Recent Advances in Plant Biotechnology

Plant biotechnology applies to three major areas of plants and their uses: (1) control of plant growth and development; (2) protection of plants against biotic and abiotic stresses; and (3) expansion of ways by which specialty foods, biochemicals, and pharmaceuticals are produced. The topic of recent advances in plant biotechnology is ripe for consideration because of the rapid developments in this ?eld that have revolutionized our concepts of sustainable food production, cost-effective alt- native energy strategies, environmental bioremediation, and production of pla- derived medicines through plant cell biotechnology. Many of the more traditional approaches to plant biotechnology are woefully out of date and even obsolete. Fresh approaches are therefore required. To this end, we have brought together a group of contributors who address the most recent advances in plant biotechnology and what they mean for human progress, and hopefully, a more sustainable future. Achievements today in plant biotechnology have already surpassed all previous expectations. These are based on promising accomplishments in the last several decades and the fact that plant biotechnology has emerged as an exciting area of research by creating unprecedented opportunities for the manipulation of biological systems. In connection with its recent advances, plant biotechnology now allows for the transfer of a greater variety of genetic information in a more precise, controlled manner. The potential for improving plant productivity and its proper use in agric- ture relies largely on newly developed DNA biotechnology and molecular markers.

Plant biotechnology applies to three major areas of plants and their uses: (1) control of plant growth and development; (2) protection of plants against biotic and abiotic stresses; and (3) expansion of ways by which specialty foods, biochemicals, and pharmaceuticals are produced. The topic of recent advances in plant biotechnology is ripe for consideration because of the rapid developments in this ?eld that have revolutionized our concepts of sustainable food production, cost-effective alt- native energy strategies, environmental bioremediation, and production of pla- derived medicines through plant cell biotechnology. Many of the more traditional approaches to plant biotechnology are woefully out of date and even obsolete. Fresh approaches are therefore required. To this end, we have brought together a group of contributors who address the most recent advances in plant biotechnology and what they mean for human progress, and hopefully, a more sustainable future. Achievements today in plant biotechnology have already surpassed all previous expectations. These are based on promising accomplishments in the last several decades and the fact that plant biotechnology has emerged as an exciting area of research by creating unprecedented opportunities for the manipulation of biological systems. In connection with its recent advances, plant biotechnology now allows for the transfer of a greater variety of genetic information in a more precise, controlled manner. The potential for improving plant productivity and its proper use in agric- ture relies largely on newly developed DNA biotechnology and molecular markers.

Plant Biotechnology from Inception to the Present.- Overview of Plant Biotechnology from Its Early Roots to the Present.- The Use of Plant Cell Biotechnology for the Production of Phytochemicals.- Molecular Farming of Antibodies in Plants.- Use of Cyanobacterial Proteins to Engineer New Crops.- Molecular Biology of Secondary Metabolism: Case Study for Glycyrrhiza Plants.- Applications of Plant Biotechnology in Agriculture and Industry.- New Developments in Agricultural and Industrial Plant Biotechnology.- Phytoremediation: The Wave of the Future.- Biotechnology of the Rhizosphere.- Plants as Sources of Energy.- Use of Plant Secondary Metabolites in Medicine and Nutrition.- Interactions of Bioactive Plant Metabolites: Synergism, Antagonism, and Additivity.- The Use of Selected Medicinal Herbs for Chemoprevention and Treatment of Cancer, Parkinson’s Disease, Heart Disease, and Depression.- Regulating Phytonutrient Levels in Plants – Toward Modification of Plant Metabolism for Human Health.- Risks and Benefits Associated with Plant Biotechnology.- Risks and Benefits Associated with Genetically Modified (GM) Plants.- Risks Involved in the Use of Herbal Products.- Risks Associated with Overcollection of Medicinal Plants in Natural Habitats.- The Potential of Biofumigants as Alternatives to Methyl Bromide for the Control of Pest Infestation in Grain and Dry Food Products.