This book examines how government, industry and society interact to reach a level of regulation that is deemed satisfactory for the newly-emerged transformative technology that is agricultural biotechnology. It considers issues of risk and trust surrounding genetically-modified plants for the production of food and pharmaceuticals. It describes how regulations have been produced to manage, or in some cases ignore, the risks from GM products. The scope is international and the book makes a significant contribution to the literature in this growing field of interest.

Western Corn Rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, has been a major economic pest of maize in the Americas for many years. However, since the early 1990s, it has become an increasing threat to crops in Europe and is expected to spread to all maize growing areas of the continent. This book provides a comprehensive review of current knowledge of the biology and ecology of this insect pest and how it might be managed in order to limit its damage as it spreads into new agroecological areas. Cultural, biotechnical and biological control measures are addressed, as are ecological...

Fishery products are the world's most important source of animal protein, especially for the poor. Meeting the basic human needs for protein foods in the future will be a difficult challenge, especially as demand for fish has doubled since the 1950s. Realistically we can not expect to catch more food from the sea, so we must now turn to farming the waters, not just hunting them. The new challenge for planners is to accelerate aquaculture development and to plan for new production. As millions of people are moving from rural, inland areas to coastal cities we need to make urban areas not only...

Integrated Resource and Environmental Management (IREM) can be defined as both a management process and a philosophy, that takes into account the many values associated with natural resources within a particular area.This book presents an overview and history of natural resource management, from a global perspective. It discusses the challenges facing IREM by examining issues such as conflict, property rights and the role of science in the management of natural resource. It also addresses the definition and application of IREM from several different contexts, including real-world...

The conservation of genetic resources is vital to the maintenance of biodiversity and to the world's ability to feed its growing population. There are now more than 1,000 genebanks worldwide involved in the ex situ (meaning -away from the source-) storage of particular classes of crops. Since the 1970s, the 11 genebanks maintained by the centers of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) have become pivotal to the global conservation effort. However, key policy and management issues - usually with economic dimensions - have largely been overlooked.

The conservation of genetic resources is vital to the maintenance of biodiversity and to the world's ability to feed its growing population. There are...

International forums have identified the need for comprehensive, transparent, scientific methods, for the pre-release testing and post-release monitoring of transgenic plants to ensure environmental safety. There is also wide recognition that the regulatory and scientific capacity for conducting these types of assessments needs to be strengthened.

In response to these requirements, a GMO Guidelines Project was established - under the aegis of the International Organization for Biological Control - to develop biosafety testing guidelines for transgenic plants. This book is one of...

The floral industry represents a significant proportion of agricultural income in several developed countries, particularly the USA, the Netherlands and Japan. Hitherto, the sheer diversity of flower seeds, in their form, function and biology, has hindered the production of a comprehensive treatment of the topic.

This book provides a unique and much-needed resource of information on the biology and technology of flower seeds. It presents in-depth information on the history and evolution of the ornamental and wild flower seed industries followed by recommendations for successful...

Genomics has experienced a dramatic development during the last 15-20 years. Data from mammalian genomes such as the human, mouse and rat have already been published, while others such as the dog, cattle and chimpanzee will soon follow. This book summarizes the current knowledge of mammalian genomics and offers a comparative analysis of genomes known today. This analysis includes farm, companion and lab animals. Topics covered include structural and functional aspects of the mammalian genome, mechanisms of genomic changes at the molecular level, evolution of DNA sequences, comparative...

This book studies land use change in tropical landscapes, with particular emphasis on the economic processes that influence rates of land degradation and forest clearing. Multidisciplinary contributions draw lessons from a rich, decade-long collection of economic, social and environmental data on the Manupali upland watershed in the southern Philippines. Through this detailed case study the book documents forces leading to land use changes, in particular the potential impacts of institutional evolution and policy reforms, and highlights interrelationships between biological, economic, and...