The Molecular and Physiological Basis of Nutrient Use Efficiency in Crops

Efforts to increase efficient nutrient use by crops are of growing importance as the global demand for food, fibre and fuel increases and competition for resources intensifies. The Molecular and Physiological Basis of Nutrient Use Efficiency in Crops provides both a timely summary of the latest advances in the field as well as anticipating directions for future research.  The Molecular and Physiological Basis of Nutrient Use Efficiency in Crops bridges the gap between agronomic practice and molecular biology by linking underpinning molecular mechanisms to the physiological and agronomic aspects of crop yield. These chapters provide an understanding of molecular and physiological mechanisms that will allow researchers to continue to target and improve complex traits for crop improvement. Written by leading international researchers, The Molecular and Physiological Basis of Nutrient Use Efficiency in Crops will be an essential resource for the crop science community for years to come. Special Features: coalesces current knowledge in the areas of efficient acquisition and utilization of nutrients by crop plants with emphasis on modern developments addresses future directions in crop nutrition in the light of changing climate patterns including temperature and water availability bridges the gap between traditional agronomy and molecular biology with focus on underpinning molecular mechanisms and their effects on crop yield includes contributions from a leading team of global experts in both research and practical settings

Preface vii Contributors ix Part I: Generic Aspects of Crop Nutrition 3 Chapter 1 An Overview of Nutrient Use Efficiency and Strategies for Crop Improvement 5 Malcolm J. Hawkesford Chapter 2 Crop Root Systems and Nutrient Uptake from Soils 21 Peter J. Gregory Chapter 3 The Role of the Rhizosphere in Nutrient Use Efficiency in Crops 47 Petra Marschner Chapter 4 Optimizing Canopy Physiology Traits to Improve the Nutrient Utilization Efficiency of Crops 65 M. John Foulkes and Erik H. Murchie Chapter 5 Senescence and Nutrient Remobilization in Crop Plants 83 Per L. Gregersen Chapter 6 Effects of Nitrogen and Sulfur Nutrition on Grain Composition and Properties of Wheat and Related Cereals 103 Peter R. Shewry Part II: Nitrogen as a Key Driver of Production 121 Chapter 7 Genetic Improvement of Nutrient Use Efficiency in Wheat 123 Jacques Le Gouis Chapter 8 The Molecular Genetics of Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Crops 139 Bertrand Hirel and Peter J. Lea Chapter 9 Biotechnological Approaches to Improving Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Plants: Alanine Aminotransferase as a Case Study 165 Allen G. Good and Perrin H. Beatty Chapter 10 Transporters Involved in Nitrogen Uptake and Movement 193 Anthony J. Miller and Nick Chapman Chapter 11 Crop Improvement for Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Irrigated Lowland Rice 211 Shaobing Peng Part III: Other Critical Macro- and Micronutrients 227 Chapter 12 Phosphorus as a Critical Macronutrient 229 Carroll P. Vance Chapter 13 Uptake, Distribution, and Physiological Functions of Potassium, Calcium, and Magnesium 265 Frans J.M. Maathuis and Dorina Podar Chapter 14 Sulfur Nutrition in Crop Plants 295 Luit J. De Kok, Ineke Stulen, and Malcolm J. Hawkesford Chapter 15 Iron Nutrition and Implications for Biomass Production and the Nutritional Quality of Plant Products 311 Jean-François Briat Chapter 16 Zinc in Soils and Crop Nutrition 335 Behzad Sadeghzadeh and Zed Rengel Chapter 17 Overview of the Acquisition and Utilization of Boron, Chlorine, Copper, Manganese, Molybdenum, and Nickel by Plants and Prospects for Improvement of Micronutrient Use Efficiency 377 Patrick H. Brown and Elias Bassil Part IV: Specialized Case Studies 429 Chapter 18 Drought and Implications for Nutrition 431 Eric Ober and Martin A.J. Parry Chapter 19 Salt Resistance of Crop Plants: Physiological Characterization of a Multigenic Trait 443 Sven Schubert Chapter 20 Legumes and Nitrogen Fixation: Physiological, Molecular, Evolutionary Perspectives, and Applications 457 Muthusubramanian Venkateshwaran and Jean-Michel Ané Index 491