Handbook of Seed Science and Technology

• About the Editor
  
• Contributors
  
• SECTION I: SEED DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
  
• Chapter 1. Molecular Control of Ovule Development (Sureshkumar Balasubramanian and Kay Schneitz)
  
• Introduction
  
• What Are Ovules?
  
• Emergence of the Ovule As a Model to Study Organogenesis
  
• Ovule Specification
  
• Initiation/Outgrowth of the Ovule Primordia
  
• Pattern Formation
  
• Cell-Cell Communication During Ovule Development
  
• Morphogenesis
  
• Perspectives
  
• Chapter 2. Female Gametophyte Development (Wei-Cai Yang)
  
• Introduction
  
• Organization of the Female Gametophyte
  
• Archesporial Cell Formation
  
• Megasporogenesis
  
• Formation of the Functional Megaspore
  
• Megagametogenesis
  
• The Female Germ Unit
  
• Genetic Control of Megagametophyte Development
  
• Conclusions and Perspectives
  
• Chapter 3. Cytokinins and Seed Development (Neil Emery and Craig Atkins)
  
• Introduction
  
• Cytokinin Biosynthesis in Plants
  
• Discovery and Characterization of CKs in Developing Seeds
  
• Sources of Cytokinin in Seeds
  
• Developing Seeds: A Rich Mine of Cytokinin Enzymes
  
• Biological Activity of Cytokinin in Developing Seeds
  
• Can CK Content Be Manipulated to Alter Grain Development?
  
• Molecular Basis of a Signaling Role for Cytokinins
  
• Future Prospects
  
• Chapter 4. Grain Number Determination in Major Grain Crops (Gustavo A. Slafer, Fernanda G. González, Adriana G. Kantolic, Elena M. Whitechurch, L. Gabriela Abeledo, Daniel J. Miralles, and Roxana Savin)
  
• Introduction
  
• Grain Number Determination
  
• Extrapolations to Other Major Crops
  
• Concluding Remarks
  
• Chapter 5. Carbon Partitioning in Developing Seed (Yong-Ling Ruan and Prem S. Chourey)
  
• Introduction
  
• Seed Anatomy and Cellular Pathway of Sugar Transport
  
• Temporal and Spatial Patterns of Carbon Partitioning
  
• Key Genes Controlling Carbon Partitioning in Seeds
  
• Conclusions and Future Perspectives
  
• Chapter 6. Metabolic Engineering of Carbohydrate Supply in Plant Reproductive Development (Marc Goetz and Thomas Roitsch)
  
• The Impact of Plant Reproduction Events on Agriculture
  
• The Role of the Tapetum in Male Gametophyte Development
  
• Strategies to Generate Male Sterility in Plants
  
• Importance of Carbohydrates in Plant Growth and Development
  
• Carbohydrate Supply and Male Sterility
  
• Future Perspectives
  
• Chapter 7. Enhancing the Nutritive Value of Seeds by Genetic Engineering (N. D. Hagan and T. J. V. Higgins)
  
• Enhancing the Nutritive Value of Seed Protein
  
• Enhancing the Fatty Acid Content of Seeds
  
• Enhancing the Vitamin and Mineral Content of Seeds
  
• Current Limitations
  
• Conclusions
  
• Chapter 8. The Process of Accumulation of Seed Proteins and the Prospects for Using Biotechnology to Improve Crops (Eliot M. Herman)
  
• Introduction
  
• Synthesis and Accumulation of Seed Proteins
  
• The Protein Storage Vacuole
  
• Protein Bodies
  
• Biotechnology to Study and Change Seed Proteins
  
• Identifying and Altering Molecular-Based Traits in Seeds
  
• Chapter 9. Synthetic Seeds Technology (P. Suprasanna, T. R. Ganapathi, and V. A. Bapat)
  
• Introduction
  
• Encapsulation Methods
  
• Different Propagules Used for Synthetic Seeds
  
• Applications
  
• Case Studies
  
• Critical Considerations
  
• Limitations and Prospects
  
• SECTION II: SEED DORMANCY AND GERMINATION
  
• Chapter 10. Dormancy and Germination (Henk W. M. Hilhorst, Leonie Bentsink, and Maarten Koornneef)
  
• Introduction
  
• The Regulation of Dormancy and Germination: A Mutant Approach
  
• Dormancy and Germination: Mechanisms
  
• Prospects and Challenges
  
• Chapter 11. Hormonal Interactions During Seed Dormancy Release and Germination (Gerhard Leubner-Metzger)
  
• Introduction
  
• Abscisic Acid (ABA): A Positive Regulator of Dormancy Induction and Maintenance, a Negative Regulator of Germination
  
• Gibberellins Release Dormancy, Promote Germination, and Counteract ABA Effects
  
• Ethylene Promotes Seed Germination and Counteracts ABA Effects on Seeds
  
• Brassinosteroids Promote Seed Germination
  
• Cytokinins and Auxins
  
• Conclusions and Perspectives
  
• Chapter 12. Photoregulation of Seed Germination (Chizuko Shichijo, Osamu Tanaka, and Tohru Hashimoto)
  
• Introduction
  
• Short Research History of Seed Germination Photoregulation: Recognition of Phytochromes As Photoreceptors
  
• Phytochromes
  
• Action Modes (LFR, VLFR, and HIR) of Phytochromes in Seed Germination
  
• Multiple Modes of Seed Germination and Explanation by Action Modes of Phytochromes
  
• SECTION III: SEED ECOLOGY
  
• Chapter 13. Competition for Pollination and Seed Set (Beverly J. Brown)
  
• Introduction
  
• Pollen Quantity
  
• Pollen Quality
  
• Chapter 14. Seed Size (Jorge Castro, José A. Hódar, and José M. Gómez)
  
• Introduction
  
• Setting Terminology
  
• Seed Mass Variability
  
• Seed-Size Determination
  
• Dispersal
  
• Depredation
  
• Germination
  
• Seedling Performance
  
• Habitat Type and Plant Traits
  
• Seed-Size Evolution
  
• Seed Size and Global Change
  
• Man and Seed Size
  
• Chapter 15. Seed Predation (Jose M. Serrano and Juan A. Delgado)
  
• Introduction
  
• Defending Seeds
  
• A Hierarchical Perspective
  
• The Case of Cistus ladanifer L.
  
• Chapter 16. Natural Defense Mechanisms in Seeds (Gregory E. Welbaum)
  
• Introduction
  
• Seed Defense Mechanisms
  
• Summary
  
• Chapter 17. Seed Protease Inhibitors (A. M. Harsulkar, A. P. Giri, V. V. Deshpande, V. S. Gupta, M. N. Sainani, and P. K. Ranjekar)
  
• Introduction
  
• Protease Inhibitors
  
• Expression of Protease Inhibitors in Seeds
  
• Biological Role of Protease Inhibitors
  
• Protease Inhibitor Transgenic Plants for Pest Control
  
• Conclusions
  
• Chapter 18. Soil Seed Banks (A. J. Murdoch)
  
• What Is the Soil Seed Bank?
  
• Functions of Soil Seed Banks
  
• Prerequisites for a Seed Bank
  
• How Many Seeds Are in the Soil?
  
• What Types of Seeds Are in the Soil?
  
• Where Does the Seed Bank Come From?
  
• What Happens to the Soil Seed Bank?
  
• Impacts on Weed Management
  
• Chapter 19. The Ecophysiological Basis of Weed Seed Longevity in the Soil (R. S. Gallagher and E. P. Fuerst)
  
• Introduction
  
• Conceptual Model for Seed Longevity
  
• Resource Allocation to Seed
  
• Seed Dormancy
  
• Role of Seed Vigor
  
• Microbial Seed Decay
  
• Implications for Seed Bank Management
  
• Implications for Future Research
  
• SECTION IV: SEED TECHNOLOGY
  
• Chapter 20. Seed Quality Testing (Sabry Elias)
  
• Introduction
  
• What Is Seed Quality?
  
• Is Testing the Quality of Seed Really Important?
  
• Seed Purity Testing
  
• Seed Vitality Testing
  
• Testing for Special Seed Attributes
  
• Seed Vigor Testing
  
• Pathological Testing of Seed
  
• Testing Genetically Modified Seeds
  
• Quality Assurance in Seed Testing
  
• Seed Quality Testing and Seed Certification
  
• Seed Testing Organizations
  
• Chapter 21. Seed Vigor and Its Assessment (Alison A. Powell)
  
• Concept of Seed Vigor
  
• Causes of Differences in Seed Vigor
  
• Assessment of Seed Vigor
  
• Standardization of Vigor Test Procedures
  
• Current Status of Vigor Testing
  
• Presentation and Interpretation of Vigor Tests
  
• Application of Vigor Tests
  
• Conclusions
  
• Chapter 22. Diagnosis of Seedborne Pathogens (Emily Taylor, Jayne Bates, and David Jaccoud)
  
• Introduction
  
• Conventional Seed Health Diagnostic Methods
  
• Molecular Methods for Seed Health Testing
  
• Conclusions
  
• Chapter 23. Seed Quality in Vegetable Crops (S. D. Doijode)
  
• Introduction
  
• Factors Affecting Seed Quality
  
• Improvement of Seed Quality
  
• Maintenance of Seed Quality
  
• Revival of Seed Quality
  
• Conclusion
  
• Chapter 24. Vegetable Hybrid Seed Production in the World (David Tay)
  
• Introduction
  
• The Gene-Control Pollination F1 Vegetable Seed Production System
  
• The Hand-Pollinated F1 Vegetable Seed Production System
  
• Distribution of F1 Vegetable Seed Production in the World
  
• Development of Hand-Pollinated Hybrid Vegetable Seed Production in the World
  
• F1 Hybrid Vegetable Seed Production: A Case Study on Tomato in Taiwan
  
• Future of the Hand-Pollinated F1 Vegetable Hybrid Seed Population
  
• Chapter 25. Practical Hydration of Seeds of Tropical Crops: “On-Farm” Seed Priming (D. Harris and A. Mottram)
  
• Chapter 26. Seed Technology in Plant Germplasm Conservation (David Tay)
  
• Introduction
  
• Seed Science and Technology in Gene Banks
  
• Gene-Bank Management System
  
• Basic Gene-Bank Design
  
• Gene-Bank Research Program
  
• Index
  
• Reference Notes Included
  

Biography

Amarjit Basra