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. Gonzalez, 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, Jose A. Hodar, and Jose M. Gomez) * 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