Bøker av Atul Bhargava

Amaranthus: Origins to Optimization is the first comprehensive work on this important ancient crop, tracing Amaranthus from its origin to up-to-date information. It has been cultivated for centuries in Asia and the Americas as an important food and medicinal crop. From a position of prominence in the Maya and Aztec civilizations, to relegation in the Middle Ages, and resurgence in modern times, this crop has seen great transformation in usage across continents. Amaranthus is nutritionally important due to the high protein content in the seeds and the abundance of essential amino acids, vitamins, carbohydrates, minerals and natural antioxidants.The highly proteinaceous grain and leaf of Amaranthus can help to make diets more balanced in many parts of the world and can play an important role in combating 'silent hunger' among several populations who have little access to protein-rich diet. The seed, flour, leaf and oil of the plant are in great demand by pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food and beverage industries.

Plant breeding has played a significant role in the development of human civilizations. Conventional plant breeding has significantly improved crop yield by genetically manipulating agronomically important traits. However, it has often been criticized for ignoring indigenous germplasm, failing to address the needs of the marginal and the poor farmers, and emphasizing selection for broad instead of local adaptation. Participatory plant breeding (PPB) is the process by which the producers and other stakeholders are actively involved in a plant-breeding programme, with opportunities to make decisions throughout. The Working Group on Participatory Plant Breeding (PPBwg) was established in 1996 under the framework of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). Research in PPB can promote informed participation and trust in research among consumers and producers, and in recent years, PPB has had a significant impact on food production by quickly and cost-effectively producing improved crop varieties. At the same time, there has been significant research in the area. PPB offers significant advantages that are particularly relevant to developing countries where large investments in plant breeding have not led to increased production, especially in the marginal environments. In addition to the economic benefits, participatory research has a number of psychological, moral, and ethical benefits, which are the consequence of a progressive empowerment of the farming communities. PPB can empower groups such as women or less well-off farmers that are traditionally left out of the development process.This book explores the potential of PPB in the coming decades. The topic is more relevant since international breeding efforts for major crops are aimed at decentralizing local breeding methods to better incorporate the perspective of end users into the varietal development process. The first book incorporating the upcoming research on this novel breeding approach, it reviews the important tools and applications of PPB in an easy-to-read, succinct format, with illustrations to clarify these complex topics. It provides readers with a basic idea of participatory plant breeding as well as advances in the field and insights into the future to facilitate the successful integration of farmers into breeding programmes.This book is a valuable reference resource for agriculturists, agricultural advisers, policy makers, NGOs, post-doctoral students and scientists in agriculture, horticulture, forestry and botany.