Book excerpt: The aim of this book series is to familiarize scientists, students and the general public with exciting new discoveries and developments in rice genomics. Leading scientists in rice genomics and related fields are invited to write articles in a cohesive format that appeals to both researchers and laypersons with an interest in genomics and biotechnology. The first volume provides the background information and highlights the major achievements in rice genomics; ongoing developments in this exciting field are also discussed. This volume promotes genomics as a holistic approach to rice research and genetic engineering. The chief editor of the series is Prof Huanming Yang of the Beijing Genomics Institute. As one of the most distinguished scientists in rice research today, Prof Yang led a team of researchers who successfully sequenced and analyzed the draft sequence of the indica rice subspecies. In Vol 1 of the series, he co-authors an article entitled “An International Campaign for Agricultural and Livestock Genomics”.