Plant Defenses

Plants are sources of nourishment for thousands of fungi, bacteria, invertebrates, vertebrates, and other plants. Plants possess a truly remarkable diversity of mechanisms to fend off attackers and recent research has shown just how complex and sophisticated these defense mechanisms can be. Plant Defense provides comprehensive coverage of the range of different organisms that plants need to fend off, describes how plants coordinate their defenses against multiple attacks, explains the evolution of defense in plants, and how plant defences are exploited in crop protection strategies. Plant Defense: Covers plants’ defenses against pathogens, pests, and parasitic plants: together in one book Brings together succinct, cutting edge information in a user-friendly format Gives an understanding of how plants ward off attacks from multiple enemies Is written by Dale Walters, an internationally known and respected researcher and teacher in crop protection, who distils his wealth of knowledge in a novel and exciting way Is an essential purchase for all those involved in plant protection around the globe Plant Defense is primarily designed for use by upper undergraduates and post graduates studying crop protection, agricultural sciences, applied entomology, plant pathology, and plant sciences. Biological and agricultural research scientists in the agrochemical and crop protection industries, and in academia, will find much of great use in this excellent new book. Libraries in all universities and research establishments where agricultural and biological sciences are studied and taught should have multiple copies of this very valuable book on their shelves.

The Study of Plants in a Whole New Light “Matt Candeias succeeds in evoking the wonder of plants with wit and wisdom.” ―James T. Costa, PhD, executive director, Highlands Biological Station and author of Darwin's Backyard #1 New Release in Nature & Ecology, Plants, Botany, Horticulture, Trees, Biological Sciences, and Nature Writing & Essays In his debut book, internationally-recognized blogger and podcaster Matt Candeias celebrates the nature of plants and the extraordinary world of plant organisms. A botanist’s defense. Since his early days of plant restoration, this amateur plant scientist has been enchanted with flora and the greater environmental ecology of the planet. Now, he looks at the study of plants through the lens of his ever-growing houseplant collection. Using gardening, houseplants, and examples of plants around you, In Defense of Plants changes your relationship with the world from the comfort of your windowsill. The ruthless, horny, and wonderful nature of plants. Understand how plants evolve and live on Earth with a never-before-seen look into their daily drama. Inside, Candeias explores the incredible ways plants live, fight, have sex, and conquer new territory. Whether a blossoming botanist or a professional plant scientist, In Defense of Plants is for anyone who sees plants as more than just static backdrops to more charismatic life forms. In this easily accessible introduction to the incredible world of plants, you’ll find: • Fantastic botanical histories and plant symbolism • Passionate stories of flora diversity and scientific names of plant organisms • Personal tales of plantsman discovery through the study of plants If you enjoyed books like The Botany of Desire, What a Plant Knows, or The Soul of an Octopus, then you’ll love In Defense of Plants.

This volume summarizes what is currently known about mammalian herbivore-plant interaction, particularly as governed by plant secondary chemistry, and suggests productive avenues for future research. Topics covered include foraging theory and plant chemistry in mammal herbivory; the evolution of herbivory in relation to plant defenses; factors controlling resource allocation to defenses in plants; mechanisms by which herbivorous mammals can counter plant defenses to gain necessary energy and nutrients; and herbivory in deserts, temperate and tropical forests, and boreal forests. Wildlife biologists, agriculturalists, physiologists, nutritionists, ecologists, evolutionary biologists and other researchers interested in mammalian herbivore-plant interaction will find a tremendous store of useful information in this unique book.

This timely book provides an overview of the anatomical, chemical, and developmental features contributing to plant defense, with an emphasis on plant responses that are induced by wounding or herbivore attack. The book first introduces general concepts of direct and indirect defenses, followed by a focused review of the different resistance traits. Finally, signal perception and transduction mechanism for the activation of plant defense responses are discussed.

This book investigates the induced responses of plants to herbivores and to diseases. Plant pathologists and entomologists will find that their disciplines have a lot in common when it comes to the interest in the transduction signals of plants that mediate induced responses. Induced Plant Defenses Against Pathogens and Herbivores will allow these two disciplines to converse and learn from their similarities and differences.

Induced resistance offers the prospect of broad spectrum, long-lasting and potentially environmentally-benign disease and pest control in plants. Induced Resistance for Plant Defense 2e provides a comprehensive account of the subject, encompassing the underlying science and methodology, as well as research on application of the phenomenon in practice. The second edition of this important book includes updated coverage of cellular aspects of induced resistance, including signalling and defenses, costs and trade-offs associated with the expression of induced resistance, research aimed at integrating induced resistance into crop protection practice, and induced resistance from a commercial perspective. Current thinking on how beneficial microbes induce resistance in plants has been included in the second edition. The 14 chapters in this book have been written by internationally-respected researchers and edited by three editors with considerable experience of working on induced resistance. Like its predecessor, the second edition of Induced Resistance for Plant Defense will be of great interest to plant pathologists, plant cell and molecular biologists, agricultural scientists, crop protection specialists, and personnel in the agrochemical industry. All libraries in universities and research establishments where biological, agricultural, horticultural and forest sciences are studied and taught should have copies of this book on their shelves.

For the past decade, it has been apparent to both of us that a reference text covering all aspects of tree defense mechanisms to fungi was missing, needed and long overdue. Such a book would provide a clear, comprehensive overview of how living roots, stems and leaves respond to fungal pathogens. The need for such a book became in creasingly clear to us from our conversations with each other, as well as from our interactions with students and colleagues who desired a sourcebook containing reviews of morphological, biochemical and physiological aspects of host-parasite interactions in trees. During a field trip sponsored by the Forest Pathology Committee of the Ameri can Phytopathological Society, on a bus from one site to another, we decided to take the responsibility to prepare a book of this type and began to plan its composition. To adequately address the topic of this book as we had envisioned it, we believed that well-illustrated chapters were needed in order to reflect the important advances made by the many investigators who have examined the anatomical and physiological changes that occur when trees are attacked by fungi. We are grateful to Dr. Tore Timell, the Wood Science editor for Springer-Verlag, for supporting our efforts and for providing an avenue to publish such a profusely il lustrated volume.