J Plant Physiol. Vol. 142. pp. 768 (1993)

E. Muller, W. Loeffler: Mykologie. 366 pp. Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, New York (1992). (ISBN 3-13-436805-6). Price: 36.00 DM.

The fifth unchanged edition of the this book contains basic knowledge and some important applications in the field of mycol­ogy.

After a short introduction containing general aspects of the my­cology, the authors describe in four chapters the morphology and the ultrastructure, the physiology and the transmission of the fungi as well as some aspects of applied mycology. The taxonomy of fungi presents a view in the second part of the book comprising about 160 pages. The last part of the book includes extensive infor­mation about the literature published on this field allowing further more detailed studies.

All parts of the book are clearly arranged and illustrated with fig­ures of high quality. Especially the first four chapters are described in a very clear form, which justifies the book as compendium for scientists and students. However, the volume of the taxonomical part is too extensive for a compendium.

Altogether, this book is successful and is to recommended for students and scientists studying and working on the field of mycol­ogy.

Gotthard Kunze, Gatersleben

J. Kolek, V. Kozinka (editors): Physiology of the Plant Root System. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, 361 pp. (ISBN 0-7923-1205-8). Price: Hardcover 72.00 pounds sterling.

This book was published in the series «Developments in Plant and Soil Sciences» of the K1uwer Academic Publishers. The authors, scientists of the Institute of Botany of the Slovak Academy of Sci­ences, aimed to summarize the present knowledge of the physiol­ogy of the plant root system. It also expounds, however the ques­tions of morphology, tissue structure and the interactions between root and stam. The basic metabolical and the root's special proces­ses are described fully. The role of hormones, however, especially the determining role of abscisic acid could be further explained in detail. Best detailed are the chapters of water relations and ion up­t~ke. Besides the well-described transport processes, ion mecha­nisms and nitrogen, phosphate and sulphate metabolisms, only little attention is payed to cations. Having a whole chapter devoted to stress physiology is the book's great advantage. Among the unfa­vourable conditions, the effects of almost all significant stress fac­tors (low temperature, drought, salinity, anoxya), and the tolerance mechanisms of the root are surveyed_ The book contains several well-arranged figures but the quality of some of the photos is weak. The book has a clear structure and it is built up logically. It can be a good help mainly for physiologists and ecophysiologists, because the investigation of the root, especially its stress physiological as­pect is developing to one of the most important scientific research fields of today.

Zoltan Nagy, Godollo

Book Reviews

P. John: Biosynthesis of the Major Crop Products. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, New York, Brisbane, Toronto, Singapore (1992)_ (ISBN 0-471-93816-5). Price: Paperback: 26.50 US$.

The book provides an overview on biosynthesis and accumula­tion of sucrose, starch, fructans, cellulose, oils, rubber and proteins, the products of high importance in industry and food supplies. The book is well arranged. The book contains eight chapters. Structure of the chapters are similar beginning with description of general economic importance and present and possible future uses of the product. Further items in the chapters concentrates on biosynthe­sis, accumulation and biotechnological uses of the product. Struc­tures of the compounds are included too when necessary.

Description of possible different pathways during biosynthesis of these products are also given together with sites of deposition. En­zymes participating in the synthesis of the compound are listed in separate tables making more clear the schematic representation of the synthetic process. Organs and tissues specialized for storage are given in a table. Furthermore exact descriptions of structure and de­velopment of cell organelles specialized for storage of the com­pound considered are also given. For each products separate items discuss where the present state of biochemical knowledge provides a basis for future biotechnological developments. Each chapter closes with a list of further reading and additional references. The book is well illustrated, line drawings and micrographs are of good quality and easy to survey. The book is therefore suitable for under­graduates in their studies for degrees in the Plant and Agricultural Sciences, and those scientists who have an interest in the produc­tivity of crops.

G. Kemeny, Godollo

A. Hiatt (editor): Transgenic Plants. Fundamentals and Ap­plications. 340 pp., 45 figures. (Book in soils, plants, and the environment). Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York 1993. (ISBN 0-8247-8766-8). Price: Hardcover $ 135.00.

Certainly the time was ripe for a book on Transgenic Plants. Andrew Hiatt presents a rather non-uniform collection of pure, useful review articles and articles containing rather detailed descriptions of original or already published data embedded in more general comments. 16 contributions are arranged under the headings Transgenic Manipulation of Metabolism (4 articles), Viral Pathogen Resistance (2 articles), Techniques for Transformation of Photosynthetic Organisms (4 articles), Molecular Farming (2 artic­les) and Ribozymes and Antisense RNA (3 articles). The field has grown so rapidly that the book does not cover all aspects of the field. For instance, strategies to map and isolate interesting and/or useful genes are missing. Disadvantageous for the reader, the index is unsatisfactory and only careful reading uncovers all the informa­tion provided. In addition, a price of $ 135 for a small book (15.7 x 23.3 cm) with a few medium-quality half-tone figures will rather stimulate private persons to xerox from a library copy than to buy the book in an academic book shop.

Ulrich Wobus, Gatersleben