As the global climate changes, plant disease epidemiology faces important questions: Will climate change render plant diseases more harmful to man-made ecosystems, or less? Can sustainable systems be developed in time to spare and enhance shrinking resources? How will changes in host plant diversity affect genetic disease resistance? This book provides an overview of current research in plant disease epidemiology from researchers at the cutting edge of this important discipline.

Emerging and Reemerging Viral Pathogens: Applied Virology Approaches Related to Human, Animal and Environmental Pathogens, Volume Two presents new research information on viruses and their impact on the scientific community. It provides a reference book on certain viruses in humans, animals and vegetal, along with a comprehensive discussion on interspecies interactions. The book then looks at the drug, vaccine and bioinformatical strategies that can be used against these viruses, giving the reader a clear understanding of transmission. The book's end goal is to create awareness that the appearance of newly transmissible pathogens is a global risk that requires shared/adoptable policies for prevention and control. - Covers most emerging viral disease in humans, animals and plants - Provides the most advanced tools and techniques in molecular virology and the modeling of viruses - Creates awareness that the appearance of new transmissible pathogens is a global risk - Highlights the need to adopt shared policies for the prevention and control of infectious diseases

The numerous developments in wireless communications and artificial intelligence (AI) have recently transformed the Internet of Things (IoT) networks to a level of connectivity and intelligence beyond any prior design. This topology is sharply exemplified in mobile edge computing, smart cities, smart homes, smart grids, and the IoT, among many other intelligent applications. Intelligent networks are founded on integrating caching and multi-agent systems that optimize data storage and the entire device’s learning process. However, a central node through which all agents transmit status messages and reward information is a major drawback of this design pattern. This central node condition instigates more communication overhead, potential data leakage, and the birth of data islands. To reverse this trend, using distributed optimization techniques and methodologies in cache-enabled multi-agent learning environments is increasingly beneficial. Advancing Intelligent Networks Through Distributed Optimization explains the current race for sophisticated and accurate distributed optimization in cache-enabled intelligent IoT networks given the need to make multi-agent learning converge faster and reduce communication overhead. These techniques will require innovative resource allocation strategies stretching from system training to caching, communication, and processing amongst millions of agents. This book combines the key recent research in these races into a single binder that can serve all the interested theoretical and practical scholars. The book focuses broadly on intelligent systems’ optimization trends. It identifies the various applications of advanced distributed optimization from manufacturing to medicine, agriculture and smart cities.

Never before has a holistic approach to sustainable agriculture and plant physiology been presented in one source. This book compiles a multi-authored and international perspective on the ways in which crop physiology could be integrated with other disciplines. With a focus on genetic improvement and agronomy, this book addresses the challenges of environmentally sound production of bulk and quality food, fodder, fiber and energy, which are of ongoing international concern. - Provides a view of crop physiology as an active source of methods, theories, ideas and tools for application in genetic improvement and agronomy - Written by leading scientists from around the world with publication records of demonstrable influence and impact - Combines environment-specific cropping systems and general principles of crop science to appeal to advanced students and scientists in agriculture-related disciplines, from molecular sciences to natural resources management

In the past 15-20 years major discoveries have been concluded on potato biology and biotechnology. Important new tools have been developed in the area of molecular genetics, and our understanding of potato physiology has been revolutionized due to amenability of the potato to genetic transformation. This technology has impacted our understanding of the molecular basis of plant-pathogen interaction and has also opened new opportunities for the use of the potato in a variety of non-food biotechnological purposes. This book covers the potato world market as it expands further into the new millennium. Authors stress the overriding need for stable yields to eliminate human hunger and poverty, while considering solutions to enhance global production and distribution. It comprehensively describes genetics and genetic resources, plant growth and development, response to the environment, tuber quality, pests and diseases, biotechnology and crop management. Potato Biology is the most valuable reference available for all professionals involved in the potato industry, plant biologists and agronomists. - Offers an understanding of the social, economic and market factors that influence production and distribution - Discusses developments and useful traits in transgenic biology and genetic engineering - The first reference entirely devoted to understanding new advances in potato biology and biotechnology

Of the global population of more than 7 billion people, some 800 million do not have enough to eat today. By 2050, the population is expected to exceed 9 billion. It has been estimated that some 15% of food production is lost to plant diseases; in developing countries losses may be much higher. Historically, plant diseases have had catastrophic impact on food production. For example: potato blight caused the Irish famine in 1845; brown spot of rice caused the Great Bengal Famine of 1943; southern corn leaf blight caused a devastating epidemic on the US corn crop in 1970. Food security is threatened by an ongoing sequence of plant diseases, some persistent for decades or centuries, others more opportunistic. Wheat blast and banana xanthomonas wilt are two contrasting examples of many that currently threaten food production. Other emerging diseases will follow. The proposed title aims to provide a synthesis of expert knowledge to address this central challenge to food security for the 21st century. Chapters [5] and [11] are available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

Climate Change and Mycotoxins highlights the importance of the continuous study of climate change impacts on mycotoxigenic fungi and their toxins in food and feed crops. Changing climate conditions across every geographical zone greatly affect rainfall, temperature and concentration of greenhouse gases leading to loss in yield and quality of food crops. In outstanding contributions, the authors compile current evidence on the influence of climate change on mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins in food crops pre- and postharvest and during storage of food and animal feed. The chemistry and biology of toxin production is revised and an outlook on control and prevention of the toxin's impact on food and animal feed is given. The editors recommend this book to mycologists, mycotoxicologists, pathologists, epidemiologists, toxicologists, physicians, veterinarians, nutritionists, the food and feed industries, legislators, analytical chemists, microbiologists, or students of these fields. • Unique compilation on the impact of climate change on mycotoxins based on observed trends over the last 10 years. • Special focus on the implications for food and feed safety. • Latest advances on prediction and prevention of mycotoxin threats to human and animal health. About the Editors Luis M. Botana Is a full Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Santiago, from 2004-2012 director of the Department of Pharmacology and former Fogarty Fellow at the School of Medicine of the Johns Hopkins University. He has been director of the European Reference Laboratory for Marine Toxins from 2004 to 2009. He is author of 25 international patents, over 300 scientific papers and editor of 10 international books. María J. Sainz Is an associate Professor of Agriculture and Forage Production and Conservation at the University of Santiago de Compostela. She has been a visiting scientist at the Rothamsted Experimental Station and for ten years head of the department of Plant Production. Her research interests focus on fungal pathogen detection and diagnostics, mycorrhizal fungi in crop protection and production, and mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins on forage crops and animal feed.

The pace of climate change has recently been accelerating, and on the other side researhers have grown increasingly concerned about the climate change and many research studies are carried out on the effects of its on many issues. What an important time to write a book addressing the impact of global climate change on so many different sectors at a time like this. That’s why, the purpose of this book is to emphasize the effects of climate change on different issues and also to address its great challenges on agriculture, enviroment, food safety and nutrition, health and to give potential solutions for the climate related problems.