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Herbicides and plant growth regulators
384
Book reviews
draws together, for the first time, previously scattered information on this major group of plant pathogens. As such it will be of great value to workers engaged in both pure and applied research on diseases caused by downy mildews. The book is lavishly produced but even so the price seems unrealistic. I have recently encountered consumer resistance by libraries, let alone individuals and, unlike the adaptable downy mildews, one wonders whether volumes of this format and price are doomed to extinction.
appropriate choice of topics and covered each of these reasonably well for a book of this size and price. They should be particularly commended for their introductory section which sets a sensible perspective concerning the monetary impact of herbicides and covering sales and tonnage figures which demonstrate the strategic importance of herbicides to the world's agriculture. The final chapter on the environmental effect of herbicides is another commendable part of this book and it provides a sensible review of this topic. J.A. LUCAS The book is well indexed and cross-referenced. Unfortunately, the index contains some spelling mistakes (i.e. Bisidin, Fareron, Herbicides a n d Plant G r o w t h Regu- Isophoes, Matavan) and the occasional inlators, by W.W. Fletcher and R.C. Kirk- correct allocation of herbicide code numbers wood. ISBN 0-246-11266-2. (vii+408 pp; (notably R27788). The text of the book £25.00). London, Toronto, Sydney, New seems remarkably free of such errors. York: Granada Publishing Limited. 1982. The chapter devoted to 'Classification, Discovery and Use of Herbicides' presents This book is intended to be 'of interest and in very readable format a synopsis of herbivalue to University and College staff and cides including the dates of their introducstudents of various disciplines and to scien- tion. This encourages the student to have a tists in research institutes, advisory services historical perspective of the development of and industry'. It consists of an Introductory each chemical family. Unfortunately, this section followed by chapters on 'Classifica- chapter contains many unforced errors, tion, Discovery and Use of Herbicides', especially in the chemistry. The chemical 'Plant Growth Regulators', 'Absorption and structures assigned to aminotriazole (p. 59), Translocation of Foliage-applied Herbi- bromoxynil (p. 32), diclofopmethyl (p. 27), cides', 'Absorption and Translocation of ioxynil (p. 32) and pendimethalin (p.:39) are Soil-applied Herbicides', 'Biochemical wrong and the omission of alkyl groups in Mechanisms of Action', 'Metabolism of SN40624 (p. 48) looks suspect. Whilst the Herbicides', and 'Herbicides and the En- chemical relationships between the different vironment'. The balance between the members of the groups of herbicides allows chapters reflects the authors' scientific inter- comparison, the structures do not always est with almost half of the book concerned draw the reader's attention to whether larger with herbicide metabolism and environmen- alkyl groups (C3, C4, etc.) are secondary, tal aspects. The remainder is uniformly tertiary or iso. divided between the other subjects. Nevertheless, despite these criticisms, this The authors admit that the potential is a useful book which should be valuable subject matter is enormous and that they especially to students of a variety of discihave been selective in their choice of con- plines, except chemistry. tents. In view of their intended student readership, they seem to have made an R.G. TURNER
Book reviews
draws together, for the first time, previously scattered information on this major group of plant pathogens. As such it will be of great value to workers engaged in both pure and applied research on diseases caused by downy mildews. The book is lavishly produced but even so the price seems unrealistic. I have recently encountered consumer resistance by libraries, let alone individuals and, unlike the adaptable downy mildews, one wonders whether volumes of this format and price are doomed to extinction.
appropriate choice of topics and covered each of these reasonably well for a book of this size and price. They should be particularly commended for their introductory section which sets a sensible perspective concerning the monetary impact of herbicides and covering sales and tonnage figures which demonstrate the strategic importance of herbicides to the world's agriculture. The final chapter on the environmental effect of herbicides is another commendable part of this book and it provides a sensible review of this topic. J.A. LUCAS The book is well indexed and cross-referenced. Unfortunately, the index contains some spelling mistakes (i.e. Bisidin, Fareron, Herbicides a n d Plant G r o w t h Regu- Isophoes, Matavan) and the occasional inlators, by W.W. Fletcher and R.C. Kirk- correct allocation of herbicide code numbers wood. ISBN 0-246-11266-2. (vii+408 pp; (notably R27788). The text of the book £25.00). London, Toronto, Sydney, New seems remarkably free of such errors. York: Granada Publishing Limited. 1982. The chapter devoted to 'Classification, Discovery and Use of Herbicides' presents This book is intended to be 'of interest and in very readable format a synopsis of herbivalue to University and College staff and cides including the dates of their introducstudents of various disciplines and to scien- tion. This encourages the student to have a tists in research institutes, advisory services historical perspective of the development of and industry'. It consists of an Introductory each chemical family. Unfortunately, this section followed by chapters on 'Classifica- chapter contains many unforced errors, tion, Discovery and Use of Herbicides', especially in the chemistry. The chemical 'Plant Growth Regulators', 'Absorption and structures assigned to aminotriazole (p. 59), Translocation of Foliage-applied Herbi- bromoxynil (p. 32), diclofopmethyl (p. 27), cides', 'Absorption and Translocation of ioxynil (p. 32) and pendimethalin (p.:39) are Soil-applied Herbicides', 'Biochemical wrong and the omission of alkyl groups in Mechanisms of Action', 'Metabolism of SN40624 (p. 48) looks suspect. Whilst the Herbicides', and 'Herbicides and the En- chemical relationships between the different vironment'. The balance between the members of the groups of herbicides allows chapters reflects the authors' scientific inter- comparison, the structures do not always est with almost half of the book concerned draw the reader's attention to whether larger with herbicide metabolism and environmen- alkyl groups (C3, C4, etc.) are secondary, tal aspects. The remainder is uniformly tertiary or iso. divided between the other subjects. Nevertheless, despite these criticisms, this The authors admit that the potential is a useful book which should be valuable subject matter is enormous and that they especially to students of a variety of discihave been selective in their choice of con- plines, except chemistry. tents. In view of their intended student readership, they seem to have made an R.G. TURNER