Significant developments in recent years have led to a deeper understanding of the role and function of carotenoids in photosynthesis. For the first time the biological, biochemical, and chemical aspects of the role of these pigments in photosynthesis are brought together in one comprehensive reference volume. Chapters focus on the photochemistry of carotenoids in light harvesting and photoprotection, the nature and distribution of carotenoids in photosynthetic organisms, their biosynthesis, the herbicidal inhibition of carotenogenesis and the xanthophyll cycle'. Throughout details are given of the various methodologies used. A detailed appendix provides physical data for the major compounds. Carotenoids in Photosynthesis is an invaluable reference source for all plant scientists.

Ethylene is a simple gaseous plant hormone produced by higher plants, bacteria and fungi. Thanks to new tools that have become available in biochemistry and molecular genetics, parts of the ethylene biosynthesis, perception and signal transduction reactions have been elucidated. This knowledge has been applied to enhance the quality of a number of agronomically important crops. In Biology and Biotechnology of the Plant Hormone Ethylene, leading figures in the field provide surveys of the current state of ethylene biosynthesis and action, perception and signal transduction pathways, senescence, biotechnological control, and the involvement of ethylene in pathogenesis and stress. Audience: Indispensable to all academic, industrial and agricultural researchers as well as undergraduates and graduates in plant biology, biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology and food science.

In this study, an overview is presented of agricultural policies on manure and minerals, relating to the Nitrate Directive to remedy excessive surface- and groundwater contamination from intensive agricultural practices. Six countries belonging to the European Union were studied: the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany and the United Kingdom. The policies and their legal incorporation were related to agricultural and environmental conditions in each country. In addition, an inventory was made of agricultural mineral poli cies in the United States and Canada. Conditions for livestock farming in North America differ considerably from those in Europe, but their solutions shed a different light on European policies. Research has shown that there are still very considerable mineral surpluses in many countries and regions. In both the Netherlands and in the Flemish part of Belgium, existing problems due to very high levels of manure production are structural rather than local and cannot easily be solved by transport of manure to other regions. To a lesser extent. Germany, Denmark and relatively small parts of France (Brittany) and the United Kingdom, still exceed the norms for an equilibrium fertilization. In Denmark, existing problems can probably be solved within the existing legislative framework. The Netherlands, Flanders. several German Lander (Nordrhein-Westfalen and Schleswig-Holstein) and Brittany.

Over forty years ago, concern was first focussed on cadmium contamination of soils, fertilisers and the food chain. Adverse effects on human health were first highlighted nearly 30 years ago in Japan with the outbreak of Itai-itai disease. Since then, substantial research data have accumulated for cadmium on chemistry in soils, additions to soils, uptake by plants, adverse effects on the soil biota and transfer through the food chain. However, this information has never been compiled into a single volume. This was the stimulus for the Kevin G. Tiller Memorial Symposium "Cadmium in Soils, Plants and the Food Chain", held at the University of California, Berkeley, in June 1997 as part of the Fourth International Conference on the Biogeochemistry of Trace Elements. This symposium brought together leading scientists in the field of cadmium behaviour in soils and plants, to review the scientific data in the literature and highlight gaps in our current knowledge of the subject. This series of review papers are presented here and deal with the chemistry of cadmium in soils, the potential for transfer through the food chain and management to minimise this problem. We hope this information provides a sound scientific basis to assist development of policies and regulations for controlling cadmium in the soil environment.

All biomass is derived from photosynthesis. This provides us with food fuel, as well as fibre. This process involves conversion of solar energy, via photochemical reactions, into chemical energy. In plants and cyanobacteria, carbon dioxide and water are converted into carbohydrates and oxygen. It is the best studied research area of plant biology. We expect that this area will assume much greater importance in the future in view of the depleting resources ofthe Earth's fuel supply. Furthermore, we believe that the next large increase in plant productivity will come from applications of the newer findings about photosynthetic process, especially through manipulation by genetic engineering. The current book covers an integrated range of subjects within the general field of photosynthesis. It is authored by international scientists from several countries (Australia, Canada, France, India, Israel, Japan, Netherlands, Russia, Spain, UK and USA). It begins with a discussion of the genetic potential and the expression of the chloroplast genome that is responsible for several key proteins involved in the electron transport processes leading to O evolution, proton release and the production of 2 NADPH and A TP, needed for CO fixation. The section on photosystems discusses 2 how photosystem I functions to produce NADPH and how photosystem II oxidizes water and releases protons through an "oxygen clock" and how intermediates between the two photosystems are produced involving a "two electron gate".

Plants offer exciting opportunities to understand major biological questions, i.e. the regulation of development and morphogenesis. How are changes of the environment, developmental cues, and other signals perceived and transduced in physiological responses? What are the elements of plant signalling pathways and what is their organization? The panoply of molecular tools and techniques as well as the blossoming field of plant genetics are providing an exciting ground for major breakthroughs in unravelling the fundamental mechanisms of plant signalling. The present book establishes a state-of-the-art framework spanning the wide spectrum of perception, signal transduction events and transport processes, including cell proliferation and cell cycle regulation, embryogenesis, and flowering. Moreover, the volume emphasizes the role of the major plant signalling substances known to date (the phytohormones and more recently studied substances) and summarizes what we know on their molecular mechanisms of action. The book emphasizes how the use of molecular technology has made plant signalling processes accessible to experimental test.

Many organisms have evolved the ability to enter into and revive from a dormant state. They can survive for long periods in this state (often even months to years), yet can become responsive again within minutes or hours. This is often, but not necessarily, associated with desiccation. Preserving one's body and reviving it in future generations is a dream of mankind. To date, however, we have failed to learn how cells, tissues or entire organisms can be made dormant or be effectively revived at ambient temperatures. In this book studies on organisms, ranging from aquatic cyanobacteria that produce akinetes to hibernating mammals, are presented, and reveal common but also divergent physiological and molecular pathways for surviving in a dormant form or for tolerating harsh environments. Attempting to learn the functions associated with dormancy and how they are regulated is one of the great future challenges. Its relevance to the preservation of cells and tissues is one of the key concerns of this book.

Science is essentially a descriptive and experimental device. It observes nature, constructs hypotheses, plans experiments and proposes theories. The theory is never contemplated as the 'final truth', but remains ever subject to modifications, changes and rejections. The science of allelopathy in a similar way has emerged, and exists on a similar footing; our endeavour should be to keep it fresh and innovative with addition of newer in formation and concepts with the rejection of older ideas and antiquated techniques. During the past few decades encouraging results have been obtained in various aspects of allelopathic researches. However, in addition to continuing efforts in all these directions, constant attempts are to be made to describe the mechanics of allelopathic activity in molecular terms and to discover ways and means to exploit it for the welfare of mankind. We feel that multidisciplinary efforts are the only tool to achieve this goal. It is the hope of the editors that this book will serve as a document which identifies an integrated approach, through which research both to understand and exploit allelopathy can be conducted. The present volume arose out of an attempt to bring together eminent scientists in allelopathy to describe their work, of a highly diverse nature, under one title."

Ascorbate acid (AsA) is an important antioxidant in plants, playing important roles in various physiological processes. Humans have lost the ability to synthesize AsA because of the lack of L-gulono-1,4-lactone oxidoreductase, and thus have to absorb ascorbate from diet including fresh fruits and vegetables, as they are the major sources of ascorbate. Several pathways for AsA biosynthesis and metabolism have been identified in plants since 1998. More attention has been paid to improving ascorbate content in plants especially in fruits and vegetables. Significant progresses have been made on key enzymes and genes involved in the AsA biosynthesis and metabolism. Recently, more interests have arised in the regulation of AsA biosynthesis, as it is constantly regulated by the plant development and the environmental factors, e.g. light. Ascorbic acid is also frequently reported to affect plant growth and development e.g. flowering time and fruit ripening. The scope of the book is to cover the biological role, biosynthesis and metabolism, regulation, and metabolic modification of ascorbate in plants.

This is the third book chronicling the scientific activities of the European Society for Photobiology (ESP). It contains 56 chapters, written by authors from 16 countries, based on presentations at the 3rd Congress of the European Society for Photobiology held in Budapest, Hungary on the 27th August - 2nd September 1989. The science of photobiology, which can simply be defined as the study of the effects of light on living matter, covers so many subject areas that no single book can hope to do justice to them all. This multidisciplinary nature of photobiology is reflected by the material covered in this volume, which contains chapters on such diverse themes as motile photoresponses in bacteria, cancer therapy and photosynthesis. Interestingly, the emphasis placed on various subject areas differs quite markedly from the preceding volume ('Light in Biology & Medicine, volume 1, eds. R. Douglas, J. Moan & F. Dall'Acqua, Plenum Press, 1988). It is hoped that by highlighting different areas of photobiology these and future pUblications emanating from the ESP will, in time, produce a comprehensive record of photobiological research, . not only in Europe but throughout the world. Unlike many conference proceedings all the chapters con tained within this book have been subjected to rigorous peer review and several potential contributions were rejected during the editing process. Furthermore, most manuscripts underwent extensive editing to try and produce chapters of a uniform format and standard."

The plant hormone auxin plays a fundamental role in the growth and development of plants. Researchers from across the globe are currently attempting to unravel the molecular mechanisms by which auxin controls such diverse processes as cell division, cell elongation, and differentiation. Research questions on auxin action are being addressed using state-of-the-art techniques that are available to cell biologists, geneticists, molecular biologists, biochemists, and physiologists.

This text highlights many of the major topics that were covered in a recent workshop that was specifically focused on research into the mechanisms of auxin action. The articles in this text give a current update of the research findings on auxin biosynthesis, metabolism and transport; evolutionary patterns; auxin perception, signal transduction and physiology; auxin-regulated gene expression and protein degradation pathway in auxin responses; and cross-talk between auxin and other plant signalling pathways.

This book will be a valuable resource for a wide audience of plant biologists, including researchers and graduate students working in the area of plant hormones, plant biotechnologists, and teaching professionals.

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

The rise in the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere since the start of industrialization, and the global warming associated with this greenhouse gas, has stimulated research into the response of plants to elevated levels of CO2. Much of this work has been carried out in controlled environments which provide limited information about long-term effects on vegetation. In contrast, CO2-emitting mineral springs provide a unique opportunity to consider vegetation which has endured over many generations at naturally elevated levels of CO2. This volume presents findings from a range of sites, confirming the potential of these natural laboratories in the investigation of this important aspect of climate change.

The application of imaging techniques in plant and agricultural sciences had previously been confined to images obtained through remote sensing techniques. Technological advancements now allow image analysis for the nondestructive and objective evaluation of biological objects. This has opened a new window in the field of plant science. Plant Image Analysis: Fundamentals and Applications introduces the basic concepts of image analysis and discusses various techniques in plant imaging, their applications, and future potential. Several types of imaging techniques are discussed including RGB, hyperspectral, thermal, PRI, chlorophyll fluorescence, ROS, and chromosome imaging. The book also covers the use of these techniques in assessing plant growth, early detection of disease and stress, fruit crop yield, plant chromosome analysis, plant phenotyping, and nutrient status both in vivo and in vitro. The book is an authoritative guide for researchers and those teaching in the fields of stress physiology, precision agriculture, agricultural biotechnology, and cell and developmental biology. Graduate students and professionals using machine vision in plant science will also benefit from this comprehensive resource.

The study of plant development in recent years has often been concerned with the effects of the environment and the possible involvement of growth substances. The prevalent belief that plant growth substances are crucial to plant development has tended to obscure rather than to clarify the underlying cellular mechanisms of development. The aim in this book is to try to focus on what is currently known, and what needs to be known, in order to explain plant development in terms that allow further experimentation at the cellular and molecular levels. We need to know where and at what level in the cell or organ the critical processes controlling development occur. Then, we will be better able to under stand how development is controlled by the genes, whether directly by the continual production of new gene transcripts or more indirectly by the genes merely defining self-regulating systems that then function autonomously. This book is not a survey of the whole of plant development but is meant to concentrate on the possible component cellular and molecular processes involved. Consequently, a basic knowledge of plant structure is assumed. The facts of plant morphogenesis can be obtained from the books listed in the General Reading section at the end of Chapter 1. Although references are not cited specifically in the text, the key references for each section are denoted by superscript numbers and listed in the Notes section at the end of each chapter."

Photosynthetic plant cells are compartmentalized into subcellular organelles such as chloroplasts, mitochondria, peroxisomes, the cytosol, and the vacuole. Although this compartmentation serves to isolate particular functions to particular subcellular locations, the successful metabolic activity of the cell is actually dependent on a controlled and coordinated interaction between these organelles. In this book, leading scientists have contributed reviews of current research on the interaction of organelles in processes such as C3, C4, C3-C4 and CAM photosynthesis, photorespiration, substrate and protein transport, respiration, lipid metabolism, and organelle biogenesis. The result is a comprehensive state-of-the-art volume that provides a rich source of reference and information for plant biochemists and their students.

The dynamic role of plant hormones in regulation of plant growth and development revealed by its control of rates of metabolic processes and various related enzymetic reactions at molecular and submolecular levels is now weil established. During the course of last 35 years endless development in agricultural biotechnology has provided immense literature to understand hormone-regulated aspects of plant growth and development ; but plant physiologists all over the world are still devoting themselves and will continue for an indifinite period to disclose the mystries of this regulation. Volume I of this series has already been published and has been accepted weil. This encouraged me to edit aseries of volumes (I do not know the number) on this subject. In the following pages various aspects of hormone-controlled physiological processes Iike, Hormonal Control of pro tein synthesis in plants, Auxin-induced elongation, Hormonal regulation of abnormal growth in plants, Hormonal regulation of development in mosses, Some phenolics as plant growth and morphogenesis regulators, Plant growth regulating properties of sterol inhibiting fungicides, Hormonal regulation of sex expression in plants, Water relation and plant growth regulators, Hormonal regulation of root development under water stress, Gravity perception and responses meehanism in graviresponding cereal grass shoots, Hormonal regulation of leaf Growth senescence in relation to stomatal movement, and Chloroindole auxins of pea and related species, have been included.

Plants live in a constantly changing environment from which they cannot physically escape. Plants therefore need signalling and response mechanisms to adapt to new local conditions. The ef?cacy of such mechanisms underlies the plant performance during stress and therefore also impacts greatly on agricultural productivity. M- ulation of ion channel activity not only provides a means for rapid signal generation 2+ but also allows adjustment of cellular physiology. For example, Ca permeable ion 2+ channels can transduce environmental stimuli into Ca -encoded messages which can modify the gene expression. Furthermore, ion channel activity is essential to control cellular ion homeostasis that impacts on plant responses to drought, salinity, pathogens, nutrient de?ciency, heavy metals, xenobiotics and other stresses. This volume focuses on the crucial roles of different types of ion channel in plant stress responses. Functions of ion channels are discussed in the context of mechanisms to relay external and endogenous signals during stress and as mechanisms to regulate cellular ion homeostasis and enzymatic activities in the context of biotic and abiotic stress. The chapters presented cover cation and anion channels located in various cellular compartments and tissues.

It is now about 100 years since the chloroplast has been recognized as the site of photosynthesis in plant cells. The last 20 years have seen a striking increase in interest in the structure and function of the chloroplast. Hastened on by powerful new tools such as the electron microscope and the newer methods of isolation and analysis of chloroplasts, there is presently considerable experimental work on the properties of this organelle. In such a rapidly moving field and one which is reviewed systematically is various Annual Reviews, it is not possible to present a detailed critique of the prolific literature in a book of reasonable size. Rather the decision was made to sacrifice complete coverage of the field and to indicate general areas of investigation. In organization, problems here dealt with, are those concerned with the electron microscopy of chloroplast structure, development and conformation, genetic control of chloroplast development, characterization of some of the major components of the chloroplast and the biochemical properties of the chloroplast including the for mation of adenosine triphosphate and reduced pyridine nucleotide and the assim ilation of carbon dioxide into carbohydrate with subsequent conversion to second ary products. A historical outline on the general subject "Photosynthesis and the Chloroplast" has been included to place into proper perspective the rapid developments in the several areas covered in the book. I am particularly indebted to Dr. Roy E."

It is appro pi ate to the contents of this book to recall a few highlights in the history of plant cytology from its inception over three centuries ago. Robert Hooke in 1663 presented his observations of what he called " cells" in cork and other plant parts and beautifully illustrated and described these in his classic " Micrographia" published two years later. More detailed exploration of the cell and its contents awaited almost two centuries for Robert Brown's discovery of the nucleus in 1831. Discoveries of other cell organelles followed, particularly in the latter part of the 19th and early part of this century. As is frequently noted each of these achievements was preceeded by advances in the resolution of the microscope. Now history repeats and recent developments in electron microscopy have given the biologist the opportunity to study cell morphology in far greater detail than at any time previously. Indeed, the resolution of the electron microscope is several hundredfold better than that available in the finest light microscopes. These advances in instrumentation plus improvements in the techniques of specimen preparation have made possible the ex amination of plant cells of almost any type. It is the resulting wealth of new information now accessible to the botanical cytologist that has prompted this publication. In this book we have brought together electron micrographs represent ing a number of cell types from higher plants.

This is the third annual compendium of a Technical Session of the Physiology Working Group of the Society of American Foresters held at the National Convention. Specialists in a dedicated area of tree physiology were invited to prepare chapter contributions synthesizing the status of knowledge in their area of expertise. Plant growth regulators (PGRs) was selected as the topic for in-depth examination at the 1986 Technical Session because a knowledge of how these "secondary messengers" regulate tree morphogenesis is vital to applications of biocontrol and biotechnology. Plant growth regulators have been the subject of numerous reviews in recent years. However, few have dealt specifically with woody perennials, and they are generally confined to single processes and/or organs. This volume attempts to provide a more comprehensive treatise of PGRs as they influence various ontogenetic events in forest trees. Reproductive physiology, both sexual and asexual, is emphasized because of its relevance to current efforts directed at increasing efficiency in the breeding and production of genetically improved trees for reforestation. The chapters on vegetative growth will be of interest to silviculturists and urban foresters as they consider cultural treatments in the management of forests and individual trees for specific products and purposes. This book should serve as a valuable text and source of reference for students, researchers and other professionals interested in gaining a better understanding of PGRs. The reader, however, who expects definitive answers to how PGRs function or can be used to control specific processes is likely to be disappointed.

Plants are composed of 17 essential and at least 5 beneficial elements, and these must be taken up as metal or nutrient ions to allow for growth and cell division. Much effort has been devoted to studying the physiology and biochemistry of metals and nutrients in plants. The aspect of cell biology, however, is an emerging new field and much needs to be learned about sensing, long-distance communication within plants, and cellular signal transduction chains in response to environmental stress. Cellular malfunction and consequently disease result when any of the key steps in metal and nutrient homeostasis are disrupted. Working together, leading experts in their respective fields provide a new concept that reaches beyond plant nutrition and plasmalemma transport into cellular physiology. Each chapter contains basic information on uptake, physiological function, deficiency and toxicity syndromes, long-distance and intracellular transport. The discussion is devoted to metals and nutrients where recent progress has been made and highlights the aspects of homeostasis and sensing, signaling and regulation, drawing parallels to other organisms including humans. Finally, the book identifies gaps in our current knowledge and lays out future research directions.

It is paradoxical that, despite the key role of plants in the book's preparation by reviewing manuscripts or the environment and our dependence on plant life for providing literature and case studies for inclusion. our very existence, the conservation movement has The preparation of the text, which went through var not given plants attention that is commensurate with ious drafts, involved Dr. Given in a great deal of re their importance. In an attempt to redress the balance search and travel for fact finding and consultation. of effort between plant and animal conservation, The completed draft was edited by Martin Walters, IUCN and WWF established in 1984 a joint Plant who also prepared it for publication. Professor Ver Conservation Programme, the aim of which was to non Heywood (IUCN) undertook a scientific edit of "assert the fundamental importance of plants in all the final draft. conservation activities: ' Both IUCN and WWF would like to express their gratitude to Dr. Given for the enormous effort and One of the main themes of the joint Plant Conser painstaking labor that he has invested in the prepara vation Programme was "building the capacity to con serve. " This included a project, "Plant Conservation: tion of this book over a period of six years. The result Principles and Practice," aimed at providing practic is the first detailed overview ever to be published of ing conservationists with a handbook that explained this vitally important subject."

The last decade has seen tremendous progress in our knowledge of the pollen development and gene expression on one hand and the characterization of pollen specific proteins on the other. In compiling the chapters for this volume, we have pragmatically categorized these basic developments in pollen molecular biology and biotechnology into two sections based on their applications in agricul ture and implications in medicine. Pollen developmental biology and gene expression: applications in agricul ture. Pollen development is an extremely complex process encompassing a series of biochemical, physiological and genetic events. At the basic level, sporophyt ically expressed genes may expound our knowledge of unique processes of cellular differentiation which ultimately give rise to a full-fledged organism. At the applied level, the studies on the pollen and male sporophyte-specific gene expression, and of promoters and transcription factors of relevant genes have the potential to manipulate the fertility in certain cash crops leading to agricultural biotechnology."

This book addresses the responses of plants to salinity. Although salinity is a common environmental factor for marine organisms, for the majority of land plants high soil salinity is an environmental constraint that limits growth, productivity, and normal plant functions. Salinity is particularly widespread in arid/semiarid climates where crop production depends on irrigation.

A comprehensive approach is taken in this book. After discussing salinity as an environmental soil factor and its global impact on ecosystems, plant responses are covered from the whole-plant level through metabolic changes to the underlying molecular and genetic mechanisms. In contrast to other books in this subject area, which focus on certain aspects of plant responses to salinity or are conference proceedings, this is the only comprehensive new book on this subject, written by experts in the field. The intended level of readership is graduate students and advanced researchers interested in environmental biology and specifically in the area of mechanisms of environment-plant interactions.