Biotechnology can bring major breakthroughs in agriculture. The book examines the experience of introduction of biotechnology in Indian agriculture, specifically, examining the performance of Bt cotton versus non-Bt cotton across India’s major cotton states, namely Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, which together account for nearly 70 percent of the country’s cotton production. Major advances in biotechnology have made it possible to directly identify genes, determine their functions, and transfer them from one organism to another. The advances have spawned many technologies and Bt cotton is one important outcome. Bt cotton has become one of the most widely cultivated transgenic crops and is currently grown in 21 countries - 11 developing and 10 industrialized countries. The Government of India was relatively late in permitting biotechnology, only approving the cultivation of three transgenic Bt cotton hybrids from April 2002. Many concerns were raised about their performance there was strong opposition from some quarters. In India, Gujarat and Maharastra were the first states to adopt them, followed by Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh. Based on a sample of 694 farming households, the book examines and analyzes the performance on the yields, pesticide costs, seed costs, overall production costs and profits. It also reports on the environmental impacts, satisfaction with the technology and ways of improving its performance.

Transgenic crops offer the promise of increased agricultural productivity and better quality foods. But they also raise the specter of harmful environmental effects. In this new book, a panel of experts examines: • Similarities and differences between crops developed by conventional and transgenic methods • Potential for commercialized transgenic crops to change both agricultural and nonagricultural landscapes • How well the U.S. government is regulating transgenic crops to avoid any negative effects. Environmental Effects of Transgenic Plants provides a wealth of information about transgenic processes, previous experience with the introduction of novel crops, principles of risk assessment and management, the science behind current regulatory schemes, issues in monitoring transgenic products already on the market, and more. The book discusses public involvementâ€"and public confidenceâ€"in biotechnology regulation. And it looks to the future, exploring the potential of genetic engineering and the prospects for environmental effects.

Biotechnology for Sustainable Agriculture: Emerging Approaches and Strategies is an outstanding collection of current research that integrates basic and advanced concepts of agricultural biotechnology with future development prospects. Using biotechnology with sustainable agriculture effectively contributes to gains in agricultural productivity, enhanced food security, reduced poverty and malnutrition, and more ecologically sustainable means of food production. Written by a panel of experts, this book is unique in its coverage of the broad area of biotechnology for sustainable agriculture. It includes intriguing topics and discussions of areas such as recombinant DNA technology and genetic engineering. - Identifies and explores biotechnological tools to enhance sustainability - Encompasses plant and microbial biotechnology, nanotechnology and genetic engineering - Focuses on plant biotechnology and crop improvement to increase yield and resilience - Summarizes the impact of climate change on agriculture, fisheries and livestock

In the context of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation countries.

Papers presented at the National Seminar on Bt Cotton, organised by Gujarat Institute of Development Research at Ahmedabad during 3-4 May 2011.

In terms of becoming a successful bioentrepreneur, there is still much more to learn. There are many ways to learn the essential fundamentals of entrepreneurship, including through the mistakes of previous businesses and models. Increased knowledge and a better understanding of what works can be derived from these previous failures and mistakes. Additionally, learning from other bioentrepreneurs can help businesses run successfully. By looking deeper into business models, product development, the fundamental concepts of bioentrepreneurship, and the essential characteristics of bioentrepreneurs, one can become better equipped to understand the role of biological sciences in entrepreneurship, specifically the role of product development. Bioentrepreneurship and Transferring Technology Into Product Development provides a comprehensive understanding of the role of biological sciences, specifically in transforming technology into commercial product. This book compiles the theoretical and practical aspects of bioentrepreneurship and discusses the various factors, including creating business plans, acquiring funding, and successful business models. The chapters also cover areas such as small-scale product development, intellectual property rights, funding schemes for start-ups, and new prospective biotechnology product development. This book is essential for bioentrepreneurs, entrepreneurs, product developers, scientists, practitioners, researchers, academicians, and students interested in product development from a biological science perspective.

The world rice economy: challenges ahead; Research priorities for rice biotechnology; Genetic diversity of wild and cultivated rice; Rice karyotype, marker genes, and linkage groups; Development and use of restriction fragment length polymorphism in rice breeding and genetics; Rice tissue culture and its application; Transformation and regeneration of rice protoplasts; Assessment of rice genetic transformation techniques; The identification and characterization of rice nuclear genes; Gene expression in rice; Potentially useful genes for rice genetic engineering; Molecular probes for isease diagnosis and monitoring; Prospects for the future.