N.R. Baker – författare

Photosynthesis and the Environment examines how photosynthesis may be influenced by environmental changes. Structural and functional aspects of the photosynthetic apparatus are examined in the context of responses to environmental stimuli; particular attention being given to the processing of light energy by thylakoids, metabolic regulation, gas exchange and source-sink relations. The roles of developmental and genetic responses in determining photosynthetic performance are also considered. The complexity of the responses to environmental change is demonstrated by detailed analyses of the effects of specific environmental variables (light, temperature, water, CO2, ozone and UV-B) on photosynthetic performance. Where appropriate attention is given to recent developments in the techniques used for studying photosynthetic activities. The book is intended for advanced undergraduate and graduate students and a wide range of scientists with research interests in environmental effects on photosynthesis and plant productivity.

Since photosynthetic performance is a fundamental determinant of yield in the vast majority of crops, an understanding of the factors limiting photosynthetic productivity has a crucial role to play in crop improvement programmes.Photosynthesis, unlike the majority of physiological processes in plants, has been the subject of extensive studies at the molecular level for many years. This reductionist approach has resulted in the development of an impressive and detailed understanding of the mechanisms of light capture, energy transduction and carbohydrate biosynthesis, processes that are clearly central to the success of the plant and the productivity of crops.This volume examines in the widest context the factors determining the photosynthetic performance of crops. The emphasis throughout the book is on the setting for photosynthesis rather than the fundamental process itself.The book will prove useful to a wide range of plant scientists, and will encourage a more rapid integration of disciplines in the quest to understand and improve the productivity of crops by the procedures of classical breeding and genetic manipulation.