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Research in recent years has increasingly shifted away from purely academic research, and into applied aspects of the discipline, including climate change research, conservation, and sustainable development. It has by now widely been recognized that “traditional” knowledge is always in flux and adapting to a quickly changing environment. Trends of globalization, especially the globalization of plant markets, have greatly influenced how plant resources are managed nowadays. While ethnobotanical studies are now available from many regions of the world, no comprehensive encyclopedic series focusing on the worlds mountain regions is available in the market. Scholars in plant sciences worldwide will be interested in this website and its dynamic content. The field (and thus the market) of ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology has grown considerably in recent years. Student interest is on the rise, attendance at professional conferences has grown steadily, and the number of professionals calling themselves ethnobotanists has increased significantly (the various societies (Society for Economic Botany, International Society of Ethnopharmacology, Society of Ethnobiology, International Society for Ethnobiology, and many regional and national societies in the field currently have thousands of members). Growth has been most robust in BRIC countries.The objective of this new MRW on Ethnobotany of Mountain Regions is to take advantage of the increasing international interest and scholarship in the field of mountain research. We anticipate including the best and latest research on a full range of descriptive, methodological, theoretical, and applied research on the most important plants for each region. Each contribution will be scientifically rigorous and contribute to the overall field of study.

Research in recent years has increasingly shifted away from purely academic research, and into applied aspects of the discipline, including climate change research, conservation, and sustainable development. It has by now widely been recognized that “traditional” knowledge is always in flux and adapting to a quickly changing environment. Trends of globalization, especially the globalization of plant markets, have greatly influenced how plant resources are managed nowadays. While ethnobotanical studies are now available from many regions of the world, no comprehensive encyclopedic series focusing on the worlds mountain regions is available in the market. Scholars in plant sciences worldwide will be interested in this website and its dynamic content. The field (and thus the market) of ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology has grown considerably in recent years. Student interest is on the rise, attendance at professional conferences has grown steadily, and the number of professionals calling themselves ethnobotanists has increased significantly (the various societies (Society for Economic Botany, International Society of Ethnopharmacology, Society of Ethnobiology, International Society for Ethnobiology, and many regional and national societies in the field currently have thousands of members). Growth has been most robust in BRIC countries.The objective of this new MRW on Ethnobotany of Mountain Regions is to take advantage of the increasing international interest and scholarship in the field of mountain research. We anticipate including the best and latest research on a full range of descriptive, methodological, theoretical, and applied research on the most important plants for each region. Each contribution will be scientifically rigorous and contribute to the overall field of study.

This open-access edited book is a collection of 17 chapters, synthesized primarily from the lectures delivered by eminent Indian and international experts during a series of capacity-building programmes organised in India during 2020 and 2021 under the aegis of'Indo-German Cooperation on Seed Sector Development', a component of the Bilateral Cooperation between the Governments of India and Germany. Seed Science and Technology, a multi-disciplinary subject, is advancing rapidly keeping pace with the development of improved plant varieties and other climate-resilient technologies. Knowledge of the underlying biological processes and application of appropriate technologies for variety maintenance and seed production; quality assurance, testing and enhancement; processing, packaging and storage etc., are important in a seed programme. Chapters presented in the book is a blend of basic seed biology covering seed development, maturation, dormancy, germination, vigour and invigoration, and seed deterioration; variety maintenance and production of genetically pure seed of open-pollinated and hybrid varieties in a few key field crops and vegetables, and fundamentals of seed processing, packaging and storage; and seed quality assurance systems followed in different countries; testing the essential components of seed quality including seed health, application of molecular technologies for precision in testing, and enhancement of seed quality. It concludes by identifying the key areas of future seed research and technology development. The book covers the fundamentals and recent advances of seed science and technology with the latest research information and an exhaustive and updated list of references on different topics. It is expected to benefit the students as well as the scientists, faculty members and seed sector professionals, working in the public and private seed sectors, certification authorities and seed producing agencies in India, and elsewhere.

This book on “Orchid Biology: Recent Trends & Challenges” reviews the latest strategies for the preservation and conservation of orchid diversity and orchid germplasm. It is an outcome of the Proceedings of the International Symposium on “Biodiversity of Medicinal Plants & Orchids: Emerging Trends and Challenges” held on 9-11 February 2018 at Acharya Nagarjuna University, India. In addition, eminent orchid experts from around the globe were invited to contribute to this book. All chapters were peer-reviewed by international experts. The Orchidaceae are one of the largest families of flowering plants, comprising over 700 genera and 22,500 species and contributing roughly 40 percent of monocotyledons. They also represent the second-largest flowering plant family in India, with 1,141 species in 166 genera, and contribute roughly 10% of Indian flora. Orchids comprise a unique group of plants and their flowers are among the most enchanting and exquisite creations of nature. Phylogenetically and taxonomically, the Orchidaceae are considered to be a highly evolved family among angiosperms. They show incredible diversity in terms of the shape, size and colour of their flowers, and are of great commercial importance in floriculture markets around the globe. Millions of cut flowers of Cymbidium, Dendrobium, Cattleya, Paphiopedilum, Phalaenopsis, Vanda etc., besides potted orchid plants, are sold in Western Countries and thus, the orchid cut flower industry has now become a multimillion-dollar business in Europe, the USA and South East Asia. Besides their ornamental value, orchids hold tremendous pharmaceutical potential. Root tubers of Habenaria edgeworthii form an important component of the ‘Astavarga'group of drugs in Ayurvedic medicine. It is an established fact that tubers of some terrestrial orchids have been used to treat diarrhoea, dysentery, intestinal disorders, cough,cold and tuberculosis. Some orchids, particularly those belonging to the genera Aerides, Arachnis, Cattleya, Cymbidium, Dendrobium, Epidendrum, Oncidium, Paphiopedilum, Phalaenopsis, Renanthera, Vanda etc. have been extensively used to produce internationally acclaimed hybrids. Yet paradoxically, Indian orchids are victims of their own beauty and popularity. As a result, their natural populations have been declining rapidly because of unbridled commercial exploitation in India and abroad. In fact, some orchids are now at the verge of extinction, e.g. Renanthera imschootiana, Diplomeris hirsuta, Paphiopedilum fairrieanum, Cypripedium elegans, Taeniophylum andamanicum etc. Given the global importance of orchids in terms of securing human health and wealth, this comprehensive compilation, prepared by international experts, is highly topical. Its content is divided into five main sections: (I) Cryopreservation & Biotechnology,(II) Orchid Biodiversity & Conservation, (III) Anatomy & Physiology, (IV) Pollination Biology and (V) Orchid Chemicals & Bioactive Compounds. All contributions were written by eminent orchid experts/professors from around the world, making the book a valuable reference guide for all researchers, teachers, orchid enthusiasts, orchid growers and students of biotechnology, botany, pharmaceutical sciences and ethnomedicine. It will be equally valuable for readers from the horticultural industry, especially the orchid industry, agricultural scientists and policymakers.

High-quality seed is essential for healthy crops and greater agricultural productivity. At the same time, advances in breeding technology require equivalent advances in seed technology. In order to ensure food security, it is crucial to develop seeds that are high yielding, and resistant to drought, heat, cold, and insects. Gathering the latest research in seed sciences, the book includes contributions on seed production in crops such as legumes, sugar, rice, wheat and other cereals. It discusses a range of topics, like the effect of climate change on seed quality, production and storage; seed rouging; seed certification for different crop species; seed biology; and seed pathologies and their effective management. Integrating basic and applied research, this compendium provides valuable insights for researchers and students in agricultural and life sciences; professionals involved in seed certification and those working in quarantine laboratories; as well as plant pathologists.

This book introduces the reader to synthetic or artificial seeds, which refer to alginate encapsulated somatic embryos, vegetative buds or any other micropropagules that can be used as seeds and converted into plantlets after propagating under in vitro or in vivo conditions. Moreover, synthetic seeds retain their potential for regeneration even after low-temperature storage. The production of synthetic or artificial seeds using micropropagules opens up new vistas in agricultural biotechnology. Encapsulated propagules could be used for in vitro regeneration and mass multiplication at reasonable cost. In addition, these propagules may be used for germplasm preservation of elite plant species and the exchange of plant materials between national and international laboratories. This book offers state-of-the-art findings on methods, applications and prospects of synthetic or artificial seeds.

This book describes nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) functions in higher plants. Much progress has been made in the field of NO and H2O2 research regarding the various mechanisms and functions of these two molecules, particularly regarding stress tolerance and signaling processes, but there are still gaps to be filled. NO and H2O2 are both crucial regulators of development, and act as signaling molecules at each step of the plant lifecycle, while also playing important roles in biotic and abiotic responses to environmental cues. The book summarizes key advances in the field of NO and H2O2 research, focusing on a range of processes including: signaling, metabolism, seed germination, development, sexual reproduction, fruit ripening, and defense.

Serotonin: The Mediator That Spans Evolution provides a comprehensive review of the widespread roles for serotonin in respiratory, cardiovascular and thermoregulatory control, and for growth and development in early life. This important resource highlights serotonin's role in normal (unstressed) conditions, and in response to a variety of physiological stressors. It focuses on new animal models, comparing and contrasting data from mice and rats. In addition, the book compares and contrasts the physiological effects of brain and blood serotonin systems and includes new data suggesting that the influence of serotonin is in part through the regulation of gene expression. Finally, it discusses the role of serotonin system dysfunction in a variety of pathophysiological conditions, including sleep apnea, obesity and hypertension, and presents compelling evidence that this dysfunction is involved in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). - Includes the latest information on new animal models of serotonin system dysfunction - Explores the wide scope of serotonin's influence on multiple organ and physiological systems - Highlights the autonomous functioning of the brain and body serotonin systems - Provides compelling evidence of serotonin dysfunction in SIDS, a leading cause of death in infancy

This book comprehensively describes biological phenomena, adaptation mechanisms, and strategies of living organisms to survive under extremely cold or desiccated conditions at molecular, cellular, and organ levels. It also provides tremendous potential for applications of the findings to a wide variety of industries. The volume consists of three parts: Part 1, Adaptation Mechanisms of Cold, and Part 2, Adaptation Mechanisms of Desiccation, collect up-to-date research on mechanisms and strategies of living organisms such as sleeping chironomids, polar marine fishes, hibernating mammals, bryophytes, dormant seeds, and boreal plants to survive under extreme cold and desiccated conditions at molecular, cellular, and organ levels. Part 3, Application Technologies from Laboratory to Society, covers various applications to a wide variety of industries such as the medical, food, and agricultural and life science industries. For example, biological knowledge of how plants and animalssurvive under cold, drought, and desiccated conditions may provide a hint on how we can improve crop production in a very fragile environment in global climate change. Unique molecules that protect cells during desiccation and freezing such as trehalose and antifreeze protein (AFP) have potential for use to preserve cells, tissues, and organs for the long term under very stable conditions. In addition, the current progress of supercooling technology of cells may lead us to solve problems of cellular high sensitivity to freezing injury, which will dramatically improve the usability of these cells. Furthermore, knowledge of water substitution and glass formation as major mechanisms for formulation designs and new drying technologies will contribute to the development of food preservation and drug delivery systems under dry conditions. Written by contributors who have been conducting cutting-edge science in related fields, this title is recommended to a wide variety of readers who are interested in learning from such organisms their strategies, mechanisms, and applications, and it will inspire researchers in various disciplines.

This handbook covers the most commonly used techniques for measuring plant response to biotic and abiotic stressing factors, including: in vitro and in vivo bioassays; the study of root morphology, photosynthesis (pigment content, net photosynthesis, respiration, fluorescence and thermoluminiscence) and water status; thermal imaging; the measurement of oxidative stress markers; flow cytometry for measuring cell cycle and other physiological parameters; the use of microscope techniques for studying plant microtubules; programmed-cell-death; last-generation techniques (metabolomics, proteomics, SAR/QSAR); hybridization methods; isotope techniques for plant and soil studies; and the measurement of detoxification pathways, volatiles, soil microorganisms, and computational biology.

Ferns, collectively, represent an ancient species of vascular plant which has a direct connection to the beginning of life on Earth. Today they are valued for their ornamental appeal, environmental benefit or as sources of health benefiting metabolites. Current pteridology, the study of fern, encompasses a wide range of research activities including, but not limited to, plant physiology, stress tolerance, genetics and genomics. The goal of this book is to compile the most relevant research done with ferns during the last decade. It is organized into four parts: I, Biology and Biotechnology; II, Evolution and Conservation; III, Metabolism and Genetic Resources, and IV, Environment. Each section reveals the utilization of ferns as a tool to explore challenges unique to plant development and adaptation.This project represents our collective effort to raise the awareness of ferns as a model system to study higher plant functions. Among the distinctive features of our proposed book are: (i) a wide range of topics with contributing researchers from all around the world, and (ii) recent advances of theoretic and applied knowledge with implications to crop species of economic value.

Glutathione (γ-glutamyl-cysteinyl-glycine) is a ubiquitously distributed sulfurcontaining antioxidant molecule that plays key roles in the regulation of plant growth, development, and abiotic and biotic stress tolerance. It is one of the most powerful low-molecular-weight thiols, which rapidly accumulates in plant cells under stress. Recent in-depth studies on glutathione homeostasis (biosynthesis, degradation, compartmentalization, transport, and redox turnover) and the roles of glutathione in cell proliferation and environmental stress tolerance have provided new insights for plant biologists to conduct research aimed at deciphering the mechanisms associated with glutathione-mediated plant growth and stress responses, as well as to develop stress-tolerant crop plants. Glutathione has also been suggested to be a potential regulator of epigenetic modifications, playing important roles in the regulation of genes involved in the responses of plants to changing environments. The dynamic relationship between reduced glutathione (GSH) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been well documented, and glutathione has been shown to participate in several cell signaling and metabolic processes, involving the synthesis of protein, the transport of amino acids, DNA repair, the control of cell division, and programmed cell death. Two genes, gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (GSH1) and glutathione synthetase (GSH2), are involved in GSH synthesis, and genetic manipulation of these genes can modulate cellular glutathione levels. Any fluctuations in cellular GSH and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) levels have profound effects on plant growth and development, as glutathione is associated with the regulation of the cell cycle, redox signaling, enzymatic activities, defense gene expression, systemic acquired resistance, xenobiotic detoxification, and biological nitrogen fixation. Being a major constituent of the glyoxalase system and ascorbate-glutathione cycle, GSH helps to control multiple abiotic and biotic stress signaling pathways through the regulation of ROS and methylglyoxal (MG) levels. In addition, glutathione metabolism has the potential to be genetically or biochemically manipulated to develop stress-tolerant and nutritionally improved crop plants. Although significant progress has been made in investigating the multiple roles of glutathione in abiotic and biotic stress tolerance, many aspects of glutathione-mediated stress responses require additional research.The main objective of this volume is to explore the diverse roles of glutathione in plants by providing basic, comprehensive, and in-depth molecular information for advanced students, scholars, teachers, and scientists interested in or already engaged in research that involves glutathione. Finally, this book will be a valuable resource for future glutathione-related research and can be considered as a textbook for graduate students and as a reference book for frontline researchers working on glutathione metabolism in relation to plant growth, development, stress responses, and stress tolerance.

With more than 500 species distributed all around the Northern Hemisphere, the genus Quercus L. is a dominant element of a wide variety of habitats including temperate, tropical, subtropical and mediterranean forests and woodlands. As the fossil record reflects, oaks were usual from the Oligocene onwards, showing the high ability of the genus to colonize new and different habitats. Such diversity and ecological amplitude makes genus Quercus an excellent framework for comparative ecophysiological studies, allowing the analysis of many mechanisms that are found in different oaks at different level (leaf or stem). The combination of several morphological and physiological attributes defines the existence of different functional types within the genus, which are characteristic of specific phytoclimates. From a landscape perspective, oak forests and woodlands are threatened by many factors that can compromise their future: a limited regeneration, massive decline processes, mostly triggered by adverse climatic events or the competence with other broad-leaved trees and conifer species. The knowledge of all these facts can allow for a better management of the oak forests in the future.

Abiotic stress adversely affects crop production worldwide, decreasing average yields for most of the crops to 50%. Among various abiotic stresses affecting agricultural production, drought stress is considered to be the main source of yield reduction around the globe. Due to an increasing world population, drought stress will lead to a serious food shortage by 2050. The situation may become worse due to predicated global climate change that may multiply the frequency and duration and severity of such abiotic stresses. Hence, there is an urgent need to improve our understanding on complex mechanisms of drought stress tolerance and to develop modern varieties that are more resilient to drought stress. Identification of the potential novel genes responsible for drought tolerance in crop plants will contribute to understanding the molecular mechanism of crop responses to drought stress. The discovery of novel genes, the analysis of their expression patterns in response to drought stress,and the determination of their potential functions in drought stress adaptation will provide the basis of effective engineering strategies to enhance crop drought stress tolerance. Although the in-depth water stress tolerance mechanisms is still unclear, it can be to some extent explained on the basis of ion homeostasis mediated by stress adaptation effectors, toxic radical scavenging, osmolyte biosynthesis, water transport, and long distance signaling response coordination. Importantly, complete elucidation of the physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms for drought stress, perception, transduction, and tolerance is still a challenge to the plant biologists. The findings presented in volume 1 call attention to the physiological and biochemical modalities of drought stress that influence crop productivity, whereas volume 2 summarizes our current understanding on the molecular and genetic mechanisms of drought stress resistance in plants.

This book is compilation of studies related with the xenobiotics i.e. chemical or other substance that is not normally found in the ecosystems and get accumulated at higher concentration in the biological system due to rampant industrialisation and urbanisation activities. This book has tried to give information on various issues to give comprehensive and concise knowledge of the recent advancement in the field of environmental xenobiotics and how it disturbs the plants metabolism. Other key features of the book are related to xenobiotic toxicity and detoxification mechanism, biochemical tools toward its remediation processes, molecular mechanism for xenobiotics detoxification and effect on metallomics. It also focuses on recent development in the field of waste water remediation concerned with the xenobiotics involvement. This book is different in such a way that it includes all the initial information along with the new researches. It includes the description of problem along with its solution. This volume describe the effects of xenobiotics at different levels i.e. biochemical, physiological and molecular, giving the details on signaling pathways to modify the responses of xenobiotics in plant system. Thus, it gives confirming crosstalk between xenobiotic effects and signalling pathways.This book includes description about both the organic contaminants such as pesticides, solvents and petroleum products as well as inorganic xenobiotics that include heavy metals, non-metals, metalloids, and simple soluble salts. Here the plant is main objective and that have to deal with these kinds of compounds either by avoiding accumulation of these compounds or by exhibiting several enzymatic reactions for detoxification including oxidation, reduction, and conjugation reactions. Affected plants exhibit several enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant and other reactions for detoxification of ROS including oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis and conjugation reactions. The book focuses on different forms and sources of xenobiotics including organic and inorganic xenobiotics. The matter of this book will definitely increase the knowledge about the impacts of xenobiotics on plants system. There must be potentially broad readership who could find this fruitful for their study as well as for their research. As this book has balance between basic plant physiology and toxicity caused by the xenobiotics so it can be widely used in several disciplines. Overall, the book will bring deep knowledge in the field of xenobiotics toxicity in plants during recent years and it is definitely a compilation of interesting information which isn't fully covered elsewhere in the current market.

This book provides an up-to-date overview of redox signaling in plant cells and its key role in responses to different stresses. The chapters, which are original works or reviews, focus on redox signaling states; cellular tolerance under different biotic and abiotic stresses; cellular redox homeostasis as a central modulator; redox homeostasis and reactive oxygen species (ROS); redox balance in chloroplasts and mitochondria; oxidative stress and its role in peroxisome homeostasis; glutathione-related enzyme systems and metabolism under metal stress; and abiotic stress-induced redox changes and programmed cell death. The book is an invaluable source of information for plant scientists and students interested in redox state chemistry and cellular tolerance in plants.

Plant genomics and biotechnology have recently made enormous strides, and hold the potential to benefit agriculture, the environment and various other dimensions of the human endeavor. It is no exaggeration to claim that the twenty-first century belongs to biotechnology. Knowledge generation in this field is growing at a frenetic pace, and keeping abreast of the latest advances and calls on us to double our efforts. Volume II of this two-part series addresses cutting-edge aspects of plant genomics and biotechnology. It includes 37 chapters contributed by over 70 researchers, each of which is an expert in his/her own field of research.Biotechnology has helped to solve many conundrums of plant life that had long remained a mystery to mankind. This volume opens with an exhaustive chapter on the role played by thale cress, Arabidopsis thaliana, which is believed to be the Drosophila of the plant kingdom and an invaluable model plant for understanding basic conceptsin plant biology. This is followed by chapters on bioremediation, biofuels and biofertilizers through microalgal manipulation, making it a commercializable prospect; discerning finer details of biotic stress with plant-fungal interactions; and the dynamics of abiotic and biotic stresses, which also figure elsewhere in the book.Breeding crop plants for desirable traits has long been an endeavor of biotechnologists. The significance of molecular markers, marker assisted selection and techniques are covered in a dedicated chapter, as are comprehensive reviews on plant molecular biology, DNA fingerprinting techniques, genomic structure and functional genomics. A chapter dedicated to organellar genomes provides extensive information on this important aspect. Elsewhere in the book, the newly emerging area of epigenetics is presented as seen through the lens of biotechnology, showcasing the pivotal role of DNA methylation in effecting permanent and transient changes to the genome.Exclusive chapters deal with bioinformatics and systems biology. Handy tools for practical applications such as somatic embryogenesis and micropropagation are included to provide frontline information to entrepreneurs, as is a chapter on somaclonal variation.Overcoming barriers to sexual incompatibility has also long been a focus of biotechnology, and is addressed in chapters on wide hybridization and hybrid embryo rescue. Another area of accomplishing triploids through endosperm culture is included as a non-conventional breeding strategy. Secondary metabolite production through tissue cultures, which is of importance to industrial scientists, is also covered.Worldwide exchange of plant genetic material is currently an essential topic, as is conserving natural resources in situ. Chapters on in vitro conservation of extant, threatened and other valuable germplasms, gene banking and related issues are included, along with an extensive account of the biotechnology of spices – the low-volume, high-value crops. Metabolic engineering is another emerging field that provides commercial opportunities. As is well known, there is widespread concern over genetically modified crops among the public. GM crops are covered, as are genetic engineering strategies for combating biotic and abiotic stresses where no other solutions are in sight. RNAi- and micro RNA- based strategies for crop improvement have proved to offer novel alternatives to the existing non-conventional techniques, and detailed information on these aspects is also included. The book's last five chapters are devoted to presenting the various aspects of environmental, marine, desert and rural biotechnology. The state-of-the-art coverage on a wide range of plant genomics and biotechnology topics will be of great interest to post-graduate students and researchers, including the employees of seed and biotechnology companies, and to instructors in the fields of plant genetics, bree

This book provides detailed and comprehensive information on oxidative damage caused by stresses in plants with especial reference to the metabolism of reactive oxygen species (ROS).In plants, as in all aerobic organisms, ROS are common by-products formed by the inevitable leakage of electrons onto O2 from the electron transport activities located in chloroplasts, mitochondria, peroxisomes and in plasma membranes or as a consequence of various metabolic pathways confined in different cellular loci. Environmental stresses such as heat, cold, drought, salinity, heavy-metal toxicity, ozone and ultraviolet radiation as well as pathogens/contagion attack lead to enhanced generation of ROS in plants due to disruption of cellular homeostasis. ROS play a dual role in plants; at low concentrations they act as signaling molecules that facilitate several responses in plant cells, including those promoted by biotic and abiotic agents. In divergence, at high levels they cause damage to cellular constituents triggering oxidative stress. In either case, small antioxidant molecules and enzymes modulate the action of these ambivalent species.

Bryophytes, which are important constituents of ecosystems globally and often dominate carbon and water dynamics at high latitudes and elevations, were also among the pioneers of terrestrial photosynthesis. Consequently, in addition to their present day ecological value, modern representatives of these groups contain the legacy of adaptations that led to the greening of Earth. This volume brings together experts on bryophyte photosynthesis whose research spans the genome and cell through whole plant and ecosystem function and combines that with historical perspectives on the role of algal, bryophyte and vascular plant ancestors on terrestrialization of the Earth. The eighteen well-illustrated chapters reveal unique physiological approaches to achieving carbon balance and dealing with environmental limitations and stresses that present an alternative, yet successful strategy for land plants.

This book was written in response to significant recent advances in understanding the mechanisms of parasitism in the Orobanchaceae, and breakthroughs in the control of the parasitic weeds Striga and Orobanche. It consists of 26 contributions by internationally recognized leading scientists. The main book chapters are grouped into two parts:· Part I – The Orobanchaceae and Their Parasitic Mechanisms· Part II – The Weedy Orobanchaceae and Their ControlThe first part provides cutting-edge information on all key aspects of plant parasitism, such as the structure, development and function of the haustorium; nutrient transfer and the physiology of the parasite-host association; host reaction to parasitic plants; seed production and germination; the strigolactones and host-parasite signaling mechanisms; the parasite genome, phylogenetics, evolution and epigenetics; and ecology. Topics of the second part include: the problem posed by the weedyparasites; population diversity and dynamics; molecular diagnosis of seed banks; and detailed discussion of the various management strategies, including agronomic, chemical and biotechnological approaches, as well as host breeding for resistance, allelopathy and biological control. This book is intended for plant scientists, university lecturers and students, agronomists and weed specialists, breeders and farmers, extension personnel and experts in tropical and subtropical agriculture.

The book is designed to provide a review on the methods and current status of conservation of the tropical plant species. It will also provide the information on the richness of the tropical plant diversity, the need to conserve, and the potential utilization of the genetic resources. Future perspectives of conservation of tropical species will be discussed. Besides being useful to researchers and graduate students in the field, we hope to create a reference for a much wider audience who are interested in conservation of tropical plant diversity.

Plant-based medicines play an important role in all cultures, and have been indispensable in maintaining health and combating diseases. The identification of active principles and their molecular targets from traditional medicine provides an enormous opportunity for drug development. Using modern biotechnology, plants with specific chemical compositions can be mass propagated and genetically improved for the extraction of bulk active pharmaceuticals. Although there has been significant progress in the use of biotechnology, using tissue cultures and genetic transformation to investigate and alter pathways for the biosynthesis of target metabolites, there are many challenges involved in bringing plants from the laboratory to successful commercial cultivation. This book presents the latest advances in the development of medicinal drugs, including topics such as plant tissue cultures, secondary metabolite production, metabolomics, metabolic engineering, bioinformatics and future biotechnological directions.

This updated and much revised third edition of Seeds: Physiology of Development, Germination and Dormancy provides a thorough overview of seed biology and incorporates much of the progress that has been made during the past fifteen years. With an emphasis on placing information in the context of the seed, this new edition includes recent advances in the areas of molecular biology of development and germination, as well as fresh insights into dormancy, ecophysiology, desiccation tolerance, and longevity. Authored by preeminent authorities in the field, this book is an invaluable resource for researchers, teachers, and students interested in the diverse aspects of seed biology.

The Fifth International Workshop on Seeds was held at the University of Reading, UK, from 10 to 15 September, 1995. Some 230 seed scientists, from a wide range of disciplines (botanists, biochemists, ecologists, agriculturalists, foresters, and commercial seedsmen), from 31 countries (Europe, the Americas, and Asia) participated in the workshop. A large number of oral and poster presentations was made during the workshop and we are pleased to publish so many of them in these Proceedings. The papers herein are listed by the sessions in which they were presented but, as is often the case, many papers cover a broader range of topics than the session titles imply. For seed physiologists, ecologists, and technologists, this book collates much of the current research on seeds.

Secretions and emissions in biological systems play important signaling roles within the organism but also in its communications with the surrounding environment. This volume brings together state-of-the-art information on the role of secretions and emissions in different organs and organisms ranging from flowers and roots of plants to nematodes and human organs. The plant chapters relate information regarding the biochemistry of flower volatiles and root exudates, and their role in attracting pollinators and soil microbial communities respectively. Microbial chapters explain the biochemistry and ecology of quorum sensing and how microbial communities highly co-adapted to plants can aid in bio-energy applications by degrading ligno-cellulosic materials. Other chapters explain the biology of secretions by nematodes, algae and humans, among other organisms. This volume will be a welcome addition to the literature, as no other book covers aspects related to biological secretion in such a holistic and integrative manner.

Desiccation tolerance was essential when plants first began to conquer land, roughly 400 million years ago. While most desiccation-tolerant plants belong to basal phylogenetic taxa, this capacity has also evolved among some vascular plant species.In this volume renowned experts treat plant desiccation tolerance at the organismic as well as at the cellular level. The diversity of ecophysiological adaptations and acclimations of cyanobacteria, eukaryotic algae, mosses, and lichens is addressed in several chapters. The particular problems of vascular plants during dehydration/rehydration cycles resulting not only from their hydraulic architectures, but also from severe secondary stresses associated with the desiccated state are discussed. Based on the treatment of desiccation tolerance at the organismic level, a second section of the book is devoted to the cell biological level. It delineates the general concepts of functional genomics, epigenetics, genetics, molecular biology and the sensing and signalling networks of systems biology involved in dehydration/rehydration cycles. This book provides an invaluable compilation of current knowledge, which is a prerequisite for a better understanding of plant desiccation tolerance in natural as well as agro- and forest ecosystems where water is one of the most essential resources.

Plants are sessile organisms that live under a constant barrage of biotic and abiotic insults. Both biotic and abiotic stress factors have been shown to affect various aspects of plant system including the acceleration in the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The ascorbate (AsA)-glutathione (GSH) pathway is a key part of the network of reactions involving enzymes and metabolites with redox properties for the detoxification of ROS, and thus to avert the ROS-accrued oxidative damage in plants. The present book mainly deals with the information gained through the cross-talks and inter-relationship studies on the physiological, biochemical and molecular aspects of the cumulative response of various components of AsA-GSH pathway to stress factors and their significance in plant stress tolerance.

The role and perception of forests in tropical areas has changed drastically during the last half century. Natural forests, as resources for forest products, are dwindling. Sustainable management of natural forests faces many diffic- ties in practice, although progress has been made. However, rural people in tropical countries often experience that the forests, which were previously the buffer for agriculture and an important resource, are becoming more and more inaccessible. Remaining forests are to a large extent protected, degraded or so far away from settlement that in practice they are beyond reach. The majority of the world's forest products in the future will come from m- made plantations and cultivated trees. The term ‘plantation', usually referring to traditional block plantings of industrial species, is acquiring a wider me- ing which includes, for example, smaller woodlots, shelterbelts and various types of agroforestry. Forest seeds are in this context of utmost importance. Not only are seeds the most commonly used propagation material, they are also the carriers of the genetic material from one generation to the next. Forest seed handling is thus an integrated part of selection, management, devel- ment and conservation of forest genetic resources in a larger context. With this in mind, and considering how self-evident the matter of seed quality is in agriculture, one can wonder how little attention has been and is given to f- est germplasm in many afforestation and plantation programmes.