Plant Responses to Environmental Stresses

• General concepts: introduction to the response of plants to environmental stresses; the importance of individuality; plant cell wall modifications induced by adaptation to growth on the herbicide 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile; gene switches and stress management -modulation of gene expression by transcription factors; stressful lifestyle-associated mutation in microorganisms; differentiation of vegetative anabaena cells into nitrogen-fixing heterocysts; genetic and epigenetic instability in tissue culture and regenerated progenies; the environment as an active generator of adaptive genomic variation; the effects of environmental stress on repetitive DNA behaviour in plants; plant evolution - towards an adaptive theory; oxidative stress as a regulator of environmental responses in plants; the alternative oxidase - is it a respiratory pathway allowing a plant to cope with stress? role of phytohormones in plant responses to stresses; regulation of gene expression by abscisic acid during environmental stress; abscisic acid - a long distance stress signal in salt-stressed plants. Plant responses to particular stresses or interactions with other organisms or viruses: metabolic aspects of phosphate starvation response in plants; the response of plants to oxygen deprivation - role of enzyme induction in the improvement of tolerance to anoxia; some effects of environmental factors on the acquisition of inorganic ions by higher plants; involvement of the cell wall in response to water deficit and flooding; stimulated shoot elongation - a mechanism of semiaquatic plants to avoid submergence stress; adaptation of the photosynthetic apparatus to stress conditions; root impedance - sensing, signalling, and physiological effects; the influence of temperature extremes on gene expression, genomic structure, and the evolution of induced tolerance in plants; regulation of g-aminobutyrate-synthesizing enzyme, glutamate decarboxylase, by calcium/calmodulin - a mechanism for rapid activation in response to stress; plant desiccation; evolutionary consequences of transition to a lichen symbolic state and physiological adaptation of oxidative damage associated with poikilohydry; the involvement of flavonoids, nod factors, and phytohormones in nodulation; conifer chemical defenses against bark beetles - the modulation of monoterpene biosynthesis by wounding, environmental stress and ethylene; plant responses to pathogens; viral pathogens and host plants interactions - mutual survival.

". . .to undertake the publication of a book of this extensive topic requires three major skills on the part of the editor. . .to identify the salient topics. . .assemble the appropriate specialists. . .and. . .to edit the works of the contributors into a coherent, unified text. In this book Professor Lerner has met all three of the above criteria and the resulting tome has both quality and quantity of detailed chapters on the key themes of [plant responses to environmental stresses]. "---From the Foreword by Dennis Baker Wye College, School of Agricultural Studies University of London, England"The book elegantly illustrates the possible flow of stress-induced response(s) through the metabolic networks by way of changes in photosynthates, nitrogen resources, 'alternative oxidative' respiration as well as in phosphate and mineral nutrition. . .. The foreword by Prof. Dennis Baker, University of London, awards the book and the editor a highest rating and. . .readers will agree with his grading. (Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research) . . .This authoritative and daunting compendium demands immediate attention. (Current Books on Gardening and Botany) Much has been learned in the past few years about the ways in which plants respond and adapt to environmental stresses. Dr. Lerner has collected together...a strong group of largely internationally recognized leaders in the field of plant responses to environmental stresses to produce a mammoth text covering, in great detail, the recent developments in the area. New Phytologist The book can be recommended as a reference for plant and crop physiologists and for those working in basic or applied fields of agronomy, forestry or horticulture as well as to students....the broad spectrum of information given. . .justifies the. . .price."---Journal of Plant Physiology