Durum Wheat Breeding: v. 1 & 2

Is your knowledge about this important grain crop up to date This comprehensive two-volume resource reviews the latest advances in scientific and technical knowledge for durum wheat breeding. With a scope of coverage that includes genetics and molecular biology, plant and crop physiology, and breeding strategies and methodology, Durum Wheat Breeding: Current Approaches and Future Strategies is designed to aid students, educators, and practitioners alike. More than 200 figures and tables make important information and concepts easy to access and understand. Though not primarily designed as a textbook, Durum Wheat Breeding is valuable supplementary reading for postgraduate courses on plant breeding, genetics and molecular biology as applied to agricultural crops, crop physiology, and other related subjects. Part One: World Distribution and the Role of Durum Wheat Breeding covers: the evolution and taxonomy of wheat uses of durum wheat present and future breeding for improved yieldPart Two: Genetics and Molecular Aspects examines: genetic diversity in durum wheat elite germplasm collecting and managing genetic resources wheat cytogenetics the impact of genetic manipulation upon grain composition and quality resistance to abiotic stresses, diseases, and pests the genetic bases of grain qualityPart Three: Physiological Bases of Durum Wheat Improvement addresses: advances in yield through genetic improvement ideotypes for sustainable farming the physiological basis of yield potential in durum wheat adaptive mechanisms for water stress functional determinants of grain qualityPart Four: Breeding Strategy and Methodology focuses on: increasing yield potential and stability selection tools that can strengthen physiological traits that improve yield selection strategies for winter- and facultative durum wheat and for biotic stress resistance breeding methods and strategies designed to improve the quality of durum wheat the value of wide crosses the doubled-haploid technique the management of genotype x environment interactions proper design and analysis of field experimentsPart Five: Applied and Strategic Research in Different Durum Breeding Programs examines some of the most important breeding/improvement programs worldwide, with case examples from Italy, Spain, Romania, Canada, Morocco, the United States, Turkey, and India, as well as the CIMMYT's international durum wheat breeding program. From the authors: Durum wheat breeding has been quite successful during the last half-century or so in most regions in which it is a traditional crop. This success, like that of other major crops, has been brought about by the traditional breeding approach of trial and error together with the 'eye' of the breeder in the selection process. There is a growing consensus, however, that future breeding may be far more efficient if it takes into account not only the newest developments in knowledge for breeding strategies and methodologies, but also advances in scientific areas that may assist breeding to reach its objectives mainly genetics/molecular biology and plant/crop physiology. It is our hope that this volume will be a valuable resource to current and future generations of wheat growers, breeders, and scientists.