequences of climate change for our global food supply, and is an essential resource for academics, researchers and professionals in the fields of crop science, agronomy, plant physiology and molecular biology; crop consultants and breeders; as well as climate and food scientists.

This publication demonstrates the benefits of neglected and underutilized species, including amaranth, sorghum and cowpea, and their potential contribution to achieving Zero Hunger in South and Southeast Asia.

Cactus plants are precious natural resources that provide nutritious food for people and livestock, especially in dryland areas. Originally published in 1995, this extensively revised edition provides fresh insights into the cactus plant’s genetic resources, physiological traits, soil preferences and vulnerability to pests. It provides invaluable guidance on managing the resource to support food security and offers tips on how to exploit the plant’s culinary qualities.

The papers included in this Special Issue address a variety of important aspects of plant biodiversity and genetic resources, including definitions, descriptions, and illustrations of different components and their value for food and nutrition security, breeding, and environmental services. Furthermore, comprehensive information is provided regarding conservation approaches and techniques for plant genetic resources, policy aspects, and results of biological, genetic, morphological, economic, social, and breeding-related research activities. The complexity and vulnerability of (plant) biodiversity and its inherent genetic resources, as an integral part of the contextual ecosystem and the human web of life, are clearly demonstrated in this Special Issue, and for several encountered problems and constraints, possible approaches or solutions are presented to overcome these.