New trends in phytochemistry and Plant senescence and postharvest physiology

On the occasion of its Silver Anniversary Meeting, the Canadian Society of Plant Physiologists was honored to host two international symposia on the topics of "New trends in phytochemistry" and "Plant senescence and postharvest physiology." The recent surge of interest in the chemistry of secondary plant products can be attributed, at least in part, to the economic challenge of and new developments in biotechnology. However, additional impetus for the discipline derives from a blurring of traditional distinctions between primary and secondary metabolites, and plant scientists and biochemists now recognize that many compounds heretofore labelled as nonessential products of secondary metabolism actually play crucial physiological and ecological roles in the growth, development, and survival of plants.The complexity and elegance of several of the physiological phenomena that characterize senescence and postharvest physiology of cells and tissues are no less compelling of our attention. Certainly, few other areas of research endeavor in the plant sciences hold more promise of socioeconomic benefit from the practical application of fundamental knowledge if we can but learn to control and manipulate some of the biochemical processes that occur in postharvest fruits, flowers, and vegetables.To each of the participants in the symposia, the Society offers its sincere thanks for presenting ideas and hypotheses that stimulated both discussion and controversy and will surely affect the course of future research. We also thank Dr. Ian de la Roche for his services as chief editor of these reports and we gratefully acknowledge the generous financial support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada that made it possible to convene these sessions.