This book provides insights into the genetics and the latest advances in genomics research on the common bean, offering a timely overview of topics that are pertinent for future developments in legume genomics. The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is the most important grain legume crop for food consumption worldwide, as well as a model for legume research, and the availability of the genome sequence has completely changed the paradigm of the ongoing research on the species. Key topics covered include the numerous genetic and genomic resources, available tools, the identified genes and quantitative trait locus (QTL) identified, and there is a particular emphasis on domestication. It is a valuable resource for students and researchers interested in the genetics and genomics of the common bean and legumes in general.

During the past three decades there has been a large amount of research on biological nitrogen fixation, in part stimulated by increasing world prices of nitrogen-containing fertilizers and environmental concerns. In the last several years, research on plant--microbe interactions, and symbiotic and asymbiotic nitrogen fixation has become truly interdisciplinary in nature, stimulated to some degree by the use of modern genetic techniques. These methodologies have allowed us to make detailed analyses of plant and bacterial genes involved in symbiotic processes and to follow the growth and persistence of the root-nodule bacteria and free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria in soils. Through the efforts of a large number of researchers we now have a better understanding of the ecology of rhizobia, environmental parameters affecting the infection and nodulation process, the nature of specificity, the biochemistry of host plants and microsymbionts, and chemical signalling between symbiotic partners. This volume gives a summary of current research efforts and knowledge in the field of biological nitrogen fixation. Since the research field is diverse in nature, this book presents a collection of papers in the major research area of physiology and metabolism, genetics, evolution, taxonomy, ecology, and international programs.

This volume contains reviews presented at the 31 st annual meeting of the Phytochemical Society of North America, held at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado on June 22-26, 1991. This symposium, entitled Phenolic Metabolism in Plants, celebrated the origin of this society as the Plant Phenolics Group of North America; the first symposium, entitled Biochemistry of Plant Phenolic Substances, was also held at Fort Collins from August 31 to September 1, 1961. A brief history of the Society is presented in Chapter 12 by Stewart Brown, one of the original founders of the Society. We dedicate this volume to Hans Grisebach, 1926-1990, Professor of Biochemistry at the Biologisches Institut II, Freiburg, Germany, where he headed for many years a laboratory responsible for major advances in the area of phenolic metabolism; this will be self evident from the numerous bibliographical references cited in the literature for papers by his Freiburg group from about 1958 until now, and subsequently by former students and colla borators. His impact on the data reviewed in this volume will testify to this.

Natural diversity has been extensively used to understand plant biology and improve crops. However, studies were commonly based on visual phenotypes or on a few measurable parameters. Nowadays, a large number of parameters can be measured thanks to next generation sequencing, metabolomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics thus providing an unprecedented resolution in the detection of natural diversity. This enhanced resolution offers new possibilities in terms of understanding plant biology. Technology advances also contribute to a better assessment of the biodiversity loss currently taking place. Hence, the topic presents an overview on efforts for maintaining biological diversity in crops, on possibilities offered by recent technologies in the assessment of natural variation, and ends with examples of the diversity found even at the cellular level.