Preface

Recent advances in the field of plant biotechnology succeeded in altering various metabolic pathways via gene and metabolic engineering approaches to introduce novel compound production in plants. Molecular biotechnology strategies can be used to improve plant biomass by enhancing cellulose and starch for biofuel production. Biotechnology and genetic engineering approaches are useful for the improvement of crops for biotic and abiotic stress tolerance and increased food production. As such, this book provides updates on recent developments in plant science highlighting major trends in botany, particularly in plant biotechnology, alternative energy, food industry, environment, and medicine. *Botany - Recent Advances and Applications* presents comprehensive information about current advances in plant science. It contains five chapters by eminent research scholars that cover a vast range of research on soil organic carbon sequestration of tropical grasses and their potential use as biomass energy crops to mitigate global environmental changes. The book also highlights nonedible seeds as a potential renewable source of biodiesel production to control the global energy crisis. Finally, the book discusses the importance of microRNA as a potential tool for improving agronomic traits of several economically important crop plants as well as examines the uses, methods, and advantages of recombinant DNA technology and plant biotechnology for the development of plant-based vaccines.

We are enormously grateful to our publisher IntechOpen and the authors who contributed their work to this book. We also extend our sincerest appreciation to Editor and Author Service Manager Sara Gojevic-Zrnic, who was instrumental in the preparation and publication of this volume.

> **Dr. Bimal Kumar Ghimire** Department of Crop Science, College of Sanghuh Life Science, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea
