Basic scientific research in recent years has provided a better understanding of plant regeneration, genetics, growth and development. This has led to the development of technologies which can significantly improve ornamental species. This book reviews recent advances in the biotechnology of ornamentals.

Part 1: Supporting Technologies 1: The Commercialization of Biotechnology, K L Giles, Department of Horticulture Science, University of Saskatchewan, Canada and M McLaughlin, Ag-West Biotech, Saskatoon, Canada 2: Somatic Embryogenesis in Ornamentals, S A Merkle, Daniel B Warnell School of Forest Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, USA 3: Axillary Shoot Proliferation, J E Preece, Department of Plant and Soil Science, Southern Illinois University, USA 4: Adventitious Shoot Regeneration, R R Tripepi, Plant Science Division, University of Idaho, USA 5: Approaches to Understanding Maturation or Phase Change, W P Hackett and J R Murray, Department of Horticultural Science, University of Minnesota, USA Part 2: Genetics 6: Transformation Protocols for Ornamental Plants, S C Deroles, M R Boase and I Konczak, New Zealand Institute for Crop & Food Research Ltd, New Zealand 7: Reproductive Barriers in Flowering Plants, N Nass, A E Clarke and E Newbiggin, Plant Cell Biology Research Centre, School of Botany, University of Melbourne, Australia 8: Genome Mapping, R Whetten, Department of Forestry, North Carolina State University, USA 9: Cultivar Identification Using Molecular Methods, S Rajapakse, and R E Ballard, Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, USA 10: Somaclonal Variation, H Bouman and G de Klerk, Centre for Plant Tissue Culture Research, The Netherlands 11: T-DNA Insertion Mutagenesis for Improvement of Ornamentals, M A Jenks and K A Feldmann, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, USA Part 3: Plant Growth and Development 12: Biotechnological Approaches to Modifying Plant Form, B H McCown, Department of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA 13: Molecular Events Associated with Floral Evocation, B R Jordan, New Zealand Institute for Crop & Food Research Ltd, New Zealand and R G Anthony, Department of Biochemistry, Royal Holloway College, University of London, UK 14: Manipulation of Flower Shape, A R Van der Krol and O Vorst, Department of Plant Physiology, Agricultural University Wageningen, The Netherlands 15: Flower Colour, K M Davies and K E Schwinn, New Zealand Institute for Crop & Food Research Ltd. Part 4: Abiotic and Biotic Stress 16: Prospects for the Improvement of Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses Using Recombinant DNA Approaches, C L Guy, Department of Environmental Horticulture,University of Florida, USA 17: Engineering for Bacterial and Fungal Disease Resistance, H J M Löffler and D E A Florak, DLO Centre for Plant Breeding and Reproduction Research, The Netherlands 18: Biotechnological Approaches for Virus resistance in Floral Crops, M E Daub, R K Jones and J W Moyer, Department of Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, USA 19: Biotechnological Approaches to Study and Improve Insect Resistance of Woody Plants, NB Klopfenstein, USDA Forest Service, National Agroforestry Centre, University of Nebraska, USA and ER Hart, Dept. of Entomology and Forestry, Iowa State University, USA 20: Genetic Engineering of Horticultural and Forestry Crops for Herbicide Tolerance, D E Riemenschneider, Forestry Sciences Laboratory, Wisconsin, USA