This book reviews all aspects of boron research in recent years and is based on the Third International Symposium on all Aspects of Plant and Animal Boron Nutrition. This includes B sorption mechanisms in soils, deficiency and toxicity of B, B fertilizer application and basic research on the physiology and molecular biology of plant B nutrition, and nutritional function of B in animals and humans.

The Boron '97 meeting was a great success in summarising all recent developments in basic and applied research on boron's function, especially in plants. New techniques have since been developed and new insight has been gained into the role of boron in plant and animal metabolism. Nevertheless, there were still lots of open questions. The aim of the present workshop held in Bonn as a satellite meeting to the International Plant Nutrition Colloquium was thus to gather all actual information which has been gained since the Boron '97 meeting and to compile knowledge, both from animal and plant sciences. Furthermore, applied aspects had to be addressed too, as there is an increasing awareness of boron deficiencies even in crops such as wheat, which have formerly not been considered as responsive to boron application. Genetic differences in boron demand and efficiency within one species are a further important topic which has gained importance since the 1997 meeting. More in-depth knowledge on the mechanisms of boron efficiency are required as an increased efficiency will be one major possibility to maintain and improve crop yields for resource-poor farmers. Nevertheless, it has also clearly been shown that an adequate supply of boron is needed to obtain high yields of crops with a high quality, and that a sustainable agriculture has to provide an adequate boron supply to compensate for inevitable losses through leaching (especially in the humid tropics and temperate regions) and for the boron removal by the crop.

The economic significance of boron (B) in agriculture, horticulture, and forestry has been beyond dispute for several decades. Even in the last two decades, the areas where B deficiency limits plant production has grown with increased reports from China, south Asia and southeast Asia. The present volume is reflective of the growing awareness of the significance of low soil B with reports from Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, north, central and southern China, India, Nepal, and the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan contained herein. Boron deficiency also continues to be a problem for crop yield and quality in areas where B deficiency has been known for some time, for example in Germany and the USA. The problem of low soil B is not limited to effects on field crop yield, with papers reporting on depressed wood yield and quality in timber trees (Lambert et al. ), and depressed fruit quality (Dong et al. ; Smith et al. : Zude et al. ) also appearing in the present volume. Globally, Shorrocks (1997)1 estimates that ?? tonnes of B fertiliser is applied annually in agriculture. The economic benefits from the use of B fertiliser have not been quantified but are clearly enormous. Paradoxically, the clear economic imperatives for using B fertiliser on low B soils are not matched by a similar clarity of understanding of the role and functions of B in plants.

Micronutrient research has been an important component of the soil fertility and plant nutrition program in Pakistan since the identification of zinc deficiency in rice in 1969. Since then, considerable progress has been made on diagnosis and management of micronutrient nutrition problems in crops. However, now there is growing R&D evidence that micronutrient malnutrition in humans could be addressed through enriching staple food grains with micronutrients. This book presents the latest R&D information on micronutrient problems in crop plants/cropping systems and their corrective measures. The current status, the constraints, and economic benefits of using micronutrient fertilizers for optimizing crop productivity and soil resource sustainability are discussed along with estimating future potential requirement of micronutrient fertilizers to optimize crop productivity, produce quality, and soil resource sustainability. Wide-scale preventable micronutrient deficiencies in human populations originate from micronutrient-deficient soils over which staple cereals and other food crops are grown. This book summarizes R&D information on fertilizer use-based micronutrient biofortification in staple food grains to address "hidden hunger" in human populations. The book also presents the best management practices by which micronutrient deficiencies could be corrected in crop plants in a farmer-friendly manner. Features Reviews the micronutrients R&D carried out in Pakistan over the past five decades Focuses on soil–plant analysis techniques for effective prognosis and diagnosis of micronutrient disorders Presents spatial variability maps of micronutrient deficiencies in agricultural soils and crops Provides value–cost ratios of using micronutrient fertilizers for major crops Works out current use level of micronutrient fertilizers and their potential future requirements in the country Discusses agronomic biofortification approach for enriching crop-based food with micronutrients to address "hidden hunger" Presents a compelling case for enhanced use of the deficient micronutrient fertilizers to optimize crop productivity, farmer income, and national economy Presents micronutrient fertilizer use recommendations for salient crops and discusses fertilizer use for micronutrients in the context of 4R nutrient stewardship Recommends future R&D needed for optimizing micronutrient nutrition of crops

Plants require essential nutrients (macronutrients and micronutrients) for normal functioning. Sufficiency range is the levels of nutrients necessary to meet the plant’s needs for optimal growth. This range depends on individual plant species and the particular nutrient. Nutrient levels outside of a plant’s sufficiency range cause overall crop growth and health to decline, due either to deficiency or toxicity from over-accumulation. Apart from micronutrients (B, Cl, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu and Mo), Aluminum (Al), cerium (Ce), cobalt (Co), iodine (I), lanthanum (La), sodium (Na), selenium (Se), silicon (Si), titanium (Ti), and vanadium (V) are emerging as novel biostimulants that may enhance crop productivity and nutritional quality. These beneficial elements are not "essential" but when supplied at low dosages, they augment plant growth, development, and yield by stimulating specific molecular, biochemical, and physiological pathways in responses to challenging environments. The book is the first reference volume that approaches plant micronutrient management with the latest biotechnological and omics tools. Expertly curated chapters highlight working solutions as well as open problems and future challenges in plant micronutrient deficiency or toxicity. We believe this book will introduce readers to state-of-the-art developments and research trends in this field.

Understanding metalloids and the potential impact they can have upon crop success or failure Metalloids have a complex relationship with plant life. Exhibiting a combination of metal and non-metal characteristics, this small group of elements – which includes boron (B), silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), arsenic (As), antimony (Sb), and tellurium (Te) – may hinder or enhance the growth and survival of crops. The causes underlying the effects that different metalloids may have upon certain plants range from genetic variance to anatomical factors, the complexities of which can pose a challenge to botanists and agriculturalists of all backgrounds. With Metalloids in Plants, a group of leading plant scientists present a complete guide to the beneficial and adverse impacts of metalloids at morphological, anatomical, biochemical, and molecular levels. Insightful analysis of data on genetic regulation helps to inform the optimization of farming, indicating how one may boost the uptake of beneficial metalloids and reduce the influence of toxic ones. Contained within this essential new text, there are: Expert analyses of the role of metalloids in plants, covering their benefits as well as their adverse effects Explanations of the physiological, biochemical, and genetic factors at play in plant uptake of metalloids Outlines of the breeding and genetic engineering techniques involved in the generation of resistant crops Written for students and professionals in the fields of agriculture, botany, molecular biology, and biotechnology, Metalloids in Plants is an invaluable overview of the relationship between crops and these unusual elements.

This book has meticulous research in some of the very sensible and stirring areas of Plant Physiology-Plant Molecular Physiology are indispensably needed for holistic development of agriculture and crop production in different agroclimatic zones. It would be tremendously a productive reference book for acquiring advanced knowledge by post-graduate and Ph.D. scholars in response to the innovative courses in Plant Physiology, Plant Biochemistry, Plant Molecular Biology, Plant Biotechnology, Environmental Sciences, Plant Pathology, Microbiology, Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry, Agronomy, Horticulture, and Botany.

Present Knowledge in Nutrition, 10th Edition provides comprehensive coverage of all aspects of human nutrition, including micronutrients, systems biology, immunity, public health, international nutrition, and diet and disease prevention. This definitive reference captures the current state of this vital and dynamic science from an international perspective, featuring nearly 140 expert authors from 14 countries around the world. Now condensed to a single volume, this 10th edition contains new chapters on topics such as epigenetics, metabolomics, and sports nutrition.The remaining chapters have been thoroughly updated to reflect recent developments. Suggested reading lists are now provided for readers wishing to delve further into specific subject areas. An accompanying website provides book owners with access to an image bank of tables and figures as well as any updates the authors may post to their chapters between editions. Now available in both print and electronic formats, the 10th edition will serve as a valuable reference for researchers, health professionals, and policy experts as well as educators and advanced nutrition students.

Metal and Nutrient Transporters in Abiotic Stress focuses on the different forms of environmental stress related to heavy metal, metalloid and nutrient deficiency that have the potential to inflict major damages to crop plants, leading to a massive decrease in crop yield and productivity. The book presents the current state of knowledge of the biochemical and molecular regulation of several classes of membrane transporters related to the uptake of metals/metalloids and nutrient elements during different stresses and their probable mechanisms of operation in plant stress tolerance. Metal and Nutrient Transporters in Abiotic Stress provides a comprehensive discussion that will help in mitigating multiple forms of stresses utilizing transporter proteins. Edited by leading experts and written by a global team of knowledgeable contributors, this book will further stimulate research in the field of transporter proteins and will foster further interests for researchers, academicians and scientists worldwide. It is complimented by its companion book titled Transporters and Plant Osmotic Stress. - Focuses exclusively on metal and nutrient transporters involved in multiple environmental stresses in plants - Explains exploiting transporters in crop improvement programs through transgenic technology against different stresses such as heavy metal, metalloid and nutrient deficiency - Serves as an important source of information in the field of abiotic stress

Boron in Plants and Agriculture: Exploring the Physiology of Boron and Its Impact on Plant Growth highlights the various emerging techniques and applications that are currently being used in plant-boron interaction studies, and provides a direction towards implementation of programs and practices that will enable sustainable production of crops, resilient to boron stress. Boron is an important micronutrient that plays a crucial role in the growth and development of plants, however despite a significant amount of recent research, there has remained a gap in the understanding of boron update and transportation. Boron deficiency is one of the most widespread deficiencies among plant micronutrients in agriculture and it causes a wide range of symptoms including the cessation of root elongation, reduced leaf expansion and the loss of fertility, depending on the plant species and developmental stage. This book reviews and integrates the currently available information on the impact of boron on functional and adaptive features of plants from molecular, biochemical, physiological to whole plant level. It is a key resource for those working in stress physiology, stress proteins, genomics, proteomics, genetic engineering and other fields of plant physiology related to boron nutrition, including agriculture. - Highlights various emerging techniques and applications that are currently being used in plant-boron interaction studies, along with future prospects - Provides direction towards the implementation of programs and practices that will enable sustainable production of crops that are resilient to boron stress - Introduces global leaders working in the area of plant-boron interactions and shares their research findings