Nearly all the chemical elements that make up living things are mineral elements, the ultimate source of which is rock weathered into soil. In this thoroughly revised 2nd edition, Epstein and Bloom explain that plant roots 'mine' these nutrients elementsfrom their inorganic substrate and introduce them into the realm of living things.

This text presents the principles of mineral nutrition in the light of current advances. For this second edition more emphasis has been placed on root water relations and functions of micronutrients as well as external and internal factors on root growth and the root-soil interface.

This textbook aims to describe the role of minerals in plant life cycle; how these nutrients are absorbed, distributed, stored; what functions each mineral plays and the disorders that their excess or absence may cause. From an agronomic perspective, such knowledge is key to boost crop production and improve its quality, and it also helps understand how to better manage fertilizers and prevent environmental issues. The book has focus on tropical agriculture and its specific demands, providing examples of major crops (such as sugarcane, soybeans, coffee etc), silviculture and pasture species.

The chemistry of plant nutrients in soil. The physiological role of minerals in the plant. Nitrogen and plant disease. Phosphorus and plant disease. Potassium and plant disease. Calcium and plant disease. Magnesium and plant disease. Sulfur and plant disease. Iron and plant disease. Manganese and plant disease. Zinc and plant disease. Copper and plant disease. Chlorine and plant disease. Molybdenum and plant disease. Boron and plant disease. Nickel and plant disease. Silicon and plant disease. Aluminum and plant disease.

The elements of plant nutrition. Transport. Aspects of energetics and the metabolism of individual elements. Heredity and environment in plant nutrition.

The study of plant mineral nutrition has both academic and applied aspects to it. Today, research into plant mineral nutrition is more pertinent than ever in the face of a growing world population and the increasing need for sustainable agriculture. In Plant Mineral Nutrients: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers in the field detail a comprehensive collection of methodologies that are routinely used in plant mineral nutrition research. These include methods and protocols for plant growth parameters, ion contents and composition, soil analyses, flux measurements and the use of public facilities for high throughput analyses. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular BiologyTM series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Plant Mineral Nutrients: Methods and Protocols seeks to aid scientist in the further study of into plants and their mineral nutrients.

By the year 2050, the world's population is expected to reach nine billion. To feed and sustain this projected population, world food production must increase by at least 50 percent on much of the same land that we farm today. To meet this staggering challenge, scientists must develop the technology required to achieve an "evergreen" revolution-one