This book examines the development of innovative modern methodologies towards augmenting conventional plant breeding, in individual crops, for the production of new crop varieties under the increasingly limiting environmental and cultivation factors to achieve sustainable agricultural production, enhanced food security, in addition to providing raw materials for innovative industrial products and pharmaceuticals. This Volume 8, subtitled Vegetable Crops: Bulbs, Roots and Tubers, consists of 12 chapters focusing on advances in breeding strategies using both traditional and modern approaches for the improvement of individual vegetable crops. Chapters are arranged in 3 parts according to the edible vegetable parts. Part I: Bulbs - Garlic (Allium sativum L.), Leek (Allium ampeloprasum L.) and Shallot (Allium cepa L. Aggregatum group); Part II: Roots - Beetroot (Beta vulgaris ssp. vulgaris var. conditiva Alefeld), Carrot (Daucus carota L.), Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa L.), Radish (Raphanus sativus L.), Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris ssp. vulgaris L.) and Turnip (Brassica rapa var. rapa L.), Part III: Tubers - Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and Sweet potato (Ipomea batatas L.). The chapters were contributed by 38 internationally reputable scientists from 13 countries. Each chapter comprehensively reviews the modern literature on the subject and reflects the authors own experience.

Prof. Jameel M. Al-Khayri is a Professor of plant biotechnology affiliated with the Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia. He received B.S. in Biology in 1984 from the University of Toledo, M.S. in Agronomy in 1988, and Ph.D. in Plant Science in 1991 from the University of Arkansas. Prof. Shri Mohan Jain is a Consultant and Plant Biotechnologist, Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; received M. Phil, 1973 and Ph.D., 1978, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India. Prof. Dennis V. Johnson is a Consultant and Former University Professor. He is a graduate of the University of California Los Angeles where he completed his B.A. (1966), M.A. (1970) and Ph.D. (1972) degrees in geography, with specialization in agriculture and biogeography.