The book has been written in a very simple and easily understandable language. The information given in this book is based on systematically and scientifically designed field and laboratory experiments conducted in various ecological zones. It is believed that this book will serve the scientific society in a variety of ways. Undergraduate and postgraduate students, professors, teachers, scientists and researchers having their interests in different fields of specialization will certainly be benefited. The book covers articles written by well known authorities in respective fields.

This book examines the development of innovative modern methodologies towards augmenting conventional plant breeding, in individual crops, for the production of new crop varieties under the increasingly limiting environmental and cultivation factors to achieve sustainable agricultural production, enhanced food security, in addition to providing raw materials for innovative industrial products and pharmaceuticals. This Volume 9, subtitled Vegetable Crops: Fruits and Young Shoots, consists of 12 chapters focusing on advances in breeding strategies using both traditional and modern approaches for the improvement of individual vegetable crops. Chapters are arranged in 2 parts according to the edible vegetable parts. Part I: Fruits - Bell Pepper (Capsicum annuum L. var. grossum Sendt.), Chili pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.), Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.), Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.), Eggplant (Solanum spp.), Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.), Plantain (Musa paradisiaca L.), Sweet gourd (Cucurbita moschata Duch. ex Poir.), Melon (Cucumis melo L. Groups Dudaim and Flexuosus), Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) and Part II: Young shoots - Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.). The chapters were contributed by 43 internationally reputable scientists from 11 countries. Each chapter comprehensively reviews the modern literature on the subject and reflects the authors own experience.

Wild crop relatives are now playing a significant part in the elucidation and improvement of the genomes of their cultivated counterparts. This work includes comprehensive examinations of the status, origin, distribution, morphology, cytology, genetic diversity and available genetic and genomic resources of numerous wild crop relatives, as well as of their evolution and phylogenetic relationship. Further topics include their role as model plants, genetic erosion and conservation efforts, and their domestication for the purposes of bioenergy, phytomedicines, nutraceuticals and phytoremediation. Wild Crop Relatives: Genomic and Breeding Resources comprises 10 volumes on Cereals, Millets and Grasses, Oilseeds, Legume Crops and Forages, Vegetables, Temperate Fruits, Tropical and Subtropical Fruits, Industrial Crops, Plantation and Ornamental Crops, and Forest Trees. It contains 125 chapters written by nearly 400 well-known authors from about 40 countries.

Vegetables are important constituents of our healthy diet and provide more profits to the growers. Crop improvement is the most satisfying method of increasing the productivity of any crop. Production and consumption of vegetables has expanded greatly. Improved varieties have had a main role in the increase in yield and quality of vegetable crops. The diversity of vegetable crops is appalling and greatly contributed to increased production and consumption of vegetables world over. For improvement of crops information on origin, distribution and evolution of crop and its related species is very essential. Information on genetics and genetic resources is prerequisite to choose the appropriate breeding strategies to fulfill the objectives. Objectives of breeding vary with region and also purpose for which the product is used i.e., for fresh market, for processing or dual purpose and how the crop is grown i.e., under protection, open field cultivation or kitchen garden etc. Depending on the objectives and genetic resources, breeding methods or procedures can be adopted and it will results in useful varieties or hybrids. Information on breeding of vegetables crops is covered in very abridged form. More number of crops covered in this book by appending and updating information on genetics, genetic resources, breeding methods/procedures and varieties developed in each of the 26 vegetable crops wherever information is available. Origin and evolution, genetic resources, genetics of fruits, breeding methods and varieties/hybrids developed is the sequence followed in presenting the and varieties/hybrids developed is the sequence followed in presenting the information on each of the crops.

Assists policymakers in evaluating the appropriate scientific methods for detecting unintended changes in food and assessing the potential for adverse health effects from genetically modified products. In this book, the committee recommended that greater scrutiny should be given to foods containing new compounds or unusual amounts of naturally occurring substances, regardless of the method used to create them. The book offers a framework to guide federal agencies in selecting the route of safety assessment. It identifies and recommends several pre- and post-market approaches to guide the assessment of unintended compositional changes that could result from genetically modified foods and research avenues to fill the knowledge gaps.

Plant breeders and geneticists are under constant pressure to sustain and expand food production by using innovative breeding strategies and introducing minor crops, which are well adapted to marginal lands, provide a source of nutrition, and have abiotic and biotic stress tolerance, to feed an ever-increasing human population. The basic concept of this book is to examine the use of innovative methods, augmenting traditional plant breeding, towards the improvement and development of new crop varieties, under the increasingly limiting environmental and cultivation factors, to achieve sustainable agricultural production and enhanced food security. Three volumes of the book series Advances in Plant Breeding Strategies were published in 2015, 2016 and 2018, respectively: Volume 1. Breeding, Biotechnology and Molecular Tools; Volume 2. Agronomic, Abiotic and Biotic Stress Traits and Volume 3. Fruits. In 2019, the following four volumes were published: Volume 4. Nut and Beverage Crops, Volume 5. Cereals, Volume 6. Industrial and Food Crops and Volume 7. Legumes. In 2021, three volumes are being concurrently published: Volume 8. Vegetable Crops: Bulbs, Roots and Tubers, Volume 9. Vegetable Crops: Fruits and Young Shoots and Volume 10. Vegetable Crops: Leaves, Flowerheads, Green Pods, Mushrooms and Truffles. This Volume 10, subtitled Vegetable Crops: Leaves, Flowerheads, Green Pods, Mushrooms and Truffles, consists of 14 chapters focusing on advances in breeding strategies using both traditional and modern approaches for the improvement of individual vegetable crops. Chapters are arranged in 4 parts according to the edible vegetable parts. Part I: Leaves - Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. var. pekinensis), Rocket salad (Eruca vesicaria ssp. sativa Mill.), Spring onion (Allium fistulosum L.),Water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica Forsk.) and Watercress (Nasturtium officinale R. Br.); Pat II: Flowerheads and Green Pods - Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.), Globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus L.), Garden pea (Pisum sativum L.) and Yardlong bean (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. ssp. sesquipedalis (L.) Verdc.); Part III: Mushrooms - Enoki mushroom (Flammulina velutipes (Curtis) Singer) and Shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes (Berk.) Sing.); Part IV: Truffles - Desert truffles (Terfezia spp.) and White truffle (Tuber magnatum Picco and T. borchii Vittad.). Each chapter comprehensively reviews the contemporary literature on the subject and reflects the experiences of the authors. Chapters are written by internationally-reputable scientists and subjected to a review process to assure quality presentation and scientific accuracy. Each chapter begins with an introduction covering related backgrounds and provides in-depth discussion of the subject supported with high-quality color photos, illustrations and relevant data. The chapter concludes with recommendations for future research directions, a comprehensive list of pertinent references to facilitate further reading, and appendixes of genetic resources and concerned research institutes. This book series is a valuable resource for advanced students, researchers, scientists, commercial producers and seed companies as well as consultants and policymakers interested in agriculture, particularly in modern breeding technologies.

Plant improvement has shifted its focus from yield, quality and disease resistance to factors that will enhance commercial export, such as early maturity, shelf life and better processing quality. Conventional plant breeding methods aiming at the improvement of a self-pollinating crop, such as wheat, usually take 10-12 years to develop and release of the new variety. During the past 10 years, significant advances have been made and accelerated methods have been developed for precision breeding and early release of crop varieties. This edited volume summarizes concepts dealing with germplasm enhancement and development of improved varieties based on innovative methodologies that include doubled haploidy, marker assisted selection, marker assisted background selection, genetic mapping, genomic selection, high-throughput genotyping, high-throughput phenotyping, mutation breeding, reverse breeding, transgenic breeding, shuttle breeding, speed breeding, low cost high-throughput field phenotyping, etc. It is an important reference with special focus on accelerated development of improved crop varieties.