Plant Responses and Control of Water Balance

Water Deficits and Plant Growth, Volume III: Plant Responses and Control of Water Balance focuses on the influence of water deficits on shrinkage of plant tissues, seed germination, reproductive growth, and internal plant responses such as protoplasmic resistance to desiccation, enzymatic activity, nitrogen metabolism, hormonal relations, and mineral nutrition. This book also considers alleviation and control of water deficits in plants. This volume is organized into 10 chapters and begins with an overview of shrinkage and swelling in plant tissues and their biological implications, along with some basic aspects of seed germination and environmental factors affecting germination as well as its relation to soil moisture. The discussion then shifts to the impact of water deficits on growth of fruits at different stages of development, from flowering to fruit ripening, and the ability of the protoplasm to survive a serious reduction in water content (known as protoplasmic resistance). The following chapters explore the effects of water deficits on enzyme activity, nutrient availability, nitrogen metabolism, and hormonal distribution in plants. This book also looks at transpiration in plants and how to reduce it, and then concludes with a chapter on soil water conservation as a problem of management of available water resources in the context of agriculture. This book is a valuable resource for scientists and investigators in fields such as botany, plant pathology, forestry, and agriculture.