Chapters authored
Harnessing Technologies for Vegetable Cultivation: A Panacea for Food and Nutrition Insecurity in Ghana
Vegetable plays a key role in food and nutrition security in Ghana as the country’s food system shifts from food quantity to diet quality and health benefits. This chapter looks at the role vegetables play in the diets of humans in ensuring food and nutrition security. Traditional locally available underutilized vegetable crops as well as exotic vegetable crops could be utilized to improve nutrition and health. One of the strategies for promoting vegetable production is the development and adoption of innovative and modern technologies to address major challenges impeding the advancement of vegetable production in Ghana. These challenges include lack of improved varieties, nonfunctional seed systems, poor infrastructure for storage and processing, uncontrolled use of agrochemicals, etc. Genetic manipulation, soil and water management as well as integrated pest and disease management have been harnessed with significant achievement to boost vegetable production. Other emerging, including nursery management, controlled environment (such as a greenhouse), grafting, post-harvest handling, digital marketing, information and extension services can also be promoted. Greenhouse production increases vegetable crop quality and productivity, which results in higher economic returns. Finally, the chapter highlights the enormous prospects and contributions of vegetable production towards reducing rural poverty and unemployment.
Part of the book: Vegetable Crops
Mutagenesis Application in Plant Improvement: Advancements and Its Future
Agricultural plant genetic resources are constantly going into extinction having negative implications for plant genetic banks. Hence, there is a need to generate variations. Stimulated mutagenesis offers an efficient tool to generate genetic variation and explore the function of genes. It also facilitates the identification of genes and their roles in traits of economic interest to breeders, farmers and consumers. Thus, transforming the agro-based industries in overcoming obstacles (poor yield, lodging, shattering, pests and disease infestations). Exploring alternatives to integrate farmers’ and consumers’ desirable traits into their preferred cultivars has led to major advancements in mutation breeding. The chapter provides a comprehensive update on induced mutagenesis approaches, increasing efficiency of targeted mutagenesis and identification of novel traits in mutated populations. Furthermore, it reveals the efforts of ten countries that are leading the development of varieties via mutation across the globe and the most prioritised crops that have received critical attention in mutation breeding. Moreover, it seeks to bring to light the current approaches used in facilitating mutation breeding. It details the current progress made in improving plants with evidence relating to generating genetic resources, biotic and abiotic stresses, nutritional, and quality improvement whiles providing future directions for mutation breeding.
Part of the book: Genetically Modified Organisms [Working title]