The Soil-Root Interface contains the proceedings of an international symposium held in Oxford, England, on March 28 to 31, 1978. The first five chapters of this book contain the majority of papers presented at the meeting, as well as the descriptions of displayed posters and films. Abstracts of other contributions offered by participants but not read at the meeting form the final chapter. The first five parts cover topics on nutrient demand and supply at the soil root interface; physics and chemistry of the interfacial region; biological activities at the interface; the interface in relation to environmental stress and disease; and the interface in relation to soil function and growth.

In the rhizosphere, exudates from plants and microorganisms as well as stable soil organic matter influence processes that can control plant growth, microbial infections, and nutrient uptake. As the chemistry and biochemistry of these substances becomes more and more clear, their study promises to shed light on the complex interactions between plan

The root is the organ that functions as the interface between the plant and the earth environment. Many human management practices involving crops, forests and natural vegetation also affect plant growth through the soil and roots. Understanding the morphology and function of roots from the cellular level to the level of the whole root system is required for both plant production and environmental protection. This book is at the forefront of plant root science (rhizology), catering to professional plant scientists and graduate students. It covers root development, stress physiology, ecology, and associations with microorganisms. The chapters are selected papers originally presented at the 6th Symposium of the International Society of Root Research, where plant biologists, ecologists, soil microbiologists, crop scientists, forestry scientists, and environmental scientists, among others, gathered to discuss current research results and to establish rhizology as a newly integrated research area.

Offering an enlightening perspective of the root-soil interface, this collection of electron micrographs demonstrates the dynamic nature of the root surface as cells differentiate, function, and age.