The Potato Crop


Book Description

This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license. This book provides a fresh, updated and science-based perspective on the current status and prospects of the diverse array of topics related to the potato, and was written by distinguished scientists with hands-on global experience in research aspects related to potato. The potato is the third most important global food crop in terms of consumption. Being the only vegetatively propagated species among the world’s main five staple crops creates both issues and opportunities for the potato: on the one hand, this constrains the speed of its geographic expansion and its options for international commercialization and distribution when compared with commodity crops such as maize, wheat or rice. On the other, it provides an effective insulation against speculation and unforeseen spikes in commodity prices, since the potato does not represent a good traded on global markets. These two factors highlight the underappreciated and underrated role of the potato as a dependable nutrition security crop, one that can mitigate turmoil in world food supply and demand and political instability in some developing countries. Increasingly, the global role of the potato has expanded from a profitable crop in developing countries to a crop providing income and nutrition security in developing ones. This book will appeal to academics and students of crop sciences, but also policy makers and other stakeholders involved in the potato and its contribution to humankind’s food security.




Comprehensive and Molecular Phytopathology


Book Description

This book offers a collection of information on successive steps of molecular 'dialogue' between plants and pathogens. It additionally presents data that reflects intrinsic logic of plant-parasite interactions. New findings discussed include: host and non-host resistance, specific and nonspecific elicitors, elicitors and suppressors, and plant and animal immunity. This book enables the reader to understand how to promote or prevent disease development, and allows them to systematize their own ideas of plant-pathogen interactions.* Offers a more extensive scope of the problem as compared to other books in the market* Presents data to allow consideration of host-parasite relationships in dynamics and reveals interrelations between pathogenicity and resistance factors* Discusses beneficial plant-microbe interactions and practical aspects of molecular investigations of plant-parasite relationships* Compares historical study of common and specific features of plant immunity with animal immunity




Hungry Planet


Book Description

This clearly written book is an ideal entry-level text for inquisitive college students who are majoring in a subject other than plant pathology, especially those in general education and core science classes. There is a student resources website organized around the book's topics that will help bring the stories of plant diseases to life through podcasts, exercises, and other teaching tools."--pub. desc.




Pioneering Women in Plant Pathology


Book Description

Pioneering Women in Plant Pathology is a biographical book on the early women scientists who led the way for others in the field of plant pathology. These untold stories about 27 fascinating women discuss their struggles and triumphs as early women in the science. With contributions from 37 talented writers and more than 130 figures, we are given a true picture of the challenges these women faced on their way to important discoveries. The authors do a wonderful job presenting the scientific achievements of these women in the context of their time. We also get glimpses into the character of these women that show us how their personal attributes and talents helped them achieve great things.




The Epidemiology of Plant Diseases


Book Description

Plant disease epidemiology is a dynamic science that forms an essential part of the study of plant pathology. This book brings together a team of 35 international experts. Each chapter deals with an essential component of the subject and allows the reader to fully understand how each exerts its influence on the progress of pathogen populations in plant populations over a defined time scale. This edition has new, revised and updated chapters.




Phytophthora


Book Description

This book begins with an account of the early history of Phytophthora research and the tumultuous events setting the genus in motion. In keeping with its controversial inception, the chapter on taxonomy and phylogeny makes a compelling case that our current notion of Phytophthora as a genus is illusory. This chapter sets the stage for the importance of molecular tools on these enigmatic pathogens. The following chapters discuss species identification, population-level investigation, interspecific hybrids and the impact of diverse Phytophthora species on crops, forests, nurseries, greenhouses and natural areas worldwide.




Fungal Plant Pathogens, 2nd Edition


Book Description

This substantially updated edition now in full colour provides key techniques used when working with fungal and fungal-like plant pathogens. As a practical manual it also deals with disease recognition, detection and identification of fungi, plus methods to characterise and curate fungi and handle them under quarantine and quality assurance systems. Fungal Plant Pathogens: Applied Techniques, 2nd edition provides a valuable guide to investigating fungal plant diseases and interpreting laboratory findings for postgraduate and advanced undergraduate students, extension plant pathologists, consultants and advisers in agriculture, forestry and horticulture, and the food supply chain.




Principles of Plant-Microbe Interactions


Book Description

The use of microbial plant protection products is growing and their importance will strongly increase due to political and public pressure. World population is growing and the amount of food needed by 2050 will be double of what is produced now whereas the area of agricultural land is decreasing. We must increase crop yield in a sustainable way. Chemical plant growth promoters must be replaced by microbiological products. Also here, the use of microbial products is growing and their importance will strongly increase. A growing area of agricultural land is salinated. Global warming will increase this process. Plants growth is inhibited by salt or even made impossible and farmers tend to disuse the most salinated lands. Microbes have been very successfully used to alleviate salt stress of plants. Chemical pollution of land can make plant growth difficult and crops grown are often polluted and not suitable for consumption. Microbes have been used to degrade these chemical pollutants.