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There are many recent works on the topic of light and plant growth. These have not only been written by experts, but are also, in the main, written for experts (or, at least, for those who already have a fair understanding of the subject). This book has its origins in a six-week course in plant photophysiology, and its aim is to provide an introduction to the subject at an advanced undergraduate level. The imagined audience is simply a student who has asked the questions: In what ways does light affect plant growth, and how does it do it? The book is limited to aspects of photomorphogenesis. Photo synthesis is only considered where its pigments impinge on photo morphogenic investigations, or where its processes provide illustrative examples of particular interactions between light and biological material. Chapter 1 gives a general account of the various ways in which light affects plant development, and introduces topics which are subsequently covered in greater detail. In all the chapters, are special topic 'boxes', consisting of squared-off sections of text. These are simply devices for presenting explanatory background material, or material that I myself find particularly intriguing.
List of contents
1 General introduction.- 1.1 Light and life.- 1.2 Light as an environmental factor.- 1.3 Light and plants.- 1.4 Light and photomorphogenesis.- 1.5 Light and orientation in space.- 1.6 Light and orientation in time.- 1.7 Summary.- Further reading.- 2 Radiant energy.- 2.1 Nature of radiant energy.- 2.2 Sources of radiant energy.- 2.3 Interaction of radiant energy with matter.- 2.4 Measurement of radiant energy.- 2.5 The light system.- 2.6 Summary.- Further reading.- 3 Daylight and artificial light.- 3.1 The Sun's spectrum and daylight.- 3.2 Factors which influence the daylight spectrum.- 3.3 Artificial sources of radiant energy.- 3.4 Summary.- Further reading.- 4 Photoreceptors.- 4.1 Introductory comments.- 4.2 Phytochrome.- 4.3 Blue-light receptors.- 4.4 Summary.- Further reading.- 5 Metabolic transduction and amplification of light signals.- 5.1 Introductory comments.- 5.2 Phytochrome-mediated rapid responses.- 5.3 Light and enzymes.- 5.4 Light and growth regulators.- 5.5 Summary.- Further reading.- 6 Growth and development: photomorphogenesis.- 6.1 Introductory comments.- 6.2 Germination.- 6.3 Growth of etiolated seedlings.- 6.4 Growth of green tissues.- 6.5 De-etiolation and leaf expansion.- 6.6 Summary.- Further reading.- 7 Orientation in space: phototropism.- 7.1 Introductory comments.- 7.2 Signal perception: light responses.- 7.3 Signal processing: growth responses.- 7.4 Concluding remarks.- 7.5 Summary.- Further reading.- 8 Orientation in time: photoperiodism.- 8.1 Introductory comments.- 8.2 Circadian rhythms.- 8.3 Photoperiodism I: Early studies.- 8.4 Photoperiodism II.- 8.5 Summary.- Further reading.- Reference.
Summary
There are many recent works on the topic of light and plant growth. Chapter 1 gives a general account of the various ways in which light affects plant development, and introduces topics which are subsequently covered in greater detail.
Report
A single author book on light and plant growth aimed at the non-specialist student would be welcome. When such a book is as lucid and readable at this it is doubly so. The text is readable and the diagrams clear. I would see the hardback edition as an essential acquistion for libraries in any university that teaches plant biology. - Journal of Experimental Botany
