Report resulting from the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC)/International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) collaborative program.

This book focuses on early germination, one of maize germplasm most important strategies for adapting to drought-induced stress. Some genotypes have the ability to adapt by either reducing water losses or by increasing water uptake. Drought tolerance is also an adaptive strategy that enables crop plants to maintain their normal physiological processes and deliver higher economical yield despite drought stress. Several processes are involved in conferring drought tolerance in maize: the accumulation of osmolytes or antioxidants, plant growth regulators, stress proteins and water channel proteins, transcription factors and signal transduction pathways. Drought is one of the most detrimental forms of abiotic stress around the world and seriously limits the productivity of agricultural crops. Maize, one of the leading cereal crops in the world, is sensitive to drought stress. Maize harvests are affected by drought stress at different growth stages in different regions. Numerous events in the life of maize crops can be affected by drought stress: germination potential, seedling growth, seedling stand establishment, overall growth and development, pollen and silk development, anthesis silking interval, pollination, and embryo, endosperm and kernel development. Though every maize genotype has the ability to avoid or withstand drought stress, there is a concrete need to improve the level of adaptability to drought stress to address the global issue of food security. The most common biological strategies for improving drought stress resistance include screening available maize germplasm for drought tolerance, conventional breeding strategies, and marker-assisted and genomic-assisted breeding and development of transgenic maize. As a comprehensive understanding of the effects of drought stress, adaptive strategies and potential breeding tools is the prerequisite for any sound breeding plan, this brief addresses these aspects.

This book uates its readers about the methods and management of livestock during disasters. The book has covered all mad made and natural disasters and their effect on livestock and how they can be managed better for longer survival and help to the humans. Topics on how animals can sense a disaster in advance and what are the common indications given by them and how humans can benefit from it. Book elucidates the management of feeding, feed resources, production and health so as to make the livestock production economical. It is hoped that the compilation will prove useful for the researchers, planners and policy makers to understand the causes for the loss of productivity and health of livestock in drier regions and help in devising management plans towards sustenance and improvement of production.

Manipulation of Flowering presents the edited proceedings of the 45th University of Nottingham Easter School in Agricultural Science held at Sutton Bonington in England on April 7-10, 1986. This book is organized into eight sections. The first main section examines the measurement and prediction of flowering and analyzes how best to measure flowering when the aim is either to assist physiological interpretations or construct predictive models. The following sections explore juvenility, the nature of determination in meristems, vernalization, photoperiodic induction and flower evocation, and initiation and development to anthesis. Each of the main sections provides an analysis of the flowering problems and a critical view of how to achieve a better understanding and use of the physiology of flowering. This book will be of interest to crop researchers, plant physiologists, geneticists, and others interested in understanding flowering manipulation.

Maize is one of the versatile emerging crops with wider adaptability under varied agro-climatic conditions. Globally, maize is known as queen of cereals because it has the highest genetic yield potential among the cereals. It is cultivated on nearly 150 m/ha in about 160 countries having wider diversity of soil, climate, biodiversity and management practices that contributes 36 % (782 m/t) in the global grain production. The United States of America (USA) is the largest producer of maize contributes nearly 35 % of the total production in the world. It is the driver of the US economy. This book talks about the improvement, production, protection and post harvest technology of the maize crop. Note: T& F does not sell or distribute the Hardback in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Humanity has made enormous progress in the past 50 years toward eliminating hunger and malnutrition. Some five billion people--more than 80 percent of the world's population--have enough food to live healthy, productive lives. Agricultural development has contributed significantly to these gains, while also fostering economic growth and poverty reduction in some of the world's poorest countries.

Malnutrition and protein quality. Maize. Nutritionally improved maize. The promise of QPM. Limitations and uncertainties. Food and feed uses. Genetics. Experiences around the world. Research needs. QPM's future in the United States. Suggested readings. Research contacts. Biographical sketches of panel members.