As plants see it, humans are not the masters of the Earth but only one of its most unpleasant and irksome residents. They have been on the planet for only about 300,000 years ago (nothing compared to the three billon years of plant evolution), yet have changed the conditions of the planet so drastically as to make it a dangerous place for their own survival. It's time for the plants to offer advice. In this playful, philosophical manifesto, Stefano Mancuso, expert on plant intelligence, presents a new constitution on which to build our future as beings respectful of the Earth and its inhabitants. These eight articles - the fundamental pillars on which plant life is based - must henceforth regulate all living beings.

This book explores the role of in silico deployment in connection with modulation techniques for improving sustainability and competitiveness in the agri-food sector; pharmacokinetics and molecular docking studies of plant-derived natural compounds; and their potential anti-neurodegenerative activity. It also investigates biochemical pathways for bacterial metabolite synthesis, fungal diversity and plant-fungi interaction in plant diseases, methods for predicting disease-resistant candidate genes in plants, and genes-to-metabolites and metabolites-to-genes approaches for predicting biosynthetic pathways in microbes for natural product discovery. The respective chapters elaborate on the use of in situ methods to study biochemical pathways for bacterial metabolite synthesis; tools for plant metabolites in defence; plant secondary metabolites in defence; plant growth metabolites; characterisation of plant metabolites; and identification of plant derived metabolites in the context of plant defence. The book offers an unprecedented resource, highlighting state-of-the-art research work that will greatly benefit researchers and students alike, not only in the field of agriculture but also in many disciplines in the life sciences and plant sciences.

This volume discusses the sustainability of Egypt's agriculture and the challenges involved. It provides a comprehensive review and the latest research findings, and covers a variety of topics under the following themes: * Applicability of sustainable agriculture in Egypt * Sustainable agriculture under water scarcity and polluted soil environments * Improved crop productivity using a variety of tried and tested procedures * Biotechnology application for agricultural sustainability and food security * Potentiality of soil-sensing for a more sustainable agricultural environment The volume closes with a summary of the key conclusions and recommendations from all chapters. Together with the companion volume Sustainability of Agricultural Environment in Egypt: Part II, it offers an essential source of information for postgraduate students, researchers, and stakeholders alike.

This is the first English-language book dedicated to Brazilian sand flies and their medical importance. No other country has so many species of these haematophagous insects as Brazil and their diversity has reached an astonishing level. The book contains comprehensive chapters, written by Brazilian experts on their regional distribution, their ecology and their importance as vectors of pathogens and parasites. Methods for sampling, processing and preserving phlebotomines are reviewed as are perspectives on surveillance and leishmaniasis vector control. A novel classification is presented whose aim is to help investigators identify the species that they are working with more efficiently.

Heavy metal accumulation in soil and water from natural sources or anthropogenic activities have produced severe environmental contamination in some parts of the world due to the persistence of metals in the environment by their accumulation throughout the food chain. The purpose of this book is to present the most recent advances in this field, mainly concerning the uptake and translocation of heavy metals in plants, mechanisms of toxicity, perception of metal and regulation of cell response under metal stress. Another key feature of this book is related to the studies on signaling and remediation processes in recent years, which have taken advantage of recent technological advances including "omic" approaches. In recent years transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic studies have become very important tools for analyzing both the dynamics of changes in gene expression and the profiles of protein and metabolites under heavy metal stress. This information is also very useful for plotting the complex signaling and metabolic network induced by heavy metals, in which hormones and reactive oxygen species (ROS) also play an important role. Understanding the mechanism involved in sequestration and hyperaccumulation is very important to developing new strategies of phytoremediation, which are reviewed in several chapters of this book. The information included yields very stimulating insights into the mechanism involved in the regulation of plant responses to heavy metals, which in turn improve our knowledge of cell regulation under metal stress and the use of plants for phytoremediation.

Environmental Change in Lesotho identifies and analyzes the drivers of land-use change and the consequences of these changes on the livelihoods of rural land-users/managers. To accomplish this, a combination of tools from the social sciences and environmental fields were developed to identify causes and consequences of land-use change at selected levels, using a 'nested' approach. These methods were then applied to a case study of two villages in the Lowland region of Lesotho. This book is directed at environmental and social science experts, researchers, decision-makers, and development/aid workers interested in understanding the intricate human-environment relationship as it relates to land-use change in a changing biophysical, socio-economic, political and institutional context, coupled by HIV/AIDS, changing demographics, local perceptions and what is termed here 'dependency syndrome'.

Natural and constructed wetlands play a very important role within the landscape and their ecological services are highly valuable. Water management, including flood water retention, biomass production, carbon sequestration, wastewater treatment and as a biodiversity source are among the most important ecological services of wetlands. In order to provide these services, wetlands need to be properly evaluated, protected and maintained. This book provides results of the latest research in wetland science around the world. Chapters deal with such topics as the use of constructed wetlands for treatment of various types of wastewater, use of constructed wetlands in agroforestry, wetland hydrology and evapotranspiration, the effect of wetlands on landscape temperature, and chemical properties of wetland soils.

Dr. Harris has played a major role in the development of this organism as a model system. Her previous version of the "Chlamydomonas Sourcebook" which published in 1989, has been a classic in the field and is considered required reading for anyone working with this organism. This latest edition has been expanded to include three volumes providing molecular techniques, analysis of the recently sequenced genome, and reviews of the current status of the diverse fields in which Chlamydomonas is used as a model organism. Methods for Chlamydomonas research and best practices for applications in research, including methods for culture, preservation of cultures, preparation of media, lists of inhibitors and other additives to culture media, are included. Additions to this volume also include help with common laboratory problems such as contamination, student demonstrations, and properties of particular strains and mutants.
"This volume is part of a 3-Volume Set (ISBN: 978-0-12-370873-1) and is also sold individually."
* Expanded revision of gold standard reference
* Includes latest advances in research, including completion of the genome
* Provides broad perspective with studies in cell and molecular biology, genetics, plant physiology and related fields
* Available as part of a 3-Volume Set or sold individually

Volume 3 reviews virtually everything that is known about cell motility and behavior in Chlamydomonas. World experts in each area focus on mitosis and cytokinesis; flagellar assembly and motility; intraflagellar transport; dynein; the structure and function of centrioles/basal bodies and their associated structures; ciliary signaling; mating and gamete fusion; photobehaviors; and Chlamydomonas as a model for understanding human diseases of the cilium. The volume is richly illustrated and is supplemented by a website containing both classic and previously unpublished videos of cell motility in Chlamydomonas. A unique and especially valuable feature is the inclusion of tables listing the known proteins (with NCBI accession numbers) for each structure discussed, and the known mutations that affect each structure and process. Because Chlamydomonas has been the premier model for investigating the function and behavior of cilia and flagella, the chapters summarize the current state of knowledge in these areas as it applies to all ciliated organisms. Thus, this volume will be an essential source for all students and researchers interested in cell motility.
* Essential reference to a model species for the study of mechanisms of motility in free living cells
* Includes methods for Chlamydomonas motility research.
* Companion Website with videos illustrates the marvels of the Chlamydomonas flagella in action

Optical screening of excessive and potentially harmful solar radiation is an important photoprotective mechanism, though it has received much less attention in comparison with other systems preventing photooxidative damage to photoautotrophic organisms. This photoprotection in the form of screening appears to be especially important for juvenile and senescing plants as well as under environmental stresses-i.e. in situations where the efficiency of enzymatic ROS elimination, DNA repair and other classical' photoprotective systems could be impaired. This book represents an attempt to develop an integral view of optical screening-based photoprotection in microalgae and higher plants. Towards this end, the key groups of pigments involved in the screening of ultraviolet and visible components of solar radiation in microalgae and higher plants, and the patterns of their accumulation and distribution within plant cells and tissues, are described. Special attention is paid to the manifestations of screening pigment accumulation in the optical spectra of plants. It is also demonstrated that understanding these effects and their relationships to screening pigments' makeup and spectroscopy in plants provides valuable insights into the state of plants' long-term photoacclimation, as well as ample opportunities for the non-destructive quantification of screening pigments and the assessment of the efficiency of photoprotection providing by these pigments in situ.

The common names of plants often cause difficulties for translators or those engaged in international studies. Although used because they are easier for non-scientists to remember than Latin or Linnean names, one species may have several common names or one common name may be used for several species. The problem is greater for weed scientists because the confusion over common names can lead to misunderstandings over control measures or the importance of weed species. The proposal to list the common names of weeds in the European languages was made in 1972 by the Joint Panel of the Evaluation of Herbicides of the European Plant Protection Organisation, and the work continued by the Working Group on Education and Training of the European Weed Research Society. The result of their labours appears in two volumes. The first is Elsevier's Dictionary of Weeds of Western Europe which was published in 1982, since when it has been a valuable source of information on the common names and importance of weed species in the countries of Western Europe. Its companion volume is this new Dictionary of Weeds of Eastern Europe. Although several books exist which give common names of plants, there are none which have the range of languages covered in these two volumes or provide information on the importance of weed species. The new dictionary will undoubtedly prove to be as welcome and as useful as its predecessor to translators, weed/crop protection scientists, botanists, ecologists, and others.

Oxygen (O ) appeared in significant amounts in the Earth's atmosphere over 2. 2 2 billion years ago, largely due to the evolution of photosynthesis by cyanobacteria (Halliwell 2006). The O molecule is a free radical, as it has two impaired electrons 2 that have the same spin quantum number. This spin restriction makes O prefer to 2 accept its electrons one at a time, leading to the generation of the so-called reactive oxygen species (ROS). The chemical nature of these species dictates that they can create damage in cells. This has contributed to the creation of the "oxidative stress" concept; in this view, ROS are unavoidable toxic products of O metabolism and 2 aerobic organisms have evolved antioxidant defences to protect against this tox- ity (Halliwell 1981; Fridovich 1998). Indeed, even in present-day plants, which are full of antioxidants, much of the protein synthetic activity of chloroplasts is used to replace oxidatively damaged D1 and other proteins (Halliwell 2006). Yet, the use of the "oxidative stress" term implies that ROS exert their effects through indiscriminate widespread inactivation of cellular functions. In this context, ROS must not be able to react with lipids, proteins or nucleic acids in order to avoid any damage to vital cellular components. However, genetic evidence has suggested that, in planta, purely physicoche- cal damage may be more limited than previously thought (Foyer and Noctor 2005).

Edited by Jean-Claude Kader and Michel Delseny and supported by an international Editorial Board, " Advances in Botanical Research" publishes in-depth and up-to-date reviews on a wide range of topics in plant sciences. Currently in its 48th volume, the series features a wide range of reviews by recognized experts on all aspects of plant genetics, biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, physiology and ecology. This eclectic volume features six reviews on cutting-edge topics of interest to postgraduates and researchers alike.
* Multidisciplinary reviews written from a broad range of scientific perspectives
* For over 30 years, series has enjoyed a reputation for excellence
* Contributors internationally recognized authorities in their respective fields

"Comparative Plant Virology" provides a complete overview of our current knowledge of plant viruses, including background information on plant viruses and up-to-date aspects of virus biology and control. It deals mainly with concepts rather than detail. The focus will be on plant viruses but due to the changing environment of how virology is taught, comparisons will be drawn with viruses of other kingdomes, animals, fungi and bacteria. It has been written for students of plant virology, plant pathology, virology and microbiology who have no previous knowledge of plant viruses or of virology in general.
* Boxes highlight important information such as virus definition and taxonomy
* Includes profiles of 32 plant viruses that feature extensively in the text
* Companion website providing image bank
* Full color throughout

The current scenario of increasing sensitivity towards the sustainable agriculture has given a large space to extensively utilize natural resources that are environmental friendly and are a good replacement of chemicals in agriculture. Application of organic additives in the sustainable disease management can provide new insight in sustenance of plant productivity along with improved host stress tolerance. In the present book we have focussed upon a range of organic strategies to control plant pathogens of wide spectrum in addition to maintaining robust plant health. A detailed account on the application of organic additives has been discussed, irrespective of their origin and nature. In addition, the methods of utilising these organic supplements in the management of plant diseases and promotion of plant yield in more economic way have also been presented with reference to developing, underdeveloped and developed countries. The book has included the works of eminent scholars from across the world thus flashing light on the key literature related to application of organic matters including phytoextracts, chopped leaves, composted organic manures and liquid manures in eco-friendly agriculture. The mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of these organic amendments in promoting plant health has also been presented and discussed in understandable ways.

Early anthropological evidence for plant use as medicine is 60,000 years old as reported from the Neanderthal grave in Iraq. The importance of plants as medicine is further supported by archeological evidence from Asia and the Middle East. Today, around 1.4 billion people in South Asia alone have no access to modern health care, and rely instead on traditional medicine to alleviate various symptoms. On a global basis, approximately 50 to 80 thousand plant species are used either natively or as pharmaceutical derivatives for life-threatening conditions that include diabetes, hypertension and cancers. As the demand for plant-based medicine rises, there is an unmet need to investigate the quality, safety and efficacy of these herbals by the "scientific methods". Current research on drug discovery from medicinal plants involves a multifaceted approach combining botanical, phytochemical, analytical, and molecular techniques. For instance, high throughput robotic screens have been developed by industry; it is now possible to carry out 50,000 tests per day in the search for compounds which act on a key enzyme or a subset of receptors. This and other bioassays thus offer hope that one may eventually identify compounds for treating a variety of diseases or conditions. However, drug development from natural products is not without its problems. Frequent challenges encountered include the procurement of raw materials, the selection and implementation of appropriate high-throughput bioassays, and the scaling-up of preparative procedures. Research scientists should therefore arm themselves with the right tools and knowledge in order to harness the vast potentials of plant-based therapeutics. The main objective of Plant and Human Health is to serve as a comprehensive guide for this endeavor. Volume 1 highlights how humans from specific areas or cultures use indigenous plants. Despite technological developments, herbal drugs still occupy a preferential place in a majority of the population in the third world and have slowly taken roots as alternative medicine in the West. The integration of modern science with traditional uses of herbal drugs is important for our understanding of this ethnobotanical relationship. Volume 2 deals with the phytochemical and molecular characterization of herbal medicine. Specifically, It will focus on the secondary metabolic compounds which afford protection against diseases. Lastly, Volume 3 focuses on the physiological mechanisms by which the active ingredients of medicinal plants serve to improve human health. Together this three-volume collection intends to bridge the gap for herbalists, traditional and modern medical practitioners, and students and researchers in botany and horticulture.

This volume is a collection of detailed protocols describing state-of-art approaches that will facilitate the understanding of protein homeostasis in plant stress responses and development. Plant Proteostasis: Methods and Protocols is broken into four parts focusing on the study of ubiquitin-dependent post-translational modifications, protocols focused on Ubl post-translational modifications, protein homeostasis, and protocols for the in silico analysis. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Plant Proteostasis: Methods and Protocols aims to address next challenges in agriculture such as precision horticulture.

This is the fourth updated and revised edition of a well-received book that emphasises on fungal diversity, plant productivity and sustainability. It contains new chapters written by leading experts in the field. This book is an up-to-date overview of current progress in mycorrhiza and association with plant productivity and environmental sustainability. The result is a must hands-on guide, ideally suited for agri-biotechnology, soil biology, fungal biology including mycorrhiza and stress management, academia and researchers. The topic of this book is particularly relevant to researchers involved in mycorrhiza, especially to food security and environmental protection. Mycorrhizas are symbioses between fungi and the roots of higher plants. As more than 90% of all known species of plants have the potential to form mycorrhizal associations, the productivity and species composition and the diversity of natural ecosystems are frequently dependent upon the pre sence and activity of mycorrhizas. The biotechnological application of mycorrhizas is expected to promote the production of food while maintaining ecologically and economically sustainable production systems.

Plant taxonomy is an ancient discipline facing new challenges with the current availability of a vast array of molecular approaches which allow reliable genealogy-based classifications. Although the primary focus of plant taxonomy is on the delimitation of species, molecular approaches also provide a better understanding of evolutionary processes, a particularly important issue for some taxonomic complex groups."Molecular Plant Taxonomy: Methods and Protocols"describes laboratory protocols based on the use of nucleic acids and chromosomes for plant taxonomy, as well as guidelines for phylogenetic analysis of molecular data. Experts in the field also contribute review and application chapters that will encourage the reader to develop an integrative taxonomy approach, combining nucleic acid and cytogenetic data together with other crucial information (taxonomy, morphology, anatomy, ecology, reproductive biology, biogeography, paleobotany), which will help not only to best circumvent species delimitation but also to resolve the evolutionary processes in play.Written in the successful"Methods in Molecular Biology"series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

Authoritative and easily accessible, "Molecular Plant Taxonomy: Methods and Protocols"seeks to provide conceptual as well as technical guidelines to plant taxonomists and geneticists."

This book examines the way that lead enters the biosphere and the subsequent environmental impact. The contributing authors include international experts who provide methods for assessing and characterizing the ecological risk of lead contamination of soil and plants. Information is provided on the consequences for human health as a result of lead pollution. This book reveals that approximately 98% of stable lead in the atmosphere originates from human activities. Lead in Plants and the Environment reports on methods for detecting, measuring, and assessing the concentration of lead in plants. The authors provide a method for the measurement of 210Pb isotopes in plants. This method can be applied extensively in different environmental settings, not only as a way of revealing sources of lead, but also as a way to monitor lead transport in plants and animals that ingest them. The chapters include coverage on the following topics: * Lead bioavailability in the environment and its exposure and effects * Radioanalytical methods for detecting and identifying trace concentrations of lead in the environment * Lead contamination and its dynamics in soil plant systems * Lead pollution monitoring and remediation through terrestrial plants in mesocosm constructed wetlands * A review of phytoremediation of lead This book is a valuable resource to students, academics, researchers, and environmental professionals doing field work on lead contamination throughout the world.

Chloroplasts are vital for life as we know it. At the leaf cell level, it is common knowledge that a chloroplast interacts with its surroundings - but this knowledge is often limited to the benefits of oxygenic photosynthesis and that chloroplasts provide reduced carbon, nitrogen and sulphur. This book presents the intricate interplay between chloroplasts and their immediate and more distant environments. The topic is explored in chapters covering aspects of evolution, the chloroplast/cytoplasm barrier, transport, division, motility and bidirectional signalling. Taken together, the contributed chapters provide an exciting insight into the complexity of how chloroplast functions are related to cellular and plant-level functions. The recent rapid advances in the presented research areas, largely made possible by the development of molecular techniques and genetic screens of an increasing number of plant model systems, make this interaction a topical issue.

The Rosaceae Family is represented by approximately 3,000 species of diverse plants, primarily con?ned to temperate climates. The family has a rich variety of architectural forms and contains herbaceous, tree and shrub species. Many family members are readily recognizable because of their edible seasonal fruits that are prized for their unique ?avors, colors and nutritious properties (e.g. apple, str- berry, raspberry, pear, cherry, plum, apricot, pear), as well as familiar ornamentals (e.g. roses) and nuts (e.g. almonds). Today's rosaceous cultivars have been derived from centuries of careful sel- tion and breeding, using a palette of some of evolution's most curious creations. The careful sculpting that has transformed the germplasm was not trivial, as several of the most coveted fruit species maintain complicated genomes-in some cases among the most complex of cultivated plants (e.g. strawberry). Other species in the family are represented by large perennial tree crops that exhibit substantial juven- ity phases, posing a barrier to standard breeding and genetic analyses. Yet, today's superiorcultivarsfeaturerobustgrowth,substantialyieldsandresistancetocommon biotic and abiotic stresses; traits fostered by human intervention. When the hurdles to ef?cient cultivation, breeding and selection are considered, the quality and qu- tity of rosaceous plant products derived from traditional breeding techniques is little short of amazing.

Plant-based medicines play an important role in all cultures, and have been indispensable in maintaining health and combating diseases. The identification of active principles and their molecular targets from traditional medicine provides an enormous opportunity for drug development. Using modern biotechnology, plants with specific chemical compositions can be mass propagated and genetically improved for the extraction of bulk active pharmaceuticals. Although there has been significant progress in the use of biotechnology, using tissue cultures and genetic transformation to investigate and alter pathways for the biosynthesis of target metabolites, there are many challenges involved in bringing plants from the laboratory to successful commercial cultivation. This book presents the latest advances in the development of medicinal drugs, including topics such as plant tissue cultures, secondary metabolite production, metabolomics, metabolic engineering, bioinformatics and future biotechnological directions.