Germplasm Resources and Breeding of Agave II
A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Genetic Resources".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 June 2023) | Viewed by 1289
Special Issue Editor
Interests: genetics and molecular biology of fructan metabolism and reproductive transition in Agave species
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Agave species have been exploited in Central and North America as sources of food, fiber, medicinal compounds, and construction materials since the pre-Columbian era. Cam metabolism, particular anatomical traits and fructan metabolism, have converged in agaves, making them uniquely adapted to thrive under hot, arid conditions. Most agave species (>70%) are found in Mexico, where 119 of a total of 210 species are endemic. However, agave germplasm can now be found worldwide either growing wild, being cultivated for fiber or for the production of spirits, or, more recently, being developed as a source of bioenergy. Long life cycles and the perennial monocarpic mode of reproduction have hampered both breeding and the possibility for the detailed genetic analysis of agave species. However, transcriptome-based studies are now enabling the molecular genetic analysis of important characteristics of agave species, such as CAM, fructan and lignin metabolisms, reproductive strategies, and stress tolerance, with a view to improve agave germplasm for commercial production and to incorporate these adaptations into other crop species. The aim of this Special Issue of Plants is to gather information concerning germplasm resources in relation to transcriptome, metabolome, and individual gene studies; classical taxonomy and diversity studies; cultivars exploited for commercial applications; breeding; and methods and applications of in vitro propagation.
Prof. Dr. June Simpson
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- agave species
- taxonomy
- adaptive traits
- germplasm improvement
- commercial applications
- in vitro culture
- omics-based data analysis
