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This book offers a thorough examination of how drought stress impacts various facets of a plant's physiology, ecology, and agricultural systems. It delves into the challenges posed by drought stress, a critical issue exacerbated by climate change and its impact on water availability. By employing a multidisciplinary methodology, the book endeavours to furnish a thorough comprehension of the intricate interplay between plants and their surroundings when faced with water scarcity. It proves to be an invaluable asset for scholars, students, policymakers, and experts who are keen on comprehending the intricate array of issues that drought stress poses. Moreover, it serves as a repository of effective strategies to tackle the consequences of drought stress in a world undergoing transformation. The book's multidisciplinary orientation guarantees a comprehensive exploration of the subject, encompassing the physiological, agricultural, and molecular reactions of plants.

Diatoms are the most species rich group of algae, and they contribute about 20% of annual global carbon fixation. They play major roles in ocean food webs and global biogeochemical cycles. They are also a target of the biotechnology industry because of their nano-patterned silica cell wall and high lipid content. Diatoms have received increasing attention as more genomes became available and because of the development of genome editing tools such as the CRISPR/Cas9 technology, which has made diatoms as genetically tractable as well-established biological model species. This book provides an overview on diatom molecular biology. It brings together international leading experts in the field to discuss the latest data and developments from genes to ecosystems. As the understanding of diatoms is currently experiencing a step change, it is critical to allow for synergistic approaches on diverse aspects of diatom biology and evolution. The books offers fundamental insights into the molecular life of diatoms; at the same time new scientific concepts are developed based on the application of the latest molecular tools and genomic information to explore the fascinating lifestyle of diatoms.

In the recent past, threats from climate change and unforeseeable environmental extremes to plant growth and productivity have consistently increased. The climate change-driven effects, especially from unpredictable environmental fluctuations, can result in an increased prevalence of abiotic and biotic stresses in plants. These stresses have slowed down the global yields of crop plants. On the other hand, food security for the rapidly growing human population in a sustainable ecosystem is a major concern of the present-day world. Thus, understanding the core developmental, physiological and molecular aspects that regulate plant growth and productivity in a challenging environment is a pivotal issue to be tackled by the scientific community dealing with sustainable agricultural and horticultural practices. Plants are influenced by the adverse environmental conditions at various levels, their different and diverse responses play a significant rolein determining their growth, production and the overall geographical distribution. The chapters in this book focus on the biological mechanisms and fundamental principles that determine how different plant species grow, perform and interact with a challenging environment. This book covers a broad range of topics in plant science, including gene function, molecules, physiology, cell biology and plant ecology, to understand the functioning of plants under harsh environmental conditions. The book elucidates the physiological and molecular mechanisms in different plant species, ecophysiological interactions of plants, interplay between plant roots, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, biosensors for monitoring stress, production of secondary metabolites, stress alleviation processes, and more.

In the modern world, to meet increasing energy demands we need to develop new technologies allowing us to use eco-friendly carbon-neutral energy sources. Solar energy as the most promising renewable source could be the way to solve that problem, but it is variable depending on day time and season. From this side, the understanding of photosynthesis process could be of significant help for us to develop effective strategies of solar energy capturing, conversion, and storage. Plants, algae, and cyanobacteria perform photosynthesis, annually producing around 100 billion tons of dry biomass. Presently, the detailed studies of photosynthetic system structure make functional investigations of the photosynthetic process available, allowing scientists to construct artificial systems for solar energy transduction. This book summarizes exciting achievements in understanding of photosynthetic structures and mechanisms of this process made by world leaders in photosynthesis field, and contains information about modern ideas in development of revolutionary new technologies of energy conversion. Organized according to the natural sequence of events occurring during photosynthesis, the book includes information of both photosynthetic structures and mechanisms and its applications in bioenergetics issues.

Highlights the potential of biosaline agriculture in a changing environmentCovers all important topics related to halophyte biology including biochemistry, genetics and genomicsProvides information on potential use of halophytes Each topic is explained in detail and examined from various anglesMore than 100 contributions by international experts

This book encompasses current knowledge of soil microbiomes and their potential biotechnological application for plant growth, crop yield, and soil health under the natural as well as harsh environmental conditions for sustainable agriculture. The microbes are ubiquitous in nature. The soil is a natural hotspot of the soil microbiome. The soil microbiome plays a critical role in the maintenance of global nutrient balance and ecosystem functioning. The soil microbiomes are associated with plant ecosystems through the intense network of plant–microbe interactions. The microbes present in bulk soil move toward the rhizospheric region due to the release of different nutrients by plant systems. The rhizospheric microbes may survive or proliferate in rhizospheric zone depending on the extent of influences of the chemicals secreted into the soil by roots. The root exudates contain the principal nutrients factors (amino acids, glucose, fructose, and sucrose). The microbes present in rhizospheric region have capabilities to fix atmospheric nitrogen, produce different phytohormones, and solubilize phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. The plant systems take these nutrients for their growth and developments. These soil and plant associated microbes also play an important role in protection of plants from different plant pathogenic organisms by producing different secondary metabolites such as ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, siderophores, and hydrolytic enzymes. The soil microbiomes with plant growth-promoting (PGP) attributes have emerged as an important and promising tool for sustainable agriculture. The soil microbiomes promote the plant growth and enhance the crop yield and soil fertility via directly or indirectly different plant growth-promoting mechanism. The soil microbes help the plant for adaptation in extreme habitats by mitigating the abiotic stress of high/low temperatures, hypersalinity, drought, and acidic/alkaline soil. These PGP microbes are used as biofertilizers/bioinoculants to replace the harmful chemical fertilizers for sustainable agriculture and environments.The aim of the book “Soil Microbiomes for Sustainable Agriculture” is to provide the recent advances in mechanisms of plant growth promotion and applications of soil microbiomes for mitigation of different abiotic stresses in plants. The book is useful to scientists, researchers, and students related to microbiology, biotechnology, agriculture, molecular biology, environmental biology, and related subjects.

Plant Life under Changing Environment: Responses and Management presents the latest insights, reflecting the significant progress that has been made in understanding plant responses to various changing environmental impacts, as well as strategies for alleviating their adverse effects, including abiotic stresses. Growing from a focus on plants and their ability to respond, adapt, and survive, Plant Life under Changing Environment: Responses and Management addresses options for mitigating those responses to ensure maximum health and growth. Researchers and advanced students in environmental sciences, plant ecophysiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, nano-pollution climate change, and soil pollution will find this an important foundational resource. - Covers both responses and adaptation of plants to altered environmental states - Illustrates the current impact of climate change on plant productivity, along with mitigation strategies - Includes transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic and ionomic approaches

This book examines the way that lead enters the biosphere and the subsequent environmental impact. The contributing authors include international experts who provide methods for assessing and characterizing the ecological risk of lead contamination of soil and plants. Information is provided on the consequences for human health as a result of lead pollution. This book reveals that approximately 98% of stable lead in the atmosphere originates from human activities.Lead in Plants and the Environment reports on methods for detecting, measuring, and assessing the concentration of lead in plants. The authors provide a method for the measurement of 210Pb isotopes in plants. This method can be applied extensively in different environmental settings, not only as a way of revealing sources of lead, but also as a way to monitor lead transport in plants and animals that ingest them.The chapters include coverage on the following topics:· Lead bioavailability in the environment and its exposure and effects· Radioanalytical methods for detecting and identifying trace concentrations of lead in the environment· Lead contamination and its dynamics in soil plant systems· Lead pollution monitoring and remediation through terrestrial plants in mesocosm constructed wetlands· A review of phytoremediation of leadThis book is a valuable resource to students, academics, researchers, and environmental professionals doing field work on lead contamination throughout the world.

This book provides an up-to-date account of the current understanding of climate change and global warming related to environment, climate, plant and vegetation growth. The aim of this book is to provide a platform for scientists and academics world-wide to promote, share, and discuss various new issues and developments in the area of plant and vegetation growth related to climate change. Over the next decades, it is predicted that billions of people, particularly those in developing countries, face shortages of water and food and greater risks to health and life as a result of climate change. Concerted global action is needed to enable developing countries to adapt to the effects of climate change that are happening now and will worsen in the future. The book will also enhance the understanding on issues related to climate change, giving a clear indication of a looming global warming crisis. Addressing global climate change is a monumental battle that can only be fought by the leaders of tomorrow, but future leaders are molded through education and shaped by the leaders of today.

As the largest scale chemical reaction, photosynthesis supplies all of the organic carbon and oxygen for life on Earth. It is estimated that the photosynthetic activity of microorganisms is responsible for more than 50% of the primary production of molecular oxygen on Earth. This book highlights recent breakthroughs in the multidisciplinary areas of microbial photosynthesis, presenting the latest developments in various areas of microbial photosynthesis research, from bacteria to eukaryotic algae, and from theoretical biology to structural biology and biophysics. Furthermore, the book discusses advances in photosynthetic chassis, such as in the context of metabolic engineering and green chemical production. Featuring contributions by leading authorities in photosynthesis research, the book is a valuable resource for graduate students and researchers in the field, especially those studying biological evolution and the origin of life.

This book offers an overview of salt stress, which has a devastating effect on the yields of various agricultural crops around the globe. Excessive salts in soil reduce the availability of water, inhibit metabolic processes, and affect nutrient composition, osmotic balance, and hydraulic conductivity. Plants have developed a number of tolerance mechanisms, such as various compatible solutes, polyamines, reactive oxygen species and antioxidant defense mechanisms, ion transport and compartmentalization of injurious ions. The exploitation of genetic variation, use of plant hormones, mineral nutrients, soil microbe interactions, and other mechanical practices are of prime importance in agriculture, and as such have been the subject of multidisciplinary research. Covering both theoretical and practical aspects, the book provides essential physiological, ecological, biochemical, environmental and molecular information as well as perspectives for future research. It is a valuable resource for students, teachers and researchers and anyone interested in agronomy, ecology, stress physiology, environmental science, crop science and molecular biology.

This book gathers the latest findings on the microbial ecology of saline habitats, plant-microbe interactions under saline conditions, and saline soil reclamation for agricultural use. The content is divided into four main parts: Part I outlines the definition of salinity, its genesis and impacts, and microbial diversity in saline habitats. Part II deals with impact of salinity on microbial and plant life/health. Part III highlights plant – microbe interactions in saline environments, and Part IV describes strategies for mitigation and reclamation of saline soils. The salinization of arable land is steadily increasing in many parts of the world. An excessive concentration of soluble salts (salinity) in soils or irrigation water adversely affects plant growth and survival. This problem is exacerbated in arid and semiarid areas due to their low precipitation and high evaporation rates. In turn, poor management practices and policies for using river water forthe irrigation of agriculture crops often lead to the secondary salinization of soils.Considering the growing demands of a constantly expanding population, understanding the microbial ecology and interactions under saline conditions and their implications for sustainable agriculture is of utmost importance. Providing both an essential review of the status quo and a future outlook, this book represents a valuable asset for researchers, environmentalists and students working in microbiology and agriculture..

This book highlights some of the most important biochemical, physiological and molecular aspects of plant stress, together with the latest updates. It is divided into 14 chapters, written by eminent experts from around the globe and highlighting the effects of plant stress (biotic and abiotic) on the photosynthetic apparatus, metabolites, programmed cell death, germination etc. In turn, the role of beneficial elements, glutathione-S-transferase, phosphite and nitric oxide in the adaptive response of plants under stress and as a stimulator of better plant performance is also discussed. A dedicated chapter addresses research advances in connection with Capsicum, a commercially important plant, and stress tolerance, from classical breeding to the recent use of large-scale transcriptome and genome sequencing technologies. The book also explores the significance of the liliputians of the plant kingdom (Bryophytes) as biomonitors/bioindicators, and general and specialized bioinformatics resources that can benefit anyone working in the field of plant stress biology. Given the information compiled here, the book will offer a valuable guide for students and researchers of plant molecular biology and stress physiology alike.

This book covers the state-of-the-art of microalgae physiology and biochemistry (and the several –omics). It serves as a key reference work for those working with microalgae, whether in the lab, the field, or for commercial applications. It is aimed at new entrants into the field (i.e. PhD students) as well as experienced practitioners. It has been over 40 years since the publication of a book on algal physiology. Apart from reviews and chapters no other comprehensive book on this topic has been published. Research on microalgae has expanded enormously since then, as has the commercial exploitation of microalgae. This volume thoroughly deals with the most critical physiological and biochemical processes governing algal growth and production.