Biology, Chemistry and Applications of Apocarotenoids


Book Description

Carotenoids are a large class of isoprenoid pigments produced by plants and certain microbes. More than 700 naturally occurring carotenoids have been identified. Apocarotenoids are tailored from carotenoids by oxidative enzymes. Apocarotenoids act as visual or volatile signals to attract pollinating and seed dispersal agents. They are also the key players in allelopathic interactions and plant defense. Biology, Chemistry and Applications of Apocarotenoids provides detailed account of the fundamental chemistry of apocarotenoids and the basic methods used in carotenoid research, and critical discussions of the biochemistry, functions, and applications of these important compounds. Topics covered in the proposed book include various aspects of the roles of apocarotenoids in colour and colouration, photosynthesis and other photofunctions and protection. The formation and roles of carotenoid metabolites and breakdown products as perfume/aroma compounds are also be outlined. Features: Provides an organized overview of apocarotenoids and their chemistry and biological functions Focuses on recent discoveries on apocarotenoids, their nature and functions. Details potential uses of apocarotenoids in agriculture, pharmacy, food industry, and apocarotenoid production at industrial level This book has been written by leading experts in apocarotenoid research and gives a comprehensive overview on the diversity of apocarotenoid compounds and would serve as a reference book for researches in Plant Physiology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Medicine.




Phenotyping Crop Plants for Physiological and Biochemical Traits


Book Description

Phenotyping Crop Plants for Physiological and Biochemical Traits presents a proven range of methodologies and practices for effective, efficient, and appropriate typing of crop plants. By addressing the basic principles and precautions needed when conducting crop-based experiments, this book guides the reader in selecting the appropriate method based on the growing environment, whether greenhouse, pot, field, or liquid (hydroponic). By addressing the quantification of seed traits related to growth experiments, including their viability and vigor, this book presents methodology options for optimum yield based on potential abiotic stresses. - Discusses various methods that can contribute to phenotyping of crop plants for various physiological and biochemical traits - Presents reliable techniques for phenotyping or quantifying plant characters during varied climatic conditions - Provides insights for selecting appropriate methodologies for specific crop growing situations - Identifies the most appropriate protocols and methods for analyzing crop traits




Plant Biotechnology and Transgenic Plants


Book Description

Contains case studies illustrating the cell culture production of pigments, flavors, and antineoplastic compounds Plant Biotechnology and Transgenic Plants covers topics that range from food to fragrances to fuel. It includes discussions of technologies and research on the engineering, synthesis, utilization, and control of primary and secondary plant metabolites such as carbohydrates, amino acids, lipids, polymers, proteins, and phytochemicals for industrial, pharmaceutical, and food and feed applications. The editors put the emphasis on recent methods in farming, plant propagation, and breeding and modern procedures to formulate more effective biopharmaceuticals.




Introduction to Ecological Biochemistry


Book Description

Ecological biochemistry concerns the biochemistry of interactions between animals, plants and the environment, and includes such diverse subjects as plant adaptations to soil pollutants and the effects of plant toxins on herbivores. The intriguing dependence of the Monarch butterfly on its host plants is chosen as an example of plant-animal coevolution in action. The ability to isolate trace amounts of a substance from plant tissues has led to a wealth of new research, and the fourth edition of this well-known text has consequently been extensively revised. New sections have been provided on the cost of chemical defence and on the release of predator-attracting volatiles from plants. New information has been included on cyanogenesis, the protective role of tannins in plants and the phenomenon of induced defence in plant leaves following herbivory. Advanced level students and research workers aloke will find much of value in this comprehensive text, written by an acknowledged expert on this fascinating subject. - The book covers the biochemistry of interactions between animals, plants and the environment, and includes such diverse subjects as plant adaptations to soil pollutants and the effects of plant toxins on herbivores - The intriguing dependence of the Monarch butterfly on its host plants is chosen as an example of plant-animal coevolution in action - New sections have been added on the cost of chemical defence and on the release of predators attracting volatiles from plants - New information has been included on cyanogenesis, the protective role of tannins in plants and the phenomenon of induced defence in plant leaves following herbivory




Floral Mimicry


Book Description

Mimicry is a classic example of adaptation through natural selection. The traditional focus of mimicry research has been on defence in animals, but there is now also a highly-developed and rapidly-growing body of research on floral mimicry in plants. This has coincided with a revolution in genomic tools, making it possible to explore which genetic and developmental processes underlie the sometimes astonishing changes that give rise to floral mimicry. Being literally rooted to one spot, plants have to cajole animals into acting as couriers for their pollen. Floral mimicry encompasses a set of evolutionary strategies whereby plants imitate the food sources, oviposition sites, or mating partners of animals in order to exploit them as pollinators. This first definitive book on floral mimicry discusses the functions of visual, olfactory, and tactile signals, integrating them into a broader theory of organismal mimicry that will help guide future research in the field. It addresses the fundamental question of whether the evolutionary and ecological principles that were developed for protective mimicry in animals can also be applied to floral mimicry in plants. The book also deals with the functions of floral rewardlessness, a condition which often serves as a precursor to the evolution of mimicry in plant lineages. The authors pay particular attention to the increasing body of research on chemical cues: their molecular basis, their role in cognitive misclassification of flowers by pollinators, and their implications for plant speciation. Comprehensive in scope and conceptual in focus, Floral Mimicry is primarily aimed at senior undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers in plant science and evolutionary biology.




Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Plants


Book Description

With over 1000 original drawings and 500 photographs, this work offers complete coverage of cell biology, plant physiology and molecular biology.




Biology of Floral Scent


Book Description

As with nearly all living creatures, humans have always been attracted and intrigued by floral scents. Yet, while we have been manufacturing perfumes for at least 5000 years to serve a myriad of religious, sexual, and medicinal purposes, until very recently, the limitation of our olfactory faculty has greatly hindered our capacity to clearly and ob




Plant-Microbe Interaction - Recent Advances in Molecular and Biochemical Approaches


Book Description

Plant-Microbe Interaction - Recent Advances in Molecular and Biochemical Approaches: Agricultural Aspects of Microbiome Leading to Plant Defence, Volume Two continues the work of Volume One, covering the role of these plant microbes and their interaction between plants and microbes. These beneficial microbes, such as bacteria and fungi are also known as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) through a biochemical reaction that may improve induced systemic resistance in the plant host via indirectly (against phytopathogens) or directly (the solubilization of mineral nutrients) by producing phytohormones and specific enzymes such as 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase. The book covers biochemical processes such as physiological, metabolic, etc. of plant and microbe interactions, the biochemistry of biological systems, the interaction of biological systems above-ground or within the rhizosphere, and the history of growth promoting microbiomes, their roles in phytoremediation efficiency, physiological and biochemical studies, chemical communication and signaling mechanisms. - Covers agricultural aspects in which the biochemistry in between plants and microbes helps us understand interactions in the rhizosphere - Helps readers understand the molecular and biochemical approaches of plant-microbe interactions - Enables an understanding of plant microbe interactions which will help to improve crop production




Chemical and Functional Properties of Food Components


Book Description

Over three editions, this book described the contents of food raw materials and products, the chemistry/biochemistry of food components, as well as the changes occurring during post-harvest storage and processing affecting the quality of foods. The fourth edition of Chemical and Functional Properties of Food Components discusses the role of chemical compounds in the structure of raw materials and the formation of different attributes of food quality, including nutritional value, safety, and sensory properties. This new edition contains four new chapters: “Non-Protein Nitrogenous Compounds”; “Prooxidants and Antioxidants in Food”; “Non-Nutritive Bioactive Compounds in Food of Plant Origin”; and “Analytical Methods Used for Assessing the Quality of Food Products.” These chapters have been included because new research results have brought increasing knowledge on the effect of non-protein nitrogenous compounds, especially bioactive peptides, nucleic acids, and biogenic amines on the biological properties of foods; the role of natural and added prooxidants and antioxidants in the processing and biological impact of foods; numerous beneficial and harmful effects of bioactive components of plant foods; and new systems for control of food composition and the safety of foods. Features: • Stresses the effect of the chemical/biochemical reactions on the selection of optimum parameters of food processing without presenting details of the technological processes • Describes naturally occurring elements and compounds as well as those generated during food handling in view of health hazards they may bring to consumers • Discusses the risks and benefits of reactions occurring during food handling The knowledge of the chemistry and biochemistry of the components and their interactions presented in this book aids food scientists in making the right decisions for controlling the rate of beneficial and undesirable reactions, selecting optimal storage and processing parameters, as well as the best use of food raw materials.