Genetic engineering through DNA recombinants and the in vitro manipulation of isolated protoplasts has recently attracted much atten tion in agricultural biotechnology, and has greatly advanced during the last 5 years. In an earlier book, Plant Protoplasts and Genetic Engineer ing I, methods for the isolation, fusion and culture of protoplasts were reviewed and the regeneration of complete plants from isolated pro toplasts of rice, potato, soybean, linseed, cabbage, chicory, lettuce, but terbur, orchids, citrus and some other tree species, and interspecific and intergeneric somatic hybrids in...

Second in the series, High-Tech and Micropropagation, this work covers the micropropagation of trees and fruit-bearing plants, such as poplar, birches, larch, American sweetgum, black locust, Sorbus, sandalwood, Quercus, cedar, Persian walnut, date palm, cocoa, Citrus, olive, apple, pear, peach, plum, cherry, papaya, pineapple, kiwi, Japanese persimmon, grapevine, strawberry, and raspberry. The importance and distribution of conventional propagation and in vitro studies on individual species are discussed. In particular detail, the transfer of in vitro plants to...

While working in the laboratory of Professor Dr. Jacob Reinert at the Freie Universitat Berlin (1974-1976), I had the opportunity to become deeply involved in studying the intricacies of the fascinating phenomenon of somatic embryogenesis in plant cells and protoplasts. In numerous stimu lating discussions with Professor Reinert on this subject, I was fully convinced that somatic embryogenesis would become one of the most important areas of study, not only regarding basic and fundamental aspects, but also for its application in crop improvement. During the last decade, we have witnessed...

After the 1988 and 1989 volumes, this is the third volume on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants. Each of the 29 chapters contributed by international scientists deals with one individual plant genus, namely Atropa, Ageratina, Ailanthus, Aconitum, Apium, Aloe, Akebia, Bidens, Carthamus, Chamomilla, Carum, Citrus, Cymbopogon, Dysosma, Euphorbia, Fritillaria, Glycyrrhiza, Lavandula, Nigella, Pelargonium, Perilla, Podophyllum, Rosa, Scutellaria, Securinega, Solanum, Swertia, Symphytum, Syringa. Their distribution, economic importance, conventional propagation, in-vitro propagation and production of...

Production of food to meet the demands of an ever-increasing human population in the world is the major task and challenge to agriculture today. The conventional methods of plant breeding alone can no longer cope with the situation. The success of any crop improvement program depends on the extent of genetic variability in the base population, but due to denuding of forests and agricultural land, the naturally occurring pool of germplasm is being depleted. An urgent need is therefore ap parent to create new variability and increase the genetic base of agricul tural crops. Agricultural...

Haploid plants have the gametophytic number of chromosomes. They are of great importance, especially in studies on the induction of muta tions and also for the production of homozygous plants, they are needed in large numbers. The conventional methods employed by plant breeders for their production are cumbersome, time-consuming, laborious and rather inefficient. Sometimes it may take years to produce a pure line. However, with the introduction of in vitro techniques, especially anther culture for the induction of androgenesis, it has become increasingly evi dent that these methods...

Fantasies and dreams have their rightful place in science, and sometimes they turn into reality. Regeneration of hybrid plants through protoplast fusion is one such dream come true. In the early 1970s I shared the pioneering excitement in the field of protoplast technology at the Second International Congress of Plant Tissue Culture held in Strasbourg, France. Subsequently, I participated in three international conferences devoted to plant protoplasts, in Salamanca, Spain (1972), Versailles, France (1972), and Nottingham, England (1975). At Versailles Dr. P.S. Carlson presented his work on...

Isolated protoplasts are a unique tool for genetic manipulation of plants. Since the discovery of a method for the enzymatic isolation of pro-. toplasts by Professor E. C. Cocking in 1960, tremendous progress has been made in this very fascinating area of research. I have witnessed the struggle in the 1960's and early 1970's, when obtaining a clean prepara tion of protoplasts was considered an achievement. I also shared the pioneering excitement and enthusiasm in this field during the 2nd Inter national Congress of Plant Tissue Culture held at Strasbourg in 1970, where Dr. I. Thkebe of Japan...

Presented here is another classic from this series and deals with general aspects of micropropagation of plants for commercial exploitation. It includes chapters on setting up a commercial laboratory, meristem culture, somatic embryogenesis, factors affecting micropropagation, disposable vessels, vitrification, acclimatization, induction of rooting, artificial substrates, cryopreservation and artificial seed. Special emphasis is given on modern approaches and developing technologies such as automation and bioreactors, robots in transplanting, artificial intelligence, information management...

27 chapter cover the distribution, economic importance, conventional propagation, micropropagation, tissue culture, and in vitro production of important medicinal and pharmaceutical compounds in various species of Ajuga, Allium, Ambrosia, Artemisia, Aspilia, Atractylodes, Callitris, Choisya, Cinnamomum, Coluria, Cucumis, Drosera, Daucus, Eustoma, Fagopyrum, Hibiscus, Levisticum, Onobrychis, Orthosiphon, Quercus, Sanguinaria, Solanum, Sophora, Stauntonia, Tanecetum, Vetiveria, and Vitis. Like the previous volumes 4, 7, 15, and 21 in the Medicinal and Aromatic Plants series, the volume is...