Evolution of Crop Plants [Hardcover]

J. Smartt (Editor), N. W. Simmonds (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0470233729 | ISBN-13: 978-0470233726 | Publication Date: June 1995 | Edition: 2

The second edition of this classic volume provides comprehensive coverage of over one hundred of the world’s major economically significant crop plants and their wild ancestors. The crops featured range from cereals to tropical staples, beans and pulses, vegetables, fruits, cash crops, oil crops and spices. Information on crop evolution is vital in the current effort to understand and conserve biodiversity, and provides a basis for the improvement of plant species. For each crop, the book includes a detailed examination of:

• cytotaxonomic background
• early history — evolution and domestication
• recent history — modern cultivars
• future prospects — for markets, production systems and crop improvement

This new edition takes into account the rapid advances made in this field with the advent of new molecular techniques and our ever growing understanding of genetics. Evolution of Crop Plants is an excellent resource for plant breeders and biotechnologists, seed producers, plant pathologists and researchers in agriculture, crop evolution and conservation.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

The second edition of this classic volume provides comprehensive coverage of over one hundred of the world's major economically significant crop plants and their wild ancestors. The crops featured range from cereals to tropical --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Dr. Joseph Smartt is Reader in Biology, University of Southampton, UK. Professor Norman Simmonds is Emeritus Professor at the School of Agriculture, University of Edinburgh, UK.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 531 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 2 edition (June 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470233729
• ISBN-13: 978-0470233726
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.7 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,292,817 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars very useful survey at a hefty price, July 27, 2000

By 

Jay H. Jones (Los Angeles area) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Evolution of Crop Plants (Hardcover)

The information contained in this book is very useful. Most of the important crop plants are included. It will serve well as a source for the ethnobotany course I teach as well as for researchers in fields as diverse as agriculture and archeology.