There are few more emotive, or important, crops in the world than rice ¿ the staple food for a huge proportion of the world¿s population. This volume presents the latest results of research in crop improvement as well as in molecular and cellular activities in rice. It consists of 26 chapters and is divided into the following four sections: Genome-wide and genome-based research; Signal transduction and development; Evolution and ecology; Improvement of rice.