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Breeding for stress tolerance in cool-season food legumes
Book Reviews/FieldCropsResearch38 (1994) 121-124
The book presentation matches the standard expected from CSIRO, with high quality printing, a useful index, and noticeable freedom from errors (although the only citation to my own work was misspelled!). This book is recommended to international readers wanting a description of technologies and issues facing pastoral farming 'down-under', which could be usefully extrapolated to their own environment. Within the Australia/New Zealand scene, the reviews may be too general and technical for 'recipe book' solutions to "the wool-growers themselves, but the challenges and issues raised are certainly relevant to the 21 st century. David J. Barker AgResearch - Grasslands Private Bag 11008 Palmerston North New Zealand
3. Breeding for Stress Tolerance Breeding for Stress Tolerance in Cool-Season Food Legumes. K.B. Singh and M.C. Saxena (Editors).
Proceedings of an International Conference held at Ravello, Italy, 10-12 September 1990. John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, UK, 1993. Hardcover, ISBN 0 471 9422 X, 474 pp. The book contains contributions by 70 specialists from 14 countries in Europe, North Africa, North America, the Indian subcontinent and West Asia. Most of the authors have a lifetime of experience in the improvement of food legumes or in related research disciplines. The contents of the book are grouped into five parts which contain a total of 28 contributions in addition to the introduction and a summary. Interested readers pressed for time may refer to the 5-page summary on the main issues presented and raised at the Conference. The opening chapter of this book provides a concise and comprehensive assessment of the relative importance of specific biotic and abiotic stresses of coolseason food legumes in the world's major production areas. Part one covers the problems and prospects of stress resistance breeding in chickpea, faba bean, lentil and pea. Papers on the first three crops present experi-
123
ences accumulated in the West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region. The paper on peas is mostly on cold tolerance work in Italy and hence has a less balanced coverage. The chickpea paper provides comprehensive and detailed information on the achievements made in various biotic and abiotic stresses, and suggests future directions for research. The paper's content goes beyond what is expected from its title, but it provides a wealth of useful and detailed information on the subject. The faba bean and lentil papers cover similar stresses but with fewer details. Part two focuses on screening for resistance to biotic stresses. This part is the cream of the book with thorough coverage of biotic stresses, particularly diseases and Orobanche spp. Stresses due to diseases represent about 80% of the contents of this section, which does not reflect the relative importance of stresses due to insect pests. However, this is a reflection of the comparative volume of work and achievements made in research on breeding resistance to diseases relative to that on insect pests. The strength of this section is in the comprehensiveness and detailed information on aspects of breeding resistance to biotic stresses. The coverage of each stress differs because of justified economic importance and/or the writing styles of the authors involved. Certain diseases, e.g., fusarium wilt and ascochyta blight of chickpea, are covered in more detail than others. Only a few biotic stresses are not sufficiently covered, e.g., root rots in faba bean. Nevertheless, all authors cite a wealth of relevant references to consult for more information and details. Limited duplication exists in coverage of certain stresses, e.g., viruses, nematodes and broomrape, under both the commodity (faba bean, lentil and pea) papers and the papers on stresses, although some of this information is complementary. Part three, entitled"Screening for Resistance to Abiotic Stresses' ', in fact emphasizes physiological aspects rather than screening/breeding aspects of cold, heat, drought and salinity. However, the first paper provides a thorough analysis of selection for cold tolerance in all four food legumes. Selection for heat tolerance is only briefly discussed because little work has been done on screening for heat tolerance even though high temperatures, to which cool-season food legumes are very sensitive particularly at the reproductive stages, contribute greatly to instability in yield. Selection for tolerance to drought and salinity are covered from a
124
Book Reviews / Field Crops Research 38 (1994) 121-124
physiologist/agronomist rather than a breeder's viewpoint; and experiences in screening/breeding are not sufficiently covered. The mechanisms for cold, heat and drought tolerance are well covered with emphasis on chickpea and pea. The approach followed was based on crop physiology in a soil-plant-climate context. The application of stress physiology to breeding is briefly discussed. The genetics of cold tolerance in peas is adequately addressed. Part four on tools for stress breeding includes the use of molecular genetics, mutagenesis and chromosome manipulation, wild species and germplasm resources. Recent preliminary concepts on molecular genetics of plant response to environmental stresses (heat, drought, cold and salinity) applicable to crop systems in general are summarized with no specific reference to cool-season food legumes. However, a comprehensive and substantiative review on mutagenesis and chromosome manipulation is well presented as an effective tool for stress resistance breeding in all four cool-season legumes. The utilization of wild relatives is thoroughly reviewed and critically discussed in a separate paper, which is highly informative on various aspects of interspecific hybridization. Another paper on germplasm resources presents briefly, without specific examples, the current status of genetic resources and their utilization for all four food legumes in general and for kabuli chickpea in particular. Part five on strategies for stress resistance breeding includes breeding for durable resistance to pathogens, multiple stress resistance, stress tolerance breeding in self- and cross-pollinated crops and disease-resistant crop cultivars. Breeding and use of durable and nondurable resistance based on host-pathogen systems are thoroughly discussed with specific examples mostly in cereals and vegetables without sufficient reference to cool-season food legumes. However, effective strategies for breeding for multiple stresses are well covered in the four legumes with specific examples particularly in chickpea. The section on breeding self- and cross-
pollinated crops for stress tolerance discusses the theory behind the standard breeding methods in general. Although both authors have long experience in the improvement and genetics of cool-season food legumes, they do not provide specific and detailed examples on successful breeding methodologies. Recommendations for breeding methodology are based on the unjustified generalization that all stresses, like yield, have low heritability. Interesting but different views are presented by the two authors on whether to breed under favorable or stressed environments. In a very short paper, pure-line breeding and multi-line breeding are recommended as the two basic and effective strategies for disease resistance in crop varieties. However, these breeding strategies are mostly effective for qualitatively inherited pathogen resistance in selfpollinated crops. Overall this book is very informative and a highly valuable reference for stress breeding in the cool-season food legumes (faba bean, chickpea, lentil and pea). Grasspea is not included, probably because of its limited acreage worldwide despite its importance in certain countries, e.g. Ethiopia. The book thoroughly covers biotic stresses, particularly diseases, and most major abiotic stresses (cold, heat, drought and salinity) but not nutrient deficiency or toxicity. It is well edited and the chapters were written by specialists with long histories of practical experience in the improvement of cool-season food legumes and/or a specific research discipline. In conclusion it is an invaluable book recommended for breeders, physiologists and agronomists, particularly those interested in cool-season food legumes.
Mahmoud B. Solh
Nile Valley Regional Program ICARDA P.O. Box 2416 Cairo, Egypt
The book presentation matches the standard expected from CSIRO, with high quality printing, a useful index, and noticeable freedom from errors (although the only citation to my own work was misspelled!). This book is recommended to international readers wanting a description of technologies and issues facing pastoral farming 'down-under', which could be usefully extrapolated to their own environment. Within the Australia/New Zealand scene, the reviews may be too general and technical for 'recipe book' solutions to "the wool-growers themselves, but the challenges and issues raised are certainly relevant to the 21 st century. David J. Barker AgResearch - Grasslands Private Bag 11008 Palmerston North New Zealand
3. Breeding for Stress Tolerance Breeding for Stress Tolerance in Cool-Season Food Legumes. K.B. Singh and M.C. Saxena (Editors).
Proceedings of an International Conference held at Ravello, Italy, 10-12 September 1990. John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, UK, 1993. Hardcover, ISBN 0 471 9422 X, 474 pp. The book contains contributions by 70 specialists from 14 countries in Europe, North Africa, North America, the Indian subcontinent and West Asia. Most of the authors have a lifetime of experience in the improvement of food legumes or in related research disciplines. The contents of the book are grouped into five parts which contain a total of 28 contributions in addition to the introduction and a summary. Interested readers pressed for time may refer to the 5-page summary on the main issues presented and raised at the Conference. The opening chapter of this book provides a concise and comprehensive assessment of the relative importance of specific biotic and abiotic stresses of coolseason food legumes in the world's major production areas. Part one covers the problems and prospects of stress resistance breeding in chickpea, faba bean, lentil and pea. Papers on the first three crops present experi-
123
ences accumulated in the West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region. The paper on peas is mostly on cold tolerance work in Italy and hence has a less balanced coverage. The chickpea paper provides comprehensive and detailed information on the achievements made in various biotic and abiotic stresses, and suggests future directions for research. The paper's content goes beyond what is expected from its title, but it provides a wealth of useful and detailed information on the subject. The faba bean and lentil papers cover similar stresses but with fewer details. Part two focuses on screening for resistance to biotic stresses. This part is the cream of the book with thorough coverage of biotic stresses, particularly diseases and Orobanche spp. Stresses due to diseases represent about 80% of the contents of this section, which does not reflect the relative importance of stresses due to insect pests. However, this is a reflection of the comparative volume of work and achievements made in research on breeding resistance to diseases relative to that on insect pests. The strength of this section is in the comprehensiveness and detailed information on aspects of breeding resistance to biotic stresses. The coverage of each stress differs because of justified economic importance and/or the writing styles of the authors involved. Certain diseases, e.g., fusarium wilt and ascochyta blight of chickpea, are covered in more detail than others. Only a few biotic stresses are not sufficiently covered, e.g., root rots in faba bean. Nevertheless, all authors cite a wealth of relevant references to consult for more information and details. Limited duplication exists in coverage of certain stresses, e.g., viruses, nematodes and broomrape, under both the commodity (faba bean, lentil and pea) papers and the papers on stresses, although some of this information is complementary. Part three, entitled"Screening for Resistance to Abiotic Stresses' ', in fact emphasizes physiological aspects rather than screening/breeding aspects of cold, heat, drought and salinity. However, the first paper provides a thorough analysis of selection for cold tolerance in all four food legumes. Selection for heat tolerance is only briefly discussed because little work has been done on screening for heat tolerance even though high temperatures, to which cool-season food legumes are very sensitive particularly at the reproductive stages, contribute greatly to instability in yield. Selection for tolerance to drought and salinity are covered from a
124
Book Reviews / Field Crops Research 38 (1994) 121-124
physiologist/agronomist rather than a breeder's viewpoint; and experiences in screening/breeding are not sufficiently covered. The mechanisms for cold, heat and drought tolerance are well covered with emphasis on chickpea and pea. The approach followed was based on crop physiology in a soil-plant-climate context. The application of stress physiology to breeding is briefly discussed. The genetics of cold tolerance in peas is adequately addressed. Part four on tools for stress breeding includes the use of molecular genetics, mutagenesis and chromosome manipulation, wild species and germplasm resources. Recent preliminary concepts on molecular genetics of plant response to environmental stresses (heat, drought, cold and salinity) applicable to crop systems in general are summarized with no specific reference to cool-season food legumes. However, a comprehensive and substantiative review on mutagenesis and chromosome manipulation is well presented as an effective tool for stress resistance breeding in all four cool-season legumes. The utilization of wild relatives is thoroughly reviewed and critically discussed in a separate paper, which is highly informative on various aspects of interspecific hybridization. Another paper on germplasm resources presents briefly, without specific examples, the current status of genetic resources and their utilization for all four food legumes in general and for kabuli chickpea in particular. Part five on strategies for stress resistance breeding includes breeding for durable resistance to pathogens, multiple stress resistance, stress tolerance breeding in self- and cross-pollinated crops and disease-resistant crop cultivars. Breeding and use of durable and nondurable resistance based on host-pathogen systems are thoroughly discussed with specific examples mostly in cereals and vegetables without sufficient reference to cool-season food legumes. However, effective strategies for breeding for multiple stresses are well covered in the four legumes with specific examples particularly in chickpea. The section on breeding self- and cross-
pollinated crops for stress tolerance discusses the theory behind the standard breeding methods in general. Although both authors have long experience in the improvement and genetics of cool-season food legumes, they do not provide specific and detailed examples on successful breeding methodologies. Recommendations for breeding methodology are based on the unjustified generalization that all stresses, like yield, have low heritability. Interesting but different views are presented by the two authors on whether to breed under favorable or stressed environments. In a very short paper, pure-line breeding and multi-line breeding are recommended as the two basic and effective strategies for disease resistance in crop varieties. However, these breeding strategies are mostly effective for qualitatively inherited pathogen resistance in selfpollinated crops. Overall this book is very informative and a highly valuable reference for stress breeding in the cool-season food legumes (faba bean, chickpea, lentil and pea). Grasspea is not included, probably because of its limited acreage worldwide despite its importance in certain countries, e.g. Ethiopia. The book thoroughly covers biotic stresses, particularly diseases, and most major abiotic stresses (cold, heat, drought and salinity) but not nutrient deficiency or toxicity. It is well edited and the chapters were written by specialists with long histories of practical experience in the improvement of cool-season food legumes and/or a specific research discipline. In conclusion it is an invaluable book recommended for breeders, physiologists and agronomists, particularly those interested in cool-season food legumes.
Mahmoud B. Solh
Nile Valley Regional Program ICARDA P.O. Box 2416 Cairo, Egypt