About Book

New scientific advances in the field of genetics are exploring new frontiers in plant breeding. Plant genetics and plant breeding are rapidly expanding areas. The two main ways of genetically modifying plants are gene gun method and agrobacterium method. Crops are genetically modified for various reasons such as to increase yield, develop resistance towards pathogens, etc. A genome is the name for all genetic material that is characteristically present in one organism. So, all the different chromosomes of an organism together make up organism’s genome. The use of genetically engineered crops has helped many farmers deal with pest problems that reduce their crop production. The impact of pest-resistant crops has led to a much higher yield for farmers in today’s world. Certain engineered crops have led to farmers all over the world to increase crop yield exponentially in recent years. This book is compiled in such a manner, that it will provide in-depth knowledge about the theory and practice of plant genetics and genomics. It includes various fields like genetic engineering, cytogenetic studies, transgenic plants, genomics, blight resistance, bayesian modelling, epigenetic modifications and drought-tolerant crops. It explores all the important aspects of this field in the present-day scenario. Coherent flow of topics, student-friendly language and extensive use of examples make this book an invaluable source of knowledge. Different approaches, evaluations, methodologies and advanced studies on plant genetics have been included in this book. It aims to serve as a resource guide for students and experts alike and contribute to the growth of the discipline.

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

1. Native Plants to Arid Areas: A Genetic Reservoir for Drought-Tolerant

Crops 1

Abstract ........................................................................................................... 1

1. Introduction ................................................................................................... 2

2. Drought tolerance genes ............................................................................... 3

3. Findings of novel genes in native plants from arid land areas .............. 8

4. Conclusions .................................................................................................. 12

Conflict of interest ....................................................................................... 13

2. Epigenetic Modifications in Plants under Abiotic Stress ............................ 22

Abstract ......................................................................................................... 22

1. Introduction ................................................................................................. 22

2. Different types of epigenetic modifications ............................................. 25

3. Epigenetic changes in crops against abiotic stresses ............................. 27

4. Techniques for deciphering epigenetic changes in plants ..................... 30

5. Conclusions .................................................................................................. 32

Acknowledgements ..................................................................................... 32

Conflict of interest ....................................................................................... 32

Abbreviations .............................................................................................. 33

3. Bayesian Modeling in Genetics and Genomics ............................................ 40

Abstract ......................................................................................................... 40

1. Introduction ................................................................................................. 40

2. A brief introduction to Bayesian analyses .............................................. 41

3. Bayesian analyses of linear models .......................................................... 42

4. Genomic selection ........................................................................................ 45

5. Applications in genomics ........................................................................... 49

6. Conclusion .................................................................................................... 52

4. Genetics and Genomics of Bacterial Blight Resistance in Rice .................. 57

Abstract ......................................................................................................... 57

1. Introduction ................................................................................................. 58

2. Genetics of BB resistance ............................................................................ 59

3. Determinants of pathogenicity .................................................................. 71

4. Molecular mechanism of BB resistance in rice ........................................ 77

5. Conclusion .................................................................................................... 85

5. Genomics of Salinity Tolerance in Plants .................................................... 105

Abstract ....................................................................................................... 105

1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 106

2. Salinity stress and its causes ................................................................... 106

3. Stress signaling pathways ....................................................................... 107

4. Salt tolerance .............................................................................................. 108

5. Mechanisms of salt tolerance ................................................................... 109

6. Conventional ways to manage salinity ................................................. 109

7. Genetic responses to salinity ................................................................... 110

8. QTL mapping in relation to plant salinity tolerance ........................... 116

9. Engineering plants for enhanced salt tolerance: Transgenic

approach ..................................................................................................... 118

10. Conclusion .................................................................................................. 121

6. Transgenic Plants as a Tool for Plant Functional Genomics ................... 136

1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 136

2. Plant functional genomics methods ....................................................... 136

3. Usage of the methods of functional genomics for studying fundamental

and applied aspects of plant life .............................................................. 145

4. Conclusion .................................................................................................. 158

5. Acknowledgment ...................................................................................... 159

References ................................................................................................... 159

7. Embryology of Flowering Plants Applied to Cytogenetic Studies

on Meiosis .......................................................................................................... 172

1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 172

2. Terminology applied to meiosis in plants and pollen grains ............. 174

3. Meiosis and pollen grain: Cellular and sub-cellular aspects .............. 176

4. Cytogenetic studies involving embryological approaches ................. 181

5. Acknowledgment ...................................................................................... 193

6. Conclusion .................................................................................................. 194

References ................................................................................................... 194

8. Genetic Engineering of Plants for Resistance to Viruses ......................... 201

1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 201

2. Plant transformation ................................................................................ 202

3. Agrobacterium-mediated transformation ............................................ 209

4. Microprojectile bombardment/ biolistics .............................................. 212

5. Electroporation and PEG-mediated trans-formation of protoplasts 215

6. Electroporation of intact cells and tissues ............................................. 215

7. Electro-transformation ............................................................................. 216

8. Other methods of plant transformation ................................................ 221

9. Summary and conclusion......................................................................... 222

10. Acknowledgements ................................................................................... 224

References ................................................................................................... 224

Citation ................................................................................................................ 233

Index .................................................................................................................... 235

About Author

Audrey Turner is a Ph.D. in Plant Breeding & Genetics from Public University, Vologda. She specializes in plant breeding and genetically modified plants and biotechnology and has contributed extensively in the same through his works. She is a Visiting Professor at Community College, Kvareli. She is on the editorial board of several renowned botany journals, and has contributed 40 technical papers and 6 reference books. She holds prominent memberships of international agricultural associations and has been an active participant at different conferences and forums.