Cover

Half-title

Title

Copyright

Contents

Contributors

Preface

1 Introduction: some terminology and common mechanisms

Introduction

What is stress?

Adaptation, tolerance and resistance

Are there common features of different stresses and plantresponse?

Conclusions

References

2 The impact of environmental stresses on ecosystems

Introduction

Mechanical stress

Wind in forested ecosystems

The effects of environmental extremes on ecosystems

Ecosystem recovery from environmental extremes

Conclusion: relative importance of stresses and extremes toecosystem resilience

References

3 Whole-plant responses to stress in natural and agricultural systems

Introduction

The search for a predictive model of plant responses to stress

Stress responses predicted by the C-S-R model

Two further dimensions of functional specialisation andstress response

Conclusions

Acknowledgements

References

4 Photosynthesis and gas exchange

Introduction

Effects of water stress on gas exchange

Transpiration efficiency and carbon isotope discrimination

Photoinhibition

References

5 Regulation of growth and development of plants growing with a restricted supply of water

Introduction

Relative sensitivity to water deficit of the expansive growth ofdifferent plant parts

Sustained growth of roots in drying soil

Some effects of increased mechanical impedance of soil on rootsand shoots

Sensing' of soil drying by the plant root system and the resultingregulation of shoot physiolog

Conclusions

References

6 Stresses, membranes and cell walls

Introduction

Growth, membranes and cell walls

Osmotic pressure and solute accumulation

Properties of walls

Time base of responses

An example at the whole-plant level

Conclusion

References

7 Desiccation injury, anhydrobiosis and survival

Introduction

Desiccation tolerant plants

Desiccation injury

Concluding remarks

References

8 Molecular biology: application to studies of stress tolerance

Introduction

Systems for gene transfer

Application of the tools of molecular biology/genetics

Relevance to stress tolerance

Analysis of the stress response

Conclusions

References

9 Environmental control of gene expression and stress proteins in plants

Introduction

Temperature stress

Drought and salt stress-induced proteins

Anaerobic stress

Response to ultraviolet light exposure

Heavy metal-induced proteins and peptides

Summary

Acknowledgements

References

10 Plant tissue and protoplast culture: applications to stress physiology and biochemistry

Introduction

Cellular responses to water stress

Cellular response to salinity

Use of protoplasts in studying stress

Conclusions

References

11 Breeding methods for drought resistance

Introduction: improvement of drought resistance in conventionalbreeding programmes

Physiological selection criteria

Conclusions for the breeder

References

12 Selection for physiological characters - examples from breeding for salt tolerance

Introduction

Range of salt resistance and tolerance

Role of selection for physiological characteristics

Examples

Concluding remarks

References

13 Prospects for improving crop production in stressful environments

Introduction

Stress - a normal condition of plants

The diversity of stress

The productivity of different ecosystems

Managing stress

Physiological aspects of particular stresses and plant responses

Conclusion

References

Index