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Gaseous air pollutants and plant metabolism
CROP PROTECTION (1986) 5 (2), 151-152
Book reviews Aviation in Crop Protection, Pollution and Insect Control, by H. R. Quantick. ISBN 0-00-383049-7. (xiii+428 pp; £25.00). London: Collins. 1985. The application of chemicals from aircraft for agricultural and forestry purposes suffered a significant information loss with the demise, in 1981, of the International Agricultural Aviation Centre, together with its quarterly journal, Agricultural Aviation. Roy Quantick's book therefore fills a notable gap in the recent literature, based upon the author's considerable experience, both with the International Agricultural Aviation Centre and commercially, as Operations Manager with the CIBA-Pilatus Aerial Spraying Company. Much of the book is based on his close liaison with the Cranfield Institute of Technology and the Institutes Aerial Application of Pesticides short courses. The chapters on safety aspects, and on productivity and costings, are particularly salutary, but the coverage extends to formulation, meteorology and microclimate, as well as to aspects beyond the agricultural, including fire control and oil-slick dispersal. In all, a well-produced book, to be welcomed at a time when the manner of application of chemicals in the environment is a matter for some debate. This book embodies a broad survey of current knowledge in its particular field. D. R. JoHNSTONE
Plant Virus Epidemiology: The Spread and Control of InsectBorne Viruses, ed. by R. T. Plumb and J. M. Thresh. ISBN 0 632 01028 2 (vii+377 pp; £24.00). Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications. 1983. Rational and effective procedures for controlling plant viruses are mainly dependent upon a thorough understanding of the epidemiology of the viruses and the ecology of their vectors. These subjects, although of paramount importance, often receive much less
attention than they rightly deserve. This book, which contains a wealth of information about the spread and control of insect-borne viruses, is therefore a much-needed source of information for all interested in the control of crop diseases. The book is mainly a compilation of papers presented at an international conference on Plant Virus Epidemiology held in Oxford in July 1981 under the auspices of the International Society for Plant Pathology, and arranged jointly by the Association of Applied Biologists and the Federation of British Plant Pathologists (the latter now superseded by the British Society for Plant Pathology); it is, however, augmented by invited contributions from some leading epidemiologists who were unable to attend the conference. The 34 papers, by authors from 150 countries, describe the epidemiology of viruses infecting a wide range of crops grown in diverse climatic zones and varied ecological conditions. Most are concerned with viruses transmitted by aphids, hoppers or whiteflies, but individual chapters describe the epidemiology of others transmitted by beetles, mealybugs or thrips. A prologue, in which B. D. Harrison concisely describes some important advances, present trends and future prospects for virus control is followed by an informative and comprehensive review by L. Bos of man's involvement in the dissemination and control of viruses. The following three papers, by I. W. Buddenhagen, A. J. Gibbs and R. N. Allen are of great general interest and describe, respectively, crop improvement, plant distribution and mathematical modelling in relation to virus spread. The major part of the book, however, is concerned with aphids as virus vectors. The biology of the major vector species is succinctly reviewed by V. F. Eastop, and the Euraphid system for synoptic monitoring of migrant vectors is described by L. R. Taylor. Subsequent chapters contain detailed, but very readable, accounts of epidemiological studies on specific aphidborne viruses in a range of fruit, orna-
mental, cereal, fodder and vegetable crops. The section on whiteflies contains an introductory account of their biology by L. A. Mound, and authoritative accounts of whiteflytransmitted viruses of tomato in the Middle East, cassava in East Africa and a range of vegetable crops in India and Sri Lanka. Although the epidemiology of hopper-borne viruses receives less attention than that of viruses transmitted by aphids and whiteflies, there are very interesting reviews of virus spread and control in sugar beet in the USA and in cereals (especially rice and maize) in Asia and Central America. The comprehensive treatment of plant virus epidemiology is completed with informative reviews of swollen-shoot virus in cocoa in Ghana, tomato spotted wilt virus in groundnut in India, and beetle-transmitted viruses in grain legumes in Central America. In the final thought-provoking chapter, M. J. Thresh discusses the future prospects for disease control, and presents cogent arguments for interdisciplinary collaboration in attempts to solve many remaining problems. This book is very informative, attractively produced, reasonably priced and, although published three years ago, still of great topical interest. I recommend it enthusiastically to all virologists, entomologists, pesticide chemists, agronomists and others who are interested in minimizing virusinduced crop losses. ALAN BRUNT
Gaseous Air Pollutants and Plant Metabolism, ed. by M. J. Koziol and F. R. Whatley. ISBN 0 408 1152 6. (xiv+466 pp; £50.00). London: Butterworths. 1984. This volume publishes the proceedings of the First International Symposium on Gaseous Air Pollutants and Plant Metabolism held at Oxford in August 1982. It is unusual that a further international meeting on the subject of air pollutants and plant growth should be held in the U K within the few years
Book reviews
152 since the 32nd Easter School in Agricultural Science at Sutton Bonington took this as its theme. However, this later symposium differs from its recent antecedent in its stated intention to concentrate upon the biochemical aspects of the effects of gaseous air pollutants on plants. This is achieved admirably within the papers occupying the latter two-thirds of the volume. Not surprisingly, the need was recognized to preface the biological content with a review of the chemical, spatial and temporal nature of air pollution. This is provided in the first of seven sections into which the volume is divided. Five papers set out a global review which aims to define the nature and sources of major gaseous pollutants in representative industrialized regions. In this review, HF, H2S, N H 3, N O x, 03, the photochemical oxidant peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) and SO2 are all discussed. The great disparity in the amount of information available for each of these pollutants soon becomes clear and only N O X, PAN and SO2 are discussed in any detail. A balance is even more difficult to maintain when the biological evidence is introduced subsequently and the whole volume carries a heavy emphasis towards the nature of SO 2 effects. The approach changes very significantly in sections II and III, totalling nine papers which are concerned respectively with structural changes within plant cells and effects on the stomatal control of gaseous exchange and the light reactions of photosynthesis which are produced by
gaseous pollutants. Readers may be frustrated by this abrupt transition and the volume suffers from the lack of involvement with the whole-plant response at this point. Although the intention not to include detailed work published elsewhere can be respected, a useful perspective might have been provided by reviewing, for example, the susceptibility of crops to pollutants, the gross symptoms associated with pollutant injury, how pollution affects crop management and the 'costs' of pollution in terms of altered productivity or quality. Three papers bearing on these issues which might have been usefully used here are included in section VI where they appear rather as a miscellany of peripherally related topics. The final two papers of section III foreshadow sections IV and V which are concerned with biochemical effects at the cellular and organelle level. A total of nine papers discuss the effects of pollutants on bioenergetics, metabolic pathways and buffering capacities. Section VII contains three interesting papers which explore biochemical mechanisms which may be invoked by some plant species to evade injury from potentially toxic pollutant levels. A useful overview of the effects discussed during the symposium is included as an epilogue. This volume is likely to be valued, or not, according to the particular interests and approach of the reader. An enduring impression is-given of a paradoxical area of study: clearly, the
impact of pollutants on plant development can be very important and pollutant effects in complex biochemical systems can be studied and described in some detail. However, many practically important aspects, such as the 'dose' required to initiate injury under realistic conditions, the influence of environmental factors and pollutant transport, transformation, accumulation and loss within or from plants are poorly understood. Since a combination of pollutants is the most likely event in many important situations, it is disturbing that so little should be understood of the sum effects of gaseous air pollutants, either at the whole plant or biochemical system levels. Discussion of pollutants as sources of nutrient elements is a significant omission from this volume. We are left with a vision of considerable challenge to the scientific community to define practical levels at which gaseous pollutants significantly affect plant productivity, before effective threshold levels can be established and corrective measures applied. There is very clearly more than adequate scope for the succeeding symposia in this series which are propoged. This volume has been clearly constructed with a unified and readable style. Although it will be argued that a more economical format would encourage a wide readership, the presentation reflects very creditably on all involved in its publication.. M . J . WEBB
Other publications received Advances in Soil Science, Volume 1, ed. by B. A. Stewart. ISBN 3 540 96027 9. (xi+300 pp; DM128). New York, Berlin, Heidelberg, Tokyo: Springer-Verlag. 1985. Advances in Soil Science, Volume 2, ed. by B. A. Stewart. ISBN 3 540 96114 3. (ix+235 pp; D M 138). New York, Berlin, Heidleberg, Tokyo: Springer-Verlag. 1985.
York, Berlin, Heidleberg, Springer-Verlag. 1985,
Tokyo:
The Biotechnology BusinessmA Strategic Analysis, by Peter Daly. ISBN 0 86187 551 6 (UK); 0 8476 7460 6 (USA). (vii+ 155 pp; £16.50). London: Frances Pinter Publishers; Totowa, New Jersey: Rowman & Allenheld. 1985. In V i t r o Techniques: Propagation
Advances in Soil Science, Volume a, ed. by B. A. Stewart. ISBN 3 540 96116 X. (ix+217 pp; D M 148). New
and Long Term Storage. Advances in Agricultural Biotechnology 14, ed. by A. Sch~fer-Menuhr. ISBN 90
247 3186 0. (xi+ 194 pp; Dfl 110.00; US$38.50; £30.00). Dordrecht, Boston, Lancaster: Martinus Nijhoff/ Dr W. Junk for the Commission of the European Communities. 1985.
Cereal Tissue and Cell Structure. Advances in Agricultural Biotechnology I5, ed. by S. W. J. Bright and M. G. K. Jones. ISBN 90 247 3190 9. (vii+304 pp; Dfl 125.00; US$42.50; £34.75). Dordrecht, Boston, Lancaster: Martinus Nijhoff/Dr W. Junk. 1985.
Book reviews Aviation in Crop Protection, Pollution and Insect Control, by H. R. Quantick. ISBN 0-00-383049-7. (xiii+428 pp; £25.00). London: Collins. 1985. The application of chemicals from aircraft for agricultural and forestry purposes suffered a significant information loss with the demise, in 1981, of the International Agricultural Aviation Centre, together with its quarterly journal, Agricultural Aviation. Roy Quantick's book therefore fills a notable gap in the recent literature, based upon the author's considerable experience, both with the International Agricultural Aviation Centre and commercially, as Operations Manager with the CIBA-Pilatus Aerial Spraying Company. Much of the book is based on his close liaison with the Cranfield Institute of Technology and the Institutes Aerial Application of Pesticides short courses. The chapters on safety aspects, and on productivity and costings, are particularly salutary, but the coverage extends to formulation, meteorology and microclimate, as well as to aspects beyond the agricultural, including fire control and oil-slick dispersal. In all, a well-produced book, to be welcomed at a time when the manner of application of chemicals in the environment is a matter for some debate. This book embodies a broad survey of current knowledge in its particular field. D. R. JoHNSTONE
Plant Virus Epidemiology: The Spread and Control of InsectBorne Viruses, ed. by R. T. Plumb and J. M. Thresh. ISBN 0 632 01028 2 (vii+377 pp; £24.00). Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications. 1983. Rational and effective procedures for controlling plant viruses are mainly dependent upon a thorough understanding of the epidemiology of the viruses and the ecology of their vectors. These subjects, although of paramount importance, often receive much less
attention than they rightly deserve. This book, which contains a wealth of information about the spread and control of insect-borne viruses, is therefore a much-needed source of information for all interested in the control of crop diseases. The book is mainly a compilation of papers presented at an international conference on Plant Virus Epidemiology held in Oxford in July 1981 under the auspices of the International Society for Plant Pathology, and arranged jointly by the Association of Applied Biologists and the Federation of British Plant Pathologists (the latter now superseded by the British Society for Plant Pathology); it is, however, augmented by invited contributions from some leading epidemiologists who were unable to attend the conference. The 34 papers, by authors from 150 countries, describe the epidemiology of viruses infecting a wide range of crops grown in diverse climatic zones and varied ecological conditions. Most are concerned with viruses transmitted by aphids, hoppers or whiteflies, but individual chapters describe the epidemiology of others transmitted by beetles, mealybugs or thrips. A prologue, in which B. D. Harrison concisely describes some important advances, present trends and future prospects for virus control is followed by an informative and comprehensive review by L. Bos of man's involvement in the dissemination and control of viruses. The following three papers, by I. W. Buddenhagen, A. J. Gibbs and R. N. Allen are of great general interest and describe, respectively, crop improvement, plant distribution and mathematical modelling in relation to virus spread. The major part of the book, however, is concerned with aphids as virus vectors. The biology of the major vector species is succinctly reviewed by V. F. Eastop, and the Euraphid system for synoptic monitoring of migrant vectors is described by L. R. Taylor. Subsequent chapters contain detailed, but very readable, accounts of epidemiological studies on specific aphidborne viruses in a range of fruit, orna-
mental, cereal, fodder and vegetable crops. The section on whiteflies contains an introductory account of their biology by L. A. Mound, and authoritative accounts of whiteflytransmitted viruses of tomato in the Middle East, cassava in East Africa and a range of vegetable crops in India and Sri Lanka. Although the epidemiology of hopper-borne viruses receives less attention than that of viruses transmitted by aphids and whiteflies, there are very interesting reviews of virus spread and control in sugar beet in the USA and in cereals (especially rice and maize) in Asia and Central America. The comprehensive treatment of plant virus epidemiology is completed with informative reviews of swollen-shoot virus in cocoa in Ghana, tomato spotted wilt virus in groundnut in India, and beetle-transmitted viruses in grain legumes in Central America. In the final thought-provoking chapter, M. J. Thresh discusses the future prospects for disease control, and presents cogent arguments for interdisciplinary collaboration in attempts to solve many remaining problems. This book is very informative, attractively produced, reasonably priced and, although published three years ago, still of great topical interest. I recommend it enthusiastically to all virologists, entomologists, pesticide chemists, agronomists and others who are interested in minimizing virusinduced crop losses. ALAN BRUNT
Gaseous Air Pollutants and Plant Metabolism, ed. by M. J. Koziol and F. R. Whatley. ISBN 0 408 1152 6. (xiv+466 pp; £50.00). London: Butterworths. 1984. This volume publishes the proceedings of the First International Symposium on Gaseous Air Pollutants and Plant Metabolism held at Oxford in August 1982. It is unusual that a further international meeting on the subject of air pollutants and plant growth should be held in the U K within the few years
Book reviews
152 since the 32nd Easter School in Agricultural Science at Sutton Bonington took this as its theme. However, this later symposium differs from its recent antecedent in its stated intention to concentrate upon the biochemical aspects of the effects of gaseous air pollutants on plants. This is achieved admirably within the papers occupying the latter two-thirds of the volume. Not surprisingly, the need was recognized to preface the biological content with a review of the chemical, spatial and temporal nature of air pollution. This is provided in the first of seven sections into which the volume is divided. Five papers set out a global review which aims to define the nature and sources of major gaseous pollutants in representative industrialized regions. In this review, HF, H2S, N H 3, N O x, 03, the photochemical oxidant peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) and SO2 are all discussed. The great disparity in the amount of information available for each of these pollutants soon becomes clear and only N O X, PAN and SO2 are discussed in any detail. A balance is even more difficult to maintain when the biological evidence is introduced subsequently and the whole volume carries a heavy emphasis towards the nature of SO 2 effects. The approach changes very significantly in sections II and III, totalling nine papers which are concerned respectively with structural changes within plant cells and effects on the stomatal control of gaseous exchange and the light reactions of photosynthesis which are produced by
gaseous pollutants. Readers may be frustrated by this abrupt transition and the volume suffers from the lack of involvement with the whole-plant response at this point. Although the intention not to include detailed work published elsewhere can be respected, a useful perspective might have been provided by reviewing, for example, the susceptibility of crops to pollutants, the gross symptoms associated with pollutant injury, how pollution affects crop management and the 'costs' of pollution in terms of altered productivity or quality. Three papers bearing on these issues which might have been usefully used here are included in section VI where they appear rather as a miscellany of peripherally related topics. The final two papers of section III foreshadow sections IV and V which are concerned with biochemical effects at the cellular and organelle level. A total of nine papers discuss the effects of pollutants on bioenergetics, metabolic pathways and buffering capacities. Section VII contains three interesting papers which explore biochemical mechanisms which may be invoked by some plant species to evade injury from potentially toxic pollutant levels. A useful overview of the effects discussed during the symposium is included as an epilogue. This volume is likely to be valued, or not, according to the particular interests and approach of the reader. An enduring impression is-given of a paradoxical area of study: clearly, the
impact of pollutants on plant development can be very important and pollutant effects in complex biochemical systems can be studied and described in some detail. However, many practically important aspects, such as the 'dose' required to initiate injury under realistic conditions, the influence of environmental factors and pollutant transport, transformation, accumulation and loss within or from plants are poorly understood. Since a combination of pollutants is the most likely event in many important situations, it is disturbing that so little should be understood of the sum effects of gaseous air pollutants, either at the whole plant or biochemical system levels. Discussion of pollutants as sources of nutrient elements is a significant omission from this volume. We are left with a vision of considerable challenge to the scientific community to define practical levels at which gaseous pollutants significantly affect plant productivity, before effective threshold levels can be established and corrective measures applied. There is very clearly more than adequate scope for the succeeding symposia in this series which are propoged. This volume has been clearly constructed with a unified and readable style. Although it will be argued that a more economical format would encourage a wide readership, the presentation reflects very creditably on all involved in its publication.. M . J . WEBB
Other publications received Advances in Soil Science, Volume 1, ed. by B. A. Stewart. ISBN 3 540 96027 9. (xi+300 pp; DM128). New York, Berlin, Heidelberg, Tokyo: Springer-Verlag. 1985. Advances in Soil Science, Volume 2, ed. by B. A. Stewart. ISBN 3 540 96114 3. (ix+235 pp; D M 138). New York, Berlin, Heidleberg, Tokyo: Springer-Verlag. 1985.
York, Berlin, Heidleberg, Springer-Verlag. 1985,
Tokyo:
The Biotechnology BusinessmA Strategic Analysis, by Peter Daly. ISBN 0 86187 551 6 (UK); 0 8476 7460 6 (USA). (vii+ 155 pp; £16.50). London: Frances Pinter Publishers; Totowa, New Jersey: Rowman & Allenheld. 1985. In V i t r o Techniques: Propagation
Advances in Soil Science, Volume a, ed. by B. A. Stewart. ISBN 3 540 96116 X. (ix+217 pp; D M 148). New
and Long Term Storage. Advances in Agricultural Biotechnology 14, ed. by A. Sch~fer-Menuhr. ISBN 90
247 3186 0. (xi+ 194 pp; Dfl 110.00; US$38.50; £30.00). Dordrecht, Boston, Lancaster: Martinus Nijhoff/ Dr W. Junk for the Commission of the European Communities. 1985.
Cereal Tissue and Cell Structure. Advances in Agricultural Biotechnology I5, ed. by S. W. J. Bright and M. G. K. Jones. ISBN 90 247 3190 9. (vii+304 pp; Dfl 125.00; US$42.50; £34.75). Dordrecht, Boston, Lancaster: Martinus Nijhoff/Dr W. Junk. 1985.