This book marks the centenary of the rediscovery of Mendel’s laws of biological inheritance, which have had their greatest economic impact in the rapid development in plant breeding. The concepts and methodology of plant breeding with their underpinning of advances in classical and molecular genetics and biotechnology have received special attention. The monograph, thus, documents the development of methods of plant breeding over a hundred year period beginning with some of the landmark discoveries in classical and molecular genetics. Plant breeding in the 21st century will be marked with an increasing integration of the current methods with the newer techniques of modern biotechnology, this book points to the kind of integration which will be taking place. Its 31 review chapters cover a wide range of topics. Some of the topics covered include molecular cytogenetics; transposable elements; chromosome manipulations; host-pathogen interactions; quantitative trait loci; simple and recurrent selection methods; heterosis breeding; mutation breeding; plant genetic resources and intellectual property rights; plant genomics; and molecular approaches in crop improvement. This book contains papers which revisit some of the landmark discoveries in genetics and plant breeding.

Hundred Years of Genetics: Revisiting Some of the Landmarks / A Century of Advances in Plant Breeding Methodologies / Plant Breeding Science and Practice in the Twentieth Century: Some Landmarks / Chromosome Manipulations for Crop Improvement / Advances in Molecular Cytogenetics: Potentials for Crop Improvement / Transposable Elements and Epigenetic Mechanisms: Significance and Implications in Crop Improvement / Genetics of Host-Pathogen Interaction and Breeding for Durable Resistance in the 20th Century and Beyond/ Genetic Improvement of Abiotic Stress Responses: Issues, Tools and Concerns/ In-vitro Approaches to Crop Improvement / Molecular Markers in Crop Improvement with Special Reference to Wheat and Brassica / Genome Mapping and Map Based Cloning / Genome-Wide Molecular Approaches in Plants: From Structure to Function/ Application of Biotechnology to Maize and Wheat Improvement / Transgenics in Crop Improvement/ Selection for Simple and Complex Traits / Population Improvement Strategies for Crop Improvement/ Heterosis: Classical and Molecular Concepts / Advances in Hybrid Breeding Methodology/ Heterosis Exploitation for Crop Improvement: Prospects and Limitations/ Cytoplasmic-Nuclear Male Sterility: Origin, Evaluation and Utilization in Hybrid Development/ Quantitative Trait Improvement: Classical to Molecular Concepts/ Mating Designs and Their Implications for Plant Breeding / Genotype-by-Environment Interaction in Crop Improvement / Breeding for Wider Adaptability / Plant Ideotype: The Concept and Application / Mutation Breeding for Crop Improvement/ Induced Mutations and Selection Techniques for Quantitative Traits / Collection, Conservation and Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources/ Intellectual Property Rights Related Issues in Plant Breeding / Breeding Legumes for Improved Biological Nitrogen Fixation / Rising Atmospheric CO2 and Crops- Technology and Research

Students and Researches of Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology