Biotechnology of Orchids. 2008. 36 col. pls. 78 b/w figs. IX, 357 p. gr8vo. Hardcover.

Contents: Preface/ Introduction/ Orchids and floriculture/Mycorrhizal association in orchids/ Introduction to biotechnology/Genetically engineered and modified plants/ Transgenesis/ Application of biotechnology in horticulture/ Cell and protoplast culture and somatic hybridization. 9. Biotransformation of orchids/ Protoplast isolation, fusion and culture in orchids/ Cytological techniques/ Microprogation of orchids/ Protocols for the In vitro propagation of some orchid hybrids./ Endangered orchids of Western Ghats/ References/ Index. -This book attempts to assimilate all the necessary information regarding orchids and plant biotechnology. About 650 research papers and books have been referred to and cited in the bookand the protocols developed for more than 260 orchid cultivars are reviewed. History, uniqueness, habit, habitat, orchid seeds and their germination, distribution, evolutionary status,hybridization, registration of hybrids, taxonomy, methods of cultivation and orchid - mycorrhizal association are discussed to the extent necessary for a scientist. The status of world floriculture industry and India's position is also explained.History, prospects, potential and techniques of biotechnologyare discussed in detail. Since the present trend in plant biotechnology is to produce genetically modified plants by trangenesis, importance has been give to the techniques related to this process. Methods of transgenesis, transgeniccrops, and the related controversies are treated in separate chapters. Different methods by which foreign genes can be introduced into an organism are described with specific examples. These techniques are discussed for plant systems in general and also for orchids in particular. Etc.