Cellular and Molecular Biology of Plant Seed Development

The beginnings of human civili zation can be traced back to the time , ne- ly 12 ,000 years ago , when th e early humans gradually ch anged from a life of hunting and gathering food , to producing food. This beginning of pri- tive agriculture ensured a dependable supply of food , and fostered the living together of people in groups and the development of s o c i e ty. During th is time, plant s e e ds were recognized a s a valuable s o ur c e of food and nutrition , and began to be used for growing plants for food. Ever s i n c e , plant seeds have played an important role in the development of the human civilization . Even today, s e e ds of a few crop s p e c i e s , s uc h as the cereals and legume s, are the primary s o u r c e of most human food , and the predominant commodity in international agriculture. Owing to their great importance as food for human s and in international trade , seeds have been a favorite object of s t u d y by developmental biologists and physiologi sts , nutritionist s and chem i sts . A wealth of useful information i s available on th e biology of seed s .

Tables of Contents.- 1. Embryogenesis in Dicotyledonous Plants.- 2. Development of the Suspensor: Differentiation, Communication, and Programmed Cell Death During Plant Embryogenesis.- 3. Endosperm Structure and Development.- 4. Hormonal Regulation of Seed Development.- 5. The Biochemistry and Cell Biology of Embryo Storage Proteins.- 6. The Prolamin Storage Proteins of Wheat and its Relatives.- 7. The Prolamin Proteins of Maize, Sorghum and Coix.- 8. The Storage Proteins of Rice and Oat.- 9. The Protease Inhibitors of Seeds.- 10. Starch Synthesis in the Maize Seed.- 11. Synthesis and Storage of Fatty Acids.- 12. Accumulation and Storage of Phosphate and Minerals.- 13. Genetic Regulation of Carbohydrate and Protein Accumulation in Seeds.- 14. Lea Proteins and the Desiccation Tolerance of Seeds.- 15. Seed Maturation and Control of Dormancy.- 16. Biotechnological Approaches to Altering Seed Composition.