This book deliberates on the concept, strategies, tools, and techniques of allele mining in fruit crops and its application potential in genome elucidation and improvement including studying allele evolution, discovery of superior alleles, discerning new haplotypes, assessment of intra- and interspecific similarity, and also studies of gene expression and gene prediction. Available gene pools in global germplasm collections specifically consisting of wild allied species and local landraces for almost all major crops have facilitated allele mining. Advanced genomic techniques have been developed including PCR-based allele priming and Eco-TILLING-based allele mining that are being widely used now for mining superior alleles. Allele discovery has become more relevant now for employing molecular breeding to develop designed crop varieties matching with consumer needs and also with genome plasticity to adapt the climate change scenarios. All these concepts and strategies along with precise success stories are presented over the chapters dedicated to the major fruit crops. The features of this book are as follows: The first book on the novel strategy of allele mining in fruit crops for precise breeding Presents genomic strategies of mining superior alleles underlying agronomic traits from genomic resources Depicts case studies of PCR-based allele priming and Eco-TILLING-based allele mining Elaborates on gene discovery and gene prediction in major fruit crops This book will be useful to students and faculties in various plant science disciplines including genetics, genomics, molecular breeding, agronomy, and bioinformatics; scientists in seed industries; and also policy makers and funding agencies interested in crop improvement.

This book covers the biotechnology of all the major fruit and nut species. Since the very successful first edition of this book in 2004, there has been rapid progress for many fruit and nut species in cell culture, genomics and genetic transformation, especially for citrus and papaya. This book covers both these cutting-edge technologies and regeneration pathways, protoplast culture, in vitro mutagenesis, ploidy manipulation techniques that have been applied to a wider range of species. Three crop species, Diospyros kaki (persimmon), Punica granatum (pomegranate) and Eriobotrya japonica (loquat) are included for the first time. The chapters are organized by plant family to make it easier to make comparisons and exploitation of work with related species. Each chapter discusses the plant family and the related wild species for 38 crop species, and has colour illustrations. It is essential for scientists and post graduate students who are engaged in the improvement of fruit, nut and plantation crops.

This book covers information on the economics; botany, taxonomy, and origin; germplasm resources; cytogenetics and nuclear DNA; genetic improvement efforts of scion cultivars; genetic and genomic improvement efforts of rootstocks; genetic and physical mapping; genomic resources; genome and epigenome; regulatory sequences; utility of whole-genome sequencing and gene editing in trait dissection; flowering and juvenility; cold hardiness and dormancy; fruit color development; fruit acidity and sugar content; metabolomics; biology and genomics of the microbiome; apple domestication; as well as other ‘omics’ opportunities and challenges for genetic improvement of the apple. The cultivated apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.) is one of the most important tree fruit crops of temperate regions of the world. It is widely cultivated and grown in North America, Europe, and Asia. The apple fruit is a highly desirable fruit due to its flavor, sugar and acid content, metabolites, aroma, as well as its overall texture and palatability. Furthermore, it is a rich source of important nutrients, including antioxidants, vitamins, and dietary fiber.

This book presents deliberations on molecular and genomic mechanisms underlying the interactions of crop plants to the abiotic stresses caused by heat, cold, drought, flooding, submergence, salinity, acidity, etc., important to develop resistant crop varieties. Knowledge on the advanced genetic and genomic crop improvement strategies including molecular breeding, transgenics, genomic-assisted breeding, and the recently emerging genome editing for developing resistant varieties in fruit crops is imperative for addressing FHNEE (food, health, nutrition, energy, and environment) security. Whole genome sequencing in many of these crops followed by genotyping-by-sequencing has provided precise information regarding the genes conferring resistance useful for gene discovery, allele mining, and shuttle breeding which in turn opened up the scope for 'designing' crop genomes with resistance to abiotic stresses. The seven chapters each dedicated to a fruit crop and a fruit crop group in this volume elucidate different types of abiotic stresses and their effects on and interaction with the crops; enumerate the available genetic diversity with regard to abiotic stress resistance among available cultivars; illuminate the potential gene pools for utilization in interspecific gene transfer; present brief on classical genetics of stress resistance and traditional breeding for transferring them to their cultivated counterparts; depict the success stories of genetic engineering for developing abiotic stress-resistant crop varieties; discuss on molecular mapping of genes and QTLs underlying stress resistance and their marker-assisted introgression into elite varieties; enunciate different genomics-aided techniques including genomic selection, allele mining, gene discovery, and gene pyramiding for developing adaptive crop varieties with higher quantity and quality of yields, and also elaborate some case studies on genome editing focusing on specific genes for generating abiotic stress-resistant crops.

Since the completion of the Human Genome Project, food and nutrition sciences have undergone a fundamental molecular transformation. New discoveries in molecular biology, analytical chemistry, and biochemistry have led to the development of new tools that are likely to revolutionize the study of food. OMICS Technologies: Tools for Food Science expl