Agriculture plays a vital role supporting human life on Earth but faces significant challenges because of population growth, plant pathogens, and climate change. Genetic engineering of crops promises to increase food yields, create drought- and pest-resistant crops, and improve nutrition in the developing world. Written and edited by experts in the field, this collection from Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology examines the molecular bases of different plant characteristics and how they can be manipulated genetically using modern molecular biological techniques. The contributors review recent advances in our understanding of plant plasticity, circadian rhythms, stomatal development, inflorescence architecture, symbiotic phosphate acquisition, and specialized plant metabolism and discuss how this knowledge might be used to boost yields, improve tolerance to pathogens and environmental stress, and enhance nutritional content. Several chapters are devoted to the development of specific genetically modified plants (e.g., disease-resistant cassava and submergence-tolerant rice) and their agronomic and socioeconomic impacts. The generation of blight-resistant American chestnut trees--the first bioengineered plants developed with the goal of ecological restoration--is also described. This volume is therefore an essential read for all plant biologists, geneticists, and engineers interested in addressing agricultural as well as environmental challenges.

Genetically engineered (GE) crops were first introduced commercially in the 1990s. After two decades of production, some groups and individuals remain critical of the technology based on their concerns about possible adverse effects on human health, the environment, and ethical considerations. At the same time, others are concerned that the technology is not reaching its potential to improve human health and the environment because of stringent regulations and reduced public funding to develop products offering more benefits to society. While the debate about these and other questions related to the genetic engineering techniques of the first 20 years goes on, emerging genetic-engineering technologies are adding new complexities to the conversation. Genetically Engineered Crops builds on previous related Academies reports published between 1987 and 2010 by undertaking a retrospective examination of the purported positive and adverse effects of GE crops and to anticipate what emerging genetic-engineering technologies hold for the future. This report indicates where there are uncertainties about the economic, agronomic, health, safety, or other impacts of GE crops and food, and makes recommendations to fill gaps in safety assessments, increase regulatory clarity, and improve innovations in and access to GE technology.

"The book...is, in fact, a short text on the many practical problems...associated with translating the explosion in basic biotechnological research into the next Green Revolution," explains Economic Botany. The book is "a concise and accurate narrative, that also manages to be interesting and personal...a splendid little book." Biotechnology states, "Because of the clarity with which it is written, this thin volume makes a major contribution to improving public understanding of genetic engineering's potential for enlarging the world's food supply...and can be profitably read by practically anyone interested in application of molecular biology to improvement of productivity in agriculture."

Genetic Engineering of Crop Plants is a proceeding of The 49th Nottingham Easter School in Agricultural Science, which was held at Sutton Bonington on April 17-21, 1989. This symposium discussed progress in the generation of crop species resistant to herbicides, viruses, and insects. The book discusses topics such as the genetic manipulation in plants; genetic engineering of crops for insect and herbicide resistance; the expression of heat shock gene in transgenic plants; and tuber-specific gene expression. The book also covers topics such as regulation of gene expression in transgenic tomato plants; the molecular biology of pea seed development; and the regulatory elements of maize storage protein genes. The text is recommended for experts in the field of botany, agriculture, and genetics who would like to know more about the improvement of crop plants through genetics.

Axel Kahn's book, published late in 1996, which provided an overview of the opinions expressed by the Commission of Biomolecular Engineering about genetically modified plants, was a great success. Given the scale and importance of the phenomenon, the French Ministry of Agriculture and publishers John Libbey Eurotext have decided to publish an English-language version of this fundamental book about the introduction and development of genetically modified plants. For some years now, plant biotechnology, especially genetic engineering, has enabled us to modify the cycle of plant production, strengthening resistance to weedkillers and pests, improving yields and quality, adapting plants to unfavourable environments and creating new species. In France, the Biomolecular Engineering Commission (CGB) is responsible for authorising the marketing of these modified products. Over the past ten years it has certified 450 new products for public consumption. This book, which is suitable for the general public, reports on the experience acquired by the CGB and the studies it has conducted: What are the potential risks associated with so-called transgenetic plants? Are there any undetectable phenomena involved? - How can such plants be produced more safely? Axel Kahn is a world-renowned geneticist and clinician, chaired the Biomolecular Engineering Commission until 1998. Here he explains the "philosophy" of the CGB, which has gained unrivalled experience in Europe, and sets out ethical and scientific guidelines for the use of genetic engineering techniques.

A Seminar held in the Framework of the Biomolecular Engineering Programma of the Commission of the European Communities, at the Carlsberg Laboratory in Copenhagen, October 9-10, 1984