Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology lucidly explains both the basic principles of plant metabolism and its many applications in commerce and agriculture. Accessible to undergraduates, this major new textbook provides a thorough grounding in the subject to an advanced level, covering photosynthesis, primary and secondary metabolism, the function of phytohormones, and molecular engineering. Topics include cell structure and function, glycerolipids, photoassimilation, polysaccharide metabolism, nitrogen fixation, phloem transport, plant storage proteins and protein biosynthesis, natural pesticides, the roles of isoprenoids and phenlypropanoids, plant growth regulation and development, and plant cell genetics and gene technology. It also describes many practical commercial applications of plant biochemistry, molecular biology, and biotechnology, such as the use of genetic engineering to improve crop plants and to provide sustainable raw materials for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The latest research findings have been included wherever possible, and areas of future research are identified. Full references to the scientific literature are also included. Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is ideal for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses in plant sciences, biochemistry and molecular biology, environmental sciences, and agriculture.