Explores the systematics and phylogenies of wild crucifers. Supported by close-up photos and descriptions to assist in identification of wild crucifers, this book examines breeding methods, self-incompatibility, male sterility, germination, viability of seeds, and plant-insect interactions.
Considerable interest has developed in recent years in crucifers ("brassica"), particularly wild variations of these flowering mustard and cabbage plants, as these contain genetic material that may be cultivated for further evolution of superior crop varieties. Bringing together leading researchers, this book includes research on biology, breeding, and the genetic diversity of species" Brassicaceae," It will explore possibilities of utilizing genes from wild variations into commercial agricultural crops. Chapters will include information on the evolution and phylogenies of crucifers; cytogenetics, biology, and sterility in crucifer species; and germplasm conservation.
The book contains 18 review chapters by different authors of various aspects of the Cruciferae. The general theme is the genetic exploitation of wild species, with some emphasis on Asian oil-seed species. Several chapters are authoritative and comprehensive, covering systematics and evolution, manipulation of the sexual process, interspecific hybridization, cytogenetics and gene introgression. Some topics (e.g. cytoplasmic male sterility, C3-C4 photosynthesis, somatic hybridization) are repeated in separate chapters. The figures within each chapter are monochrome and some are of poor quality, but are replicated in high quality colour in a separate section in the centre of the book. These reviews are likely to make the book valuable to researchers and plant breeders for at least a decade.
- Peter Crisp writing in Expl Agric. (2010), volume 46 (1), C Cambridge University Press 2009
