Cereal and pulse crops are staple foods that provide essential nutrients to many populations of the world. Traditionally, whole grains were consumed but most current foods are derived from refined fractions of cereal and pulse crops. Consumption of processed or refined products may reduce the health benefits of food. In wheat-based processed foods, for example, the removed 40% of the grain (mainly the bran and the germ of the wheat grain) contains the majority of the health beneficial components. These components, particularly non-essential phytochemicals such as carotenoids, polyphenols, phytosterols/ stanols, and dietary fibers, have been shown to reduce the risk of major chronic diseases of humans, such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and Parkinson’s disease. Such bioactives are therefore good candidates for ingredients of nutraceuticals and functional foods. There are many factors that can affect the bioactive content of cereal and pulse-based food ingredients, including genetics, growing and storage conditions, post-harvest treatments, food formulation and processing. All of these factors ultimately affect human health and wellness. Bioavailability is also important for these compounds for exerting their protective roles. Cereals and Pulses: Nutraceutical Properties and Health Benefits provides a summary of current research findings related to phytochemical composition and properties of cereal and pulse crops. The nutraceutical properties of each major cereal and pulse are discussed. Coverage of cereals and pulse crops includes barley, oats, rice, rye, corn, adlay, wheat, buckwheat, psyllium, sorghum, millet, common beans, field peas, faba beans, chickpea, lentil and soybeans. Chapters for each crop discuss methods to improve crop utilization, nutraceutical components and properties, bioactive compositions, antioxidant properties, beneficial health effects, disease prevention activities, and areas for future research. Also included are two chapters that examine the beneficial health properties of dietary fibers and antioxidants. Edited and written by an international team of respected researchers, this book is a reference guide for scientists working in food ingredients, food product research and development, functional foods and nutraceuticals, crop breeding and genetics, human nutrition, post-harvest treatment and processing of cereal grains and pulses. It will enable them to effect value-added food innovation for health promotion and disease risk reduction.

The global population is increasing rapidly, and feeding the ever-increasing population poses a serious challenge for agriculturalists around the world. Seed is a basic and critical input in agriculture to ensure global food security. Roughly 90 percent of the crops grown all over the world are propagated by seed. However, seed can also harbour and spread pathogens, e.g. fungi, bacteria, nematodes, viruses etc., which cause devastating diseases. Seed-borne pathogens represent a major threat to crop establishment and yield. Hence, timely detection and diagnosis is a prerequisite for their effective management. The book "Seed-Borne Diseases of Agricultural Crops: Detection, Diagnosis & Management" addresses key issues related to seed-borne/transmitted diseases in various agricultural crops. Divided into 30 chapters, it offers a comprehensive compilation of papers concerning: the history of seed pathology, importance of seed-borne diseases, seed-borne diseases and quarantine, seed health testing and certification, detection and diagnosis of seed-borne diseases and their phytopathogens, host-parasite interactions during development of seed-borne diseases, diversity of seed-borne pathogens, seed-borne diseases in major agricultural crops, non-parasitic seed disorders, mechanisms of seed transmission and seed infection, storage fungi and mycotoxins, impact of seed-borne diseases on human and animal health, and management options for seed-borne diseases. We wish to thank all of the eminent researchers who contributed valuable chapters to our book, which will be immensely useful for students, researchers, academics, and all those involved in various agro-industries.

Food Security and Plant Disease Management offers a comprehensive exploration of biocontrol, the latest technologies being used in plant health assurance, and resulting impacts on crop production and food security. Discussing both theoretical and practical topics, the book examines basic and advanced applications of biosensor and nano-technologies, introduces plant disease, including modes of action and their transmission in host plants, then covers factors contributing to plant disease and various means of addressing those diseases. This volume is part of the Microorganisms in Agriculture and the Environment series and provides important information for developing new effective plant protection practices. The direct or indirect applications of beneficial microbes in the treatment of plant disease is termed "microbial control and these methods have increasingly been identified as important options for plant health management. The beneficial microbes as well as recent omic and nano-technologies also reveal important mechanisms that can be utilized in disease management strategies. - Explores the impact of climate change on plant diseases and new methods of resolution - Includes information on gene expression during crop disease management - Presents insights into the legal and commercial aspects of microbial control