A multiplicity of biotrophic micro-organisms interact with plants in nature, forming symbiotic relationships that range from mutualism to antagonism. Microorganisms that have adopted biotrophy as a lifestyle are able to colonize the plant and often to cross the plant cell boundaries by forming intracellular structures that are the site of nutrient uptake/exchange. To establish themselves within plant tissues, both mutualistic and pathogenic biotrophs need to overcome the plant defense response through an exchange of molecular signals. Our knowledge of the nature of these signals and their function in the interaction has rapidly increased over the last few years. This volume focuses on the genetic, molecular and cellular components involved in the communication between partners of well-known symbioses, but also reports on the advances for less studied systems.

Plant neurobiology is a newly emerging field of plant sciences. It covers signalling and communication at all levels of biological organization – from molecules up to ecological communities. In this book, plants are presented as intelligent and social organisms with complex forms of communication and information processing. Authors from diverse backgrounds such as molecular and cellular biology, electrophysiology, as well as ecology treat the most important aspects of plant communication, including the plant immune system, abilities of plants to recognize self, signal transduction, receptors, plant neurotransmitters and plant neurophysiology. Further, plants are able to recognize the identity of herbivores and organize the defence responses accordingly. The similarities in animal and plant neuronal/immune systems are discussed too. All these hidden aspects of plant life and behaviour will stimulate further intense investigations in order to understand the communicative plants in their whole complexity.

How Plants Communicate with Their Biotic Environment addresses how plants perceive the presence of organisms (other plants, microbes, insects and nematodes) living in their proximity, how they manage to be attractive when these organisms are friendly, and how they defend themselves from foes. Specific chapters delve into ecology and defense mechanisms, allelopathy and the role of allelochemicals in plant defense, plant signaling, and plant communication with microbes and animals, including herbivores. In addition, the book presents discussions on communication and its role in plant pollination. This comprehensive resource presents tactics that can be taken from the lab, to the bench, to the forest. - Gathers, under a common general outline, a comprehensive knowledge issued from distinct scientific communities - Combines three life science disciplines, including ecology, evolutionary biology, and molecular biology - Addresses a topical subject as the natural biological processes described represent basic knowledge that help develop low input sustainable agriculture - Written by renowned scientists in their field

Plants have evolved with a complex array of signaling molecules to facilitate their growth and development and their interactions with the environment. A vast number of different peptide molecules form an important but until recently often overlooked component amongst these signaling molecules. Plant peptide signals are involved in regulating meristem growth and organogenesis, modulating plant growth and homeostatic responses. They also have important roles as signals of imminent danger or pathogen attack. This volume focuses on the roles of various peptide signaling molecules in development, defence and homeostasis. As it is likely that further plant peptide signaling molecules remain to be discovered, the last section takes a practical look at methods to identify new peptides and characterise their functions.

Since the concept of allelopathy was introduced almost 100 years ago, research has led to an understanding that plants are involved in complex communicative interactions. They use a battery of different signals that convey plant-relevant information within plant individuals as well as between plants of the same species or different species. The 13 chapters of this volume discuss all these topics from an ecological perspective. Communication between plants allows them to share physiological and ecological information relevant for their survival and ?tness. It is obvious that in these very early days of ecological plant communication research we are illuminating only the ‘tip of iceberg’ of the communicative nature of higher plants. Nevertheless, knowledge on the identity and informative value of volatiles used by plants for communication is increasing with breath-taking speed. Among the most spectacular examples are sit- tions where plant emitters warn neighbours about a danger, increasing their innate immunity, or when herbivore-attacked plants attract the enemies of the herbivores (‘cry for help’ and ‘plant bodyguards’ concepts). It is becoming obvious that plants use not only volatile signals but also diverse water soluble molecules, in the case of plant roots, to safeguard their evolutionary success and accomplish self/non-self kin rec- nition. Importantly, as with all the examples of biocommunication, irrespective of whether signals and signs are transmitted via physical or chemical pathways, plant communication is a rule-governed and sign-mediated process.

This book provides an overview of the latest advances concerning symbiotic relationships between plants and microbes, and their applications in plant productivity and agricultural sustainability. Symbiosis is a living phenomenon including dynamic variations in the genome, metabolism and signaling network, and adopting a multidirectional perspective on their interactions is required when studying symbiotic organisms. Although various plant-microbe symbiotic systems are covered in this book, it especially focuses on arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) symbiosis and root nodule symbiosis, the two most prevalent systems. AM symbiosis involves the most extensive interaction between plants and microbes, in the context of phylogeny and ecology. As more than 90% of all known species of plants have the potential to form mycorrhizal associations, the productivity and species composition, as well as the diversity of natural ecosystems, are frequently dependent upon the presence and activity of mycorrhizas. In turn, root nodule symbiosis includes morphogenesis and is formed by communication between plants and nitrogen-fixing bacteria. The biotechnological application of plant–microbe symbiosis is expected to foster the production of agricultural and horticultural products while maintaining ecologically and economically sustainable production systems. Designed as a hands-on guide, this book offers an essential resource for researchers and students in the areas of agri-biotechnology, soil biology and fungal biology.

Our image of plants is changing dramatically away from passive entities merely subject to environmental forces and organisms that are designed solely for the accumulation of photosynthate. Plants are revealing themselves to be dynamic and highly sensitive organisms that actively and competitively forage for limited resources, both above and below ground, organisms that accurately gauge their circumstances, use sophisticated cost-benefit analysis, and take clear actions to mitigate and control diverse environmental threats. Moreover, plants are also capable of complex recognition of self and non-self and are territorial in behavior. They are as sophisticated in behavior as animals but their potential has been masked because it operates on time scales many orders of magnitude less than those of animals. Plants are sessile organisms. As such, the only alternative to a rapidly changing environment is rapid adaptation. This book will focus on all these new and exciting aspects of plant biology.