Abstract
This book is a comprehensive reference work on the current status of biotechnology of the major temperate, subtropical and tropical fruit and nut crop species of the world, including Actinidia spp., Anacardium occidentale, Mangifera indica, Pistacia vera, Annona spp., Cocos nucifera, Elaeis guineensis, Phoenix dactylifera, Ananas comosus, Carica papaya, Garcinia mangostana, Vaccinium spp., Castanea spp., Carya illinoinensis, Juglans regia, Persea americana, Ficus carica, Artocarpus spp. and Morus spp., Musa spp., Psidium guajava, Olea europaea, Averrhoa carambola, Passiflora spp., Fragaria spp., Malus domestica [M. pumila], Prunus spp., Pyrus spp., Cydonia spp., Rubus spp., Citrus spp., Dimocarpus longan, Litchi chinensis, Theobroma cacao and Vitis spp. It reviews the advances and current knowledge in key areas of biotechnology as applied to crop production and breeding. Tissue culture, genetic transformation or immunoassay, molecular and cell biology of fruit and nut crops are also discussed. Some of the older biotechnological techniques such as somatic hybridization, in vitro mutagenesis and selection, ploidy manipulation, etc., are only now being employed for many of the species considered here while genomics and the application of molecular marker-assisted selection to conventional breeding are becoming increasingly important. This book is intended for those working within the areas of plant biotechnology, perennial plant breeding and genetics and horticulture.