17 books like Golden Rice

By Ed Regis,

Here are 17 books that Golden Rice fans have personally recommended if you like Golden Rice. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Agrobacterium Tumefaciens: From Plant Pathology to Biotechnology

Vitaly Citovsky Author Of Agrobacterium: From Biology to Biotechnology

From my list on understand GMO plants and they are not scary.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a child, I spent all my summers in a rural environment outside the metropolitan area. This "immersion" in nature shaped my interests and hobbies, centering them on different aspects of watching and understanding life. Expectedly therefore, my formal education also focused on biology, biochemistry, and cell biology. Being a scientist is not just a profession; it is a calling, a profession, and a hobby. Biology books—strictly dry and professional and more engaging and emotional—represent an inherent aspect of a scientist's life and place his/her research in a wide context of human society. This list includes several such books which I would like to share with you.

Vitaly's book list on understand GMO plants and they are not scary

Vitaly Citovsky Why did Vitaly love this book?

Many years ago, I became fascinated with the genetic modification of plants. Since then, I have enjoyed sharing this personal fascination with biology students and anyone who has pondered how GMO plants are made and whether they pose inherent risks to their users.

This specific book comes, so to speak, "from the horse's mouth" from the researchers who stood at the beginning of the advent of Agrobacterium, a natural genetic engineer, as a molecular machine to produce transgenic plants.

By Eugene Nester (editor), Milton P. Gordon (editor), Allen Kerr (editor)

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Agrobacterium Tumefaciens as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This anthology traces the fascinating progress from plant pathology to biotechnology through 38 scientific papers on Agrobacterium, published over the past century. Included are the seminal scientific papers on the biology and application of Agrobacterium with introductory commentaries mostly by those involved in the original work. The commentaries give background to the papers and explain the problems faced and the techniques used, providing insight into the way fundamental research progresses.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens: From Plant Pathology to Biotechnology is divided into five sections. The first section begins with 1904 when Erwin F. Smith began detailed work on crown gall and considered…


Book cover of Biotechnology for Beginners

Vitaly Citovsky Author Of Agrobacterium: From Biology to Biotechnology

From my list on understand GMO plants and they are not scary.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a child, I spent all my summers in a rural environment outside the metropolitan area. This "immersion" in nature shaped my interests and hobbies, centering them on different aspects of watching and understanding life. Expectedly therefore, my formal education also focused on biology, biochemistry, and cell biology. Being a scientist is not just a profession; it is a calling, a profession, and a hobby. Biology books—strictly dry and professional and more engaging and emotional—represent an inherent aspect of a scientist's life and place his/her research in a wide context of human society. This list includes several such books which I would like to share with you.

Vitaly's book list on understand GMO plants and they are not scary

Vitaly Citovsky Why did Vitaly love this book?

This book expands my initial interest in GMO plants to other, very diverse fields of biotechnology. I find it useful and revealing for a wide spectrum of readers, from professionals to students to general readers, seeking to understand the general principles and approaches that underlie biotechnological developments that affect our lives, from plant and animal GMOs to vaccines.

By Reinhard Renneberg,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Biotechnology for Beginners as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Biotechnology for Beginners, Third Edition presents the latest developments in the evolving field of biotechnology which has grown to such an extent over the past few years that increasing numbers of professional's work in areas that are directly impacted by the science. This book offers an exciting and colorful overview of biotechnology for professionals and students in a wide array of the life sciences, including genetics, immunology, biochemistry, agronomy and animal science. This book will also appeals to lay readers who do not have a scientific background but are interested in an entertaining and informative introduction to the key aspects…


Book cover of For the Love of Enzymes: The Odyssey of a Biochemist

Vitaly Citovsky Author Of Agrobacterium: From Biology to Biotechnology

From my list on understand GMO plants and they are not scary.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a child, I spent all my summers in a rural environment outside the metropolitan area. This "immersion" in nature shaped my interests and hobbies, centering them on different aspects of watching and understanding life. Expectedly therefore, my formal education also focused on biology, biochemistry, and cell biology. Being a scientist is not just a profession; it is a calling, a profession, and a hobby. Biology books—strictly dry and professional and more engaging and emotional—represent an inherent aspect of a scientist's life and place his/her research in a wide context of human society. This list includes several such books which I would like to share with you.

Vitaly's book list on understand GMO plants and they are not scary

Vitaly Citovsky Why did Vitaly love this book?

My last selected book comes from the pen of perhaps one of the most famous and influential scientists of the 20th century and the Nobel Prize laureate Arthur Kornberg.

This autobiographical book describes how Dr. Kornberg has made many of his seminal discoveries, including those of enzymes that allow modern genetic engineering. Yet, this is not just a book about science. Instead, it represents an insightful and profound description of human qualities, struggles, and "outside the box" thinking strategies that are critical for problem-solving and conceptual breakthroughs.

By Arthur Kornberg,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked For the Love of Enzymes as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In 1645 the Japanese samurai Musashi Miamoto wrote A Book of Five Rings, which described the attitudes necessary for individual success. Though he was a swordsman, his book was not limited to combat but addressed the much broader question of how to achieve excellence in life through study, discipline, and planning. It is still avidly read in Japan today. Arthur Kornberg's book is a modern-day Book of Five Rings that replaces the medium of swordsmanship with that of biochemistry, particularly enzymology. As Kornberg describes his successive research problems, the challenges they presented, and the ultimate accomplishments that resulted, he provides…


Book cover of Illustrated Guide to Integrated Pest Management in Rice in Tropical Asia

E.A. Heinrichs Author Of Rice Insect Pests and Their Management

From my list on tropical Asia rice diseases weeds bugs rats.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been fascinated by managing insect pest populations since childhood when I assisted my mother in her vegetable garden by hand removing Colorado potato beetles from potato plants. I have also been interested, since childhood, in seeing the world beyond Nebraska when I laid on my back in the pasture on grandma’s farm, watching planes flying to exotic destinations. These two interests led me to obtain advanced degrees in entomology which provided the opportunity to conduct rice entomology research in those exotic places dreamed of in my grandma’s pasture. I read the five books recommended to develop my rice entomology research program and as reference material for scientific publications. 

E.A.'s book list on tropical Asia rice diseases weeds bugs rats

E.A. Heinrichs Why did E.A. love this book?

I love this book because it contains 411 pages of well-balanced, authoritative, readily applicable information that ranks it as one of—if not the—most usable and pertinent works ever printed. The line drawings, charts, and technical illustrations provide a guide to the pest status, damage, development, and management of insects, diseases, weeds, and rats in a form that farmers easily understand.

I also like this book because the limited text can easily be translated and, therefore, applicable in all Asian countries. In addition, the information offered and the approach to transmitting it can be readily adapted and modified to become the basis for parallel works oriented to different crops and ecological zones. This book provides a new approach to transferring crop protection technology.

Book cover of Follow Your Heart: Finding Purpose in Your Life and Work

Mónica Ramírez Chimal Author Of Make life Yours!: Based on real facts

From my list on live life fully.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a person like you who has lived difficult situations, has had losses, made mistakes, and deals with bad days wondering about my existence and purpose in life. I have a gift, and it's writing; I began sending reflective messages to the people at my office and that’s when I noticed that people loved them. Years later, after reading several books and accumulating more experience, I realized that there are several experiences that are common to all, but few questioned. Therefore, I decided to share my insight and thoughts in my second book, hoping to help people be a better version of themselves and live their lives to their fullest.

Mónica's book list on live life fully

Mónica Ramírez Chimal Why did Mónica love this book?

When reading this book, I was dealing with many family issues, and I didn’t know what to do. This book helped me to see that life doesn’t have favorites and that it’s in us to move on and achieve anything we want.

It taught me to be a less controlling woman and detach myself from money and love. It made me realize how important it is to pay attention to my thoughts and beliefs. Do what I want, no matter what, but begin by doing something because in that moment of my life, I was living the “victim role.” I learned that the key is to act, and everything else follows.

I loved this book because it has a lot of wisdom in different areas of life!

By Andrew Matthews,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Follow Your Heart as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The concepts in this book ring true with practical, applicable advice, and Matthews's lucid writing and witty stories help bring his message into sharp focus. Follow Your Heart is everything you could ask for in a self-help book. It is about doing what you love, dealing with bills and disasters, discovering your own power, and finding peace of mind. Start down the road to changing your life because as Matthews says: "Our mission in life is not to change the world--our mission is to change ourselves."


Book cover of The Major Insect Pests of the Rice Plant

E.A. Heinrichs Author Of Rice Insect Pests and Their Management

From my list on tropical Asia rice diseases weeds bugs rats.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been fascinated by managing insect pest populations since childhood when I assisted my mother in her vegetable garden by hand removing Colorado potato beetles from potato plants. I have also been interested, since childhood, in seeing the world beyond Nebraska when I laid on my back in the pasture on grandma’s farm, watching planes flying to exotic destinations. These two interests led me to obtain advanced degrees in entomology which provided the opportunity to conduct rice entomology research in those exotic places dreamed of in my grandma’s pasture. I read the five books recommended to develop my rice entomology research program and as reference material for scientific publications. 

E.A.'s book list on tropical Asia rice diseases weeds bugs rats

E.A. Heinrichs Why did E.A. love this book?

I loved this book because it provided me, a new and inexperienced rice entomologist at the International Rice Research Institute, with the status of rice entomology research in Asia.

This book, which consists of the proceedings of a symposium, includes 37 chapters written by the world’s leading rice entomologists on rice insect taxonomy, distribution, biology, physiology, and control methods and includes recommendations for future research.

As such, I found this classic book as a guide for developing a holistic research program for the management of rice insect pests targeted at smallholder rice farmers in Asia.

Book cover of Rice Virus Diseases

E.A. Heinrichs Author Of Rice Insect Pests and Their Management

From my list on tropical Asia rice diseases weeds bugs rats.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been fascinated by managing insect pest populations since childhood when I assisted my mother in her vegetable garden by hand removing Colorado potato beetles from potato plants. I have also been interested, since childhood, in seeing the world beyond Nebraska when I laid on my back in the pasture on grandma’s farm, watching planes flying to exotic destinations. These two interests led me to obtain advanced degrees in entomology which provided the opportunity to conduct rice entomology research in those exotic places dreamed of in my grandma’s pasture. I read the five books recommended to develop my rice entomology research program and as reference material for scientific publications. 

E.A.'s book list on tropical Asia rice diseases weeds bugs rats

E.A. Heinrichs Why did E.A. love this book?

I liked this book because it provided me, a young rice entomologist, with details on rice virus diseases and their transmission, which is primarily via insect vectors. This information was of immense value to me as I developed my rice entomology research program at the International Rice Research Institute in Los Banos, Philippines, in 1975.

This book was a guide that provided the required knowledge needed in my role of developing a program for the evaluation of rice germplasm accessions to identify resistant insect/rice virus disease accessions for the use as donors in the rice breeding program.

To develop an integrated pest management (IPM) program for rice viruses, it is necessary to be able to identify the virus vector, mode of virus transmission (mostly insects), damage symptoms, host range of the virus, and rice varieties having genetic resistance to the virus and the vector. This book provided that information.

By K. C. Ling,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Rice Virus Diseases as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.


Book cover of Brown Planthopper: Threat to Rice Production in Asia

E.A. Heinrichs Author Of Rice Insect Pests and Their Management

From my list on tropical Asia rice diseases weeds bugs rats.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been fascinated by managing insect pest populations since childhood when I assisted my mother in her vegetable garden by hand removing Colorado potato beetles from potato plants. I have also been interested, since childhood, in seeing the world beyond Nebraska when I laid on my back in the pasture on grandma’s farm, watching planes flying to exotic destinations. These two interests led me to obtain advanced degrees in entomology which provided the opportunity to conduct rice entomology research in those exotic places dreamed of in my grandma’s pasture. I read the five books recommended to develop my rice entomology research program and as reference material for scientific publications. 

E.A.'s book list on tropical Asia rice diseases weeds bugs rats

E.A. Heinrichs Why did E.A. love this book?

I loved this book because it provides the world’s best example of a minor pest that became a major pest because of the change in cultural practices that accompanied the advent of the Green Revolution in rice. It is also the best example of pest resurgence, which occurs when pests previously controlled by pesticides recur but in higher numbers than they did before due to the destruction of the pest’s natural enemies by pesticides.

This book consists of 22 chapters presented by world-renowned authors at a 1979 symposium on the economic impact of the pest, biology and ecology, taxonomy, forecasting, migration, and the development of integrated pest management practices to control the brown planthopper. As such, I found this classic book as a guide for developing a holistic research program for managing the brown planthopper targeted to resource-poor rice farmers in Asia.

By M. D. Pathak,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Brown Planthopper as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.


Book cover of GMOs Decoded: A Skeptic's View of Genetically Modified Foods

Jada Benn Torres and  Gabriel A. Torres Colón Author Of Genetic Ancestry: Our Stories, Our Pasts

From my list on what happens when biology and culture collide.

Why are we passionate about this?

We met as “baby anthropologists” in graduate school and have stuck together ever since. With Jada’s training in genetic anthropology and Gabriel’s training in cultural anthropology, we’ve accompanied each other to our various field sites throughout the Caribbean, Spain, and the US Midwest. Aside from our book, each of us has authored many peer-reviewed publications, including an award-winning article in the journal Human Biology. Though we both have our own independent research agendas, our interests overlap on several topics including genetic ancestry. Our different anthropological training and our mutual love for our discipline always makes for interesting perspectives on a variety of topics.

Jada's book list on what happens when biology and culture collide

Jada Benn Torres and  Gabriel A. Torres Colón Why did Jada love this book?

Krimsky lays out contemporary debates about the development and use of genetically modified foods. His perspectives are evidenced-based, informative, and are useful for critically thinking about genetically modified foods. After reading this book, we felt confident about making up our own minds regarding the creation, use, and ingestion of genetically modified foods.

By Sheldon Krimsky,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked GMOs Decoded as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The debate over genetically modified organisms: health and safety concerns, environmental impact, and scientific opinions.

Since they were introduced to the market in the late 1990s, GMOs (genetically modified organisms, including genetically modified crops), have been subject to a barrage of criticism. Agriculture has welcomed this new technology, but public opposition has been loud and scientific opinion mixed. In GMOs Decoded, Sheldon Krimsky examines the controversies over GMOs—health and safety concerns, environmental issues, the implications for world hunger, and the scientific consensus (or lack of one). He explores the viewpoints of a range of GMO skeptics, from public advocacy groups…


Book cover of All Over Creation

Fran Hawthorne Author Of I Meant to Tell You

From my list on ordinary people drawn into social activism.

Why am I passionate about this?

Was it the environmental movement, which burgeoned as I was growing up? Or remnants of Sunday School teachings? For whatever reason, I deeply believe that I have a responsibility to give back to the world more than I take. There are many ways to give back, as my characters Miranda and Russ explore in my novel I Meant to Tell You. In my nonfiction, I’ve investigated the healthcare and financial industries, and also suggested steps we can take in our everyday lives as consumers, parents, and investors. When I’m not writing, I’m organizing environmental clean-ups, collecting supplies for refugees, and phoning public officials.

Fran's book list on ordinary people drawn into social activism

Fran Hawthorne Why did Fran love this book?

This novel took me into a community that I rarely read about in fiction, to show the human impact of a controversial industry—in this case, GMO agriculture and Idaho potato farmers. From my research for two of my nonfiction books, I started with some understanding of the complex debate, and I appreciate that All Over Creation branches into more subplots beyond simply Big Agriculture versus family farms. In fact, I liked Will, the well-meaning local farmer who sincerely believes that GMO potatoes will save his ailing farm, far more than Yumi, the main character, a single mom who long ago fled potato country. She seems too caught up in her resentments against her father and hometown, to care about anyone but herself. 

By Ruth Ozeki,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked All Over Creation as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A warm and witty saga about agribusiness, environmental activism, and community-from the celebrated author of The Book of Form and Emptiness and A Tale for the Time Being

Yumi Fuller hasn't set foot in her hometown of Liberty Falls, Idaho-heart of the potato-farming industry-since she ran away at age fifteen. Twenty-five years later, the prodigal daughter returns to confront her dying parents, her best friend, and her conflicted past, and finds herself caught up in an altogether new drama. The post-millennial farming community has been invaded by Agribusiness forces at war with a posse of activists, the Seeds of Resistance,…


Book cover of Agrobacterium Tumefaciens: From Plant Pathology to Biotechnology
Book cover of Biotechnology for Beginners
Book cover of For the Love of Enzymes: The Odyssey of a Biochemist

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Interested in rice, genetic engineering, and Asia?

Rice 12 books
Asia 64 books