Fusarium head blight (FHB) on small-grain cereals is one of the most devastating diseases. Several species can cause head blight, though Fusarium graminearum is the predominant pathogen in most regions. F. graminearum is one of the most intensively studied fungal plant pathogens. This book presents the current state of knowledge regarding mycological aspects that make wheat-Fusarium interaction, such as hyphal growth, morphogenesis in germinating spores, visualization of enzymatic hydrolysis, production of mycotoxins, inhibition of the hyphal growth by antagonist microorganisms, use of natural substances or by modification of the host resistance, as well as genetic analysis and expression of genes that regulate the infection. Fungal ecology and epidemiology will also be discussed. Just as the analysis of environmental requirements for the establishment of the disease, the use of forecasts of disease risk with meteorological base and integrated management and control. This book includes the study of disease in Latin America, therefore will be of interest to researchers who are working on the issue, as for those who are interested in knowing about the disease.

The book provides a comprehensive record of current knowledge on the nature of Fusarium head blight, the damage it causes, and current research on how to control it. The book begins with a historical account of Fusarium head blight epidemics that gives context to recent attempts to control epidemics in wheat and barley. A review of pathogen taxonomy and population biology helps scientists to see relationships among head blight pathogens and other Fusarium species. The information on epidemiology included in this review also provides an understanding of the weather conditions and cultural practices that promote explosive epidemics. New information on infection processes will lead the reader to a better understanding of how to breed for resistance in wheat and barley.

Wheat Blast provides systematic and practical information on wheat blast pathology, summarises research progress and discusses future perspectives based on current understanding of the existing issues. The book explores advance technologies that may help in deciding the path for future research and development for better strategies and techniques to manage the wheat blast disease. It equips readers with basic and applied understanding on the identification of disease, its distribution and chances of further spread in new areas, its potential to cause yield losses to wheat, the conditions that favour disease development, disease prediction modelling, resistance breeding methods and management strategies against wheat blast. Features: Provides comprehensive information on wheat blast pathogen and its management under a single umbrella Covers disease identification and diagnostics which will be helpful to check introduction in new areas Discusses methods and protocol to study the different aspects of the disease such as diagnostics, variability, resistance screening, epiphytotic creation etc. Gives deep insight on the past, present and future outlook of wheat blast research progress This book’s chapters are contributed by experts and pioneers in their respective fields and it provides comprehensive insight with updated findings on wheat blast research. It serves as a valuable reference for researchers, policy makers, students, teachers, farmers, seed growers, traders, and other stakeholders dealing with wheat.

Under the aegis of COST Action 835 `Agriculturally Important Toxigenic Fungi 1998-2003', EU Project (QLK 1-CT-1998-01380)

Cereal grain safety from farm to table Mycotoxin Reduction in Grain Chains examines the ways in which food producers, inspectors, and processors can keep our food supply safe. Providing guidance on identification, eradication, and prevention at each stop on the "grain chain, this book is an invaluable resource for anyone who works with cereal grains. Discussions include breeding and crop management, chemical control, contamination prediction, and more for maize, wheat, sorghum, rice, and other major grains. Relevant and practical in the field, the lab, and on the production floor, this book features critical guidance for every point from farm to table.

For the first time in over 20 years, a comprehensive collection of photographs and descriptions of species in the fungal genus Fusarium is available. This laboratory manual provides an overview of the biology of Fusarium and the techniques involved in the isolation, identification and characterization of individual species and the populations in which they occur. It is the first time that genetic, morphological and molecular approaches have been incorporated into a volume devoted to Fusarium identification. The authors include descriptions of species, both new and old, and provide protocols for genetic, morphological and molecular identification techniques. The Fusarium Laboratory Manual also includes some of the evolutionary biology and population genetics thinking that has begun to inform the understanding of agriculturally important fungal pathogens. In addition to practical “how-to” protocols it also provides guidance in formulating questions and obtaining answers about this very important group of fungi. The need for as many different techniques as possible to be used in the identification and characterization process has never been greater. These approaches have applications to fungi other than those in the genus Fusarium. This volume presents an introduction to the genus Fusarium, the toxins these fungi produce and the diseases they can cause. "The Fusarium Laboratory Manual is a milestone in the study of the genus Fusarium and will help bridge the gap between morphological and phylogenetic taxonomy. It will be used by everybody dealing with Fusarium in the Third Millenium." --W.F.O. Marasas, Medical Research Council, South Africa

This book discusses the research progress on pathology, entomology, nematology, and resource management of wheat and barley crops. The volume summarizes the research progress and discusses the future perspectives based on current understanding of the existing issues and advancing cutting-edge technologies in the field. The book aims to help in deciding future research and development agenda by devising better strategies and techniques to cultivate these crops under clean and sustainable environment. Through this book an international group of leading wheat and barley researchers unveil the emerging concepts and issues related to biotic stresses and resource management and offers latest glimpses of technological needs and resource optimization in wheat and barley production system. Also, key topics such as frontier mechanization technologies, improved precision farming techniques, pluralistic extension and policy interventions for enhancing the resource efficiency and livelihood security of the farmers are explored here. This book is of interest to teachers, researchers, molecular breeders, cereal biochemists and biotechnologists, policymakers and professionals working in the area of wheat and barley research, food and cereal industry. Also, the book serves as an additional reading material for undergraduate and graduate students of agriculture and food sciences. National and international agricultural scientists, policy makers will also find this book to be a useful read. Volume 1 of New Horizons in Wheat and Barley Research covers global trends, breeding and quality enhancement.

Human population is escalating at an enormous pace and is estimated to reach 9.7 billion by 2050. As a result, there will be an increase in demand for agricultural production by 60–110% between the years 2005 and 2050 at the global level; the number will be even more drastic in the developing world. Pathogens, animals, and weeds are altogether responsible for between 20 to 40 % of global agricultural productivity decrease. As such, managing disease development in plants continues to be a major strategy to ensure adequate food supply for the world. Accordingly, both the public and private sectors are moving to harness the tools and paradigms that promise resistance against pests and diseases. While the next generation of disease resistance research is progressing, maximum disease resistance traits are expected to be polygenic in nature and controlled by selective genes positioned at putative quantitative trait loci (QTLs). It has also been realized that sources of resistance are generally found in wild relatives or cultivars of lesser agronomic significance. However, introgression of disease resistance traits into commercial crop varieties typically involves many generations of backcrossing to transmit a promising genotype. Molecular marker-assisted breeding (MAB) has been found to facilitate the pre-selection of traits even prior to their expression. To date, researchers have utilized disease resistance genes (R-genes) in different crops including cereals, pulses, and oilseeds and other economically important plants, to improve productivity. Interestingly, comparison of different R genes that empower plants to resist an array of pathogens has led to the realization that the proteins encoded by these genes have numerous features in common. The above observation therefore suggests that plants may have co-evolved signal transduction pathways to adopt resistance against a wide range of divergent pathogens. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms necessary for pathogen identification and a thorough dissection of the cellular responses to biotic stresses will certainly open new vistas for sustainable crop disease management. This book summarizes the recent advances in molecular and genetic techniques that have been successfully applied to impart disease resistance for plants and crops. It integrates the contributions from plant scientists targeting disease resistance mechanisms using molecular, genetic, and genomic approaches. This collection therefore serves as a reference source for scientists, academicians and post graduate students interested in or are actively engaged in dissecting disease resistance in plants using advanced genetic tools.