This monograph provides an overview of beneficial plant-bacterial interactions in a straightforward and easy-to-understand format, and includes a wealth of unique illustrations elaborating every major point. Study questions that emphasize the key points are provided at the end of each chapter. One way to feed all of the people in the world’s growing population is through the increased use of plant-growth-promoting bacteria in agriculture. These bacteria not only directly promote growth but also protect plants against a wide range of biotic and abiotic stresses. Moreover, they can be used to support procedures for biologically cleaning up the environment. Plant-growth-promoting bacteria are already being used successfully on a small scale in several countries, and as this technology matures, the world may witness a major paradigm shift in agricultural practice.

Our lives and well being intimately depend on the exploitation of the plant genetic resources available to our breeding programs. Therefore, more extensive exploration and effective exploitation of plant genetic resources are essential prerequisites for the release of improved cultivars. Accordingly, the remarkable progress in genomics approaches and more recently in sequencing and bioinformatics offers unprecedented opportunities for mining germplasm collections, mapping and cloning loci of interest, identifying novel alleles and deploying them for breeding purposes. This book collects 48 highly interdisciplinary articles describing how genomics improves our capacity to characterize and harness natural and artificially induced variation in order to boost crop productivity and provide consumers with high-quality food. This book will be an invaluable reference for all those interested in managing, mining and harnessing the genetic richness of plant genetic resources.

This volume addresses recent developments in weed science. These developments include conservation agriculture and conservation tillage, climate change, environmental concerns about the runoff of agrochemicals, resistance of weeds and crops to herbicides, and the need for a vastly improved understanding of weed ecology and herbicide use. The book provides details on harnessing knowledge of weed ecology to improve weed management in different crops and presents information on opportunities in weed management in different crops. Current management practices are also covered, along with guidance for selecting herbicides and using them effectively. Written by experts in the field and supplemented with instructive illustrations and tables, Recent Advances in Weed Management is an essential reference for agricultural specialists and researchers, government agents, extension specialists, and professionals throughout the agrochemical industry, as well as a foundation for advanced students taking courses in weed science.

This is the first of two volumes on Gentianaceae. Comprising twelve chapters, it centres upon the characterization and ecology of Gentianaceae worldwide, with emphasis on the application of molecular and cytological approaches in relation to taxonomy. The first three chapters consider the classification of the family and review the advances in research since the earlier revision published in 2002, which resulted in the reclassification of some plants and the naming of new genera. The next chapter provides the most comprehensive report to date of the systematics of South American Neotropical woody Gentians. Other reviews include details of the Gentianaceae in Eastern Europe. The key biochemical steps that result in the diversity of Gentian flower colors, the cytology of European species and an historical account of the importance of Gentians in herbal medicines are also covered. Furthermore, an analysis of gene expression in overwintering buds is presented, discussing several aspects of plant taxonomy, phenotypic characteristics, phylogeography and pedigree. Two contributions highlight the importance of Gentians in India, and the last chapter presents evidence for the importance of Glomeromycota in developing arbuscular mycorrhizal associations with the roots of Gentians. This volume provides the basis for the biotechnological approaches that are considered in the companion book The Gentianaceae - Volume 2: Biotechnology and Applications.

The first part of the book presents the evolution of plants starting from photosynthetic cells to topics like Gymnosperms and Angiosperms, including the evolution of the breeding system. Geological and molecular data were used, helping us to show with more details each of the phases presented. Also, specialization of the reproductive systems such as evolution of unissexuality (dioecy and monoecy), evolution of self-incompatibility, selfing fertilization and mixed mating systems were considered. The last part discusses the biology and genetics of the reproductive systems and shows the strategies that modern plants use in asexual reproduction (vegetative and apomictic reproduction) and sexual reproduction. In addition, the sexual reproduction topics such as gametogenesis, the genetic control of reproductive organs, systems that promote outcrossing, selfing and mixed mating systems were also included.

This book provides extensive and comprehensive information to researchers and academicians who are interested in radionuclide contamination, its sources and environmental impact. It is also useful for graduate and undergraduate students specializing in radioactive-waste disposal and its impact on natural as well as manmade environments. A number of sites are affected by large legacies of waste from the mining and processing of radioactive minerals. Over recent decades, several hundred radioactive isotopes (radioisotopes) of natural elements have been produced artificially, including 90Sr, 137Cs and 131I. Several other anthropogenic radioactive elements have also been produced in large quantities, for example technetium, neptunium, plutonium and americium, although plutonium does occur naturally in trace amounts in uranium ores. The deposition of radionuclides on vegetation and soil, as well as the uptake from polluted aquifers (root uptake or irrigation) are the initial point for their transfer into the terrestrial environment and into food chains. There are two principal deposition processes for the removal of pollutants from the atmosphere: dry deposition is the direct transfer through absorption of gases and particles by natural surfaces, such as vegetation, whereas showery or wet deposition is the transport of a substance from the atmosphere to the ground by snow, hail or rain. Once deposited on any vegetation, radionuclides are removed from plants by the airstre am and rain, either through percolation or by cuticular scratch. The increase in biomass during plant growth does not cause a loss of activity, but it does lead to a decrease in activity concentration due to effective dilution. There is also systemic transport (translocation) of radionuclides within the plant subsequent to foliar uptake, leading the transfer of chemical components to other parts of the plant that have not been contaminated directly.

This book is an overview of our current understanding of aluminium toxicity and tolerance in plants. It covers all relevant aspects from molecular and cellular biology, to genetic approaches, root biology and plant physiology. The contribution of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to alleviating aluminium toxicity is also discussed. Over 40% of total agricultural land resources are acidic in nature, with aluminium being the major toxicant. Plant roots are particularly susceptible to aluminium stress, but much of the complex mechanism underlying its toxicity and tolerance is unknown and aluminium stress perception in plants remains poorly understood. The diverse facets of aluminium stress adaptation covered in this book are relevant to plant biology students at all levels, as well researchers and it provides a valuable contribution to our understanding of plant adaptation to the changing environment.

This book covers the key features of nitric oxide (NO) in plants. Comprising nine chapters, Part I highlights its metabolism and identification in plants. Part II, which consists of eight chapters, focuses on the chemical, physical and biochemical properties of the NO molecule and its derivatives; on its functional role and mode of action; and on its signaling and interaction with phytohormones, mineral nutrients, biomolecules, ions and ion channels in plants under abiotic stresses. Combining the expertise of leading researchers in the field, the book provides a concise overview of plant NO biology and offers a valuable reference work.

The sequencing of genomes has been completed for an increasing number of crop species, and researchers have now succeeded in isolating and characterising many important QTLs/genes. High expectations from genomics, however, are waving back toward the recognition that crop physiology is also important for realistic improvement of crop productivity. Complex processes and networks along various hierarchical levels of crop growth and development can be thoroughly understood with the help of their mathematical description - modelling. The further practical application of these understandings also requires quantitative predictions. In order to better support design, engineering and breeding for new crops and cultivars for improving agricultural production under global warming and climate change, there is an increasing call for an interdisciplinary research approach, which combines modern genetics and genomics, traditional physiology and biochemistry, and advanced bioinformatics and modelling. Such an interdisciplinary approach has been practised in various research groups for many years. However, it does not seem to be fully covered in the format of book publications. We want to initiate a book project on crop systems biology - narrowing the gaps between genotypes and phenotypes and the gaps between crop modelling and genetics/genomics, for publication in 2013/2014. The book will be meant for those scientists and graduate students from fundamental plant biology and applied crop science who are interested in bridging the gap between these two fields. We have invited a group of scientists (who have very good track records in publishing excellent papers in this field or in a closely related area) to contribute chapters to this new book, and they have agreed to do so.

The Himalayan region is among the largest mountains systems of the world with uncounted unique medicinal plants resources. The lesser Himalayas ranges are the extension of Greater Himalayas. They have unique ecology, vegetation and diversity of medicinal flora due to tremendous variation in the altitude, climate and associated wildlife. The utilization of medicinal plants in medicine suffers from the fact that although plants are used to treat diseases, scientific evidence is lacking in many cases. Different societies of the world use the plants according to their own beliefs and knowledge and previous experiences. Their knowledge about the use of the plants is usually not known to the other world or science. This book provides a brief introduction of Lesser Himalayas, ethnobotanical aspects, marketing and anthropogenic pressure on medicinal flora. It comprises one hundred medicinal plant species including Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms and Angiosperms (Monocots and Dicots) along with their scientific description and traditional uses.

This book provides a comprehensive coverage of the advances in genetics and genomics research on rice. The chapters feature the latest developments in rice research and cover such topics as the tools and resources for the functional analysis of rice genes, the identification of useful genes for rice improvement, the present understanding of rice development and biological processes, and the application of this present understanding towards rice improvement. The volume also features a perspective on synthesis and prospects, laying the groundwork for future advances in rice genetics and genomics. Written by authorities in the field, Genetics and Genomics of Rice will serve as an invaluable reference for rice researchers for years to come.

Estimation of the metabolite complement of plant material involves a wide range of techniques and technologies and that breadth continues to increase. Metabolomics research typically involves multiple sites for material preparation and analysis and most investigations are "high throughput", meaning that chemical analysis of sample sets are inevitably carried out over an extended period of time. In, Plant Metabolomics: Methods and Protocols expert researchers in the field detail many of the stages which are now commonly used to study plant metabolomics workflow. Stages of this workflow, up to and including the statistical analysis, accurate and detailed collection of meta-data are also essential for good process management, to satisfy reporting requirements and to ensure wider interpretability and reuse results.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 key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Through and intuitive Plant Metabolomics: Methods and Protocols, seeks to aid scientists in the further study of the methods for all the stages of the plant metabolomics workflow.

A number of abiotic factors such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, low or high light intensity, and deficiency or toxic levels of nutrients have huge impacts on crop productivity, and a furthering of our understanding of the molecular, biochemical, and physiological basis of stress tolerance has been widely recognized as critical. In Plant Stress Tolerance: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers cover the most important widely-used techniques, including cutting-edge strategies, in a manner that ensures effective results. Beginning with reviews on dehydration, salinity, and cold tolerance as well as on oxidative stress, the volume then continues with methods involving topics such as describing the identification of stress-regulated genes, proteins, and microRNAs using diverse approaches, measurement of osmotic adjustment, proline levels, enzymes involved in proline metabolism, and sugars as well as determination of ROS levels, lipid peroxidation, ion leakage, and the enzymes involved in ROS detoxification. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, chapters include introductions to their respective subjects, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Comprehensive and up-to-date, Plant Stress Tolerance: Methods and Protocols provides a wide range of easy-to-follow protocols catering to the needs of plant physiologists, biochemists, and molecular biologists interested in probing this vital area of study.

The cell wall and its constituent polysaccharides and proteins control nearly all plant-based biological and biophysical processes. Understanding the cell wall is, therefore, not only fundamental to the plant sciences but is also pertinent to aspects of human and animal nutrition and health as well as plant-microbe and plant-animal interactions. In The Plant Cell Wall: Methods and Protocols, experts in the field describe detailed methods which are currently being applied to investigate the many aspects of the plant cell wall including its structure, biochemical composition, and metabolism. The book delves into a range of techniques involving plant tissue culture, which can be applied to investigating cell wall structure and metabolism, methods directed towards structural analysis and occurrence of carbohydrates, the development and use of microscopy-based tools and techniques, procedures which measure the physical properties of the wall, and methods based on the application of molecular genetic approaches. Written in the 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 protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and easily accessible, The Plant Cell Wall: Methods and Protocols seeks to serve both professionals and novices with its well-honed methodologies in an effort to further our knowledge of this essential cellular feature.

This book reviews various aspects of papaya genomics, including existing genetic and genomic resources, recent progress on structural and functional genomics, and their applications in papaya improvement. Organized into four sections, the volume explores the origin and domestication of papaya, classic genetics and breeding, recent progress on molecular genetics, and current and future applications of genomic resources for papaya improvement. Bolstered by contributions from authorities in the field, Genetics and Genomics of Papaya is a valuable resource that provides the most up to date information for papaya researchers and plant biologists.

The importance of the plant growth regulator auxin for plant growth has long been recognized, even before the discovery of its chemical structures in the early 20th century. Physiological studies in the decades since have demonstrated that auxin is unidirectionally transported in plants, a process dubbed polar auxin transport. It is the polar auxin transport process that generates a local auxin concentration gradient and regulates a broad array of physiological and developmental processes. The discoveries of auxin transport carrier proteins that mediate auxin influx into and efflux out of transport-competent cells and auxin receptor proteins for auxin signaling in the last few decades represent significant milestones in auxin research and open up opportunities to probe the cellular and molecular processes that regulate auxin transport and integrate environmental cues with signaling processes. Remarkably, components of the polar auxin transport machinery are present in both lower plants such as mosses and higher plants including monocots and eudicots, illustrating the key role of polar auxin transport in plant evolution. This book highlights topics ranging from physiological and genetic studies of polar auxin transport in plant development, to growth responses to the environment and plant-microbe interactions, to hormonal cross-talks with various cellular and molecular regulatory processes essential for polar auxin transport.

The book "Salicylic acid: A Plant Hormone" was first published in 1997 and was praised for its excellent balance of traditional and modern topics. This time, we're building on the success of the prior edition to provide an even more effective second edition. The present book is comprised of 16 chapters highlighting the updated mechanisms of its biosynthesis, physiological role, its action in response to water deficit, relationship of SA with signal transduction, transport of SA and related compounds. Further, the interplay between environmental signals and SA, its impact on transport and distribution of sugars, salicylic acid mediated stress-induced flowering and some aspects of interplay of SA with JA during the establishment of plant resistance to pathogens with different types of nutrition and participation of peroxidases have also been discussed at length. Potential use of SA in food production and its efficiency on post-harvest of perishable crops as well as practical use of SA are also covered.

Experience shows that biotic stresses occur with different levels of intensity in nearly all agricultural areas around the world. The occurrence of insects, weeds and diseases caused by fungi, bacteria or viruses may not be relevant in a specific year but they usually harm yield in most years. Global warming has shifted the paradigm of biotic stresses in most growing areas, especially in the tropical countries, sparking intense discussions in scientific forums. This book was written with the idea of collecting in a single publication the most recent advances and discoveries concerning breeding for biotic stresses, covering all major classes of biotic challenges to agriculture and food production. Accordingly, it presents the state-of-the-art in plant stresses caused by all microorganisms, weeds and insects and how to breed for them. Complementing Plant Breeding for Abiotic Stress Tolerance, this book was written for scientists and students interested in learning how to breed for biotic stress scenarios, allowing them to develop a greater understanding of the basic mechanisms of resistance to biotic stresses and develop resistant cultivars.

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

The problems engendered by the conflicting imperatives of development and ecology show no sign of ending, and every day more locations are added to the list of landscapes poisoned by human activity. This vital book, featuring an international set of authors, is a key reference for researchers and environmental managers, as well as anyone involved in the mining industry or landscape remediation. The comprehensive coverage of current approaches to phytoremediation begins by examining the problem. It looks at natural and human-induced toxins, and their effects on natural vegetation as well as agricultural crops. Particular attention is paid to the two largest challenges to remediation - heavy metals, and the salt stress that is impeding agricultural productivity worldwide. The text moves on to focus on the efficacy of different plant species in removing toxic pollutants from the environment. Along with analysis of a number of case studies, this section includes new and updated information on the mechanism of toxin-tolerance in plants.

Cotton production today is not to be undertaken frivolously if one expects to profit by its production. If cotton production is to be sustainable and produced profitably, it is essential to be knowledgeable about the growth and development of the cotton plant and in the adaptation of cultivars to the region as well as the technology available. In addition, those individuals involved in growing cotton should be familiar with the use of management aids to know the most profitable time to irrigate, apply plant growth regulators, herbicides, foliar fertilizers, insecticides, defoliants, etc. The chapters in this book were assembled to provide those dealing with the production of cotton with the basic knowledge of the physiology of the plant required to manage the cotton crop in a profitable manner.

Malformation disease of mango (Mangifera indica) initially noted in patches in India has now turned into a global menace wherever mango is grown. The challenge posed by the problem attracted interest of Scientists from various disciplines, continue to do so, and will attract their attention until the problem is understood threadbare, and resolved. For a long time, due to complex nature of the disease, the cause and causal agent was both hotly debated. Only in recent years, the issue of the etiology of the disease has been resolved, epidemiology has been worked out to a large extent and silver bullet control measures have been replaced by IPM strategy based on the information generated on the physiology of pathogenesis and epidemiology of the disease.

Allelopathy is an ecological phenomenon by which plants release organic chemicals (allelochemicals) into the environment influencing the growth and survival of other organisms. In this book, leading scientists in the field synthesize latest developments in allelopathy research with a special emphasis on its application in sustainable agriculture. The following topics are highlighted: Ecological implications, such as the role of allelopathy during the invasion of alien plant species; regional experiences with the application of allelopathy in agricultural systems and pest management; the use of microscopy for modeling allelopathy; allelopathy and abiotic stress tolerance; host allelopathy and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi; allelopathic interaction with plant nutrition; and the molecular mechanisms of allelopathy. This book is an invaluable source of information for scientists, teachers and advanced students in the fields of plant physiology, agriculture, ecology, environmental sciences, and molecular biology.

With the predicted increase of the human population and the subsequent need for larger food supplies, root health in crop plants could play a major role in providing sustainable highly productive crops that can cope with global climate changes. While the essentiality of roots and their relation to plant performance is broadly recognized, less is known about their role in plant growth and development. "Root Genomics" examines how various new genomic technologies are rapidly being applied to the study of roots, including high-throughput sequencing and genotyping, TILLING, transcription factor analysis, comparative genomics, gene discovery and transcriptional profiling, post-transcriptional events regulating microRNAs, proteome profiling and the use of molecular markers such as SSRs, DArTs, and SNPs for QTL analyses and the identification of superior genes/alleles. The book also covers topics such as the molecular breeding of crops in problematic soils and the responses of roots to a variety of stresses.

Plants are sessile and prone to multiple stresses in the changing environmental conditions. Of the several strategies adopted by plants to counteract the adverse effects of abiotic stress, phytohormones provide signals to allow plants to survive under stress conditions. They are one of the key systems integrating metabolic and developmental events in the whole plant and the response of plants to external factors and are essential for many processes throughout the life of a plant and influence the yield and quality of crops. The book 'Phytohormones and Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants' summarizes the current body of knowledge on crosstalk between plant stresses under the influence of phytohormones, and provides state-of-the-art knowledge of recent developments in understanding the role of phytohormones and abiotic stress tolerance in plants. This book presents information on how modulation in phytohormone levels affect regulation of biochemical and molecular mechanisms.