About Book

Agricultural genetics is the applied study of the effects of genetic variation and selection used to propagate valuable heritable trait combinations in crop plants. The discipline includes use of genetic markers to guide traditional breeding, and introduction of traits from other species. Agricultural genetics resources describes some lessons learned, over the last decade, of how genetically engineered crops have been integrated into agricultural practices around the world and discuss their current and future contribution to sustainable agricultural systems. This book deals with advance practices in molecular and genetic analysis of abiotic stress resistance of forage crops, genetic transformation of immature sorghum inflorescence via microprojectile bombardment and genetic and molecular aspects of plant response to drought in annual crop species. It explores statistical tools in measuring genetic diversity for crop improvement, genetic diversity of seed orchard crops and aflatoxins biochemistry and molecular biology. Some of the diverse topics covered in this book address the varied branches that fall under this category. This brings forth some of the most innovative concepts and elucidates the unexplored aspects of crop genetics. For all readers who all are interested in the field of agricultural genetics, the case studies included in this book will serve as an excellent guide to develop comprehensive understanding.

Preface ....................................................................................................................... v

1. Genetic and Molecular Aspects of Plant Response to Drought in

Annual Crop Species ............................................................................................ 1

1. Introduction ................................................................................................... 1

2. Morpho-physiological traits involved in the response to water stress 3

3. Breeding for drought tolerance improvement ...................................... 6

4. Molecular bases of plant response to water stress .................................. 9

5. The molecular response of plants to water stress: A complex frame

resulting from integration of multiple regulation layers .................... 20

6. The contribution of genetic and molecular knowledge to the

improvement of drought tolerance in field ............................................. 22

7. Perspectives .................................................................................................. 23

8. Acknowledgements ..................................................................................... 24

2. Genetic Diversity of Seed Orchard Crops ...................................................... 43

1. Introduction ................................................................................................. 43

2. Seed orchard ................................................................................................. 44

3. Genetic diversity in seed orchards ........................................................... 46

4. Genetic gain in seed orchards .................................................................... 46

5. Measuring of genetic diversity in seed orchards .................................... 48

6. Pollen contamination .................................................................................. 54

7. Selfing and inbreeding ................................................................................ 55

8. Hermaphroditism in seed orchard ........................................................... 56

9. Conclusion .................................................................................................... 57

3. Exploring Statistical Tools in Measuring Genetic Diversity for

Crop Improvement ............................................................................................. 64

1. Introduction ................................................................................................. 64

2. Need for germplasm resource in genetic diversity preservation ........ 65

3. Importance of genetic diversity studies ................................................... 66

4. Genetic diversity measurement tools ...................................................... 67

5. The use of morphological data to measure genetic distance ................ 69

6. The use of molecular data in measuring genetic distances ................... 70

7. Grouping techniques in measuring genetic diversity ........................... 71

8. Conclusion .................................................................................................... 72

9. Acknowledgement ....................................................................................... 73

4. Cryopreserving Vegetatively Propagated Tropical Crops –

The Case of Dioscorea Species and Solenostemon rotundifolius ............ 78

1. Introduction ................................................................................................. 78

2. Materials and methods ............................................................................... 80

3. Results and discussion ................................................................................ 85

4. Conclusions .................................................................................................. 96

5. Acknowledgements ..................................................................................... 98

5. Genetic Transformation of Immature Sorghum Inflorescence

via Microprojectile Bombardment ................................................................. 104

1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 104

2. Genetic transformation of Sorghum bicolor ......................................... 105

3. Genetic transformation of immature sorghum inflorescence ............ 109

4. Results ......................................................................................................... 114

5. Discussion ................................................................................................... 119

6. Acknowledgements ................................................................................... 120

6. Aflatoxins Biochemistry and Molecular Biology -

Biotechnological Approaches for Control in Crops .................................. 125

1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 125

2. Occurrence of mycotoxins ........................................................................ 127

3. Aflatoxins .................................................................................................... 129

4. Detection of mycotoxins in food .............................................................. 159

7. Molecular and Genetic Analysis of Abiotic Stress Resistance of...................

Forage Crops ...................................................................................................... 176

1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 176

2. The morphological response to abiotic stress ....................................... 177

3. The physiological response to abiotic stress ......................................... 177

4. The molecular and genetic response to stress ....................................... 179

Citation ................................................................................................................ 203

Index .................................................................................................................... 205

About Author

Heather Moore has received Ph.D. in Plant Physiology from Agriculture University, Aragominas. She is Research Associate at Plant Physiology and Genetics Research Unit, Necochea. She has written several articles and journals related to horticulture, plant science biochemistry, and biotechnology. Her researches are focused on agricultural sustainability and genetic engineering in agriculture. She is an active member of several scientific and technical societies in this field.