This proceedings volume contains a selection of invited and contributed papers of the 10th International Workshop on Sulfur Metabolism in Plants, which was held in Goslar, Germany September 1-4, 2015. The focus of this workshop was on the fundamental, environmental and agricultural aspects of sulfur in plants, and presents an overview of the progress in the research developments in this field in the 28 years since the first of these workshops. The volume covers various aspects of the regulation of the uptake and assimilation of sulfate in plants from a molecular to a whole plant level with an emphasis on the significance of sulfur metabolism in plant responses to stress and in food security.

The period following the second world war has witnessed an expanding commitment to incr~ased food production in tropical countries. Public and private initiatives at the national and international levels have led to the creation of programs geared specifically towards the improvement of food crops in tropical conditions. Examples of this increased commitment are the network of international agricultural research centers and numerous bilateral aid projects. As a consequence, crop improvement has become a truly worldwide endeavor, relying on an international network of institutions and collaborators. This holds also for Phaseolus beans. Following the discovery of the Americas, Phaseolus beans became distributed on all six continents. Yet, until not so long ago, most of the research on Phaseolus improvement took place in developed countries. In recognition of the nutritional importance of Phaseolus beans in developing countries, this has changed considerably in the last years, principally perhaps through the activities of the Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT) and the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources (IBPGR). Consequently, the scope of the research on Phaseolus has broadened considerably and the number of Phaseolus researchers is larger than ever before.

All measurements of intact leaf 02 sensitivity can be explained by the oxygenation model for glycolate formation and glycolate metabolism by established pathways. Predicting the rate of oxygenation from the underlying biochemistry is more reliable than calculating the rate of oxygenation from intact leaf gas exchange measurements. REFERENCES 1. Badger MR, TD Sharkey, S von Caemmerer: The relationship between steady-state gas exchange of bean leaves and the levels of carbon reduction cycle intermediates. Planta 160:305-313, 1984. 2. Bowes, G, WL Ogren, RH Hageman: Phosphoglycolate production catalyzed by ribulose diphosphate carboxylase. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 45:716-722, 1971. 3. Farquhar GD, S von Caemmerer, JA Berry: A biochemical model of photosynthetic C02 assimilation in leaves of C3 species. Planta 149: 78-90, 1980. 4. Farquhar GD, S von Caemmerer: Modelling of photosynthetic response to environmental conditions. In OL Lange, PS Nobel, CB Osmond, H Ziegler, eds, Encycl. of Plant Physiol., New Series, Springer Verlag, Heidelberg 12b: 549-587, 1982. 5. Jordan DB, WL Ogren: The C02/02 specificity of ribulose 1- bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase. Dependence on ribulose bisphosphate concentration, pH and temperature. Planta 161: 308-313, 1984. 6. Ku SB, GE Edwards: Oxygen inhibition of photosynthesis. I. Temperature dependence and relation to 02/C02 solubility ratio. Plant Physiol 59: 986-990, 1977. 7. Laing WA, WL Ogren, RL Hageman: Regulation of soybean net photosynthetic C02 fixation by the interaction of C02' 02 and ribulose l,5-diphosphate carboxylase. Plant Physiol 54: 678-685, 1974."

This text explores the means, processes and mechanisms by which plants change the orientation and juxtapositions of various organs in order to optimize their harvest of energy, and examines the major stumuli which provokes such responses. These interactions are re-described for higher plants through to ferns, fungi and algae, and the text constantly emphasizes the functional significance of particular growth movements to plants in their natural surroundings. This book should be of interest to research students and lecturers in plant physiology; research workers in agriculture and plant biochemistry.

Transport properties of plant cuticles are important for different ?elds of modern plant sciences. Ecologists and physiologists are interested in water losses to the environment via the cuticle. Penetration of plant protecting agents and nutrients into leaves and fruits is relevant for research in agriculture and plant protection. Ecotoxicologists need to know the amounts of environmental xenobiotics which accumulate in leaves and other primary plant organs from the environment. For all of these studies suitable methods should be used, and a sound theoretical basis helps to formulate testable hypotheses and to interpret experimental data. Unnecessary experiments and experiments which yield ambiguous results can be avoided. In this monograph, we have analysed on a molecular basis the movement of molecules across plant cuticles. Based on current knowledge of chemistry and str- ture of cuticles, we have characterised the aqueous and lipophilic pathways, the nature and mechanisms of mass transport and the factors controlling the rate of movement. We have focused on structure-property relationships for penetrant tra- port, which can explain why water and solute permeabilities of cuticles differ widely among plant species. Based on this knowledge, mechanisms of adaptation to en- ronmental factors can be better understood, and rates of cuticular penetration can be optimised by plant physiologists and pesticide chemists.

This volume presents a comprehensive overview of contemporary methods to analyze photorespiration in higher plants. 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, Photorespiration: Methods and Protocols aims to ensure successful results in the further study of this vital field.

Plant secondary metabolism is an economically important source of fine chemicals, such as drugs, insecticides, dyes, flavours, and fragrances. Moreover, important traits of plants such as taste, flavour, smell, colour, or resistance against pests and diseases are also related to secondary metabolites. The genetic modification of plants is feasible nowadays. What does the possibility of engineering plant secondary metabolite pathways mean? In this book, firstly a general introduction is given on plant secondary metabolism, followed by an overview of the possible approaches that could be used to alter secondary metabolite pathways. In a series of chapters from various authorities in the field, an overview is given of the state of the art for important groups of secondary metabolites. No books have been published on this topic so far. This book will thus be a unique source of information for all those involved with plants as chemical factories of fine chemicals and those involved with the quality of food and ornamental plants. It will be useful in teaching graduate courses in the field of metabolic engineering in plants.

Heme and chlorophyll (Chl) are porphyrins. Porphyrins (also referred to as tetrapyrroles) are essential for life in the biosphere. Chlorophyll catalyzes the conversion of solar energy to chemical energy via the process of photosynthesis. Organic life in the biosphere is made possible by consumption of the chemical energy generated by photosynthesis. Hemes are the prosthetic groups of cytochromes which are involved in electron transport during oxidative phosphorylation and photosynthetic phosphorylation which generate ATP and NADPH. The latter are essential for many cellular functions. Chlorophyll on the other hands catalyzes the process of photosynthesis. Indeed, life in the biosphere depends on the process of photosynthesis which converts light energy, carbon dioxide and water into the chemical energy, required for the formation of food and fiber. Photosynthetic efficiency is controlled by extrinsic factors such as the availability of water, CO2, inorganic nutrients, ambient temperature and the metabolic and developmental state of the plant, as well as by intrinsic factors (Lien and San Pietro, 1975). The most important intrinsic factor is the efficiency of the photosynthetic electron transport system (PETS). Conventional agriculture is one of the few human activities that have not undergone a revolution to join other activities such as overcoming gravity by flying, and landing on the moon, crossing underwater the polar cap, and communicating wirelessly over long distances via electromagnetic waves. We now feel that enough biochemical and molecular biological knowledge has accumulated to render this dream amenable to experimentation. We believe that the time has come to bioengineer chloroplasts capable of synthesizing a short chain carbohydrate such as glycerol at rates that approach the upper theoretical limits of photosynthesis [Rebeiz, C. A. (2010) Investigations of possible relationships between the chlorophyll biosynthetic pathway and the assembly of chlorophyll-protein complexes and photosynthetic efficiency. In: Rebeiz, C. A. Benning, C., Bohnert, H.J., Daniell, H., Hoober J. K., Lichtenthaler, H. K., Portis , A. R., and Tripathy, B. C. eds. The chloroplast: Basics and Applications. Springer. The Netherlands, p 1-24]. In order to achieve this goal a thorough knowledge of the Chl biosynthetic pathway is needed along with knowledge in other domains (Rebeiz 2010). In this context, this monograph is devoted to an in depth discussion of our present knowledge of the Chl biosynthetic pathway. The complexity and biochemical heterogeneity of the Chl biosynthetic pathway and the relationship of this complexity to the structural and biosynthetic complexity of photosynthetic membranes will be emphasized. We will also emphasize in historical perspective, key stages in our understanding of the Chl biosynthetic heterogeneity. The reader should keep in mind that a complex biosynthetic process is only fully understood when it becomes possible to reconstitute in vitro every step of the process. We are not yet at this stage of understanding of thylakoid membrane biogenesis. Considerable progress has been achieved however, in the understanding of numerous facets of the Chl biosynthetic pathway, namely (a) detection and identification of various major and minor metabolic intermediates (b) precursor-product relationships between various intermediates, (c) structure and regulation of many enzymes of the pathway, and (d) the relationship of the Chl biosynthetic heterogeneity to the structural and functional heterogeneity of thylakoid membranes. In addition topics related to the development of Analytical techniques, Cell-free systems, Herbicides, Insecticides, and Cancericides are also discussed.

These volumes contain an excellent, up-to-date review of the rapidly developing field of photosynthesis research. They comprise the proceedings of the Ninth International Congress on Photosynthesis, held in Nagoya, Japan, in 1992, which was the first in the series to be held in Asia. The Congress was attended by over 1000 active participants from 43 countries, who contributed plenary lectures, symposium talks, posters and discussions. The volumes contain most of these contributions, in the form of review papers and short communications, assembled in 26 chapters, which cover a wide variety of subjects, such as: fundamental aspects, excitation energy transfer, primary reactions, bioenergetic processes, carbon metabolism, and its metabolic and genetic regulations; applied aspects, herbicides and artificial photosynthesis, and environmental aspects, photosynthesis under stress conditions and global climate change. Research in Photosynthesis is therefore an important document, containing the latest high-level information about photosynthesis in its broadest sense. The four volumes are a valuable reference source. Furthermore, the volumes are important for background study for those enetering this exciting and promising field of investigation.

The Fifth International Workshop on Seeds was held at the University of Reading, UK, from 10 to 15 September, 1995. Some 230 seed scientists, from a wide range of disciplines (botanists, biochemists, ecologists, agriculturalists, foresters, and commercial seedsmen), from 31 countries (Europe, the Americas, and Asia) participated in the workshop. A large number of oral and poster presentations was made during the workshop and we are pleased to publish so many of them in these Proceedings. The papers herein are listed by the sessions in which they were presented but, as is often the case, many papers cover a broader range of topics than the session titles imply. For seed physiologists, ecologists, and technologists, this book collates much of the current research on seeds.

The International Symposium on "Cellular and Molecular Aspects of Biosynthesis and Action of the Plant Hormone Ethylenc" ,vas held in Agen, France from August 31 st and September 4th, 1992. The planning and management of the scientific and social programme of the Conference were carried out jointly by the "Ethylene Research Group" of ENSAlIN"P (Toulouse) and Agropole Congres Service (Agen). Since the last meetings in Israel (1984) and in Belgium (1988), ethylene physiology has gone through a period of exciting progress due to new developments in cellular and molecular bioiogy. New methods and tools have been developed to better understand the role and functions of ethylene in fruit ripening, flower senescence, abscission, piant growth, and cell differentiation. Genes involved in ethylene biosynthesis have been characterized and transgenic plants with altered ethylene production have been generated. The feasibility of delaying fruit ripening or flower senescence by genetic manipulation is now demonstrated, thus opening new perspectives for the postharvest handling of plant products. Some progress has also been made on the understanding of ethylene action. However, much remains to be done in this area to elucidate the ethylene signal transduction pathway. Around 140 scientists from 20 countries attended the Symposium. They presented 47 oral reports and 40 poster demonstrations. All of them are published in these proceedings. It has been a pleasure for us to organize this important Symposium and to edit this book.

Chloroplasts are essential for the survival and flourishing of life on Earth. Over the years, chloroplast biology has been studied in a variety of different organisms, leading to the significant disadvantage that findings which were made by using different experimental systems or species were not always directly cross-comparable. The relatively recent adoption of Arabidopsis thaliana as the model organism of choice for plant science research, across the globe, has led to its emergence as a pre-eminent system for research on chloroplasts and other types of plastid. In Chloroplast Research in Arabidopsis: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers bring together some of the most important, modern techniques and approaches for chloroplast research, with the unifying theme of Arabidopsis as the model system. Volume II explores topics such as multiprotein complexes, protein-protein interactions, omics and large-scale analyses, proteomics and suborganellar fractionation, as well as photosynthesis and biochemical analysis. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) 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 convenient, Chloroplast Research in Arabidopsis: Methods and Protocols serves as an ideal reference for all researchers with a general interest in chloroplasts, plastids, or related processes.

A comprehensive state-of-the-art collection of the most frequently used techniques for plant cell and tissue culture. Readily reproducible and extensively annotated, the methods range from general methodologies, such as culture induction, growth and viability evaluation, and contamination control, to such highly specialized techniques as chloroplast transformation involving the laborious process of protoplast isolation and culture. Most of the protocols are currently used in the research programs of the authors or represent important parts of business projects aimed at the generation of improved plant materials. Two new appendices explain the principles for formulating culture media and the composition of the eight most commonly used media formulations, and list more than 100 very useful internet sites.

The debate over genetic manipulation and its use in plant improvement and protection has led to an increased demand for developing methods for detecting and characterizing genetic manipulation in plants and plant products such as seeds and foods. This book is unique in presenting all relevant methods together in one volume: those for using and determining markers retained in genetically manipulated products as well as methods for eliminating marker genes and procedures for characterizing chromosomal aberrations in genetically manipulated plants.

This long awaited third edition of Phytochemical Methods is, as its predecessors, a key tool for undergraduates, research workers in plant biochemistry, plant taxonomists and any researchers in related areas where the analysis of organic plant components is key to their investigations. Phytochemistry is a rapidly expanding area with new techniques being developed and existing ones perfected and made easier to incorporate as standard methods in the laboratory. This latest edition includes descriptions of the most up-to-date methods such as HPLC and the increasingly sophisticated NMR and related spectral techniques. Other methods described are the use of NMR to locate substances within the plant cell and the chiral separation of essential oils. After an introductory chapter on methods of plant analysis, individual chapters describe methods of identifying the different type of plant molecules: phenolic compounds, terpenoids, organic acids, lipids and related compounds, nitrogen compounds, sugar and derivatives and macromolecules. Different methods are discussed and recommended, and guidance provided for the analysis of compounds of special physiological relevance such as endogenous growth regulators, substances of pharmacological interest and screening methods for the detection of substances for taxonomic purposes. It also includes an important bibliographic guide to specialized texts. This comprehensive book constitutes a unique and indispensable practical guide for any phytochemistry or related laboratory, and provides hands-on description of experimental techniques so that students and researchers can become familiar with these invaluable methods.

The Handbook of Plant Ecophysiology Techniques you have now in your hands is the result of several combined events and efforts. The birth of this handbook can be traced as far as 1997, when our Plant Ecophysiology lab at the University of Vigo hosted a practical course on Plant Ecophysiology Techniques. That course showed us how much useful a handbook presenting a bunch of techniques would be for the scientists beginning to work on Plant Ecophysiology. In fact, we wrote a short handbook explaining the basics of the techniques taught in that 1997 course: Flow cytometry to measure ploidy levels, Use of a Steady-State porometer to measure transpiration, In vivo measure of fluorescence, HPLC analysis of low molecular weight phenolics, Spectrophotometric determinations of free proline and soluble proteins, TLC polyamines contents measures, Isoenzymatic electrophoresis, Use of IRGA and oxygen electrode. That modest handbook, written in Spanish, was very helpful, both for the people who attended the course and for other who have used it for beginning to work in Plant Ecophysiology. The present Handbook is much more ambitious, and it includes more techniques. But we have also had in mind the young scientists beginning to work on Plant Ecophysiology. In 1999 Francois Pellissier leaded a proposal presented to the European Commission in the Fifth Framework Program in the High Level * Scientific Conferences, including three EuroLab Courses about lab and field techniques useful to improve allelopathic research."

However, the transition from primitive to 'advanced' cultivars has had the effect of narrowing the genetic base. This has happened in two distinct ways: (1) selection for relative uniformity, resulting in 'pure' lines, multi lines, single or double hybrids, etc.; and (2) selection for closely defined objectives. Both of these processes have resulted in a marked reduction in genetic variation. At the same time, there has been a tendency to restrict the gene pool from which parental material has been drawn. This is a result of the high level of productivity achieved when breeding within a restricted but well-adapted gene pool, and of breeding methods which have made it possible to introduce specifically desired improvements, such as disease resistance and quality characteristics, into breeding stocks with a minimum of disturbance to genotypic structure. Developments in agriculture, such as intensive mechanization, the widespread application of fertilizers and the use of herbicides, fungicides and pesticides, have created a situation whereby a few, selected high yielding cultivars may be grown over large parts of the earth, so further contributing to a decline in crop genetic diversity. This process is under way in all countries, both developed and developing, and unfortunately in cludes some of the richest primary and secondary gene centres of several important food crops."

Plants have to manage a series of environmental stresses throughout their entire lifespan. Among these, abiotic stress is the most detrimental; one that is responsible for nearly 50% of crop yield reduction and appears to be a potential threat to global food security in coming decades. Plant growth and development reduces drastically due to adverse effects of abiotic stresses. It has been estimated that crop can exhibit only 30% of their genetic potentiality under abiotic stress condition. So, this is a fundamental need to understand the stress responses to facilitate breeders to develop stress resistant and stress tolerant cultivars along with good management practices to withstand abiotic stresses. Also, a holistic approach to understanding the molecular and biochemical interactions of plants is important to implement the knowledge of resistance mechanisms under abiotic stresses. Agronomic practices like selecting cultivars that is tolerant to wide range of climatic condition, planting date, irrigation scheduling, fertilizer management could be some of the effective short-term adaptive tools to fight against abiotic stresses. In addition, "system biology" and "omics approaches" in recent studies offer a long-term opportunity at the molecular level in dealing with abiotic stresses. The genetic approach, for example, selection and identification of major conditioning genes by linkage mapping and quantitative trait loci (QTL), production of mutant genes and transgenic introduction of novel genes, has imparted some tolerant characteristics in crop varieties from their wild ancestors. Recently research has revealed the interactions between micro-RNAs (miRNAs) and plant stress responses exposed to salinity, freezing stress and dehydration. Accordingly transgenic approaches to generate stress-tolerant plant are one of the most interesting researches to date. This book presents the recent development of agronomic and molecular approaches in conferring plant abiotic stress tolerance in an organized way. The present volume will be of great interest among research students and teaching community, and can also be used as reference material by professional researchers.

Much of Europe has been complaining recently of unseasonal weathe- disastrous floods in Eastern Europe, temperatures reaching over 40"C in Central Europe, no decent rain for months in parts of the Balkans, coupled with unusually long and severe frosts in winter. Indeed, wheat yields in Serbia for 2003 are expected to be reduced by over 30% because of the combination of a long frost during winter with insufficient protective snow cover, very low rainfall in the spring months and sudden high temperatures reaching over 30*C at the time of flowering. So, with this background, it is very timely that this volume on Abiotic Stresses in Plants has been put together. Each of the eight chapters focuses on a different aspect of abiotic stress, presenting reviews of recent advances in the subject. Rather than summarise the contents of each chapter, I'll focus on some of the advances in technologies presented here for elucidating the molecular, genetic and biochemical mechanisms that regulate plant responses to stresses and which also provide opportunities for improving plant performance under abiotic stresses. The last 20 years has seen a revolution in the availability of technologies for this, starting with the development of transformation technologies to study the role of an individual gene, then came molecular marker technologies to study the genetic control of stress responses, and in recent years the '-omics' (genomics, proteomics and metabolomics) have been developed to create an integrated picture of how the plant responds to a particular stress.

Abiotic stress cause changes in soil-plant-atmosphere continuum and is responsible for reduced yield in several major crops. Therefore, the subject of abiotic stress response in plants - metabolism, productivity and sustainability - is gaining considerable significance in the contemporary world. Abiotic stress is an integral part of "climate change," a complex phenomenon with a wide range of unpredictable impacts on the environment. Prolonged exposure to these abiotic stresses results in altered metabolism and damage to biomolecules. Plants evolve defense mechanisms to tolerate these stresses by upregulation of osmolytes, osmoprotectants, and enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, etc. This volume deals with abiotic stress-induced morphological and anatomical changes, abberations in metabolism, strategies and approaches to increase salt tolerance, managing the drought stress, sustainable fruit production and postharvest stress treatments, role of glutathione reductase, flavonoids as antioxidants in plants, the role of salicylic acid and trehalose in plants, stress-induced flowering. The role of soil organic matter in mineral nutrition and fatty acid profile in response to heavy metal stress are also dealt with. Proteomic markers for oxidative stress as a new tools for reactive oxygen species and photosynthesis research, abscisic acid signaling in plants are covered with chosen examples. Stress responsive genes and gene products including expressed proteins that are implicated in conferring tolerance to the plant are presented. Thus, this volume would provides the reader with a wide spectrum of information including key references and with a large number of illustrations and tables. Dr. Parvaiz is Assistant Professor in Botany at A.S. College, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India. He has completed his post-graduation in Botany in 2000 from Jamia Hamdard New Delhi India. After his Ph.D from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, India in 2007 he joined the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi. He has published more than 20 research papers in peer reviewed journals and 4 book chapters. He has also edited a volume which is in press with Studium Press Pvt. India Ltd., New Delhi, India. Dr. Parvaiz is actively engaged in studying the molecular and physio-biochemical responses of different plants (mulberry, pea, Indian mustard) under environmental stress. Prof. M.N.V. Prasad is a Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Hyderabad, India. He received B.Sc. (1973) and M.Sc. (1975) degrees from Andhra University, India, and the Ph.D. degree (1979) in botany from the University of Lucknow, India. Prasad has published 216 articles in peer reviewed journals and 82 book chapters and conference proceedings in the broad area of environmental botany and heavy metal stress in plants. He is the author, co-author, editor, or co-editor for eight books. He is the recipient of Pitamber Pant National Environment Fellowship of 2007 awarded by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.

Photosynthesis in silico Understanding Complexity from Molecules to Ecosystems is a unique book that aims to show an integrated approach to the understanding of photosynthesis processes. In this volume - using mathematical modeling - processes are described from the biophysics of the interaction of light with pigment systems to the mutual interaction of individual plants and other organisms in canopies and large ecosystems, up to the global ecosystem issues. Chapters are written by 44 international authorities from 15 countries. Mathematics is a powerful tool for quantitative analysis. Properly programmed, contemporary computers are able to mimic complicated processes in living cells, leaves, canopies and ecosystems. These simulations - mathematical models - help us predict the photosynthetic responses of modeled systems under various combinations of environmental conditions, potentially occurring in nature, e.g., the responses of plant canopies to globally increasing temperature and atmospheric CO2 concentration. Tremendous analytical power is needed to understand nature's infinite complexity at every level.

Chloroplasts are essential for the survival and flourishing of life on Earth. Over the years, chloroplast biology has been studied in a variety of different organisms, leading to the significant disadvantage that findings which were made by using different experimental systems or species were not always directly cross-comparable. The relatively recent adoption of Arabidopsis thaliana as the model organism of choice for plant science research, across the globe, has led to its emergence as a pre-eminent system for research on chloroplasts and other types of plastid. In Chloroplast Research in Arabidopsis: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers bring together some of the most important, modern techniques and approaches for chloroplast research, with the unifying theme of Arabidopsis as the model system. Volume I explores topics such as genetics, cytology, in vivo analysis, gene expression, and protein accumulation, as well as protein transport, localization, and topology. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) 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 convenient, Chloroplast Research in Arabidopsis: Methods and Protocols serves as an ideal reference for all researchers with a general interest in chloroplasts, plastids, or related processes.

This is the 5th edition of a well-established book Principles of Plant Nutrition which was first published in 1978. The same format is maintained as in previous editions with the primary aim of the authors to consider major processes in soils and plants that are of relevance to plant nutrition.This new edition gives an up-to-date account of the scientific advances of the subject by making reference to about 2000 publications. An outstanding feature of the book, which distinguishes it from others, is its wide approach encompassing not only basic nutrition and physiology, but also practical aspects of plant nutrition involving fertilizer usage and crop production of direct importance to human nutrition. Recognizing the international readership of the book, the authors, as in previous editions, have attempted to write in a clear concise style of English for the benefit of the many readers for whom English is not their mother tongue. The book will be of use to undergraduates and postgraduates in Agriculture, Horticulture, Forestry and Ecology as well as those researching in Plant Nutrition.

Sulphur (S) plays a pivotal role in various plant growth and development processes being a constituent of sulphur-containing amino acids, cysteine and methionine, and other metabolites viz., glutathione and phytochelatins, co-factor of enzymes which contribute to stress repair and amelioration of heavy metal toxicity. Besides, a number of S-containing components are biologically active and, thus, a source for use as medicinal value. The basic global issue before the agricultural scientist and world community is to evolve cultivars and develop methodologies for efficient use of inputs to enhance agricultural productivity. This is particularly true of the developing countries which are going to see maximum rise in population with changing food demands and declining availability of land. Amongst the inputs, nutrients play a crucial role. The major requirement is for N, P and K followed by several micro-nutrients. In this context reports of world-wide S deficiency in the agricultural systems are relevant. The reasons are many. Broadly speaking reduction inS emission, use of S-free N, P and K fertilizers and higher biomass production contributed the maximum. Despite the need for sulphur as an essential plant nutrient and the substantial returns expected from its use, very little attention has been given to fill the gap between supply and demand of S.

This book offers effective, low-cost and user-friendly protocols for the pre-field selection of salt-tolerant mutants in cereal crops. It presents simple methods for measuring soil salinity, including soil sampling and the analysis of water-soluble salts, and describes a detailed, but simple, screening test for salt tolerance in rice, wheat and barley seedlings, which uses hydroponics. The protocols are devised for use by plant breeders and can be easily accommodated into breeding practice.