Peanut is an important crop in the semi-arid regions of the world. Both, irrigation and well water can provide the water necessary for it. It is a nutritious seed nut crop and has manyfold uses. As such, research on this crop is imperative. This book reviews physiological aspects, keeping in mind the changing agroclimatic conditions. Growth, development and yield are described on the basis of cellular and morphological manifestations. Being a C3 plant, the photosynthesis and respiration in peanuts is critically viewed specially under varying environment conditions and genotypes. The study of nitrogen assimilation and biological nitrogen fixation have been presented in light of the prevalent environmental and gene effects. The role of plant growth regulators in peanuts is elaborated on, stating up-to-date mode of actions. Special emphasis has been given to mechanisms of abiotic stress effects. The chapters (13) are arranged on the basis of physiology, cellular structure, biochemistry, molecular and genomics concepts.

In this major 1993 work, Lloyd Evans provides an integrated view of the domestication, adaptation and improvement of crop plants, bringing together genetic diversity, plant breeding, physiology and aspects of agronomy. Considerations of yield and maximum yield provide continuity throughout the book. Food, feed, fibre, fuel and pharmaceutical crops are all discussed. Cereals, grain legumes and root crops, both temperate and tropical, provide many of the examples, but pasture plants, oilseeds, leafy crops, fruit trees and others are also considered. After the introductory chapter, the increasing significance of crop yields to the world's food supply is highlighted. The next three chapters consider changes to crop plants over the last ten thousand years, including domestication, adaptation and improvement. Aimed at research workers and advanced students in crop physiology and ecology, agronomy and plant breeding, this book also reaches conclusions of relevance to those concerned with developmental policy, agricultural research and management, environmental quality, resource depletion and human history.

Understanding biotic stress and plant yield allows for the practical development of economic decision making, an instrumental part of Integrated Pest Management. And further, the impact of biotic injury on plant yield bears directly on the basic biological questions of population dynamics, life history strategies, community structure, plant-stresso