Plant growth is of great economical and intellectual interest. Plants are the basis of our living environment, the production of our food and a myriad of plant-based natural products. Plant bio-mass is also becoming an important renewable energy resource.

Agricultural plant cultivation and breeding programs have altered plant productivity and yield parameters extensively, yet the principles and underlying mechanisms are not well understood. At the cellular level, growth is the result of only two processes, cell division and cell expansion, but these two processes are controlled by intertwined signaling cascades and regulatory mechanisms forming complex regulatory networks. Ultimately this network is what plant scientists are trying to unravel.

The sequencing of model and agronomically important plant genomes allows complete insight into the molecular components involved in each process. Methods to quantify the molecular changes, image growth processes and reconstruct growth regulatory networks are rapidly developing. This knowledge should help to elucidate key regulators and to design methods to engineer plant architecture and growth parameters for future human needs. This volume gives a comprehensive overview of what is known about plant growth regulation and growth restraints due to environmental conditions and should allow readers at all levels an entry into this exiting field of research.

This volume describes different up-to-date methodological approaches, ranging from physiological assays to imaging and molecular techniques, to study a wide variety of plant responses to environmental cues. Environmental Responses in Plants: Methods and Protocols is divided into four sections: Tropisms, Photoperiodism and Circadian Rhythms, Abiotic Stress Responses, and Plant-Pathogen Interactions. The chapters in these sections include detailed protocols to investigate some of the many key biological processes underlying plant environmental responses, mostly in the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana, but also in Physcomitrella patens and in different crop species such as rice, potato, barley, or tomato. 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 practical, Environmental Responses in Plants: Methods and Protocols, is a great resource for plant physiologists, biochemists, and cell and molecular scientists interested in this exciting and fast-growing research topic.

This book details the plant-assisted remediation method, "phytoremediation", which involves the interaction of plant roots and associated rhizospheric microorganisms for the remediation of soil contaminated with high levels of metals, pesticides, solvents, radionuclides, explosives, crude oil, organic compounds and various other contaminants. Each chapter highlights and compares the beneficial and economical alternatives of phytoremediation to currently practiced soil removal and burial practices.

Many plants produce enzymes collectively known as ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs). RIPs catalyze the removal of an adenine residue from a conserved loop in the large ribosomal RNA. The adenine residue removed by this depurination is crucial for the binding of elongation factors. Ribosomes modified in this way are no longer able to carry out protein synthesis. Most RIPs exist as single polypeptides (Type 1 RIPs) which are largely non-toxic to mammalian cells because they are unable to enter them and thus cannot reach their ribosomal substrate. In some instances, however, the RIP forms part of a heterodimer where its partner polypeptide is a lectin (Type 2 RIPs). These heterodimeric RIPs are able to bind to and enter mammalian cells. Their ability to reach and modify ribosomes in target cells means these proteins are some of the most potently cytotoxic poisons found in nature, and are widely assumed to play a protective role as part of the host plant's defenses. RIPs are able to further damage target cells by inducing apoptosis. In addition, certain plants produce lectins lacking an RIP component but which are also cytotoxic. This book focuses on the structure/function and some potential applications of these toxic plant proteins.

Phytoremediation is an emerging technology that employs higher plants for the clean-up of contaminated environments. Basic and applied research have unequivocally demonstrated that selected plant species possess the genetic potential to accumulate, degrade, metabolize and immobilize a wide range of contaminants. The main focus of this volume is on the recent advances of technologies using green plants for remediation of various metals and metalloids. Topics include biomonitoring of heavy metal pollution, amendments of higher uptake of toxic metals, transport of heavy metals in plants, and toxicity mechanisms. Further chapters discuss agro-technological methods for minimizing pollution while improving soil quality, transgenic approaches to heavy metal remediation and present protocols for metal remediation via in vitro root cultures.

Metal toxicity and deficiency are both common abiotic problems faced by plants. While metal contamination around the world is a critical issue, the bioavailability of some essential metals like zinc (Zn) and selenium (Se) can be seriously low in other locations. The list of metals spread in high concentrations in soil, water and air includes several toxic as well as essential elements, such as arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), aluminum (Al), and selenium (Se). The problems for some metals are geographically confined, while for others, they are widespread. For instance, arsenic is an important toxic metalloid whose contamination in Southeast Asia and other parts of world is well documented. Its threats to human health via food consumption have generated immense interest in understanding plants' responses to arsenic stress. Metals constitute crucial components of key enzymes and proteins in plants. They are important for the proper growth and development of plants. In turn, plants serve as sources of essential elements for humans and animals. Studies of their physiological effects on plants metabolism have led to the identification of crucial genes and proteins controlling metal uptake and transport, as well as the sensing and signaling of metal stresses. Plant-Metal Interactions sheds light on the latest development and research in analytical biology with respect to plant physiology. More importantly, it showcases the positive and negative impacts of metals on crop plants growth and productivity.

Vascular Transport in Plants provides an up-to-date synthesis of new research on the biology of long distance transport processes in plants. It will be a valuable resource and reference for researchers and graduate level students in physiology, molecular biology, physiology, ecology, ecological physiology, development, and all applied disciplines related to agriculture, horticulture, forestry and biotechnology. The book considers long-distance transport from the perspective of molecular level processes to whole plant function, allowing readers to integrate information relating to vascular transport across multiple scales. The book is unique in presenting xylem and phloem transport processes in plants together in a comparative style that emphasizes the important interactions between these two parallel transport systems.
* Includes 105 exceptional figures
* Discusses xylem and phloem transport in a single volume, highlighting their interactions
* Syntheses of structure, function and biology of vascular transport by leading authorities
* Poses unsolved questions and stimulates future research
* Provides a new conceptual framework for vascular function in plants

In Plant Metabolism: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers in the field present the latest methods on quantitative analysis of plant metabolism. The methods focus on measurements, analyses and simulations of molecules, fluxes, and ultimately entire metabolic pathways and networks. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials, reagents, or software, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Plant Metabolism: Methods and Protocols seeks to benefit scientists ranging from plant biology, metabolic engineering, and biotechnology.

Roots represent half of the plant body and arguably the more interesting half. Despite its obvious importance for the whole plant, until recently our knowledge of the root apparatus was very limited, mostly due to the inadequacy of the techniques available. Recent advances in the visualization and measurement of roots have resulted in significant progress in our understanding of root architecture, growth and behaviour. In this book international experts highlight the most advanced techniques, both lab and field methods, and discuss them in detail. "Measuring Roots" combines academic and practical aspects of this topic, making it a universal handbook for all researchers and others interested in root-measuring methods. "

Phosphorus (P) is a finite resource which is essential for life. It is a limiting nutrient in many ecosystems but also a pollutant which can affect biodiversity in terrestrial ecosystems and change the ecology of water bodies. This book collects the latest information on biological processes in soil P cycling, which to date have remained much less understood than physico-chemical processes. The methods section presents spectroscopic techniques and the characterization of microbial P forms, as well as the use of tracers, molecular approaches and modeling of soil-plant systems. The section on processes deals with mycorrhizal symbioses, microbial P solubilization, soil macrofauna, phosphatase enzymes and rhizosphere processes. On the system level, P cycling is examined for grasslands, arctic and alpine soils, forest plantations, tropical forests, and dryland regions. Further, P management with respect to animal production and cropping, and the interactions between global change and P cycling, are treated.

Due to their sessile lifestyle, plants need to efficiently adapt to changing environmental conditions during their life cycle. Nutrient acquisition from the soil has to be able to adapt to considerable fluctuations in concentrations to ensure adequate distribution between tissues, cells and organelles. The storage and retrieval of nutrients, metabolites or toxic substances in vacuoles plays an important part in cellular homeostasis in plants. The long-range transport and maintenance of turgor is critically dependent on the availability of water and rate of evaporation, while at the same time photosynthetic products have to be transported to all plant parts. As a result plants contain a large number of ATP-dependent pumps and secondary transporters that, in order to adapt to the changing environment, need to be regulated by a complex network of sensing and signaling mechanisms. Plants share many basic elements of signal transduction with animals, but also contain plant-specific signaling molecules and mechanisms. In this volume, the role of transporters and pumps in the regulation of movement, long-range transport and compartmentalization of water, solutes, nutrients and classical signaling molecules is highlighted, and the function, regulation and membrane-transporter interaction and their roles in plant signaling controlling plant physiology and development are discussed.

Phospholipidshavelongbeenknownfortheirkeyroleinmaintainingthebilayer structureofmembranesandinphysicallyseparatingthecytosolfromorganelles andtheextracellularspace. Inthepastdecade,acompletelynovelandunexpected functionemerged,full?llingacrucialroleincellsignaling. Itwasthediscoveryin animalcells,thatagonist-activatedcellsurfacereceptorsledtotheactivationofa phospholipase C (PLC), to hydrolyze the minor lipid, phosphatidylinositol 4- bisphosphateintotwosecondmessengers,inositol1,4,5-trisphosphate(InsP)and 3 2+ diacylglycerol(DAG). WhileInsP diffusesintothecytosol,whereitreleasesCa 3 2+ from an intracellular store by activating a ligand-gated Ca -channel, DAG remainsinthemembranetorecruitandactivatemembersoftheproteinkinase Cfamily. Overtheyears,avarietyofotherlipidbased-signalingcascadesweredisc- ered. Theseinclude,phospholipaseA,generatinglyso-phospholipidsandfreefatty acids(tobeconvertedintoprostaglandinsandleukotrienes),phospholipaseD,to generatethelipidsecondmessenger,phosphatidicacid(PA),andphosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), generating a distinct set of polyphosphoinositides (PPI) ph- phorylated at the D3-position of the inositol ring, all with separate signaling functions. Sphingolipids,representinganotherimportantgroupofsignalinglipids, alsocameacross. Themajorityoftheselipid-basedsignalingpathwayshavebeendiscoveredin plantcellstoo. Moreover,theyhavebeenfoundtobeactivatedinresponsetoa widevarietyofbioticandabioticstresssignals,butalsotobebasicallyinvolvedin plantgrowthanddevelopment. Whilemanyoftheenzymes,lipids,andtheirtargets involved arewell conserved, major differences with the mammalian paradigms havealsoemerged. Thisbookhighlightsthecurrentstatusofplantlipidsignaling. Allchaptershave beenwrittenbyexpertsinthe?eldandcoverinformationforbothbeginnersand advancedlipidologists. PartIincludesphospholipases(Chaps. 1-3),partII,lipid kinases (Chaps. 4-7), part III, lipid phosphatases (Chaps. 8-9), part IV, ix x Preface inositolphosphates and PPI metabolism (Chaps. 10-13), part V, PA signaling (Chaps. 14-17),andpartVI,additionallipidsignals,e. g. oxylipins,NAPEand sphingolipids(Chaps18-20). Ithasbeenagreatpleasuretobetheeditorofthis bookandtobeawitnessofthislipid-signalingadventure. Amsterdam,June2009 TeunMunnik Contents PartI Phospholipases PhospholipaseAinPlantSignalTransduction...3 Gu..ntherF. E. Scherer TheEmergingRolesofPhospholipaseCinPlantGrowth andDevelopment...23 PeterE. DowdandSimonGilroy PlantPhospholipaseD...39 WenhuaZhang,XiaoboWan,YueyunHong,WeiqiLi,andXueminWang PartII Kinases Phosphatidylinositol4-PhosphateisRequiredforTip GrowthinArabidopsisthaliana ...65 AmyL. SzumlanskiandErikNielsen PIP-KinasesasKeyRegulatorsofPlantFunction ...79 TillIschebeckandIngoHeilmann PlantPhosphatidylinositol3-Kinase...95 YureeLee,TeunMunnik,andYoungsookLee DiacylglycerolKinase...107 StevenA. AriszandTeunMunnik xi xii Contents PartIII Phosphatases SignalingandthePolyphosphoinositidePhosphatasesfromPlants ...117 GlendaE. Gillaspy PhosphatidicAcidPhosphatasesinSeedPlants...131 YukiNakamuraandHiroyukiOhta PartIV PPIMetabolism InsP inPlantCells ...145 3 YangJuIm,BrianQPhillippy,andImaraYPerera InositolPolyphosphatesandKinases...161 JillStevenson-PaulikandBrianQ. Phillippy PhosphoinositidesandPlantCellWallSynthesis ...175 RuiqinZhong,RyanL. McCarthy,andZheng-HuaYe ImagingLipidsinLivingPlants ...185 JoopE. M. VermeerandTeunMunnik PartV PASignaling PhosphatidicAcid:AnElectrostatic/Hydrogen-BondSwitch?...2 03 EdgarEduardKooijmanandChristaTesterink NitricOxideandPhosphatidicAcidSignalinginPlants...223 AyelenM. Diste'fano,M. LucianaLanteri,ArjentenHave, CarlosGarc?'a-Mata,LorenzoLamattina,andAnaM. Laxalt 3-Phosphoinositide-DependentProteinKinaseisaSwitchboard fromSignalingLipidstoProteinPhosphorylationCascades...243 ChristineZalejskiandLa'szlo'Bo..gre PartVI AdditionalLipidSignals DiacylglycerolPyrophosphate,ANovelPlantSignalingLipid...263 EmmanuelleJeannette,SophieParadis,andChristineZalejski OxylipinSignalingandPlantGrowth...277 AlinaMosblech,IvoFeussner,andIngoHeilmann Contents xiii FattyAcidAmideHydrolaseandtheMetabolismof N-AcylethanolamineLipidMediatorsinPlants...293 KentD. ChapmanandElisonB. Blanca?or SphingolipidSignalinginPlants...307 LouiseV. MichaelsonandJohnathanA. Napier Index ...323 Contributors Steven A. Arisz Section Plant Physiology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences,UniversityofAmsterdam,SciencePark904,NL-1098XH,Amsterdam, TheNetherlands ElisonB. Blanca?or SamuelRobertsNobleFoundation,PlantBiologyDivision, Ardmore,OK73401,USA,eblanca?or@noble.

Coupled with biomechanical data, organic geochemistry and cladistic analyses utilizing abundant genetic data, scientific studies are revealing new facets of how plants have evolved over time. This collection of papers examines these early stages of plant physiology evolution by describing the initial physiological adaptations necessary for survival as upright structures in a dry, terrestrial environment. The Evolution of Plant Physiology also encompasses physiology in its broadest sense to include biochemistry, histology, mechanics, development, growth, reproduction and with an emphasis on the interplay between physiology, development and plant evolution.
* Contributions from leading neo- and palaeo-botanists from the Linnean Society
* Focus on how evolution shaped photosynthesis, respiration, reproduction and metabolism.
* Coverage of the effects of specific evolutionary forces -- variations in water and nutrient availability, grazing pressure, and other environmental variables

Edited by J.A. Callow 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 40th 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 post-graduates and researchers alike.
* Multidisciplinary reviews written from a broad range of scientific perspectives
* For over 30 years, series has enjoyed a reputation for excellent
* Contributors internationally recognized authorities in their respective fields

Plant dormancy involves synchronization of environmental cues with developmental processes to ensure plant survival; however, negative impacts of plant dormancy include pre-harvest sprouting, non-uniform germination of crop and weed seeds, and fruit loss due to inappropriate bud break. Thus, our continued quest to disseminate information is important in moving our understanding of plant dormancy forward and to develop new ideas for improving food, feed, and fiber production and efficient weed control, particularly under global climate change. Proceeding from the 5th International Plant Dormancy Symposium will provide an overview related on our current understanding of how environmental factors impact cellular, molecular, and physiological processes involved in bud and seed dormancy, and perspectives and/or reviews on achievements, which should stimulate new ideas and lines of investigation that increase our understanding of plant dormancy and highlight directions for future research.

"The path of carbon in photosynthesis"for Progress in Botany: 50 years of Calvin-Benson cycle - 30 years of Kelly-Latzko reviews While writing this Foreword and trying to focus my thoughts on the bioch- istry of photosynthesis, a handsome slim hardcover booklet of 104 pages bound in dark blue linen is in front of me on my desk: "The Path of Carbon in Photosynthesis" J. A. Bassham and M. Calvin,1957 I acquired it in the month of my oral Ph. D. -exams, April 1960, to get prepared with the Nobel-laureate's text. In 2004 in his last swan-song review for Progress in Botany Grahame J. Kelly celebrated "The Calvin cycle's golden jubilee"in an overview of 50 years of carbon flowing for the progress in botany. He had met Erwin Latzko in 1970 in another then foremost and now historic place of the biochemistry of photosynthesis, the laboratory of Martin Gibbs at Brandeis University, Massachusetts. Four years later Latzko and Kelly (1974) published their first joint review on photosynthetic carbon metabolism, starting off a long flow of articles on the flow of carbon in the series Progress in Botany. Most faithfully they produced regular accounts of the progress in Progress in Botany every second year, and when Erwin Latzko decided to retire after the 1996 review Grahame Kelly carried on alone.

This book explores the agricultural, commercial, and ecological future of plants in relation to mineral nutrition. It covers various topics regarding the role and importance of mineral nutrition in plants including essentiality, availability, applications, as well as their management and control strategies. Plants and plant products are increasingly important sources for the production of energy, biofuels, and biopolymers in order to replace the use of fossil fuels. The maximum genetic potential of plants can be realized successfully with a balanced mineral nutrients supply. This book explores efficient nutrient management strategies that tackle the over and under use of nutrients, check different kinds of losses from the system, and improve use efficiency of the plants. Applied and basic aspects of ecophysiology, biochemistry, and biotechnology have been adequately incorporated including pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals, agronomical, breeding and plant protection parameters, propagation and nutrients managements. This book will serve not only as an excellent reference material but also as a practical guide for readers, cultivators, students, botanists, entrepreneurs, and farmers.

This book introduces the reader to synthetic or artificial seeds, which refer to alginate encapsulated somatic embryos, vegetative buds or any other micropropagules that can be used as seeds and converted into plantlets after propagating under in vitro or in vivo conditions. Moreover, synthetic seeds retain their potential for regeneration even after low-temperature storage. The production of synthetic or artificial seeds using micropropagules opens up new vistas in agricultural biotechnology. Encapsulated propagules could be used for in vitro regeneration and mass multiplication at reasonable cost. In addition, these propagules may be used for germplasm preservation of elite plant species and the exchange of plant materials between national and international laboratories. This book offers state-of-the-art findings on methods, applications and prospects of synthetic or artificial seeds.

Jointly published with INRA, Paris.This book covers all aspects of the transfer of nitrogen from the soil and air to a final resting place in the seed protein of a crop plant. It describes the physiological and molecular mechanisms of ammonium and nitrate transport and assimilation, including symbiotic nitrogen fixation by the Rhizobiacea. Amino acid metabolism and nitrogen traffic during plant growth and development and details of protein biosynthesis in the seeds are also extensively covered. Finally, the effects of the application of nitrogen fertilisers on plant growth, crop yield and the environment are discussed.Written by international experts in their field, Plant Nitrogen is essential reading for all plant biochemists, biotechnologists, molecular biologists and physiologists as well as plant breeders, agricultural engineers, agronomists and phytochemists.

This is an outstanding survey describing medical drugs of plant origin, such as Echinacea edications, lentinan and mistletoe lectin, which have proven to be effective as immunostimulants. At a time when ever greater importance is being placed on preventive and alternative medicine, the study provides the reader with information on the physiological mechanisms of action and range of application of phytopreparations capable of inducing immunostimulatory effects when administered prophylactically or therapeutically. "Immunomodulatory Agents from Plants" addresses scientists in the pharmaceutical industry; physicians - general practitioners, internists and oncologists - who work with traditional immunostimulants; and also pharmacists wishing to improve customer service by gaining a firmer understanding of the science underlying and the clinical facts associated with drugs presently on the market.

The 11th International Symposium on Insect-Plant Relationships (SIP11), held on August 4-10, 2001, in Helsingor, Denmark, followed the tradition of previous SIP meetings and covered topics of different levels from chemistry, physiology, and ethology to ecology, genetics, and evolution of insect-plant relationships. The present volume includes a representative selection of fully refereed papers as well as a complete list of all the contributions which were presented at the meeting. Reviews of selected topics as well as original experimental data are included. The book provides valuable information for students and research workers interested in chemical and biological aspects of interactions between individuals and populations of different organisms. "

The purpose of this publication is to elucidate the biological aspect of the abiotic stress response from the field to the molecular level in horticultural plants. This book is unique in that it concerns the basic aspect of abiotic stress biology and research progress at the molecular level in model plants or major field crops, as it focuses mainly on the abiotic stress response in existing horticultural plants. Many readers interested in plant abiotic stress biology are aware of the application of the latest findings to agricultural production, and this book will have a special appeal for those readers. The book will be of interest to scientists and graduate students who are involved in the research, development, production, processing, and marketing of horticultural products, including those in developing countries who are interested in high tech and advanced science in this field. The application of the latest findings to agricultural production is particularly useful. Stress tolerance mechanisms in horticultural crops are gaining importance, because most agricultural regions are predicted to experience considerably more extreme environmental fluctuations due to global climate change. Further, because of recent progress in next-generation sequencing technologies, the postgenomic era is impending not only in model plants and major cereal crops but also in horticultural crops, which comprise a great diversity of species. This book provides information on the physiological aspects of the abiotic stress response in horticultural plants, which is considered essential for postgenomic research.

During the last ten years, knowledge about the multitude of adaptive responses of plants to low oxygen stress has grown immensely. The oxygen sensor mechanism has been discovered, the knowledge about the interaction network of gene expression is expanding and metabolic adaptations have been described in detail. Furthermore, morphological changes were investigated and the regulative mechanisms triggered by plant hormones or reactive oxygen species have been revealed. This book provides a broad overview of all these aspects of low oxygen stress in plants. It integrates knowledge from different disciplines such as molecular biology, biochemistry, ecophysiology and agricultural / horticultural sciences to comprehensively describe how plants cope with low oxygen stress and discuss its ecological and agronomical consequences. This book is written for plant scientists, biochemists and scientists in agriculture and ecophysiology.

This volume covers topics such as the structure and identification of functional domains of G proteins, and activation of G proteins by receptors or other regulators. The text takes an integrated approach to studying common experimental questions at many different levels related to G proteins. Methods related to G proteins using molecular modeling, systems biology, protein engineering, protein biochemistry, cell biology, and physiology are all accessible in the same volume.
The critically acclaimed laboratory standard for more than forty years, Methods in Enzymology is one of the most highly respected publications in the field of biochemistry. Since 1955, each volume has been eagerly awaited, frequently consulted, and praised by researchers and reviewers alike. Now with more than 300 volumes (all of them still in print), the series contains much material still relevant today--truly an essential publication for researchers in all fields of life sciences.

This is the third edition of an established and successful university textbook. The original structure and philosophy of the book continue in this new edition, providing a genuine synthesis of modern ecological and physiological thinking, while entirely updating the detailed content. New features include a fresh, unified treatment of toxicity, emphasizing common features of plant response to ionic, gaseous, and other toxins, explicit treatment of issues relating to global change, and a section on the role of fire in plant physiology and communities. The illustrations in the text are improved over previous editions, including color plates for the first time, and the authors' continuing commitment to providing wide citation of the relevant literature has further improved the reference list. This revision of Environmental Physiology of Plants will ensure the reputation of this title as a useful and relevant text well into the 21st century.
Key Features
* Includes enhanced illustrations, now with color plates
* Examines new molecular approaches which can be harnessed to solve problems in physiology
* Features new topics such as the unified treatment of toxicity, an explicit treatment of the issues relating to global change, and a section on the role of fire