Physiology and Biochemistry of Metal Toxicity and Tolerance in Plants

Hardbound  460 pp  ISBN 1402004680      £130.00

Metal toxicity has great impact and relevance to plants; however, this is not limited only to plants but also effects the ecosystem, of which the plant forms an integral component. Plants growing in metal polluted locations exhibit altered metabolism, growth reduction, lower biomass production, and metal accumulation. Edible plants with high doses of accumulated toxic metals are not only harmful to humans but also to animals when used as animal feed.

Various physiological biochemical processes in plants are affected by metals. The contemporary physiological, biochemical and molecular investigations on toxicity and tolerance in metal stressed plants are prompted by the growing metal pollution in the environment. In order to understand how plants survive and accumulate metals from the contaminated environment, the physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology of plants under metal stress are studied to describe the underlying processes of acclimation (short term) and adaptation (long term).

The aim of this book is to give an overview of the most important aspects of physiological and biochemical basis for metal toxicity and tolerance in plants. The book is expected to serve as a reference to university and college teachers, students of plant sciences, environmental biology, environmental biotechnology, agriculture, horticulture, forestry, plant molecular biology, and genetics.

Contents

• Contributors.
• Preface.
• Metal Permeability, Transport and Efflux in Plants; E. Cseh.
• Glutathione and Thiol Metabolism in Metal Exposed Plants; B. Tomaszewska.
• Metal Chelating Peptides and Proteins in Plants; L. Sanità di Toppi, et al.
• Metabolism of Organic Acids and Metal Tolerance in Plants Exposed to Aluminum; H. Matsumoto.
• Physiological Responses of Non-Vascular Plants to Heavy Metals; N. Mallick, L.C. Rai.
• Physiological Responses of Vascular Plants to Heavy Metals; F. Fodor.
• Proline Accumulation in Heavy Metal Stressed Plants: An Adaptive Strategy; P. Sharmila, P.P. Saradhi.
• Influence of Metals on the Biosynthesis of Photosynthetic Pigments; B. Mysliwa-Kurdziel, K. Strzalka.
• Heavy Metal Influence on the Light Phase of Photosynthesis; B. Mysliwa-Kurdziel, et al.
• Gas Exchange Functions in Heavy Metal Stressed Plants; E. Romanowska.
• Heavy Metal Interactions with Plant Nutrients; Z. Krupa, et al.
• Functions of Enzymes in Heavy Metal Treated Plants; A. Siedlecka, Z. Krupa.
• Heavy Metals and Nitrogen Metabolism; G. Klobus, et al.
• Plant Genotypic Differences Under Metal Deficient and Enriched Conditions; S. Lindberg, M. Greger.
• Genotoxicity and Mutagenicity of Metals in Plants; B.B. Panda, K.K. Panda.
• Metal Detoxification Properties of Phytomass: Physiological and Biochemical Aspects; M. Jordan.
• Subject index.
• Biodiversity index.