The ever increasing demand for food has to be met to save the mankind from starvation. Realizing the unprecedented potential of aroids as a food crop, a Global Conference on "Aroids: Opportunities and Challenges" was organized during 23-25 January 2012, by the Regional Centre of Central Tuber Crops Research Institute at Bhubaneswar, to share and discuss the latest developments in aroids research across the globe and formulate strategies and collaborative action plan to exploit the potential of aroids as food crop, and to introduce them in new areas. This book is a compilation of papers presented on different aspects of aroids during the conference.

Essays on cured, smoked, and fermented foods from the Proceedings of the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cooking, 2010.

This book provides a unique account of cross-sectoral innovations through efficient partnerships based on the hands-on experience of internationally renowned contributors specialised in the field of Science of Delivery. The challenges and lessons learned from large development initiatives based in Asia, and from the work undertaken by international research institutions, such as the FAO, are brought together in this book to benefit development agencies, policy makers, corporates, post graduate students, farmers’ organizations, and those involved in supplying agricultural inputs and/or buying agricultural produce, particularly in developing countries within Asia and Africa. Through a number of case studies the book describes how the consortium approach of capacity building for equitable and efficient benefits, collective action, and convergence, will benefit millions of small farm-holders in different regions of Asia

This book is the result of collaboration between botanists and food chemists, with the purpose of improving the knowledge of the main wild species of traditional use as foods in the Mediterranean area, focus on ethnobotanical aspects, natural production, uses and nutritional aspects. One of the novelties of the book would be the publication of complete food composition tables of more than 40 species, which are not usually included in nutrient databases of foods. Many of the data included comes from the chemical analysis of representative samples of these species and other are compiled from the scientific literature. Since this topic had not been fully studied, this book provides an interesting tool to be used with the purpose of the revalorization of wild food species, preservation of their traditional uses, and also as alternatives to improve the diversity of modern Mediterranean diets.​

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.

Officials and religious scholars in the Gulf states have repeatedly banned the teaching of the theory of evolution because of its association with atheism. But Jorg Matthias Determann argues here that, despite official prohibition, research on biological evolution has flourished, due in large part to the development of academic and professional networks. This book traces these networks through the history of various branches of biology, including botany, conservation research, ornithology and palaeontology. Typical of rentier societies, some of the scientific networks in this region consist of vertical patron-client relationships. For example, those in power who are interested in wildlife conservation have been known to offer patronage to biologists working on desert ecology. However, just as important are the horizontal links between scientists both within the Gulf region and beyond. Given the strengths and importance of these two forms of professional networks, Determann argues that we should look at the Arab world as an area interconnected with global science, and therefore fully integrated into the scientific and technological advances being pioneered worldwide.