Genetic Improvement of Field Crops
Contents: Foreword. Preface. 1. Wheat/P.C. Mishra, R.P. Sharma and S.S. Singh. 2. Rice/M.N. Shrivastava and A. Kumar. 3. Hybrid rice/Rajesh Mishra. 4. Maize/V.R. Rastogi. 5. Sorghum/A.R. Dabholkar. 6. Chickpea/P.M. Gaur. 7. Pigeonpea/R.G. Satpute. 8. Mungbean and urdbean/B.M. Moghe and Mridula Billore. 9. Soybean/A.N. Shrivastava, C.B. Singh and M.K. Shrivastava. 10. Groundnut/Arun R. Khire. 11. Linseed/S.R. Shrivas. 12. Rapeseed-mustard/S.S. Bhadouria. 13. Niger/S.S. Duhoon. 14. Safflower/D.M. Hegde, Vrijendra Singh and N. Nimbkar. 15. Sesame/S.M. Sharma. 16. Cotton/G.K. Koutu and K.C. Mandloi. 17. Male sterility and its exploitation/Mridula Billore. 18. Screening of cotton genotypes for fibre quality/Suman Bala Singh and Phundan Singh. 19. Formation of seed and its structure/Dhirendra Khare and C.B. Singh. 20. Varietal testing release and notification system in India/N.D. Raut. 21. Maintenance breeding of self pollinated crops/S.K. Rao. 22. Apomixis and its application/Dhirendra Khare and C.B. Singh.
Opportunities exist for increasing food production in a sustainable manner through the genetic improvement of field crops. One of the potential tools for improvement of the crop performance is the genetic alteration and selection. The ability to modify plant characteristics or select plants with desirable attributes, or both, has enormous implication for the potential productivity of a crop, sustainability of the crop and the cropping system along with the sustainability of agro-ecological environment as a whole. It requires detailed knowledge of individual crop.
With input from virtually all biological disciplines and applications to all the crops, genetic crop improvement plays a pivotal role in agricultural science. Recognizing the importance of variety and to keep pace with the phenomenal expression in plant breeding the book has been the necessity. The book comprises of 22 chapters and covers 16 crops. It brings all the information of field crops of Indian interest at one place. The problems of individual crop and methods to resolve are described in detail with clear objectives for the students of plant breeding. The text is designed in such a way that the instructor can insert his own experience and illustration throughout the course. Besides agricultural universities plant breeding has been introduced as a subject at B.Sc. and M.Sc. levels in traditional universities and other colleges. This book will be of immense use for all the students offering the course.
