Desiccation and Survival in Plants: Drying without Dying
Readership
Researchers, scientists and educators working in the field of seed science and plant physiology, also biological, agricultural, horticultural and ecological sciences
Key Features
• Covers main themes of desiccation and survival in plant life, including: ethodologies used for studying these phenomena, molecular, biochemical, physiological, biophysical and ecological bases of desiccation damage, repair and tolerance of desiccation.
• Includes aspects of survival after desiccation in plants, i.e. seeds, pollens, spores and vegetative tissues.
• Written by leading international authors in the field.
Main Description
In the past twenty years there has been a revolution in plant sciences, as new methods of molecular biology and biophysics have been applied to investigate environmental stress, particularly desiccation tolerance. Today, there is a good level of understanding of how plant cells cope with extreme water stress.
This book is divided into four sections, dealing with 1) the technical background to desiccation tolerance studies; 2) the frequency and levels of dehydration stress tolerance in biological systems; 3) mechanisms of damage and tolerance, and 4) a brief prospect and retrospect. It covers orthodox and recalcitrant seeds, pollen and spores, vegetative parts, and other plant tissues.
Reviews
• "The whole book is well edited and up-to-date. I found the list of acronyms, the glossary of terms and the inclusion of both a taxonomic and subject index made the volume very user-friendly. Get your library to buy this!."
Bulletin of the British Ecological Society, 2003
• "This excellent volume provides a very readable and comprehensive coverage of desiccation tolerance in plants. This book should be found on the shelves of all those who are researching into or are interested in plant desiccation."
J Derek Bewley, Annals of Botany Company, 2003
• "The book is impressive, very readable and is the only volume available that covers this very important area of plant physiology."
South African Journal of Botany, 2003
• "In summary, this is a timely, well thought out book that summarizes a fascinating aspect of plant life. The book is well indexed, with a separate species index, and it also has a useful glossary."
Israel Journal of Plant Sciences, May 2003
• "What makes this particular book stand out far above many others is the excellent introductory sections, extensive cross-referencing and the avoidance of repetition in detail."
Biological Agriculture and Horticulture, 2003
• "This work is a valuable addition to the reference bookshelf of any water relations scientist."
Erik Tallak Nilsen, Ecology, 84(10), 2004
Main Contents
Part I: Introduction
• Drying without dying, P Alpert and M J Oliver
Part II: Methodology
• Methods for study of water relations under desiccation stress, W K Sun
• Experimental aspects of drying and recovery, N W Pammenter, P Berjak, J Wesley-Smith and C Vander Willigen
• Biochemical and biophysical methods for quantifying desiccation phenomena in seeds and vegetative tissues, O Leprince and E Golovina
Part III: Biology of dehydration
• Desiccation sensitivity in orthodox and recalcitrant seeds in relation to development, A Kermode and B E Finch-Savage
• Pollen and spores: Desiccation tolerance in pollen and the spores of lower plants and fungi, F A Hoekstra
• Vegetative tissues: Bryophytes, vascular resurrection plants and vegetative propagules, M C F Proctor and V C Pence
• Ecological, taxonomic and phylogenetic aspects of desiccation tolerance in seeds and other plant tissues, J Dickie and H Pritchard
Part IV:Mechanisms of damage and tolerance
• Desiccation stress and damage, C Walters, J M Farrant, N W Pammenter and P Berjak
• Biochemistry and biophysics of tolerance systems, J Buitink, F A Hoekstra and O Leprince
• Molecular genetics of desiccation and tolerant systems, J Phillips, M J Oliver and D Bartels
• Rehydration of dried systems: Membranes and the nuclear genome, D J Osborne, I Boubriak and O Leprince
Part V: Retrospect and prospect
• Damage and tolerance in retrospect and prospect, M Black, H Pritchard and R Obendorf
