Advances in Plant & Microbial Biotechnology

Biotechnology refers to the use or manipulation of an organism or parts of an organism. While the early applications were certainly simpler (though still relevant), modern plant biotechnology is primarily associated with molecular biology, cloning and genetic engineering. Over the last 50 years, several key discoveries have revolutionized the biological sciences and enabled the rapid growth of the biotechnology industry.

This book gathers handpicked articles presented by national and international scientists at the International Conference on Biotechnology and Biological Sciences, BIOSPECTRUM 2017. It highlights the works of researchers and students in India and abroad on plant biotechnology and its applications in addressing various agricultural and food production-related issues.

The respective papers explore a range of advances in plant biotechnology, e.g.: the cytotoxic potential of Moringaoleifera lam; the use of the entomo-pathogenic fungi Cordyceps sp. as unique and valuable sources of bioactive compounds; and strain improvement strategies for Cordyceps sp. In addition, they discuss the use of low-cost blue green algal biofertilizer comprising four blue green algal strains in rice fields; and the use of lignocellulosic materials as potential renewable energy resources for the production of fuels.

This book will be extremely useful for researchers and students of biotechnology and plant science, providing an essential update on the latest findings and trends.

Dr. Rita Kundu is a Professor at the University of Calcutta’s Department of Botany. With a specialization in Cell Biology and Genetics, she has been engaged in cancer biology research. She has explored cell death through apoptosis /autophagy /any other way in cervical cancer cell lines using traditional medicinal plants and other organic sources (marine/ freshwater algal compounds, microbial compounds, synthetic organic compounds) to regulate cell proliferation. Currently, her main interest is in identifying metal-resistant crop (rice) varieties in southern West Bengal and studying their stress responses. She is the author of numerous papers.

Dr. Rajiv Narula received his Bachelor’s Degree in Botany from the esteemed Presidency College (now Presidency University), Calcutta. He went on to complete a Master’s in Biotechnology at GGD University, Chhattisgarh, and a PhD in Environmental Engineering at Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY. After completing his doctoral thesis on Pathogen Reduction and Recycling of Bedding Materials on Dairy Farms (May 2011), he joined the State University of New York, Canton in 2011, and is currently a member of its Environmental Science and Chemistry Department.