Plant Physiology and Development

Plant Physiology and Development, Sixth Edition (2023), offers a comprehensive update that reflects the latest advances in plant biology. Building on its longstanding reputation, this edition has reorganized and expanded the Growth and Development section to present the complete life cycle of seed plants - from germination through to senescence. Beginning with refreshed chapters on Cell Walls and Signals and Signal Transduction, the text introduces major signaling molecules, including calcium ions and plant hormones. A new, unified chapter titled Signals from Sunlight replaces the earlier separate treatments of Phytochrome and Blue Light Responses, integrating discussions of blue and UV light receptors such as phototropins, cryptochromes, and UVR8 along with their signaling pathways. Further chapters guide the reader through the various stages of development, emphasizing the integration of hormonal and environmental factors in regulating plant growth. Two new chapters on stress have been incorporated: one on Biotic Interactions, which examines integrated signaling responses to diverse biological agents, and another on Abiotic Stress that highlights the use of modern tools - genomics, systems biology, imaging, and bioinformatics - in understanding plant responses to environmental challenges. Additional improvements are evident in Units I and II, where a new chapter on Stomatal Biology has been added and the material on Mineral Nutrition and Assimilation of Inorganic Nutrients has been revised. The updated treatment now separates the roles of ammonium and nitrate, drawing explicit connections between plant nutrient mining and human dietary needs, as well as exploring how rising atmospheric carbon dioxide impacts nutrient efficiency and food quality.