At a time when food security, demands on fresh water and energy costs have begun to attract public and political attention, the issue of biofuels and ambitious targets set by governments for meeting national energy needs have stimulated widespread research and commercial opportunism as well as provoking a strong back-reaction. Most biofuels at present are based on food crops, and the combination of national targets and biofuel subsidies means that it will be difficult to meet food demands by 2050.

The 15 chapters comprising this book were first published in 2009 by the Society for In Vitro Biology (In Vitro Plant), and the subsequent release of this authoritative pro-biofuel volume is fully justified, albeit expensive. Topics covered include historical perspectives, economic appraisals, food-price inflation, diverse actual and potential energy crops, international perspectives (Brazil, India and China), genetic improvement and genetic modification, integrated biorefineries for high-value co-products, and the two chapters I most enjoyed, namely plant-expressed enzymes in commercial cellulosic-ethanol production (M. B. Sainz) and biodiesel production, properties and feedstocks (B. R. Moser). There are even a few coloured illustrations scattered throughout the text.

Plant breeding is accorded its pivotal role in several chapters, and overall, there is a successful integration of commercial and academic interests. The editors and 46 contributing authors have succeeded in distilling a state-of-the-art account on biofuels. Finally, it is clear that Europe is not at the forefront of biofuels research and development, perhaps reflecting its bureaucratic approach to applied research and regressive attitudes to modern agriculture.