Physicochemical and Environmental Plant Physiology, Fifth Edition, is the updated version of an established and successful text and reference for plant scientists. This work represents the seventh book in a 50-year series by Park Nobel beginning in 1970. The original structure and philosophy of the book continue in this new edition, providing a genuine synthesis of modern physicochemical and physiological thinking, while updating the content. Key concepts in plant physiology are developed with the use of chemistry, physics, and mathematics fundamentals. The book contains plant physiology basics while also including many equations and often their derivation to quantify the processes and explain why certain effects and pathways occur, helping readers to broaden their knowledge base. New topics included in this edition are advances in plant hydraulics, other plant-water relations, and the effects of climate change on plants. This series continues to be the gold standard in environmental plant physiology.

This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license. By 2050, human population is expected to reach 9.7 billion. The demand for increased food production needs to be met from ever reducing resources of land, water and other environmental constraints. Rice remains the staple food source for a majority of the global populations, but especially in Asia where ninety percent of rice is grown and consumed. Climate change continues to impose abiotic and biotic stresses that curtail rice quality and yields. Researchers have been challenged to provide innovative solutions to maintain, or even increase, rice production. Amongst them, the 'green super rice' breeding strategy has been successful for leading the development and release of multiple abiotic and biotic stress tolerant rice varieties. Recent advances in plant molecular biology and biotechnologies have led to the identification of stress responsive genes and signaling pathways, which open up new paradigms to augment rice productivity. Accordingly, transcription factors, protein kinases and enzymes for generating protective metabolites and proteins all contribute to an intricate network of events that guard and maintain cellular integrity. In addition, various quantitative trait loci associated with elevated stress tolerance have been cloned, resulting in the detection of novel genes for biotic and abiotic stress resistance. Mechanistic understanding of the genetic basis of traits, such as N and P use, is allowing rice researchers to engineer nutrient-efficient rice varieties, which would result in higher yields with lower inputs. Likewise, the research in micronutrients biosynthesis opens doors to genetic engineering of metabolic pathways to enhance micronutrients production. With third generation sequencing techniques on the horizon, exciting progress can be expected to vastly improve molecular markers for gene-trait associations forecast with increasing accuracy. This book emphasizes on the areas of rice science that attempt to overcome the foremost limitations in rice production. Our intention is to highlight research advances in the fields of physiology, molecular breeding and genetics, with a special focus on increasing productivity, improving biotic and abiotic stress tolerance and nutritional quality of rice.

With the clear writing and accessible approach that have made it the authoritative introduction to the field of molecular photosynthesis, this fully revised and updated edition now offers students and researchers cutting-edge topical coverage of bioenergy applications and artificial photosynthesis; advances in biochemical and genetic methods; as well as new analytical techniques. Chapters cover the origins and evolution of photosynthesis; carbon metabolism; photosynthetic organisms and organelles; and the basic principles of photosynthetic energy storage. The book's website includes downloadable PowerPoint slides.

Brassinosteroids in Plant Developmental Biology and Stress Tolerance provides insights into understanding the mechanisms of Brassinosteroid-regulated plant developmental biology and stress tolerance covering various biochemical, physiological, genetic and molecular studies. As unprecedented climate change poses a serious threat to global food security by intensifying environmental stresses, studies reveal that Brassinosteroids (BRs) could not only protect plants from stresses to ensure food security, but could also reduce toxic compounds in edible plant parts for assuring food safety. Therefore, utilization of BRs in modern agriculture will be of great significance in the context of global climate change. This book also highlights key information for developing eco-friendly growth regulators and understanding the importance of brassinosteroids in safe food production.

Water Relations of Plants and Soils, successor to the seminal 1983 book by Paul Kramer, covers the entire field of water relations using current concepts and consistent terminology. Emphasis is on the interdependence of processes, including rate of water absorption, rate of transpiration, resistance to water flow into roots, soil factors affecting water availability. New trends in the field, such as the consideration of roots (rather than leaves) as the primary sensors of water stress, are examined in detail.
Key Features
* Addresses the role of water in the whole range of plant activities
* Describes molecular mechanisms of water action in the context of whole plants
* Synthesizes recent scientific findings
* Relates current concepts to agriculture and ecology
* Provides a summary of methods

This book contains current knowledge and the most recent developments in the field of halophyte biology, ecology, and potential uses. Halophytes are characterised as plants that can survive and complete their life cycle in highly saline environments. This book explores the adaptive mechanisms and special features of halophytes that allow them to grow in environments that are unsuitable for conventional crops and considers their role as a source of food, fuel, fodder, fibre, essential oils, and medicines. Halophytes and Climate Change includes coverage of: - Special morphological, anatomical, and physiological features of halophytes - Ion accumulation patterns and homeostasis in halophytes - Potential use of halophytes in the remediation of saline soil - Growth and physiological response and tolerance to toxicity and drought - Mangrove ecology, physiology, and adaptation Written by a team of international authors and presented in full colour, this book is an essential resource for researchers in the fields of plant physiology, ecology, soil science, environmental science, botany, and agriculture.

"Root Development" is an extremely exciting new title in Blackwell Publishing's Annual Plant Reviews Series (Series Editor Profesor Jeremy Roberts). The book consists of contributions from author groups based at many of the World's formeost laboratories working in the root development area. The book's editor Tom Beeckman, himself very well known and respected for his work in this area, has drawn together an exceptional set of core cutting edge reviews of the subject, providing a state of the art reference tool for all those researching in this area.

Forest Microbiology, Volume One: Tree Microbiome: Phyllosphere, Endosphere and Rhizosphere places an emphasis on the microbiology of leaves, needles, stems, roots, litter and soil. This comprehensive title is split into five sections, including the phyllosphere microbiome, endosphere, rhizosphere, archaea, viruses in forest ecosystem and microbiota of forest nurseries and tree pests, challenges and potentials. Microbial communities associated with various host trees and different tree tissues are compared, and generalists and specialists among tree-associated microbes are identified. In addition, biotic and abiotic factors determining the composition and the structure of forest tree microbial communities are presented, along with the concept of microbial 'hubs.' Together, the book's editors have 25 years' worth of experience teaching and conducting research on forest microbiology, making this an essential read for any scientist interested in the forest microbiome.

This book describes the exciting biology and chemistry of strigolactones. Outgrowth of shoot branches? Development of lateral roots? Interactions with beneficial microorganisms? Avoiding parasitic plants? Responding to drought conditions? These important "decisions" that plants make are all regulated by a group of hormones called strigolactones. The latest research has yielded a number of new biological concepts, such as a redefinition of plant hormones and their crosstalk, new functional diversity of receptors, hormonal "smoke and mirrors," core signaling pathways, and even phloem transport of receptor proteins. Another important aspect of strigolactones is the related synthetic chemistry, which could pave the way for a variety of potential applications in agriculture and medicine. The book explains in detail the role that strigolactones play in plant development, and addresses the interaction of plants with soil biota and abiotic stress conditions, prospects of strigolactone biochemistry and evolution, and chemical synthesis of natural strigolactones and analogs, together with their potential applications. Including a glossary and end-of-chapter synopses to aid in comprehension, it offers a valuable asset for teachers, lecturers and (post-) graduate students in biology, agronomy and related areas..

The plant hormone ethylene is one of the most important, being one of the first chemicals to be determined as a naturally-occurring growth regulator and influencer of plant development. It was also the first hormone for which significant evidence was found for the presence of receptors. This important new volume in Annual Plant Reviews is broadly divided into three parts. The first part covers the biosynthesis of ethylene and includes chapters on S-adenosylmethionine and the formation and fate of ACC in plant cells. The second part of the volume covers ethylene signaling, including the perception of ethylene by plant cells, CTR proteins, MAP kinases and EIN2 / EIN3. The final part covers the control by ethylene of cell function and development, including seed development, germination, plant growth, cell separation, fruit ripening, senescent processes, and plant-pathogen interactions. The Plant Hormone Ethylene is an extremely valuable addition to Wiley-Blackwell's Annual Plant Reviews. With contributions from many of the world's leading researchers in ethylene, and edited by Professor Michael McManus of Massey University, this volume will be of great use and interest to a wide range of plant scientists, biochemists and chemists. All universities and research establishments where plant sciences, biochemistry, chemistry, life sciences and agriculture are studied and taught should have access to this important volume.

Whereas the adult body plan of an animal is established largely during embryogenesis, the body plan of a plant is elaborated throughout its life, through the activity of meristematic tissues. Although many of the patterning mechanisms that operate during embryogenesis in animal systems are becoming understood in molecular terms, the extent to which analogous mechanisms underpin the formation and function of meristematic tissues in plants remains unclear. This volume takes a fresh look at the essential nature of meristematic tissues and the manner in which they contribute to the growth and development of the plant. Authors pay special attention to the molecular mechanisms underlying meristem formation and maintenance, while at the same time integrating them with existing physiological and anatomical information. The volume is directed at researchers and professionals in plant genetics, developmental biology, molecular biology and physiology.

This edited volume focuses on the core aspects of sugarcane production-management under stressful environments as well as innovative strategies for augmenting crop growth & productivity through intrinsic and extrinsic manipulations. The various chapters aim at bringing out comprehensive and advance information on different aspects of sugarcane cultivation under stress environments and impact of climate change on the sustainability of sugarcane production. The book encompasses information about crop production management, physiological & nutritional requirements, ratooning, ripening and post-harvest losses management. It also delineates various technologies that support the continued use and improvement of sugarcane as renewable source of food, fiber and bio-energy. The manipulations at cellular and molecular levels, molecular breeding approaches and post-harvest technologies are also included. The area under sugarcane cultivation is gradually increasing because of its diversification potential. The high productivity and biomass of the cane crop also makes it a key source for use as bio-energy crop and a promising raw material for bio-based agro-industries. However, poor crop & biomass productivity due to abiotic stress is the foremost constraint in its future commercial exploitation as sustainable feed-stock for bio-based industries. It is therefore imperative to understand the cellular-molecular modulation responsible to productivity barrier under specific stress situation(s) for better sugarcane quality and quantum under field condition. Some of these innovative approaches are delineated in this book. This book is of interest to progressive sugarcane growers, millers, industrial entrepreneurs, sugarcane scientists, cane development and extension officers, sugar industry managers and valuable source of reference worldwide.

Mangroves are typically tropical coastal ecosystems found in the inter-tidal zones of river deltas and back water areas. They represent highly dynamic and fragile ecosystems, yet they are the most productive and biologically diversified habitats of various life forms including plants, animals and microorganisms. Mangroves are a resource of many different products, including; microorganisms that harbor a diverse group of industrially important enzymes, antibiotics, therapeutic proteins and vaccines; timber resistant to rot and insects; and medicinal plants. Divided into three main parts, Biotechnological Utilization of Mangrove Resources first provides a broad introduction into mangrove ecology. Subsequent chapters discuss the biodiversity of mangroves, including the diverse nature of the organisms within the mangroves themselves. The final part pays special attention to biotechnological utilization of mangroves. Topics such as antimicrobial activity of mangrove-derived products, anti-oxidant activity of mangrove derived products and pharmaceutical applications, are covered in detail. Biotechnological Utilization of Mangrove Resources brings the latest research and technologies in mangrove biology into one platform, providing readers with an up-to-date view on the area. This would serve as an excellent reference book for researchers and students in the field of marine biology especially interested in mangrove ecosystems.

Model studies focus experimental investigations to improve our understanding and performance of systems. Concentrating on crop modeling, this book provides an introduction to the concepts of crop development, growth, and yield, with step-by-step outlines to each topic, suggested exercises and simple equations. A valuable text for students and researchers of crop development alike, this book is written in five parts that allow the reader to develop a solid foundation and coverage of production models including water- and nitrogen-limited systems.

This edited book provides the readers with the concepts and in-depth knowledge of plant disease assessment and conventional and modern technologies that aid in precise and accurate phytomathometery. This book discusses the evolution of plant disease assessment procedures from the primary visual estimation-based assessment to modern approaches, their practical application for reliable disease quantification, yield loss estimation, and the efficacy of disease control strategies for sustainable crop protection. Significant information is provided on the major aspects of the topic, including remote sensing, imaging techniques, molecular phytopathometery, microarray, and immunotechnology. The book helps plant scientists, plant pathologists, practitioners, researchers, and students in disease quantification, developing predictive models for plant disease epidemics, assessing crop losses, and the magnitude of plant disease control methods. This book describes the classical plant disease assessment methods based on visual observations. It Provides information regarding the modern and emerging technologies in Phytopathometery, precision, and accuracy. This book also discusses the application of disease assessments in predictive models, disease warning systems, expert systems, and decision support systems in applied plant pathology.

The cadmium (Cd) contamination has raised increasingly global concern on food safety. The book was composed to bring comprehensive and valuable thoughts about the food safety management against heavy metal contamination. In this book, current status of cadmium contamination in agricultural soils and crops is systematically summarized. In order to reduce the risk of Cd pollution in crops, Cd pollution-safe cultivar (Cd-PSC) strategy, i.e. identifying, breeding and applying the cultivars with particularly low Cd accumulation capacity in edible parts even when grown in Cd contaminated soil, is proposed as a most effective, low-cost and environmental-friendly method for minimizing Cd pollution in crops. To describe the framework of the Cd-PSC strategy, a series research results on water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica Forsk) are summarized as a typical case. The latest findings about the Cd-PSCs of water spinach, including cultivar variation in shoot Cd accumulation, identification and verification of low- and high-Cd accumulating cultivars, stability of Cd accumulation capacity at the cultivar level, biochemical and molecular mechanisms of the cultivar-dependent Cd uptake, transfer and accumulation, breeding methods for improving Cd-PSCs, and so on, have been covered. This book will provide valuable theoretical and practical understandings for controlling Cd pollution in crops grown on agricultural soils with known or unknown risk of Cd contamination.

Rapid developments in molecular and systems biology techniques have allowed researchers to unravel many new mechanisms through which plant cells switch over to alternative respiratory pathways. This book is a unique compendium of how and why higher plants evolved alternative respiratory metabolism. It offers a comprehensive review of current research in the biochemistry, physiology, classification and regulation of plant alternative respiratory pathways, from alternative oxidase diversity to functional marker development. The resource provides a broad range of perspectives on the applications of plant respiratory physiology, and suggests brand new areas of research. Other key features: * written by an international team of reputed plant physiologists, known for their pioneering contributions to the knowledge of regular and alternative respiratory metabolism in higher plants * includes step-by-step protocols for key molecular and imaging techniques * advises on regulatory options for managing crop yields, food quality and environment for crop improvement and enhanced food security * covers special pathways which are of key relevance in agriculture, particularly in plant post-harvest commodities Primarily for plant physiologists and plant biologists, this authoritative compendium will also be of great value to postdoctoral researchers working on plant respiration, as well as to graduate and postgraduate students and university staff in Plant Science. It is a useful resource for corporate and private firms involved in developing functional markers for breeding programs and controlling respiration for the prevention of post-harvest losses in fruit, vegetables, cut flowers and tubers.

The second edition of this volume focuses on applied bioinformatics with specific applications to crops and model plants. Plant Bioinformatics: Methods and Protocols is aimed at plant biologists who have an interest in, or requirement for, accessing and manipulating huge amounts of data being generated by high throughput technologies. This book would also be of interest to bioinformaticians and computer scientists who would benefit from an introduction to the different tools and systems available for plant research. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and software, step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and thorough, Plant Bioinformatics: Methods and Protocols helps researchers with the increasing volume and diversity of data from different plants and also the integration of multiple diverse forms of data.

This Open Access volume highlights how tree ring stable isotopes have been used to address a range of environmental issues from paleoclimatology to forest management, and anthropogenic impacts on forest growth. It will further evaluate weaknesses and strengths of isotope applications in tree rings. In contrast to older tree ring studies, which predominantly applied a pure statistical approach this book will focus on physiological mechanisms that influence isotopic signals and reflect environmental impacts. Focusing on connections between physiological responses and drivers of isotope variation will also clarify why environmental impacts are not linearly reflected in isotope ratios and tree ring widths. This volume will be of interest to any researcher and educator who uses tree rings (and other organic matter proxies) to reconstruct paleoclimate as well as to understand contemporary functional processes and anthropogenic influences on native ecosystems. The use of stable isotopes in biogeochemical studies has expanded greatly in recent years, making this volume a valuable resource to a growing and vibrant community of researchers.

How do plants make a living? Some plants are gamblers, others are swindlers. Some plants are habitual spenders while others are strugglers and miserly savers. Plants have evolved a spectacular array of solutions to the existential problems of survival and reproduction in a world where resources are scarce, disturbances can be deadly, and competition is cut-throat. Few topics have both captured the imagination and furrowed the brows of plant ecologists, yet no topic is more important for understanding the assembly of plant communities, predicting plant responses to global change, and enhancing the restoration of our rapidly degrading biosphere. The vast array of plant strategy models that characterize the discipline now require synthesis. These models tend to emphasize either life history strategies based on demography, or functional strategies based on ecophysiology. Indeed, this disciplinary divide between demography and physiology runs deep and continues to this today. The goal of this accessible book is to articulate a coherent framework that unifies life history theory with comparative functional ecology to advance prediction in plant ecology. Armed with a deeper understanding of the dimensionality of life history and functional traits, we are now equipped to quantitively link phenotypes to population growth rates across gradients of resource availability and disturbance regimes. Predicting how species respond to global change is perhaps the most important challenge of our time. A robust framework for plant strategy theory will advance this research agenda by testing the generality of traits for predicting population dynamics.

"Ecological Aspects of Nitrogen Acquisition explores not only how plants compete for nitrogen in complex ecological communities The book also looks in greater detail at the associations plants recruit with other organisms, ranging from soil microbes to arthropods, as nitrogen acquisition strategies, and how these contribute to individual and evolutionary fitness. The book is divided into four sections, each addressing an important set of relationships of plants with the environment and how this impacts the plant's ability to compete successfully for nitrogen, often the most growth-limiting nutrient. Ecological Aspects of Nitrogen Acquisition provides thorough coverage of this important topic, and will be a vitally important resource for plant scientists, agronomists, and ecologists"--

Plant hormones have pivotal roles in the regulation of plant growth, development, and reproduction. Their signaling pathways are interconnected in a complex network, which provides plants with an enormous regulatory potential to rapidly adapt to their environment and to utilize their limited resources for growth and survival in a cost-efficient manner. Auxin is a hormone molecule whose activity levels are most important for its regulatory roles during plant cell, organ, and tissue development. Therefore, the precise regulation of auxin levels is an essential mechanism to fine-tune the activity of this powerful hormone during plant growth and development. Likewise, cytokinins exhibit a wide range of physiological functions, including regulation of shoot and root apical meristems, stimulation of branching, vascular development, chloroplast differentiation, stabilization of the structure and function of the photosynthetic machinery, delay of senescence, stomata opening, and elevation of the sink strength and nutritional signaling. Moreover, gibberellins also regulate many aspects of plant growth and development including seed germination, stem elongation, leaf expansion, and flower and fruit development. The broad implication of gibberellins in plant development is strictly associated with tight regulation of their metabolism by multiple environmental and endogenous factors, ranging from light and temperature to other hormones including feedback control. Understanding the significant roles of these phytohormones in plant biology, the current subject has attracted the attention of scientists from across the globe. This comprehensive volume "Auxins, Cytokinins and Gibberellins Signaling in Plants" highlights the various prospects involved in the current scenario. The book comprises the chapters from diverse areas dealing with biotechnology, molecular biology, proteomics, genomics, metabolomics, etc.

This book discusses the recent advancements in the role of various biomolecules in regulating root growth and development. Rhizobiology is a dynamic sub discipline of plant science which collates investigations from various aspects like physiology, biochemistry, genetic analysis and plant-microbe interactions. The physiology and molecular mechanisms of root development have undergone significant advancements in the last couple of decades. Apart from the already known conventional phytohormones (IAA, GA, cytokinin, ethylene and ABA), certain novel biomolecules have been considered as potential growth regulators or hormones regulating plant growth and development. Root phenotyping and plasticity analysis with respect to the specific functional mutants of each biomolecule shall provide substantial information on the molecular pathways of root signaling. Special emphasis provides insights on the tolerance and modulatory mechanisms of root physiology in response to light burst, ROS generation, agravitrophic response, abiotic stress and biotic interactions. Root Apex Cognition: From Neuronal Molecules to Root-Fungal Networks and Suberin in Monocotyledonous Crop Plants: Structure and Function in Response to Abiotic Stresses" are available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com. Chapters "Root Apex Cognition: From Neuronal Molecules to Root-Fungal Networks and Suberin in Monocotyledonous Crop Plants: Structure and Function in Response to Abiotic Stresses" are available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

Advancement in Crop Improvement Techniques presents updates on biotechnology and molecular biological approaches which have contributed significantly to crop improvement. The book discusses the emerging importance of bioinformatics in analyzing the vast resources of information regarding crop improvement and its practical application and utilization. Throughout this comprehensive resource, emphasis is placed on various techniques used to improve agricultural crops, providing a common platform for the utility of these techniques and their combinations. Written by an international team of contributors, this book provides an in-depth analysis of existing tools and a framework for new research.

Priming-Mediated Stress and Cross-Stress Tolerance in Crop Plants provides the latest, in-depth understanding of the molecular mechanisms associated with the development of stress and cross-stress tolerance in plants. Plants growing under field conditions are constantly exposed, either sequentially or simultaneously, to many abiotic or biotic stress factors. As a result, many plants have developed unique strategies to respond to ever-changing environmental conditions, enabling them to monitor their surroundings and adjust their metabolic systems to maintain homeostasis. Recently, priming mediated stress and cross-stress tolerance (i.e., greater tolerance to a second, stronger stress after exposure to a different, milder primary stress) have attracted considerable interest within the scientific community as potential means of stress management and for producing stress-resistant crops to aid global food security. Priming-Mediated Stress and Cross-Stress Tolerance in Crop Plants comprehensively reviews the physiological, biochemical, and molecular basis of cross-tolerance phenomena, allowing researchers to develop strategies to enhance crop productivity under stressful conditions and to utilize natural resources more efficiently. The book is a valuable asset for plant and agricultural scientists in corporate or government environments, as well as educators and advanced students looking to promote future research into plant stress tolerance.