Annual Plant Reviews, Volume 23 A much clearer picture is now emerging of the fine structure of the plant cuticle and its surface, the composition of cuticular waxes and the biosynthetic pathways leading to them. Studies assessing the impact of UV radiation on plant life have emphasized the role of the cuticle and underlying epidermis as optical filters for solar radiation. The field concerned with the diffusive transport of lipophilic organic non-electrolytes across the plant cuticle has reached a state of maturity. A new paradigm has recently been proposed for the diffusion of polar compounds and water across the cuticle. In the context of plant ecophysiology, cuticular transpiration can now be placed in the perspective of whole-leaf water relations. New and unexpected roles have been assigned to the cuticle in plant development and pollen-stigma interactions. Finally, much progress has been made in understanding the cuticle as a specific and extraordinary substrate for the interactions of the plant with microorganisms, fungi and insects. This volume details the major developments of recent years in this important interdisciplinary area. It is directed at researchers and professionals in plant biochemistry, plant physiology, plant ecology, phytopathology and environmental microbiology, in both the academic and industrial sectors.

Annual Plant Reviews, Volume 14 It is difficult to over-state the importance of plant pigments in biology. Chlorophylls are arguably the most important organic compounds on earth, as they are required for photosynthesis. Carotenoids are also necessary for the survival of both plants and mammals, through their roles in photosynthesis and nutrition, respectively. The other plant pigment groups, such as flavonoids and betalains, have important roles in both the biology of plants and the organisms with which plants interact. This book provides an overview of pigment chemistry and biology, together with an up-to-date account of the biosynthesis of pigments and the modification of their production using biotechnology. The chapters cover a wide scope of pigmentation research - from the importance of structural diversity in generating the range of colours seen in plants, through to improving human health properties of crops by increasing pigment levels in transgenic plants. The volume is directed at researchers and professionals in plant biochemistry, molecular biology and genetics.

This revision of the now classic Plant Anatomy offers a completely updated review of the structure, function, and development of meristems, cells, and tissues of the plant body. The text follows a logical structure-based organization. Beginning with a general overview, chapters then cover the protoplast, cell wall, and meristems, through to phloem, periderm, and secretory structures. "There are few more iconic texts in botany than Esau’s Plant Anatomy... this 3rd edition is a very worthy successor to previous editions..." ANNALS OF BOTANY, June 2007

Enzymes, lignin, proteins, cellulose, pectin, kinase.

Biology of Plant Metabolomics is an exciting new volume in Wiley-Blackwell's highly successful Annual Plant Reviews series. Concentrating on the biology and biological relevance of plant metabolomics, each chapter, written by internationally-acknowledged experts in the field from at least two different research groups, combines a review of the existing biological results with an extended assessment of possible future developments and the impact that these will have on the type of research needed for the future. Following a general introduction, this exciting volume includes details of metabolomics of model species including Arabidopsis and tomato. Further chapters provide in-depth coverage of abiotic stress, data integration, systems biology, genetics, genomics, chemometrics and biostatisitcs. Applications of plant metabolomics in food science, plant ecology and physiology are also comprehensively covered. Biology of Plant Metabolomics provides cutting edge reviews of many major aspects of this new and exciting subject. It is an essential purchase for plant scientists, plant geneticists and physiologists. All libraries in universities and research establishments where biological sciences are studied and taught should have a copy of this Annual Plant Reviews volume on their shelves.

The cuticle, together with its associated waxes, acts as a diffusion barrier against the uncontrolled loss of water and solutes from leaves. It forms a mechanical barrier against penetration by fungi and pests and communicates with them via chemical signa

In the 2007 third edition of her successful textbook, Paula Rudall provides a comprehensive yet succinct introduction to the anatomy of flowering plants. Thoroughly revised and updated throughout, the book covers all aspects of comparative plant structure and development, arranged in a series of chapters on the stem, root, leaf, flower, seed and fruit. Internal structures are described using magnification aids from the simple hand-lens to the electron microscope. Numerous references to recent topical literature are included, and new illustrations reflect a wide range of flowering plant species. The phylogenetic context of plant names has also been updated as a result of improved understanding of the relationships among flowering plants. This clearly written text is ideal for students studying a wide range of courses in botany and plant science, and is also an excellent resource for professional and amateur horticulturists.

From Galileo, who used the hollow stalks of grass to demonstrate the idea that peripherally located construction materials provide most of the resistance to bending forces, to Leonardo da Vinci, whose illustrations of the parachute are alleged to be based on his study of the dandelion’s pappus and the maple tree’s samara, many of our greatest physicists, mathematicians, and engineers have learned much from studying plants. A symbiotic relationship between botany and the fields of physics, mathematics, engineering, and chemistry continues today, as is revealed in Plant Physics. The result of a long-term collaboration between plant evolutionary biologist Karl J. Niklas and physicist Hanns-Christof Spatz, Plant Physics presents a detailed account of the principles of classical physics, evolutionary theory, and plant biology in order to explain the complex interrelationships among plant form, function, environment, and evolutionary history. Covering a wide range of topics—from the development and evolution of the basic plant body and the ecology of aquatic unicellular plants to mathematical treatments of light attenuation through tree canopies and the movement of water through plants’ roots, stems, and leaves—Plant Physics is destined to inspire students and professionals alike to traverse disciplinary membranes.

Plant growth is regulated by developmental programmes that can be modified by environmental cues acting through endogenous signaling molecules including plant hormones. This volume provides an overview of the biosynthesis, catabolism, perception and signal transduction of the individual hormone classes, followed by chapters on hormone distribution and transport, and the roles of hormone signaling in specific developmental processes. Particular attention is paid to the regulation of hormone signaling by environmental and developmental cues, sites of hormone metabolism and action, and interactions between hormone signaling pathways. The book is directed at researchers and professionals in plant biochemistry and molecular biology.

The ability to control the rates of metabolic processes in response to changes in the internal or external environment is an indispensable attribute of living cells that must have arisen with life’s origin. This adaptability is necessary for conserving the stability of the intracellular environment which is, in turn, essential for maintaining an efficient functional state. The advent of genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics has revolutionised the study of plant development and is now having a significant impact on the study of plant metabolism and its control. In the last few years, significant advances have been made, with the elucidation of enzyme gene families and the identification of new proteinaceous and allosteric regulators. The first part of this volume is devoted to generic aspects of metabolic control, with chapters on the key control points in pathways. Part Two considers the control of specific pathways, with detailed descriptions (including structures) and discussions of the regulation of these pathways, particularly in terms of the enzymology. The book is directed at researchers and professionals in plant biochemistry, physiology, molecular biology and cell biology.