Drought


Book Description

Drought (hydrological, meteorological, and/or agronomical) disturbs water balance in certain domains and limits green/blue water resources for our basic needs, including food and energy production. This book presents the most recent insights related to drought types, their detection, and their effects on food, energy, and municipal water supplies. It also examines some novel approaches to drought management.




Drought phenotyping in crops: From theory to practice


Book Description

This topic is a unique attempt to simultaneously tackle theoretical and practical aspects in drought phenotyping, through both crop-specific and cross-cutting approaches. It is designed for – and will be of use to – practitioners and postgraduate students in plant science, who are grappling with the challenging task of evaluating germplasm performance under different water regimes. In Part I, different methodologies are presented for accurately characterising environmental conditions, implementing trials, and capturing and analysing the information this generates, regardless of the crop. Part II presents the state-of-art in research on adaptation to drought, and recommends specific protocols to measure different traits in major food crops (focusing on particular cereals, legumes and clonal crops). The topic is part of the CGIAR Generation Challenge Programme’s efforts to disseminate crop research information, tools and protocols, for improving characterisation of environments and phenotyping conditions. The goal is to enhance expertise in testing locations, and to stimulate the development and use of traits related to drought tolerance, as well as innovative protocols for crop characterisation and breeding.




Handbook of Plant and Crop Physiology


Book Description

Continuous discoveries in plant and crop physiology have resulted in an abundance of new information since the publication of the third edition of the Handbook of Plant and Crop Physiology. Following its predecessors, the fourth edition of this well-regarded handbook offers a unique, comprehensive, and complete collection of topics in the field of plant and crop physiology. Divided into eleven sections, for easy access of information, this edition contains more than 90 percent new material, substantial revisions, and two new sections. The handbook covers the physiology of plant and crop growth and development, cellular and molecular aspects, plant genetics and production processes. The book presents findings on plant and crop growth in response to climatic changes, and considers the potential for plants and crops adaptation, exploring the biotechnological aspects of plant and crop improvement. This content is used to plan, implement, and evaluate strategies for increasing plant growth and crop yield. Readers benefit from numerous tables, figures, case studies and illustrations, as well as thousands of index words, all of which increase the accessibility of the information contained in this important handbook. New to the Edition: Contains 37 new chapters and 13 extensively revised and expanded chapters from the third edition of this book. Includes new or modified sections on soil-plant-water-nutrients-microorganisms physiological relations; and on plant growth regulators, both promoters and inhibitors. Additional new and modified chapters cover the physiological responses of lower plants and vascular plants and crops to metal-based nanoparticles and agrichemicals; and the growth responses of plants and crops to climate change and environmental stresses. With contributions from 95 scientists from 20 countries, this book provides a comprehensive resource for research and for university courses, covering plant and crop physiological responses under normal and stressful conditions ranging from cellular aspects to whole plants.




Water Stress and Crop Plants


Book Description

Plants are subjected to a variety of abiotic stresses such as drought, temperature, salinity, air pollution, heavy metals, UV radiations, etc. To survive under these harsh conditions plants are equipped with different resistance mechanisms which vary from species to species. Due to the environmental fluctuations agricultural and horticultural crops are often exposed to different environmental stresses leading to decreased yield and problems in the growth and development of the crops. Drought stress has been found to decrease the yield to an alarming rate of some important crops throughout the globe. During last few decades, lots of physiological and molecular works have been conducted under water stress in crop plants. Water Stress and Crop Plants: A Sustainable Approach presents an up-to-date in-depth coverage of drought and flooding stress in plants, including the types, causes and consequences on plant growth and development. It discusses the physiobiochemical, molecular and omic approaches, and responses of crop plants towards water stress. Topics include nutritional stress, oxidative stress, hormonal regulation, transgenic approaches, mitigation of water stress, approaches to sustainability, and modern tools and techniques to alleviate the water stress on crop yields. This practical book offers pragmatic guidance for scientists and researchers in plant biology, and agribusinesses and biotechnology companies dealing with agronomy and environment, to mitigate the negative effects of stress and improve yield under stress. The broad coverage also makes this a valuable guide enabling students to understand the physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms of environmental stress in plants.




Physiological and Molecular Characterization of Crop Resistance to Abiotic Stresses


Book Description

Abiotic stress represents the main constraint for agriculture, affecting plant growth and productivity worldwide. Yield losses in agriculture will be potentiated in the future by global warming, increasing contamination, and reduced availability of fertile land. The challenge for agriculture of the present and future is that of increasing the food supply for a continuously growing human population under environmental conditions that are deteriorating in many areas of the world. Minimizing the effects of diverse types of abiotic stresses represents a matter of general concern. Research on all topics related to abiotic stress tolerance, from understanding the stress response mechanisms of plants to developing cultivars and crops tolerant to stress, is a priority. This Special Issue is focused on the physiological and molecular characterization of crop resistance to abiotic stresses, including novel research, reviews, and opinion articles covering all aspects of the responses and mechanisms of plant tolerance to abiotic. Contributions on physiological, biochemical, and molecular studies of crop responses to abiotic stresses; the description and role of stress-responsive genes; marker-assisted screening of stress-tolerant genotypes; genetic engineering; and other biotechnological approaches to improve crop tolerance were considered.




Plant-Bacteria Association and Symbiosis


Book Description

As a result of the environmental impacts associated with chemical fertilizer misuse, society has turned its attention to alternative and sustainable forms of plant nutrition. By providing substances that would otherwise be scarce, plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPBs) can influence the availability of nutrients, directly affecting plants' metabolism. In addition to fixing nitrogen, and solubilizing phosphorus, and iron, they also produce hormones such as auxins, gibberellins, cytokinin's, and ethylene). Studies with PGPB around the world must be directed towards biological control and growth promotion integrated into a sustainable management system. Gradually, the problems identified in research with biological control are being solved. However, erratic results regarding the bacterization of cultures frustrate researchers and result from a lack of understanding of plant-microorganism interactions dynamics under various environmental conditions.




Annual Plant Reviews, Nitrogen Metabolism in Plants in the Post-genomic Era


Book Description

The field of plant nitrogen metabolism continues to be a compelling focus for basic research activities because there is a strong demand for immediate solutions, particularly in key areas, such as improving plant nitrogen use efficiency, which are crucial to future agricultural sustainability and the future economic success of agriculture. The 13 reviews which comprise this excellent and carefully edited new volume bring together the expertise and enthusiasm of an international team of leading researchers. Topics covered include nitrogen sensing and signalling, uptake and membrane systems, nitric oxide, primary nitrogen assimilation and C/N balance and interactions, and regulation of root and plant architecture. Together, these reviews provide an insight into how plants sense, uptake and assimilate nitrogen into the organic compounds required for growth, co-ordinate nitrogen and carbon metabolism and regulate growth and development according to nitrogen availability. The transcription factors that act to integrate environmental nutrient (nitrogen) signals to co-ordinate primary and secondary metabolism are discussed, together with new concepts of cross-talk, transport and signalling, and how such molecular networks influence nitrogen and carbon cycling processes in the environment. Annual Plant Reviews, Volume 42: Nitrogen Metabolism in Plants in the Post-genomic Era is an essential purchase for advanced students, researchers and professionals in plant sciences, biochemistry, physiology, molecular biology, genetics and agricultural sciences, working in the academic and industrial sectors. Libraries in all universities and research establishments where these subjects are studied and taught will need copies of this excellent volume on their shelves.




The Plant Family Fabaceae


Book Description

This book comprehensively introduces all aspects of the physiology, stress responses and tolerance to abiotic stresses of the Fabaceae plants. Different plant families have been providing food, fodder, fuel, medicine and other basic needs for the human and animal since the ancient time. Among the plant families Fabaceae have special importance for their agri-horticultural importance and multifarious uses apart from the basic needs. Interest in the response of Fabaceae plants toward abiotic stresses is growing considering the economic importance and the special adaptive mechanisms. Recent advances and developments in molecular and biotechnological tools has contributed to ease and wider this mission. This book provides up-to-date findings that will be of greater use for the students and researchers, particularly Plant Physiologists, Environmental Scientists, Biotechnologists, Botanists, Food Scientists and Agronomists, to get the information on the recent advances on this plant family in regard to physiology and stress tolerance.




Managing Soil Drought


Book Description

Global drylands, covering over 40% of Earth’s land surface, are important among worldwide ecoregions and support large human and livestock populations. However, these ecologically sensitive ecoregions are undergoing a rapid transformation resulting from climate change, socioeconomic and political factors, increases in population, and ever-growing demands for goods and services. Managing Soil Drought addresses basic processes and provides specific case studies throughout covering the protection, restoration, and sustainable management goals of global drylands under changing and harsh climatic conditions, including fragile and vulnerable ecosystems. The book is written by numerous researchers, academicians, practitioners, advocates, land managers, and policymakers involved in bringing about transformation in these regions important to human and nature. It includes information on basic strategies of sustainable management of global drylands aimed at improving water use efficiency through choosing appropriate species, developing new varieties, using organic and inorganic amendments, and scaling up innovative farming systems. This volume in the Advances in Soil Sciences series is an essential read for development organizations and policymakers involved in improving crop productivity and sustainability in drought-prone regions; students, researchers, and academicians interested in sustainable management of water resources; and those involved in emerging concepts of regenerative agriculture, agroecology, and conservation agriculture.