Biotechnology Applications in Forestry: Forest Microbiology, Volume Four in the Forest Microbiology series, is a comprehensive exploration of harnessing the unique attributes of the microbes in the forest biome and their tree hosts. The book introduces the basics of genomics, applied bioinformatics and next generation sequencing, providing a firm foundation before moving to specific approach, application and use chapters. Further sections explore opportunities through the use of genetics to expand or improve on many of these positive attributes of forest trees and associated organisms, including adaptation to climate change as well as resilience to biotic and abiotic stressors. Novel techniques and current advances in the application of modern biotechniques in tree health protection, mushroom technology, biological control, biochar, bioenergy, Isolate & strain selection, metabolic engineering and commercial application relevant for forest ecosystem are also addressed.
Table of Contents
Section A. Basis of Biotechnology1. Historical background on Biotechnology
2. Introduction to Genomics
3. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS): principles and technical considerations
4. Introductory applied bioinformatics
5. Phylogenetics: Molecular phylogeny & Evolution
Section B: Biocontrol
6. Fungi in the biocontrol of forest insect pests
7. Bacteria in the biocontrol of forest insect pests
8. Microbial control of weeds and invasive plant species
9. Use of phages for the control of bacteria diseases of trees
10. Production; manufacture and regulatory consideration for registration of biocontrol agents
Section C: Biofertilizers & Soil fertility
11. Nitrogen-fixing organisms
12. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
13. Biochar in forestry
Section D: Bioremediation
14. Fungi as bioremediation agents
15. Bacteria as bioremediation agents
16. Phytoremediation
Section E: Non-wood forest products
17. Strain collections; screening of strains for potential industrial applications; strain improvement; and metabolic engineering
18. Edible mushrooms (Agaricus; Pleurotus; Shiitake; Chanterella etc.)
19. Medicinal fungi
20. Natural products and secondary metabolites from forest fungi: mining Fungal biodiversity from genomes to compounds
Section F: Industrial forest biotechnology
21. Biopulping; biobleaching; deinking
22. Bioenergy & Biofuel (first; second and third generations)
23. Effluent pretreatment and control of microbial fouling
24. Wood preservation
Section G: Tree biotechnology
25. Global distribution of forest biotechnology activities
26. Tree population genomics
27. Genetically modified trees (concept; principles and applications)
28. Ethical and environmental implications of GM-trees: Impact of GM trees on Biodiversity; insect resistance; disease resistance; tolerance to environmental stress; sterility of GM trees; environmental release; regulatory framework; environmental and human health benefit of GM trees; Risk aspects of GM trees to human health and biodiversity
29. Regulatory considerations for the release of GM organisms
30. Epigenetic regulation in trees: impact on adaptation to biotic and abiotic stressors
31. Tree priming
32. Artificial intelligence and Machine learning in Forest and tree health protection
