Biosaline Agriculture and Salinity Tolerance in Plants
This volume focuses on reclamation, management, and utilization of salt-affected soils, their sustainable use, and evaluation of plants inhabiting naturally occurring saline habitats. It is of interest to scientists and students as well as to agricultural institutions and farmers and will undoubtedly raise the scientific community's awareness of, and interest in salinity issues.
Biosaline Agriculture and High Salinity Tolerance
this book reviews the current state of knowledge in biosaline agriculture and high salinity tolerance in plants. It mainly focuses on the biotic approach to economically utilize the stress-prone areas by growing resistant plants.This volume comprises three sections: physiology and biochemistry, ecology, and molecular biology. Thus, a systematic approach has been adopted to uncover plant responses to various ecological factors at physiological and molecular levels.
Biological Invasions in South Africa
This book presents a comprehensive account of all aspects of biological invasions in South Africa, where research has been conducted over more than three decades, and where bold initiatives have been implemented in attempts to control invasions and to reduce their ecological, economic and social effects.
Biological Invasions Belowground : Earthworms as Invasive Species
he most conspicuous biological invasions in terrestrial ecosystems have been by exotic plants, insects and vertebrates. Less conspicuous but possibly of equal importance are invasions by soil invertebrates, which are occurring literally beneath our feet. Familiar examples include the South American fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) which has invaded North America and Australia, and the New Zealand flatworm (Arthurdendyus triangulatus) which has become wide-spread in the United Kingdom; both have caused considerable ecological and economic damage. There is now evidence that exotic earthworm invasions are increasing world-wide and may be having significant impacts on soil processes and plant communities in some regions. Much remains to be learned about these ‘cryptic’ biological invasions. The papers in this book are based on efforts by an international group of soil ecologists to assess the biological and ecological mechanisms of earthworm invasions, their geographic extent and impacts on terrestrial ecosystems, and possible means by which earthworm invasions might be mitigated.
Biological Invasions
This new volume on Biological Invasions deals with both plants and animals. It differs from previous books on the subject by extending from the level of individual species to an ecosystem and global level. Topics of highest societal relevance, such as the impact of genetically modified organisms, are interlinked with more conventional ecological aspects, including biodiversity. The combination of these approaches is new and makes compelling reading for researchers and environmentalists. The book’s 22 chapters cover a huge range of subjects relevant to the field. These include pathways of biological invasions (e.g. ballast water, waterways), traits of successful invaders (e.g. chemical weapons, empty niches), and patterns of invasion and invasibility, such as man-induced predisposition by fire, land use and eutrophication, and the role of climate change.
Biological adhesives
Many plants, animals, and microbes use adhesive polymers and structures to attach to inert substrates, to each other, or to other organisms. This is the first major review that brings together research on many of the well-known biological adhesives. Emphasizing the diversity of biological adhesives and associated adhesion processes, it deals with bacteria, fungi, algae, and marine and terrestrial animals. It bridges a variety of disciplines including biochemistry, molecular biology, biomechanics, bioengineering, microbiology, organism structure and function, and ultrastructure. As we learn more about the molecular and mechanical properties of these adhesives, we begin to understand why they adhere so well and how they develop cohesive strength. With this understanding comes the prospect of developing synthetic or semi-synthetic adhesives with broad applications in areas such as medicine, dentistry, and biotechnology. The book is suitable for both industrial and academic researchers.
Bioactives and pharmacology of medicinal plants : Vol.1
Bioctives and Pharmacology of Medicinal Plants, concisely presents an abundance of important information on the bioactive and pharmacological properties of medicinal plants. It provides valuable comprehensive research and studies on bioactive phytocompounds of over 68 important medicinal plants with beneficial properties. For each species included in the volume, a brief introduction is given along with their bioactive compounds and chemical structures, followed by their chief pharmacological activities that include antiviral, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, and cardioprotective activities. A review of the published literature on pharmacological activities on each species is included also, providing a thorough resource on each of the plants covered in the volume.
Bioactives and pharmacology of Legumes
A variety of bioactives and therapeutics from the legume family (Fabaceae or Leguminosae) are thoroughly detailed. For each species included in the volume, a brief introduction is given, the plant’s bioactive compounds are listed, and its chemical structures shown, followed by their pharmacological activities. Many of these plants have medicinal activities that include antiviral, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective and cardioprotective. The biochemical characteristics of the 37 plants included, such as the type of starch, protein, and fibers, can be exploited as binders, excipients, thickeners, and dispersants in the formulation of various products in the pharmaceutical industry. The published literature on the pharmacological activities on each species is reviewed and presented in a concise and clear manner.
Bioactives and pharmacology of lamiaceae
Provides a wealth of information on plants in the Lamiaceae family, noted for their essential oils and bioactives and pharmacological properties. The chapters investigate a wide variety of species, providing for each an introduction, characteristics, properties, distribution, traditional uses, and current and potential pharmacological applications. Aiming to be a resource for the development of new drugs based on species within the Lamiaceae family, the volume discusses 26 species, including bungleweed (Ajuga), Malabar catmint (Anisomeles malabarica), beechwood (Gmelina arborea), Brazilian mint (Hyptis crenata), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.), holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum), and many more.
Asymmetric Cell Division
Cell biologists have recently become aware that the asymmetry of cell division is an important regulatory phenomenon in the fate of a cell. During development, cell diversity originates through asymmetry; in the adult organism asymmetric divisions regulate the stem cell reservoir and are a source of the drift that contributes to the aging of organisms with renewable cell compartments. Because of the concept of semi-conservative DNA synthesis, it was thought that the distribution of DNA between daughter cells was symmetric. The analysis of the phenomenon in cells during mitosis, however, revealed the asymmetry in the distribution of the genetic material that creates the drift contributing to aging of mammals. On the other hand, cancer cells can originate from a deregulation of asymmetry during mitosis in particular during stem cell expansion. The book describes the phenomenon in different organisms from plants to animals and addresses its implications for the development of the organism, cell differentiation, human aging and the biology of cancers.
Associative and endophytic nitrogen-fixing bacteria and cyanobacterial associations
Associative and Endophytic Nitrogen-fixing Bacteria and Cyanobacterial Associations This book is part of the seven-volume series that was launched a few years ago with the ambitious objectives of reviewing the field of nitrogen fixation from its earliest beginnings through the millennium change and of consolidating the relevant information - from fundamental to agricultural and environmental aspects – all in one place. Volume 5 covers the biology of bacteria that associate with n- leguminous plants. The subject matter includes a wide range of associations; it covers the bacterial species that associate either with the surface or within the tissues of grasses (often referred as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria) and also the symbiotic associations that cyanobacteria form with fungi, algae, and both lower and higher plants. This volume does not deal with the Frankia-actinorhizal plant associations, which is the topic of Volume 6
Association Mapping in Plants
For the past decade, there has been success in using conventional map-based strategies in identification and cloning of quantitative trait loci (QTL) in model plant species including tomato and Arabidopsis. These quantitative traits are generally the products of many loci with varying degrees of effect upon the observed phenotypes. Recently, a new approach to genetic mapping has emerged called association mapping. This new technique takes into account the thousands of genes to evaluate for QTL effect and is a more efficient approach that does not require generation of segregating populations/large numbers of progeny. As it can utilize all of the historic recombination events in a diverse population of individuals it can generate higher resolution genetic maps and, is needed to complement current map based cloning methods.
Arthropod Diversity and Conservation
Despite their enormous bulk and complexity of architecture, plants make up only around a quarter of a million of the 8 million or so species on Earth. The major components of biodiversity, instead, are the smaller, largely unseen, silent majority of invertebrates – most of which are arthropods. Vertebrates, a mere blip on the biotic horizon, are elevated in importance in the bigger scheme of things only by the human psyche. This collection of more than 30 peer-reviewed papers focuses on the diversity and conservation of arthropods, whose species inhabit virtually every recess and plane – and feature somewhere in virtually every food web – on the planet. Highlighting issues ranging from large-scale disturbance to local management, and from spatial heterogeneity to temporal patterns, these papers reflect some of the most exciting new research taking place today – and in some of the most biodiverse corners of the planet.
Aquatic medicinal plants
The use of medicinal plants in herbal and modern medicine has gained popularity over the last few decades due to consumers taking more natural approaches to medicine. Aquatic medicinal plants are rich in bioactive compounds and demonstrate various commercial, nutraceutical, and biological applications. Aquatic Medicinal Plants offers the reader a wealth of information on uses of bioactive components of these plants, along with crucial references, and explains their traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological properties.
Anti-viral metabolites from medicinal plants
Covers general concepts of anti-viral metabolites, classifications, ethnopharmacology, chemistry, clinical and preclinical studies focusing on different medicinal plants against various types of viral infections. Various plants have been used in medicine since ancient times and are known for their strong therapeutic effects. The book will describe potential antiviral properties of medicinal plants against a diverse group of viruses, and provide an insight to the potential plants possess for broad-spectrum antiviral effects against emerging viral infections.The book aims to target a broad audience including virologists, molecular biologist, microbiologist and scientists working with natural products as well as researchers, students, healthcare experts involved in pharmaceutical and medical field.
Antimalarial medicinal plants
Malaria continues to affect a large population of the world, especially in third world countries. The spread of drug-resistant parasites demonstrates the need for antimalarial agents with various modes of action. The search for remedies derived from medicinal plants for the treatment of malaria is reliant on accurate ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological information obtained from traditional medical practitioners. Antimalarial Medicinal Plants provides information on bioactive compounds and therapeutic potentials of several antimalarial plant species found around the globe. This book evaluates these plant species with respect to their biology, diversity, distribution, and pharmacological values.
Antifouling Compounds
Increasing awareness of the deleterious effects of toxic components in antifouling coatings has raised interest in the potential for nontoxic alternatives. This book examines how marine organisms from bacteria to invertebrates and plants use chemicals to communicate and defend themselves. Chemicals that prevent colonisation of living surfaces are particularly pertinent to antifouling technology and may inspire new solutions. The challenge is to identify such compounds, identify the means for sustainable production and incorporate them into coatings to give long-term antifouling efficacy.
Antidiabetic plants for drug discovery pharmacology, secondary metabolite profiling, and ingredients with insulin mimetic activity
Takes an in-depth look at the potential pharmacological applications of 11 important antidiabetic plants, examining their antihyperglycemic, hypoglycemic, and anti-lipidemic properties along with current genome editing research perspectives. Plant natural products, or phytoconstituents, are promising candidates for antidiabetic pharmacological actions. The phytoconstituents, such as fl avonoids, terpenoids, saponins, carotenoids, alkaloids and glycosides, play vital roles in the current and future potent antidiabetic drug development programs. Each chapter reviews a particular plant with antidiabetic properties, explaining the therapeutic aspects, its active antidiabetic compounds, and relevant genome editing technology.
Antidiabetic medicinal plants and herbal treatments
Diabetes is a chronic condition associated with metabolic disorder. Persons suffering from diabetes have shown accelerated levels of blood sugar which often harms the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves. Over the past few decades, the prevalence of diabetes has been progressively increasing. Synthetic drugs are used to treat diabetic patients to help control the disorder, but it is shown that numerous medicinal plants and herbal drugs are widely used in several traditional systems of medicine to prevent and treat diabetes. They are reported to produce beneficial effects in combating diabetes and alleviating diabetes-related complications. These plants contain phtyonutrients and phytoconstituents demonstrating protective or disease preventive properties. In many developing countries, herbal drugs are recommended by traditional practitioners for diabetes treatment because the use of synthetic drugs is not affordable.
Alternative medicines for diabetes management : Advances in pharmacognosy and medicinal chemistry
Apart from diet and exercise, the strategic use of different classes of prescribed or non-prescribed xenobiotic compounds for the restoration of euglycemic levels in the body is well known. The ongoing rivalry between the recommended usage of allopathic medicines versus ayurvedic remedies has encouraged many researchers to focus their studies on thoroughly isolating and characterizing the extracts from different parts of plants and then evaluating their relative activities via in vitro, in vivo and in some cases clinical studies.



















