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Growth regulators, microorganisms and diseased plants
Physiological
Plant Pathology
( 1985) 26, 119-I
23
Book reviews Growth Regulators, Microorganisms and Diseased Plants. By A. 466 pp. Oxford & IBH Publishing Co., New Delhi. 1984. Price $8.00.
MAHADEVAN,
In a somewhat semi-autobiographical preface the author states his objective was to organise the cluttered data (sic) from hundreds of papers up to 1981 into definitive concepts on the role of plant growth regulators in pathogenesis and the production of growth regulators by micro-organisms. After a short introductory chapter consideration is given to abscisic acid production by pathogens and the involvement of ABA in pathogenesis. At the end of the second chapter the author claims that ABA research is virgin territory for researchers in plant pathology and biochemistry having stated at the beginning that impressive progress has been made on the physiology and biochemistry of this plant growth regulator; one example of a number of contradictory, inconsistent or ambiguous statements. A similar chapter on auxins includes a 14 page table listing, alphabetically, plant pathogens which synthesise IAA. A further 25 page listing details the effect of auxin-like growth regulators on the growth of bacteria and fungi. Other very lengthy tables are found elsewhere in the book. Such tables are, at times, a useful aid in locating specific references but they tend to imp~ede rather than clarify points made in the text and, moreover, would have benefited from a taxonomic rather than an alphabetically based listing. Three chapters are then devoted to cytokinins, ethylene and gibberellins. Emphasis is placed on their production by micro-organisms and their role in pathogenesis. There follows an account of the production of growth regulators by soil inhabiting micro-organisms and related topics. The penultimate chapter outlines techniques used to extract, identify and quantify plant growth regulators. The author states a preference for “simple, reliable chromatographic techniques” rather than “a million dollar machine”. Although facilities may be limited in some plant pathology laboratories, the techniques outlined are, by and large, somewhat dated and most cannot be recommended for serious study. The limitations of the techniques selected should have been stressed more emphatically. The book ends with a rather perfunctory chapter on the prospects for future study. There are many minor typographical errors and several factual inaccuracies; for example Fig. 6.5 illustrates the effect of systemic invasion of thistle (Cirsium arvense)by Pucciniapunctajixmis and not, as stated, the effect of GA on thistle growth. A monograph on plant growth regulators and the diseased plant fills an important gap in the literature but I consider the author has not totally realized his objectives. Most readers will find something of interest but many topics have been made unnecessarily confusing and disjointed by a plethora of literature citations where a judicious
120
Book reviews
selection and discussion of key references would probably have resulted in a more lucid and comprehensible account. Nevertheless the book is a very useful reference source to work published prior to 1981 there being 114 pages detailing approximately 1800 papers. Paper and printing quality leave much to be desired but at a subsidised price of $8.00 the book represents reasonable value for money. K. W. BAILISS Fungal Nutrition 401 pp. John Wiley
and Physiology. & Sons, Chichester.
By M. 0. GARRAWAY 1984. Price E46.00.
and
R. C. EVANS,
The organization and treatment of topics is based on a format used by the authors in postgraduate courses on fungal physiology. The first chapter presents an interesting historical survey of the development of nutritional studies and deals with “morphological adaptations to the absorptive life”. Chapter 2 describes the structure of fungal cells with emphasis on nutrient uptake. Chapters 3-6 relate to the central theme of the book, fungal nutrition. Although the authors have selected numerous examples from the literature to illustrate the diverse roles that carbon, nitrogen, inorganic and vitamin nutrition play in growth and reproduction as well as in metabolism and metabolite production, they are not entirely successful in bringing to life these rather uninspiring topics. Emphasis on the more recent developments concerning the ecological significance of variation in basic nutrition would have improved readability. The chapters on physiological aspects of spore dormancy and germination, growth and reproduction, cover fungal development in some depth. Chapters IO-12 deal with metabolic processes in fungi and include a concise section on the vast topic of secondary metabolite production. The book contains selective lists of references (very few post-1980) at the end of each chapter. The text is well illustrated but, as is so often the case, transmission electron micrographs appear in various shades of dark grey. Apart from its ridiculous price I would recommend the book as a basic text for a course in fungal physiology. I found the chapters on the fungal cell (including detail on wall development) and reproduction, to be particularly useful. The presentation of Fungal Nutrition and Physiology is clearly designed for students and in this respect compares favourably with the more comprehensive Fundamentals of Mycology by J. H. Burnett. In view of the plant pathological background of the authors it is disappointing that there is not more discussion of the physiology of parasitism. For example, the distinction between biotrophs and necrotrophs is not mentioned. A chapter on the mode of action of fungicides would have helped to make the student reader aware of the practical importance of a knowledge of fungal physiology. J. W. MANSFIELD
Photosynthesis. By CHRISTINE H. FOYER, 219 pp. John 1984. Price L29.65.
Wiley
& Sons, Chichester.
There is an abundance of textbooks on photosynthesis currently available on the market and so the appearance of yet another one seems difficult to justify. However,
Plant Pathology
( 1985) 26, 119-I
23
Book reviews Growth Regulators, Microorganisms and Diseased Plants. By A. 466 pp. Oxford & IBH Publishing Co., New Delhi. 1984. Price $8.00.
MAHADEVAN,
In a somewhat semi-autobiographical preface the author states his objective was to organise the cluttered data (sic) from hundreds of papers up to 1981 into definitive concepts on the role of plant growth regulators in pathogenesis and the production of growth regulators by micro-organisms. After a short introductory chapter consideration is given to abscisic acid production by pathogens and the involvement of ABA in pathogenesis. At the end of the second chapter the author claims that ABA research is virgin territory for researchers in plant pathology and biochemistry having stated at the beginning that impressive progress has been made on the physiology and biochemistry of this plant growth regulator; one example of a number of contradictory, inconsistent or ambiguous statements. A similar chapter on auxins includes a 14 page table listing, alphabetically, plant pathogens which synthesise IAA. A further 25 page listing details the effect of auxin-like growth regulators on the growth of bacteria and fungi. Other very lengthy tables are found elsewhere in the book. Such tables are, at times, a useful aid in locating specific references but they tend to imp~ede rather than clarify points made in the text and, moreover, would have benefited from a taxonomic rather than an alphabetically based listing. Three chapters are then devoted to cytokinins, ethylene and gibberellins. Emphasis is placed on their production by micro-organisms and their role in pathogenesis. There follows an account of the production of growth regulators by soil inhabiting micro-organisms and related topics. The penultimate chapter outlines techniques used to extract, identify and quantify plant growth regulators. The author states a preference for “simple, reliable chromatographic techniques” rather than “a million dollar machine”. Although facilities may be limited in some plant pathology laboratories, the techniques outlined are, by and large, somewhat dated and most cannot be recommended for serious study. The limitations of the techniques selected should have been stressed more emphatically. The book ends with a rather perfunctory chapter on the prospects for future study. There are many minor typographical errors and several factual inaccuracies; for example Fig. 6.5 illustrates the effect of systemic invasion of thistle (Cirsium arvense)by Pucciniapunctajixmis and not, as stated, the effect of GA on thistle growth. A monograph on plant growth regulators and the diseased plant fills an important gap in the literature but I consider the author has not totally realized his objectives. Most readers will find something of interest but many topics have been made unnecessarily confusing and disjointed by a plethora of literature citations where a judicious
120
Book reviews
selection and discussion of key references would probably have resulted in a more lucid and comprehensible account. Nevertheless the book is a very useful reference source to work published prior to 1981 there being 114 pages detailing approximately 1800 papers. Paper and printing quality leave much to be desired but at a subsidised price of $8.00 the book represents reasonable value for money. K. W. BAILISS Fungal Nutrition 401 pp. John Wiley
and Physiology. & Sons, Chichester.
By M. 0. GARRAWAY 1984. Price E46.00.
and
R. C. EVANS,
The organization and treatment of topics is based on a format used by the authors in postgraduate courses on fungal physiology. The first chapter presents an interesting historical survey of the development of nutritional studies and deals with “morphological adaptations to the absorptive life”. Chapter 2 describes the structure of fungal cells with emphasis on nutrient uptake. Chapters 3-6 relate to the central theme of the book, fungal nutrition. Although the authors have selected numerous examples from the literature to illustrate the diverse roles that carbon, nitrogen, inorganic and vitamin nutrition play in growth and reproduction as well as in metabolism and metabolite production, they are not entirely successful in bringing to life these rather uninspiring topics. Emphasis on the more recent developments concerning the ecological significance of variation in basic nutrition would have improved readability. The chapters on physiological aspects of spore dormancy and germination, growth and reproduction, cover fungal development in some depth. Chapters IO-12 deal with metabolic processes in fungi and include a concise section on the vast topic of secondary metabolite production. The book contains selective lists of references (very few post-1980) at the end of each chapter. The text is well illustrated but, as is so often the case, transmission electron micrographs appear in various shades of dark grey. Apart from its ridiculous price I would recommend the book as a basic text for a course in fungal physiology. I found the chapters on the fungal cell (including detail on wall development) and reproduction, to be particularly useful. The presentation of Fungal Nutrition and Physiology is clearly designed for students and in this respect compares favourably with the more comprehensive Fundamentals of Mycology by J. H. Burnett. In view of the plant pathological background of the authors it is disappointing that there is not more discussion of the physiology of parasitism. For example, the distinction between biotrophs and necrotrophs is not mentioned. A chapter on the mode of action of fungicides would have helped to make the student reader aware of the practical importance of a knowledge of fungal physiology. J. W. MANSFIELD
Photosynthesis. By CHRISTINE H. FOYER, 219 pp. John 1984. Price L29.65.
Wiley
& Sons, Chichester.
There is an abundance of textbooks on photosynthesis currently available on the market and so the appearance of yet another one seems difficult to justify. However,