Economic Botany

This book offers an up-to-date account of important crops grown worldwide. It provides detailed discussion on the history of plant exploration, migration, domestication and distribution, and crop improvement. The text starts with the origin and diversification of cultivated plants, followed by discussion on tropical, subtropical and temperate crops that are sources of food, beverages, spices and medicines, as well as plant insecticides, timber plants and essential oil-yielding plants. The genetic and evolutionary aspects of different plants and their health benefits are highlighted. The book covers topics dealing with biodiversity conservation, petro-crops, ethnobotanical studies, and important sub-tropical and temperate plants that have commercial importance. The significance of major plant species under each category is described in detail. Illustrated with numerous well-labelled line diagrams and pictures, this book will be useful for students of botany, food and nutrition, forestry, agriculture, horticulture, plant breeding and environmental science.

• Discusses the breeding programs of crops such as wheat, rice, maize, sorghum, sugarcane, potato, tea and rubber
• Discusses crops that are a source of food, beverages, spices and medicines, as well as plant insecticides, timber plants and essential oil-yielding plants
• Emphasizes the health benefits of food plants with antioxidant properties
• Contains interesting, real-life pictures of plant species