Description
Book SynopsisThis book describes the mechanisms of nutrient taken up by plants at the biochemical and molecular level. This is a new concept developed over the past 30 years, primarily due to use of modern technology developed in biotechnological research, instrumentation, modern computation facilities, bioinformatics, the large volumes of information generated by use of various ‘omics’ and of course the dedicated hard work of a large number of researchers.
Recent research indicates that nutrient uptake, its transport and redistribution in plants are under genetic control. There are groups of genes for each nutrient that encode transporter proteins whose functions are to acquire the specific nutrient from the soil and transport it across the plasma membrane of the root hair cells for use in plant metabolism. Deficiency or sufficiency of a plant nutrient induces different groups of genes to produce m-RNA transcripts for translation of transporter proteins. A large number of metabolic enzymes are up or down regulated in response to deficiency of plant nutrients. Morphological and metabolic adaptations in order to better acquire nutrients and use them frugally when nutrients are scarce in the growth medium can be observed in plants. Heavy metals, which are toxic to plants, induce different sets of defence mechanisms.
In 20 chapters, the book describes plants’ uptake mechanisms for all the major, secondary and micronutrients, beneficial elements and heavy metals. References to research work quoted in the text are updated up to 2014 and included at the end of each chapter. Biotechnological approaches to improving nutrient use efficiency are discussed wherever such information is available. The structure and functions of transporter proteins involved in the uptake of nutrients are discussed. Additional information on some of the specific topics is provided in text boxes or as separate sections within the chapters. Lastly, the terminology used has been explained as far as possible in the text, mostly within parentheses.
Trade Review“I found this book to be useful in getting information about members of major transporter families not only for model plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana but also for other plant species. I also found it useful that the volume provides information about the concentration of different minerals in the soil and in plant tissues including grains … as well as provides tables with information about the sensitivity of various crops to mineral deficiencies.” (Olena Vatamaniuk, The Quarterly Review of Biology, Vol. 92 (3), September, 2017)
Table of Contents1. Introduction and Uptake of Water and Nutrient Ions.- 2. Nitrogen (N) uptake.- 3. Phosphate (Pi) Uptake.- 4. Potassium (K) uptake.- 5. Calcium (Ca) uptake.- 6. Magnesium (Mg) Uptake.- 7. Sulphur (S) Uptake.- 8. Definition of Heavy metals, Essential and Beneficial Plant Nutrients.- 9. Uptake of Heavy Metals.- 10. Iron (Fe) uptake.- 11. Zinc (Zn) uptake.- 12. Manganese (Mn) uptake.- 13. Copper (Cu) uptake.- 14. Boron (B) Uptake.- 15. Molybdenum (Mo) uptake.- 16. Nickel (Ni) uptake.- 17. Chloride (Cl-) uptake.- 18. Sodium (Na) uptake.- 19. Silicon (Si) Uptake.- 20. Cobalt (Co), selenium (Se), Vanadium (V), Cadmium (Cd), Lead (Pb) and Titanium (Ti)
