H. F. LINSKENS and J. HESLOP-HARRISON The chapters of this volume deal with intercellular interaction phenomena in plants. Collectively they provide a broad conspectus of a highly active, if greatly fragmented, research field. Certain limitations have been imposed on the subject matter, the most impor tant being the exclusion of long-range interactions within the plant body. It is true that pervasive hormonal control systems cannot readily be demarcated from controls mediated by pheromones or information-carrying molecules with more limited spheres of action, but consideration is given in this volume to the main classes of plant hormones and their functions only incidentally, since these are treated adequately in other volumes of this Encyclopedia series (V - ume 9-11) and in numerous other texts and reviews. Similarly, certain other effects, such as those associated with nutrients and ions, are not considered in any detail. Furthermore, we have excluded intracellular interactions, and also consideration of transport phenomena, which are treated in detail in Vol ume 3 of this Series. Other aspects of inter-cellular interaction, such as cell surface phenomena and implications of lectin-carbohydrate interactions, and plant-virus inter-relationships, are treated in other sections of this Encyclopedia (Volumes 13B and 14B, respectively). In the volume on physiological plant pathology (Volume 4 of this series) special attention has been given to host pathogen interaction. These aspects of our subject will therefore be excluded in the present treatise."

Latest techniques for the analysis of plant cell or tissue structure and the registration of physiological pathways are topics of this volume. The subjects include: - Laser Doppler Vibrometer Measurements of Leaves; - Laster Physical Methods. Laser Microprobe Mass Spectrometry; - Triplet States in Photosynthesis: Linear Dichroic Optical Difference Spectra via Magnetic Resonance; - Fast Atom Bombardment Mass Spectrometry; -Microdissection and Biochemical Analysis of Plant Tissues; - Photoacoustic Spectroscopy - Photoacoustic and Photothermal Effects; - Membrane Operational Impedance of Spectra of Plant Cell.

In this third edition the authors have written a guide to the essentials of plant tissue culture. The book takes the reader through a graded series of experimental protocols and provides an introductory review of each topic. There are discussions of aseptic techniques, and nutritional components of media. Subsequent chapters cover such topics as callus formation, organogenesis, xylem cell differentiation, root cultures, cell suspensions, micropropagation by buds, somatic embryogenesis, protoplast culture and fusion, secondary metabolite production, and quantitation of procedures. A glossary, commercial sources of supplies, and the formulations of culture media are also included. This new edition has been completely revised and updated. The organization has been improved, and new illustrations have been added, together with new experiments on such topics as potato callus formation, and embryo culture. This book will be useful to graduate students and professionals in plant science, forestry, agronomy, and horticulture.