Despite all the impressive advances in molecular genetics, crop development and food production still rely heavily on the essentially traditional skills of plant breeding. This volume, fourth in a series devoted to germplasm resources, concentrates on the annual oilseed crops of the world, i.e. excluding the perennial tree oil crops.

Following an introductory chapter, which could have been improved by including a short introduction to oil biosynthesis and nomenclature, the book continues with chapters devoted to each of the oil crops from soya through to safflower and sesame. The standard of editing is high and each of the chapters conforms to a common pattern – botany of the crop, production areas and usage, germplasm resources and breeding technology, and finishes with a short summary of future direction and prospects. Taxonomic relationships are particularly well covered and each chapter finishes with an excellent reference collection. Unfortunately there is little coverage of the application of genetic engineering- particularly in the cases of cotton and canola where this technology is having a major impact.

This book is well written and considering the subject surprisingly readable. Anyone with an interest in oil crops and their development will find something useful here: students will find an informative introduction while practising plant breeders and commercial producers will find a single source of much valuable information.