Search

This book is fundamental for plant biotechnologists at this moment, due to the extensive use of in vitro culture. Although some books about somaclonal variation were published some years ago, the circumstances in this field have undergone a great change in the last years. Much progress has been achieved in plant in vitro culture: new technologies have been developed, previously used protocols have been modified with regard to optimization, and in vitro techniques have been applied to new species. Besides, tools for somaclonal variation analysis have also changed in the last years. The techniques and instruments have substantially improved, with the development of new molecular markers and the increased precision and sensitivity of some instruments. Furthermore, novel knowledge about the basic mechanisms underlying somaclonal variation has been obtained recently, which can be very useful for explaining the variability found in different experimental systems.Therefore, it is evident that information about basic and practical aspects of somaclonal variation requires updating and the proposed book is a very good means for this purpose.

With one volume each year, this series keeps scientists and advanced students informed of the latest developments and results in all areas of the plant sciences. This latest volume includes reviews on plant physiology, biochemistry, genetics and genomics, forests, and ecosystems.

The book provides currently available information on the changing climate and its impact on functional and adaptive features of plants. The book also cover cutting edge research on key determinants of plant growththat provides a direction towards execution of programs and practices that will assist resilience of crop production systems to the changing climate. This book will represent the updated scientific information regarding soil and plant productivity under changing climate which will be beneficial to academics and researchers working on climate change, agronomy, stress physiology, biotechnology. It provides an in-depth discussion on the latest techniques to enhance plant responses to new environmental conditions that can be directly applied on field.

This book provides a practical guidance and a set of principles for improving management of saline and alkali waters and thus would be useful for different stakeholders, including agricultural students, researchers, environmentalists, and policy makers. The worldwide aggregated area with occurrence of saline and brackish groundwater is about 24 million square kilometers causing annual food losses to the extent of food requirements of 170 million people. For fostering the safe and reliable use of these waters, researchers have innovated management techniques helping sustainable irrigation with waters otherwise rated earlier as unfit. Vast pool of information has been put together in this book covering groundwater irrigation scenario and need for non-conventional waters; extent, genesis, and global distribution of saline groundwater; impacts of saline and alkali irrigation waters on soils and crops; management approaches for sustaining irrigation with typical saline and alkali ground waters for agricultural and horticulture crops; steady and non-steady state models for salt and water dynamics vis-a-vis crop responses; alternate uses of highly saline waters; water quality guidelines for irrigation under different soil and agro-climatic conditions and ultimately some researchable and policy issues for promoting irrigation with these waters.

This edited book focuses on plant growth regulator synthesis, potential applications, stress tolerance mechanisms and preservations. It explores the recently registered molecules strigolactones, karrikins, and hemin-mediated regulation of plant biology. Chapters cover the integration of plant hormones in the biological system as an opportunity for sustainable agriculture. This book explores the latest information on plant growth regulators covering both theoretical and practical aspects. Plant growth regulators are organic chemical compounds that alter or regulate the metabolism in plants. In plants, plant growth regulators play the role of biostimulants that can enhance resistance to stress. Plant growth regulators in low concentrations often lead to vital improvements and high yields in crop plants. Plant growth regulators are involved in several physiological, morphological, and biochemical mechanisms associated with plant growth, development and defence againststresses. This book brings together the latest research work on plant growth regulators and their emerging importance. The book is a useful read for students, researchers, and instructors in the field of plant biology.

This edited book highlights the multifunctional role of the ubiquitous molecule, melatonin in crop plants. The major focus of this edition is to provide a comprehensive insight into the key focus is on Melatonin mediated alleviation of abiotic stresses and pathogens infection. The inception of melatonin as an animal hormone and the subsequent discovery of its multifaceted function in the animal system has revolutionized the research on this penial hormone. During the last decade, the discovery, quantification and functional studies of melatonin as phytohormone has emerged at a rapid pace. Recently, this phyto-protectant has become an integral component of lab and field-based research on the mitigation of adverse effects of climate-driven abiotic stresses and postharvest biology and technology.The book explores melatonin mediated management of various abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, heat and cold temperature. The book also focuses on role of melatonin in heavy metal stress, viral, bacterial, and fungal diseases, and, also contains chapter on melatonin facilitated nutrient use efficiency in plants. This book is of interest to postharvest industries, horticulturists, scientists, researchers, and students.

The effects of climate change on food safety and plant health represent a relatively new area of study. However, evidence from recent studies is clear: climate change contributes to increased and new food safety & plant health risks as one of several global change factors. This volume analyzes the scientific understanding of the relationship between climate change, food safety, plant pests, plant diseases, and trade. It identifies and discusses four key areas for future policy consideration: risk assessment, SPS capacity in developing countries, climate change resilience, and basic research challenges. We must effectively communicate the impacts of climate change on plant health and build the capacity of national plant protection organizations. More importantly, we need to mobilize resources that will help build stronger national phytosanitary systems that can prevent the spread of plant pests, thereby protecting our food sources and environment, and facilitating safe trade.The present volume is an asset for plant quarantine personnel working in the field, agricultural university students, plant health workers, farmers doing agriculture, plant & seed traders, and all those who use agricultural produce and products. The book is a useful resource for students and professional plant pathologists, entomologists, and plant breeders because it summarizes current knowledge and suggests new research directions. It is also suitable for ecologists & researchers working on crop protection, climate change, and pest control.

This is the first comprehensive monograph dedicated to using Nicotiana species for tobacco genetic improvement. Unlike typical chapters constrained by size and scope, this book offers a detailed species-by-species analysis, with 27 tables providing relevant information. It marks a shift from focusing on specific topics to giving due attention to individual species. The review reflects on a century of exploiting Nicotiana species for usable germplasm and serves as an exhaustive guide to global literature on the subject, citing nearly 1000 literature items.The review delves into the involvement of Nicotiana species in interspecific hybrids with cultivated tobacco, covering sexual and asexual methods, including grafting. It addresses challenges in hybridization, such as cross incompatibility, maternal phenotypes, interspecific incongruity, lethality, and sterility, providing methods to overcome these barriers. Records on disease resistance for each Nicotianae species are compiled, and mechanisms of introgression, barriers, and limitations are discussed. The book lists Nicotiana species as successful donors of cytoplasmic genetic factors leading to cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) and discusses negative effects of alien cytoplasm, providing a list of agronomically acceptable CMS sources. Controversial issues, including the identity of genetic accessions, are explored. The book concludes with an updated list of all reported interspecific combinations for Nicotiana.Primarily aimed at scholars and students interested in the genus for genetic diversity, this book serves as a historical reference guide to the realized and potential uses of Nicotiana species in tobacco improvement.

This edited book presents recent developments in the field of plant biotechnology involving highly efficient micropropagation for the commercial exploitation of nanomaterials (such as silver, cobalt, copper, zinc, magnesium, silicon, iron, nickel, manganese, and selenium nanoparticles, etc.). The book covers the concept, preparation, and synthesis of metallic and non-metallic nanoparticles, as well as their application in plant cell, tissue, and organ culture. Metal nanoparticles have gained significant attention in various fields, including plant cell, tissue, and organ culture. Their unique physical, chemical, and biological properties make them attractive candidates for applications in plant science. Nanomaterials are applied as plant growth regulators to improve plantlet quality by enhancing the quality of in vitro shoots, their growth, and development at both in vitro and ex vitro stages. Since then, the application of nanomaterials in micropropagation has paved the way for replacing previous culture mediums with new nanoparticle mediums, bringing better efficiency and simplicity to plant propagation operations. The book discusses mechanisms, explant surface disinfection, media sterilization, abnormal phenomena, morphogenesis, physiological-biochemical processes, and the accumulation of economically valuable crop compounds in culture mediums supplemented or replaced by metal ions with metal nanoparticles. This book will interest teachers, researchers, scientists, capacity builders, and policymakers. Additionally, it serves as additional reading for undergraduate and graduate students in agriculture, forestry, ecology, soil science, and environmental science.

This book covers all aspects of naturally occurring phenomenon of Plant-Pathogen Interaction (PPI). Recent findings and scientific explanations to understand PPI are provided accompanied by numerous helpful photographs and pictorial presentations. In addition, tabulated data is also included to aid in getting insight into the subject and identifying the missing links. Essential information is provided on physiological, biochemical and pathology consequences of PPI and distinguished sections are devoted to explain molecular and regulatory mechanism underlying PPI. Further topics include different classes of plant pathogen, receptor molecules, signaling system, secondary metabolism and plant defense system etc. This book helps the readers in understanding the state of art and emerging technics to explore PPI and in identifying the missing links which further help in creating the background for future exploration of PPI in terms of experimental and technical advancements.

In this book, leading researchers from this field systematically explain the latest research results on anaerobic responses in plants. The book is characterized by its in-depth coverage of the tolerance functions of plants under hypoxic conditions from a variety of perspectives, with a particular focus on research areas related to molecular biology and genetics. Although drought responses have dominated water stress research in the past, recent floods and attempts to introduce new cropping systems have made it necessary to take measures against excessive water stress injury, and systematic research is needed for this purpose. From this point of view, the approach taken in this book is new and interesting in that it covers basic research and adaptation technologies in the field, and can be applied to various different situations. The focus of this book is how plants can adapt to poor environments and improve productivity under the conditions of soil hypoxia caused by excess water, such as heavy rains and typhoons. From this point of view, the reader will be able to understand the various adaptations of plants to climate change, which will clarify the future directions of research and show the possibility of applying the knowledge and techniques gained in this book to the field.The Sixth Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2021) warns that global warming will proceed faster than previously assumed and that all regions of the world will face increasing changes. “Climate Resilient Development” has been proposed as a key phrase to combat global warming, and it is important to identify the adaptive capacity of plants and improve it where possible. In this regard, the publication of this book, which includes ideas for mitigating flood damage caused by global warming, is extremely important, timely, and rational.

This book explores two Rubus species from South America. It will address the species Rubus bogotensis Kunth and Rubus acanthophyllos Focke. It addresses aspects, such as origin, phenology, propagation, floral and fruit morphology, arthropod visitors, pollination, breeding, morphological diversity, and genetic diversity. It includes new unpublished data and results about plant phenology, flowering, insect visitors, fruit length-weight relationships, and fruit and pyrene morphology. This work includes an in-depth review of the most recently published information on the topic. The Rubus species studies are underutilized crops from Latin America. Furthermore, these species could be used in breeding programs for improvement. They can also be hybridized with other Rubus species to obtain better-quality hybrids. This book contains numerous photographs selected by the author to provide the reader with detailed information about the plant´s morphological features and arthropod visitors.

This book introduces the concept of'biological weathering.'Weathering, especially chemical weathering, has been recognized as one of the most important processes on Earth because it influences the circulation of elements, including carbon. Weathering has almost always been considered an abiotic process. The book describes the author's experiments, proving that plant involvement in weathering is a strategy for plants to ingest nutrients from rocks. It is also shown through cultivation experiments and observation of natural diatoms that diatoms and silica obligate plankton dissolve silicate minerals and incorporate silicon and other elements into their frustules. The weathering reaction has also been successfully applied to the previously unexplained relationship between carbon and silica in the ocean's interior. Readers of this book will gain a comprehensive understanding of weathering as a reaction catalyzed by both plants and plankton, occurring not only on land but also ubiquitously in the earth's environment, including the ocean's interior. This new and novel perspective has significant implications for various scientific fields, including biology, marine chemistry, environmental, and paleoenvironmental sciences. The author underscores the immediate relevance of these findings to pressing issues surrounding atmospheric CO2. The book concludes with a proposal for an efficient and safe method to sequester CO2 in the atmosphere into the ocean interior, offering a practical solution to a global challenge. The target audience for this book includes students and researchers in ecology, evolutionary biology, geochemistry, environment and plant sciences, atmospheric sciences, and Geo-industries.

This book explores the intricate mechanisms underlying the stress responses of phototrophs, which play a critical and foundational role in shaping and sustaining life on Earth.The photoautotrophic entities encounter a spectrum of natural and anthropogenic stresses, inducing a multitude of responses at the physiological, biochemical, genetic, and developmental levels. The comprehension of how these phototrophs adeptly counter stressors transcends mere scientific pursuit; it stands as an essential endeavor for predicting their adaptability in an ever-evolving world and, crucially, for conserving our delicate ecosystems. The book will shed light on the sophisticated interplay of stress signaling pathways and the nuanced engagement of stress-responsive hormones within these life forms. Furthermore, it unveils the cryptic genetic and epigenetic controls dictating stress-related gene expression, yielding profound insights into the enduring recollection of their responses to environmental challenges.This book is an essential read for researchers, educators, and students alike. It offers a comprehensive panorama of stress biology, unveiling the innermost mechanisms at play within photosynthetic organisms discussing their resilience and adaptation.

The book “Plant Adaptation to Abiotic Stress: From Signaling Pathways and Microbiomes to Molecular Mechanisms” comprehensively examines abiotic stressors—cold, heat, light, salinity, and water scarcity—across its 18 chapters. Focusing particularly on Arabidopsis thaliana, it investigates abiotic stresses, adaptation strategies, and molecular pathways. Furthermore, it addresses broader issues, including climate challenges, food security, water scarcity, and agricultural concerns such as soil acidity and aluminum stress. It proposes adaptive measures for cultivating stress-resistant crops and sheds light on genetic modification methods such as CRISPR-Cas9, integrating nanotechnology in plant breeding. Emphasizing transcription factors, post-translational protein modifications, and diverse noncoding RNAs (long noncoding RNAs, circular RNAs, microRNAs, and small interfering RNAs), the book highlights their role in regulating gene expression during stress responses. It specifically underscores secondary messengers, plant hormones, and MAPK cascades within intracellular signaling pathways. Additionally, it discusses the roles of endophytic bacteria and microbial interactions in bolstering stress resilience. The book explores state-of-the-art research methodologies in plant breeding, omics approaches, and nanotechnology integration for developing stress-resistant crop varieties, advocating for agricultural sustainability. Tailored for plant physiology scientists, academics, and postgraduate students, it amalgamates diverse research findings, serving as a pivotal resource to comprehend intricate plant responses to environmental challenges.