Overview

This book covers some established conventional and recent advances in plant breeding methods. It highlights and treats in detail some breeding strategies not adequately handled or usually ignored in many plant breeding texts. There is in-depth coverage of plant resistance mechanisms to various stress factors and application of phenotyping, genotyping, bioinformatics, molecular markers, ‘omics’ technologies, biotechnology, transgenesis and gene editing in crop improvement. Topics like germplasm conservation, plant sex expression and pollination control, recurrent selection methods, interspecific hybridisation, pre-breeding, chromosome manipulation and breeding for resistance to diseases and insect pests are comprehensively covered. The book gives special attention to some problems that affect food security in developing countries, e.g., parasitic weeds and drought and heat stress. Breeding for resistance to parasitic weeds like Striga, broomrapes and Cascuta is always ignored in most plant breeding texts. Where applicable, problems and challenges associated with some breeding strategies are highlighted and possible solutions proposed. The text is rich in relevant examples for various topics. The book is suitable for teaching of plant breeding at the university level and is also beneficial to practising plant breeders. It brings together some relevant work and literary information that is useful to university lecturers, students and practising plant breeders. The book targets university students in agricultural and plant sciences, particularly those taking plant breeding as a key unit/course.

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9783031749971

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Patrick Olweny Ayiecho, MGH (born 1953), also known as Patrick Ayiecho Olweny, is a graduate of University of Nairobi (B.Sc. Agric. and M.Sc. Plant Breeding) and University of California (Ph.D. Genetics). He is currently a professor of genetics and plant breeding in Maseno University and also served in a similar capacity at the University of Nairobi for several years. In addition to teaching genetics and plant breeding in the two universities, he has undertaken plant breeding research in a number crops like barley, grain amaranths, field beans, sesame and sorghum, focusing on crop improvement for resistance to abiotic and biotic stress factors, especially drought resistance and sorghum resistance to Striga. He has successfully guided over 40 M.Sc. and Ph.D. students to accomplish their graduate studies in both universities. Julius Omondi Nyabundi, OGW (born 1954), is a graduate of University of Nairobi (B.Sc. Agric. and M.Sc. Agronomy) and University of California (Ph.D. Ecology). He is currently a professor of horticulture in Maseno University served as a senior lecturer at the University of Nairobi for several years. In addition to teaching agronomy, crop ecology and physiology in the two universities, he has undertaken agronomy, crop physiology and plant water relations research for a number crops like sorghum, finger millet, tomatoes, field beans, sesame and sorghum performance under Striga infestation. He has successfully guided over 30 M.Sc. and Ph.D. students to accomplish graduate studies in both universities. He is currently serving as the vice chancellor of Maseno University and previously held various management and administrative positions in a number of institutions in Kenya.

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