With one volume each year, this series keeps scientists and advanced students informed of the latest developments and results in all areas of the plant sciences.

The 50th volume of Progress in Botany appears in new guise. In cooperation with Springer-Verlag we have changed from the less attractive typewriter composition to the direct reproduction of a manuscript which was writ ten by means of a text editing system and produced by a laser printer. We, the editors, should like to take the appearance of Volume 50 as the occasion for a few short remarks. Our younger readers are perhaps not aware that our Book Series was founded in 1931 by Fritz von Wettstein, based on the following thoughts and considerations, aptly formulated by him in the Preface to the first volume. "One of the greatest dangers threatening progress in the science of botany is the absolutely unbelievable growth in volume of the literature. The quality of journals, books and individual works that are daily sent to us makes it impossible for anyone person to maintain a general view of the progress made in botany in all the specialized fields, let alone to find time for results from associated su bjects. For varying reasons, every botanist must find this state of matters insupportable. Let us endeavor, in the general interest, to retain a wide background of knowledge, and not become limited specialists. The vitally necessary connections between the specialized fields can only flourish, or even exist, if the general view of botany as a whole can be maintained.

With one volume each year, this series keeps scientists and advanced students informed of the latest developments and results in all areas of the plant sciences. The present volume includes reviews on genetics, cell biology, physiology, comparative morphology, systematics, ecology, and vegetation science.

With one volume each year, this series keeps scientists and advanced students informed of the latest developments and results in all areas of the plant sciences. This latest volume includes reviews on plant physiology, biochemistry, genetics and genomics, forests, and ecosystems.

Nitric Oxide in Plant Biology: An Ancient Molecule with Emerging Roles is an extensive volume which provides a broad and detailed overview of Nitric Oxide (NO) in plant biology. The book covers the entirety of the crucial role NO plays in the plant lifecycle, from the regulation of seed germination and growth to synthesis, nitrogen fixation and stress response. Beginning with NO production and NO homeostasis, Nitric Oxide in Plant Biology goes on to cover a variety of NO roles, with a focus on NO signalling, crosstalk and stress responses. Edited by leading experts in the field and featuring the latest research from laboratories from across the globe, it is a comprehensive resource of interest to students and researchers working in plant physiology, agriculture, biotechnology, and the pharmaceutical and food industries. - Provides a broad and detailed overview on NO in plant biology, including NO production, NO signaling, NO homeostasis, crosstalk and stress responses - Edited by leading experts in the field - Features the latest research from laboratories from across the globe

With one volume each year, this series keeps scientists and advanced students informed of the latest developments and results in all areas of the plant sciences. The present volume includes reviews on genetics, cell biology, and vegetation science.

Advances in Botanical Research publishes in-depth and up-to-date reviews on a wide range of topics in plant sciences. Currently in its 72nd volume, the series features several reviews by recognized experts on all aspects of plant genetics, biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, physiology and ecology. This thematic volume features reviews on the molecular genetics of floral transition and flower development. - Publishes in-depth and up-to-date reviews on a wide range of topics in plant sciences - Features a wide range of reviews by recognized experts on all aspects of plant genetics, biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, physiology and ecology - Volume features reviews on the molecular genetics of floral transition and flower development

The formation, dispersal and germination of seeds are crucial stages in the life cycles of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants. The unique properties of seeds, particularly their tolerance to desiccation, their mobility, and their ability to schedule their germination to coincide with times when environmental conditions are favorable to their survival as seedlings, have no doubt contributed significantly to the success of seed-bearing plants. Humans are also dependent upon seeds, which constitute the majority of the world’s staple foods (e.g., cereals and legumes). Seeds are an excellent system for studying fundamental developmental processes in plant biology, as they develop from a single fertilized zygote into an embryo and endosperm, in association with the surrounding maternal tissues. As genetic and molecular approaches have become increasingly powerful tools for biological research, seeds have become an attractive system in which to study a wide array of metabolic processes and regulatory systems. Seed Development, Dormancy and Germination provides a comprehensive overview of seed biology from the point of view of the developmental and regulatory processes that are involved in the transition from a developing seed through dormancy and into germination and seedling growth. It examines the complexity of the environmental, physiological, molecular and genetic interactions that occur through the life cycle of seeds, along with the concepts and approaches used to analyze seed dormancy and germination behavior. It also identifies the current challenges and remaining questions for future research. The book is directed at plant developmental biologists, geneticists, plant breeders, seed biologists and graduate students.