Use of Agriculturally Important Genes in Biotechnology

During the 45 years of communist regimes in Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, agriculture was centrally directed without regard of quality factors and market needs, and was heavily subsidized. Democratization of the countries and adoption of market driven economies, including agriculture, created conditions that require new thinking and approaches to find market areas that will fill the needs of each country, and provide produce that is not redundant for the Common Market. The aim of this book is to facilitate solving common agricultural problems using the tools of biotechnology. The book addresses five themes: Plant Transformations, Plant Genomics, Breeding Plants for Resistance and Legal Aspects of Biotechnology, including risk assessment. Some specific topics dealt with are: The way from fundamental research to start-up company, Crop improvement by transgenic technology; Strategies for improving resistance; Current procedures for applying risk assessment in genetically modified crops; Questions arising from the implementation of the Hungarian gene technology law; Public perception and legislation of Biotechnology in Poland.