1. Edition - January 2007
175.- Euro
2007. 392 Pages, Hardcover
ISBN-10: 1-4051-3983-8
ISBN-13: 978-1-4051-3983-0 - John Wiley & Sons








Detailed description
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.

From the contents
Chapter 1. Genetic Control of Seed Development and Seed Mass.

Masa-aki Ohto, Sandra L. Stone and John J. Harada.

Chapter 2. Seed Coat Development and Dormancy.

Isabelle Debeaujon, Loïc Lepiniec, Lucille Pourcel and Jean-Marc Routaboul.

Chapter 3. Definitions and Hypotheses of Seed Dormancy.

Henk W.M. Hilhorst.

Chapter 4. Modeling of Seed Dormancy.

Phil S. Allen, Roberto L. Benech-Arnold, Diego Batlla and Kent J. Bradford.

Chapter 5. Genetic Aspects of Seed Dormancy.

Leonie Bentsink, Wim Soppe and Maarten Koornneef.

Chapter 6. Lipid Metabolism in Seed Dormancy.

Steven Penfield, Helen Pinfield-Wells and Ian A. Graham.

Chapter 7. Nitric Oxide in in Seed Dormancy and Germination.

Paul C. Bethke, Igor G.L. Libourel and Russell L. Jones.

Chapter 8. A Merging of Paths: Abscisic Acid and Hormonal Cross-talk in the Control of Seed Dormancy Maintenance and Alleviation.

J. Allan Feurtado and Allison R. KermodeChapter.

9. Regulation of ABA and GA Levels during Seed Development and Germination in Arabidopsis.

Shinjiro Yamaguchi, Yuji Kamiya and Eiji Nambara.

Chapter 10. De-repression of Seed Germination by GA Signaling.

Camille M. Steber.

Chapter 11. Mechanisms and Genes Involved in Germination Sensu Stricto.

Hiroyuki Nonogaki1, Feng Chen2 and Kent J. Bradford3.

Chapter 12. Sugar and Abscisic Acid Regulation of Germination and Transition to Seedling Growth.

Bas J.W. Dekkers and Sjef C.M. Smeekens