Patterns in Plant Development offers an introduction to the development of the whole plant.

Many exciting discoveries in recent decades have contributed new knowledge to our understanding of the mechanisms that regulate various stages of plant growth and development. Such information, coupled with advances in cell and molecular biology, is fundamental to crop improvement using biotechnological approaches. Two volumes constitute the present work. The ?rst, comprising 22 chapters, commences with introductions relating to gene regulatory models for plant dev- opment and crop improvement, particularly the use of Arabidopsis as a model plant. These chapters are followed by speci?c topics that focus on different developmental aspects associated with vegetative and reproductive phases of the life cycle of a plant. Six chapters discuss vegetative growth and development. Their contents consider topics such as shoot branching, bud dormancy and growth, the devel- ment of roots, nodules and tubers, and senescence. The reproductive phase of plant development is in 14 chapters that present topics such as ?oral organ init- tion and the regulation of ?owering, the development of male and female gametes, pollen germination and tube growth, fertilization, fruit development and ripening, seed development, dormancy, germination, and apomixis. Male sterility and self-incompatibility are also discussed.

This book provides current information on synthesis of plant hormones, how their concentrations are regulated, and how they modulate various plant processes. It details how plants sense and tolerate such factors as drought, salinity, and cold temperature, factors that limit plant productivity on earth. It also explains how plants sense two other environmental signals, light and gravity, and modify their developmental patterns in response to those signals. This book takes the reader from basic concepts to the most up-to-date thinking on these topics. * Provides clear synthesis and review of hormonal and environmental regulation of plant growth and development * Contains more than 600 illustrations supplementary information on techniques and/or related topics of interest * Single-authored text provides uniformity of presentation and integration of the subject matter * References listed alphabetically in each section