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.

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."

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.

This work synthesizes research and practical work, including various techniques and applications of botany and nanoparticles, including enzymology, pharmaceuticals, phenolics, antioxidants, metal particles, synthesis of nanoparticles by plants and microbes, and more. The text discusses the latest research as well as key sources of information condensed from other scholars across the globe, providing a comprehensive resource for scholars working in nanobotany, as well as chemists and researchers in the pharmaceutical industry.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Plant-herbivore interactions are a central topic in evolutionary ecology. Historically, their study has been a cornerstone for coevolutionary theory. Starting from classic ecological studies at the phenotypic level, it has since expanded to molecular and genomic approaches. After a historical perspective, the book's subsequent chapters cover a wide range of topics: from populations to ecosystems; plant- and herbivore-focused studies; in natural and in man-modified ecosystems; and both micro- and macro-evolutionary levels. All chapters include valuable background information and empirical evidence. Given its scope, the book will be of interest to both students and researchers, and will hopefully stimulate further research in this exciting field of evolutionary biology.

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.

Does perception provide us with direct and unmediated access to the world around us? The so-called 'argument from illusion ' has traditionally been supposed to show otherwise: from the subject's point of view, perceptual illusions are often indistinguishable from veridical perceptions; hence, perceptual experience, as such, cannot provide us with knowledge of the world, but only with knowledge of how things appear to us. Disjunctive accounts of perceptual experience, first proposed by John McDowell and Paul Snowdon in the early 1980s and at the centre of current debates in the philosophy of perception, have been proposed to block this argument. According to the traditional view, a case of perception and a subjectively indistinguishable illusion or hallucination can exemplify what is fundamentally the same kind of mental state even though they differ in how they relate to the non-mental environment. In contrast, according to the disjunctive account, the concept of perceptual experience should be seen as essentially disjunctive, encompassing (at least) two distinct kinds of mental states, namely genuinely world-involving perceptions and mere appearances. This book presents seven recent essays on disjunctivism first published in two special issues of Philosophical Explorations: An International Journal for the Philosophy of Mind and Action.

Auxin is an important signaling compound in plants and vital for plant development and growth. The present book, Auxin and its Role in Plant Development, provides the reader with detailed and comprehensive insight into the functioning of the molecule on the whole and specifically in plant development. In the first part, the functioning, metabolism and signaling pathways of auxin in plants are explained, the second part depicts the specific role of auxin in plant development and the third part describes the interaction and functioning of the signaling compound upon stimuli of the environment. Each chapter is written by international experts in the respective field and designed for scientists and researchers in plant biology, plant development and cell biology to summarize the recent progress in understanding the role of auxin and suggest future perspectives for auxin research.

Trees that are indispensably supportive to human life pose a formidable challenge to breed them to suit to human needs. From soft drinks to breweries to beverages to oil to tires, the value added products from trees give a spectrum of products to human kind. While attempts to tap these resources through conventional breeding are underway, the quick and elegant way of manipulating the genetic systems at the genome level is an essential chapter of modern science. Books featuring genomics of tree crops are few, and genomics is such a science that changes rapidly. Genomics of Tree Crops is an earnest attempt towards compiling genomics of tree crops. Plant genomics has made monumental strides in the last decade providing insights into intra-genomic phenomena such as heterosis, epistasis, pleiotropy and other interactions between loci and alleles within the genome. In contrast, the investigation of the roles and functions of single genes is a primary focus of molecular biology and is a common topic of modern genetic research. A genome is the sum total of all of an individual organism's genes. Thus, genomics is the study of all the genes of a cell, or tissue, at the DNA (genotype), mRNA (transcriptome), or protein (proteome) levels. The complete sequencing of the three billion base pair human genome with 25,000 genes identified and the invention of DNA microarrays ushered in a new era in the science of genomics leading to explosive advancements in oncology diagnostics. This impetus into the genomics era lead the way toward advances in plant genomics which started with Arabidopsis thaliana and went through an array of crops such as rice, maize, papaya, various cereals and legumes, with pigeon pea added to the list towards the end of 2011. Trees, on the other hand, are the least attended taxa with regard to genomic research. Some of the areas that attained attention of the scientists are: DNA sequencing, bioinformatics, genomics of flowering, gene flow, spatial structure, local adaptation and assisted migration in trees, transformation of fruit trees, genomics of tropical and temperate fruit trees, genomics of Hevea rubber, genomics of papaya and genomics of palms. Genomics of Tree Crops compiles this information with chapters authored by experts on these crops.

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. "

Volumes I and 2 of this Plant Biotechnology series reviewed fundamental aspects of plant molecular biology and discussed production and analysis of the first generation of transgenic plants of potential use in agriculture and horticulture. These included plants resistant to insects, viruses and herbicides, which were produced by adding genes from other organisms. Realisation of the potential of plant breeding has led to a resurgence of interest in methods of altering the structure, composition and function of plant constituents, which represents an even greater challenge and offers scope for improving the quality of a wide range of agricultural products. This, in tum, has resulted in a re-evaluation of priorities and targets by industry. Volume 3 of this series considers the biochemical and gentic basis of the biosynthesis of plant products such as starch, lipids, carotenoids and cell walls, and evaluates the ways in which biosynthesis of these products can be modified for use in the food industries. Authors also cover the biosynthesis of rare secondary products and the function and application of proteins for plant protection and therapeutic use. The emphasis throughout is on the relationship between fundamen tal aspects of biosynthesis and structure-function relationships, and application of this knowledge to the redesigning and altering of plant products by molecular genetics."

The future of agriculture strongly depends on our ability to enhance productivity without sacrificing long-term production potential. An ecologically and economically sustainable strategy is the application of microorganisms, such as the diverse bacterial species of plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB). The use of these bio-resources for the enhancement of crop productivity is gaining worldwide importance.

" Bacteria in Agrobiology: Plant Growth Responses " describes the application of various bacteria in plant growth promotion and protection, including symbiotic, free living, rhizospheric, endophytic, methylotrophic, diazotrophic and filamentous species.

Understanding seed-related processes is of major social, environmental, and economic concern. The viability and vigor of seeds are the very basis for sustainable agriculture and forestry, and comprehending the molecular and cellular events underlying these processes will become increasingly important to many economical sectors and for species that provide the world's food supply. Seed Dormancy: Methods and Protocols covers analytical methods and approaches which have already lead to significant advances in the understanding of seed dormancy and germination. Chapters cover explanations of processes leading to the induction, maintenance, and termination of seed dormancy, the classification of different dormancy types, as well as an overview of protocols used for dormancy-termination of seeds of conifer species. This volume emphasizes methods essential for abscisic acid (ABA) analyses, including methods that have been important for receptor identification, analyses of ABA-catabolizing enzymes (the 8'-hydroxylases), and identification of novel signal transduction components, interacting partners, and/or response factors. The volume closes by addressing the development of new technologies, including spectroscopic methods (some of which allow for non-destructive sampling) as well as highly effective tissue-printing methods for seed dormancy research. 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, Seed Dormancy: Methods and Protocols features detailed methods that will prove invaluable for both applied and fundamental seed research.

Plant innate immunity is a potential surveillance system of plants and is the first line of defense against invading pathogens. The immune system is a sleeping system in unstressed healthy plants and is activated on perception of the pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMP; the pathogen s signature) of invading pathogens. The PAMP alarm/danger signals are perceived by plant pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs). The plant immune system uses several second messengers to encode information generated by the PAMPs and deliver the information downstream of PRRs to proteins which decode/interpret signals and initiate defense gene expression. This book describes the most fascinating PAMP-PRR signaling complex and signal transduction systems. It also discusses the highly complex networks of signaling pathways involved in transmission of the signals to induce distinctly different defense-related genes to mount offence against pathogens."

This book results from a symposium on the theme of 'The Physiology and Biochemistry of Plant Productivity' which was held at the University of Calgary from July 14-18, 1980, and was jointly sponsored by the Canadian Society of Plant Physiologists and the International Association of Plant Physiologists. The subject matter of the book deals with various aspects of nitrogen and carbon metabolism, their interrelationships and interdependence. The topics covered in the chapters highlight various interesting and important lines of research that are in progress. There is no attempt to provide a comprehensive coverage of the basic physiological knowledge upon which this research depend- important references are to be found at the end of each chapter, however, and the reader will be able to pursue these as necessary. An introductory chapter by Dr. R.G.S. Bidwell (winner of the C.S.P.P. Gold Medal in 1979) considers some implications of plant physiological research and the aims and responsibilities of plant physiologists. In the next two chapters Drs. J. Rigaud and L.E. Schrader (with R.J. Thomas) elaborate on current research on nitrate metabolism and nitrogen fixation, and how an understanding of these phenomena might be usefully applied towards the manipulation of plants to improve productivity. Dr. J.S.

Tropical climates, which occur between 23 Degrees30'N and S latitude (Jacob 1988), encompass a wide variety of plant communities (Hartshorn 1983, 1988), many of which are diverse in their woody floras. Within this geographic region, temperature and the amount and seasonality of rainfall define habitat types (UNESCO 1978). The F AO has estimated that there 1 are about 19 million km of potentially forested area in the global tropics, of which 58% were estimated to still be in closed forest in the mid-1970s (Sommers 1976; UNESCO 1978). Of this potentially forested region, 42% is categorized as dry forest lifezone, 33% is tropical moist forest, and 25% is wet or rain forest (Lugo 1988). The species diversity of these tropical habitats is very high. Raven (1976, in Mooney 1988) estimated that 65% of the 250,000 or more plant species of the earth are found in tropical regions. Of this floristic assemblage, a large fraction are woody species. In the well-collected tropical moist forest of Barro Colorado Island, Panama, 39. 7% (481 of 1212 species) of the native phanerogams are woody, arborescent species (Croat 1978). Another 21. 9% are woody vines and lianas. Southeast Asian Dipterocarp forests may contain 120-200 species of trees per hectare (Whitmore 1984), and recent surveys in upper Amazonia re corded from 89 to 283 woody species ~ 10 cm dbh per hectare (Gentry 1988). Tropical communities thus represent a global woody flora of significant scope.

This book addresses the impact of important climatic changes on plant pests (including weeds, diseases and insect pests), and their interactions with crop plants. Anthropogenic activities have seriously impacted the global climate. As a result, carbon dioxide (CO2) and temperature levels of the earth are on a continuous rise. The global temperature is expected to increase by a 3 DegreesC or more by the end of this century. The CO2 concentration was below 300 parts per million (ppm) before the start of the industrial era; however, recently it has exceeded 400 ppm. This is highest ever in human history. Other than global warming and elevated CO2 concentrations, anthropogenic activities have also disturbed the global water cycle, ultimately, impacting the quantity and distribution of rainfall. This has resulted in drought conditions in many parts of the world. Global warming, elevated CO2 concentration and drought are considered the most important recent climatic changes that are impacting global ecosystems and human societies. Among other impacts, the effects of climatic changes on pests, pest-crop interactions and pest control are important with relevance to global food security, and hence require immediate attention by plant scientists. This book discusses innovative and the most effective pest control methods under an environment of changing climate and elaborates on the impact of drought on plant pests and their control.

This book provides a comprehensive review of all aspects of the molecular and cell biology of abscisic acid (ABA) metabolism, transport and signal transduction, covering our current understanding of ABA as well as research trends. The agricultural significance of ABA metabolism, transport and signal transduction is also discussed. The phytohormone ABA regulates many aspects of plant development and plays a central role in plant adaptation to environmental stresses. Over the past few decades, considerable advances have been made in the study of ABA metabolism, transport and signal transduction, greatly deepening our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of ABA function at the molecular, cell and whole-plant level and helping us improve crops' environmental tolerance. This book provides a valuable resource for researchers and advanced students interested in plant biology and agriculture.