Economic Botany

This book offers an up-to-date account of important crops grown worldwide. It provides detailed discussion on the history of plant exploration migration domestication and distribution and crop improvement. The text starts with the origin and diversification of cultivated plants followed by discussion on tropical subtropical and temperate crops that are sources of food beverages spices and medicines as well as plant insecticides timber plants and essential oil-yielding plants. The genetic and evolutionary aspects of different plants and their health benefits are highlighted. The book covers topics dealing with biodiversity conservation petro-crops ethnobotanical studies and important sub-tropical and temperate plants that have commercial importance. The significance of major plant species under each category is described in detail. Illustrated with numerous well-labelled line diagrams and pictures this book will be useful for students of botany food and nutrition forestry agriculture horticulture plant breeding and environmental science.