The Molecular and Physiological Basis of Nutrient Use Efficiency in Crops

Efforts to increase efficient nutrient use by crops are of growing importance as the global demand for food, fibre and fuel increases and competition for resources intensifies. The Molecular and Physiological Basis of Nutrient Use Efficiency in Crops provides both a timely summary of the latest advances in the field as well as anticipating directions for future research. The Molecular and Physiological Basis of Nutrient Use Efficiency in Crops bridges the gap between agronomic practice and molecular biology by linking underpinning molecular mechanisms to the physiological and agronomic aspects of crop yield. These chapters provide an understanding of molecular and physiological mechanisms that will allow researchers to continue to target and improve complex traits for crop improvement. Written by leading international researchers, The Molecular and Physiological Basis of Nutrient Use Efficiency in Crops will be an essential resource for the crop science community for years to come. Special Features: coalesces current knowledge in the areas of efficient acquisition and utilization of nutrients by crop plants with emphasis on modern developments addresses future directions in crop nutrition in the light of changing climate patterns including temperature and water availability bridges the gap between traditional agronomy and molecular biology with focus on underpinning molecular mechanisms and their effects on crop yield includes contributions from a leading team of global experts in both research and practical settings

Efforts to increase efficient nutrient use by crops are of growingimportance as the global demand for food, fibre and fuel increasesand competition for resources intensifies. The Molecular andPhysiological Basis of Nutrient Use Efficiency in Cropsprovides both a timely summary of the latest advances in the fieldas well as anticipating directions for future research.The Molecular and Physiological Basis of Nutrient UseEfficiency in Crops bridges the gap between agronomic practiceand molecular biology by linking underpinning molecular mechanismsto the physiological and agronomic aspects of crop yield. Thesechapters provide an understanding of molecular and physiologicalmechanisms that will allow researchers to continue to target andimprove complex traits for crop improvement.Written by leading international researchers, The Molecularand Physiological Basis of Nutrient Use Efficiency in Cropswill be an essential resource for the crop science community foryears to come.Special Features:* coalesces current knowledge in the areas of efficientacquisition and utilization of nutrients by crop plants withemphasis on modern developments* addresses future directions in crop nutrition in the light ofchanging climate patterns including temperature and wateravailability* bridges the gap between traditional agronomy and molecularbiology with focus on underpinning molecular mechanisms and theireffects on crop yield* includes contributions from a leading team of global experts inboth research and practical settings

Preface viiContributors ixPart I: Generic Aspects of Crop Nutrition 3Chapter 1 An Overview of Nutrient Use Efficiency and Strategies for Crop Improvement 5Malcolm J. HawkesfordChapter 2 Crop Root Systems and Nutrient Uptake from Soils 21Peter J. GregoryChapter 3 The Role of the Rhizosphere in Nutrient Use Efficiency in Crops 47Petra MarschnerChapter 4 Optimizing Canopy Physiology Traits to Improve the Nutrient Utilization Efficiency of Crops 65M. John Foulkes and Erik H. MurchieChapter 5 Senescence and Nutrient Remobilization in Crop Plants 83Per L. GregersenChapter 6 Effects of Nitrogen and Sulfur Nutrition on Grain Composition and Properties of Wheat and Related Cereals 103Peter R. ShewryPart II: Nitrogen as a Key Driver of Production 121Chapter 7 Genetic Improvement of Nutrient Use Efficiency in Wheat 123Jacques Le GouisChapter 8 The Molecular Genetics of Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Crops 139Bertrand Hirel and Peter J. LeaChapter 9 Biotechnological Approaches to Improving Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Plants: Alanine Aminotransferase as a Case Study 165Allen G. Good and Perrin H. BeattyChapter 10 Transporters Involved in Nitrogen Uptake and Movement 193Anthony J. Miller and Nick ChapmanChapter 11 Crop Improvement for Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Irrigated Lowland Rice 211Shaobing PengPart III: Other Critical Macro- and Micronutrients 227Chapter 12 Phosphorus as a Critical Macronutrient 229Carroll P. VanceChapter 13 Uptake, Distribution, and Physiological Functions of Potassium, Calcium, and Magnesium 265Frans J.M. Maathuis and Dorina PodarChapter 14 Sulfur Nutrition in Crop Plants 295Luit J. De Kok, Ineke Stulen, and Malcolm J. HawkesfordChapter 15 Iron Nutrition and Implications for Biomass Production and the Nutritional Quality of Plant Products 311Jean-François BriatChapter 16 Zinc in Soils and Crop Nutrition 335Behzad Sadeghzadeh and Zed RengelChapter 17 Overview of the Acquisition and Utilization of Boron, Chlorine, Copper, Manganese, Molybdenum, and Nickel by Plants and Prospects for Improvement of Micronutrient Use Efficiency 377Patrick H. Brown and Elias BassilPart IV: Specialized Case Studies 429Chapter 18 Drought and Implications for Nutrition 431Eric Ober and Martin A.J. ParryChapter 19 Salt Resistance of Crop Plants: Physiological Characterization of a Multigenic Trait 443Sven SchubertChapter 20 Legumes and Nitrogen Fixation: Physiological, Molecular, Evolutionary Perspectives, and Applications 457Muthusubramanian Venkateshwaran and Jean-Michel AnéIndex 491