Recently, the expansion of genomic sequencing and genome editing are enabling progress directly in crops themselves. This is key since, while it is highly tractable, Arabidopsis thaliana is a model dicot, and so it will always be important to assess how relevant it is to crop plants. Nevertheless,...

In this chapter the characteristics of the main protein sources included in rabbit diets, protein digestion in young rabbits, nitrogen metabolism in the caecum of rabbits, soft faeces and its relation to protein digestibility, amino acid balance, and faecal digestibility in rabbits are discussed.

This chapter initially considers the definition and structure of the different classes of fibre and of cell wall constituents, followed by a description of some analytical methods employed for animal or human feeds. Second, the effects of fibre on rabbit digestion are described.

This chapter suggests that there is a contradiction between the need for diet diversity and crop uniformity, which is the main feature of industrial agriculture, and that there is also a contradiction between crop uniformity and the need to adapt crops to both short- and long-term climate change...

This chapter provides an insight into the economically important nematode pests of cereal grains other than rice, such as maize, wheat, barley, sorghum, millet, oat and rye. It details the distribution, biology and life cycle, damage potential and economic importance of major nematode pests. Viable ...

In some salty areas of South America, and especially in central Argentina, high levels of sodium sulfate (Na₂SO₄) are found together with sodium chloride (NaCl). Plant species show differences in their susceptibility to growth in the presence of these salts. Some studies showed that Na₂SO₄ may...

Feather cover of chickens can be influenced by many factors, including direct or indirect nutritional factors. Direct dietary factor effects are levels of protein/amino acids, vitamins, minerals and mycotoxins. Indirect nutritional factors will impact feather cover through their effects on feather...

Soil acidity limits agricultural production globally. Acid soils pose many stresses to plants but the major factor affecting plant growth is soluble aluminium, with Al³⁺ being the most toxic form. Al³⁺ damages root cells at sites in the apoplast and in the cytosol, and these rapidly inhibit root...

This chapter discusses recent work conducted to assess the potential of double-stranded (ds)RNA targeting essential fungal ergosterol biosynthesis genes to control the infection of barley by the necrotrophic pathogenic fungus Fusarium graminearum. Regardless of how dsRNA is applied - by transgene...