Mutation Breeding, Genetic Diversity and Crop Adaptation to Climate Change

by Dr Sobhana Sivasankar (Editor), Thomas Henry Noel Ellis PhD (Editor), Ljupcho Jankuloski (Editor)

The year 2018 marked the 90th anniversary of induced mutagenesis in plants. The FAO/IAEA International Symposium on Plant Mutation Breeding and Biotechnology held in 2018 reviewed achievements in crop improvement through mutation breeding in several countries across the globe, and discussed innovations in mutation induction, precision phenotyping and genomics applications. Induced genetic variation is important for crop improvement especially in instances where there is limited variation in existing germplasm pools to achieve desired levels of crop performance, and where techniques such as hybridization cannot be easily applied. Its application becomes further significant as the dual threats of population growth and climate change increasingly challenge global food and nutrition security. Higher production of nutritional food and reduction of crop losses imposed by extreme events like droughts, high temperatures, floods, diseases and pests call for induced novel genetic variation. While recent breakthroughs in whole genome-based mutation detection technologies increase the efficiency and precision of breeding in all crops, in vitro techniques coupled with mutagenesis broaden the genetic base of vegetative and horticultural tree crops and reduce their breeding cycles.

In this book an international team of expert authors review achievements, new developments, trends and challenges in the field of plant mutation breeding, across the scientific community and the private sector. Chapters highlight specific challenges, such as emerging transboundary threats to crop production, and assess the overall importance of mutation breeding to food security.
Coverage
This book is a comprehensive and essential resource for students, researchers and professionals in plant breeding.

536 pages, Hardcover

Published November 12, 2021