Extract
Few areas of science have progressed as rapidly, or have had such an impact on public consciousness and governments, as recent advances in plant biotechnology. These exciting scientific discoveries and their increasing application are continuing to generate considerable economic, social and ethical considerations. Particular concerns have been expressed, however, about potential ‘food safety’ and ‘environmental impact’ implications, in particular, of this ‘revolution in biology’ in agriculture and the food industry. Misinformation is rife, sadly, and there is a clear need for good sources of accurate and appropriate accounts of plant biotechnology development. Adrian Slater, Nigel Scott and Mark Fowler have produced just such a textbook, providing a critical appraisal of the genetic manipulation of crop plants for advanced undergraduate study and the postgraduate student market. The comprehensive coverage attempted will also provide a useful source of reference for agricultural scientists more generally interested – as we should be – in these growing biotechnology issues. A useful technical introduction is provided in the first four chapters covering plant genomes, tissue culture, techniques for plant transformation, and the utilization of vectors for genetic modification. This leads on to a section of chapters focussing on the application of genetic manipulation to agronomic input traits of herbicide, crop pest and disease resistance improvement including the amelioration of virus infections. The following three chapters provide a further interesting insight into strategies for improving stress tolerance, developing crop yields and quality, and prospects for molecular farming. The book culminates in a final review of future prospects for genetically modified crops, which stresses the legislative framework together with economic, social and ethical dimensions. Case studies are particularly effectively used by the authors to illustrate many of the points made in the text, and inserted explanation ‘boxes’ are frequently provided to explain some of the more difficult concepts. Not only does this break up the text, but provides some useful self-standing information. Further reading information and web-links (particularly to on-line journals) are usefully given at the end of each chapter. More than this, and of special interest, is a dedicated website associated with the book, providing downloadable figures of particular value to lecturers, and update sections.
