This proceedings is a collection of 46 selected papers that were presented at the 12th
International Wheat Genetics Symposium (IWGS). Since the launch of the wheat genome sequencing
project in 2005 the arrival of draft genome sequences has marked a new era in wheat genetics
and genomics catalyzing rapid advancement in the field. This book provides a comprehensive
review of the forefront of wheat research across various important topics such as germplasm
and genetic diversity cytogenetics and allopolyploid evolution genome sequencing structural
and functional genomics gene function and molecular biology biotic stress abiotic stress
grain quality and classical and molecular breeding. Following an introduction 9 parts of the
book are dedicated to each of these topics. A final 11th part entitled Toward Sustainable
Wheat Production contains 7 excellent papers that were presented in the 12th IWGS Special
Session supported by the OECD. With rapid population growth and radical climate changes the
world faces a global food crisis and is in need of another Green Revolution to boost yields of
wheat and other widely grown staple crops. Although this book focuses on wheat many of the
newly developed techniques and results presented here can be applied to other plant species
with large and complex genomes. As such this volume is highly recommended for all students and
researchers in wheat sciences and related plant sciences and for those who are interested in
stable food production and food security.
