Agricultural Biotechnology

Contents: 1. Introduction. I. Plant tissue culture: 1. Introduction. 2. History of plant tissue culture. 3. Types of culture. 4. Media constituents of plant tissue culture. 5. Preparation of stock solution. 6. Selection of explants. 7. Aseptic manipulation. 8. Incubation of culture. 9. Callus induction and maintenance. 10. Cell suspension culture. 11. Production of secondary metabolites. 12. Somatic embryogenesis. 13. Artificial seeds or synthetic seeds. 14. Somaclonal variation. 15. Micropropagation / clonal propagation. 16. Production of virus free plants. 17. Anther culture. 18. Microspore culture or pollen culture. 19. Ovary culture. 20. Embryo culture. 21. Protoplast isolation, protoplast fusion and somatic hybridisation. 22. Cryopreservation /in vitro germplasm preservation. 23. Application of plant tissue culture for crop improvement. II. Molecular biology: 1. Brief history of molecular biology. 2. Organisation of cell. 3. Organization of DNA. 4. DNA structure. 5. Repetitive DNA. 6. Organelle genome. 7. Organization of genes in DNA molecules. 8. DNA replication (Duplication). 9. DNA damage. 10. DNA repair mechanism. 11. Central dogma. 12. Ribonucleic acid (RNA). 13. Genetic code. 14. Transcription. 15. Translation. 16. Regulation of gene expression in prokaryotes. III. Recombinant DNA technology: 1. History of genetic engineering. 2. Tools of genetic engineering. 3. Vectors. 4. Gene constructs. 5. Gene cloning. 6. Electrophoresis. 7. Screening of recombinants. 8. Sequencing of genes. 9. Vectors for cloning in higher plants. 10. Direct gene transfer. 11. Problems in gene transfer. 12. Molecular markers. IV. Environmental biotechnology: 1. Environmental biotechnology. V. Industrial microbiology: 1. Industrial microbiology. VI. Immunology and immunity: 1. Immunology and immunity. Appendices. Glossary.

"Biotechnology has gained more and more momentum in Agriculture because of its application in the development of transgenic plants, production of valuable drugs and in commercial micropropagation. Since the opportunities in this field are very high, "Agricultural Bio technology" has been included as one of the subjects for undergraduate students of agricultural universities. A good understanding of basic aspects of plant tissue culture, molecular biology and recombinant DNA technology is very important for realizing the application of biotechnology in agriculture.

Though there are number of books published on agricultural biotechnology, this book has been brought in especially to explain the basic aspects of agricultural biotechnology in a simple and lucid manner. The contents of the book has been divided into six major parts viz., plant tissue culture, molecular biology, recombinant DNA technology environmental bio technology, industrial biotechnology and immunology.

In plant tissue culture important laboratory practices, medium preparation, aseptic manipulation, somaclonal variation, haploid production, embryo culture, micropropagation, protoplast fusion and cryopreservation are dealt elaborately with figures. In case of molecular biology chapters, emphasis has been given for DNA organization, DNA replication, protein synthesis and DNA repair mechanisms. Before taking up the recombinant DNA techniques important aspects of restriction enzymes, plasmids have been touched upon. Protocols for various laboratory exercises have also been given. Application of biotechnology for industrial purposes has been explained in a simple manner.

The chapters of this book have been designed in such a way that the subject can be understood by the students by self learning." (jacket)