Cytogenetics of the Festuca-Lolium Complex: Relevance to Breeding (Monographs on Theoretical and Applied Genetics, Vol 18)

Presented here are modern and classical aspects of cytogenetics as well as biotechnology in relation to improvement of the Festuca-Lolium group of grasses. Festuca and its close relative Lolium are very valuable genera of temperate agriculture. These fascinating genera contain some highly productive, nutritious, and well-adapted grasses widely used for agricultural and recreational purposes world wide. The book is organizedinto 15 chapters devoted to taxonomy and systematics; species evolution and divergence by increase in chromosome number as well as by change in DNA content; genetic control of chromosome pairing and its breeding and phylogenetic implications; B chromosomes, induced polyploidy and haploidy inrelation to varietal improvement; wide hybridization, genome relationships, and plant improvement; genomic balance in relation to hybrid fertility and hererosis breeding; biotechnology and its potential applications in plant improvement. It is of special interest to geneticists, taxonomists, evolutionists, biotechnologists, and plant breeders.