The Handbook of Reference Methods for Plant Analysis is an outstanding resource of plant analysis procedures, outlined in easy-to-follow steps and laboratory-ready for implementation. Plant laboratory preparation methods such as dry ashing and acid and microwave digestion are discussed in detail. Extraction techniques for analysis of readily soluble elements (petiole analysis) and quick test kits for field testing are also presented. This handbook consolidates proven, time tested methods in one convenient source. Plant scientists in production agriculture, forestry, horticulture, environmental sciences, and other related disciplines will find the Handbook a standard laboratory reference. The Handbook was written for the Soil and Plant Analysis Council, Inc., of which the editor is a board member. The council aims to promote uniform soil test and plant analysis methods, use, interpretation, and terminology; and to stimulate research on the calibration and use of soil testing and plant analysis. This reference will help readers reach these important goals in their own research.

This book consists of 12 Chapters, describing the methods to analyse various nutrients in plants. The Book is divided into two Sections : General and Determination of Plant nutrients. The Section I. General, provides very elementary and basic information about the various equipments and apparatus used to determine plant nutrients and preparation of Reagents etc. Further, methods of collecting plant samples and their digestion have been described. In Section II. Determination of Plant Nutrients, 8 Chapters describes methods of determining various plant nutrients (Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium, Calcium, Magnesium, Sulphur, Micronutrients and Toxic metals). It will prove very useful to under-graduate and post graduate students and teaching Faculty for Class Room and Laboratory experiments as well as for research.

While there are many books available on methods of organic and biochemical analysis, the majority are either primarily concerned with the application of a particular technique (e.g. paper chromatography) or have been written for an audience of chemists or for biochemists work ing mainly with animaltissues. Thus, no simple guide to modern metho ds of plant analysis exists and the purpose of the present volume is to fill this gap. It is primarily intended for students in the plant sciences, who have a botanical or a general biological background. It should also be of value to students in biochemistry, pharmacognosy, food science and 'natural products' organic chemistry. Most books on chromatography, while admirably covering the needs of research workers, tend to overwhelm the student with long lists of solvent systems and spray reagents that can be applied to each class of organic constituent. The intention here is to simplify the situation by listing only a few specially recommended techniques that have wide currency in phytochemical laboratories. Sufficient details are provided to allow the student to use the techniques for themselves and most sections contain some introductory practical experiments which can be used in classwork.

In the field of plant analysis there is a confusing variety of methods and procedures, both for digestions and determinations. In many cases the digestion and the subsequent determination are interrelated. For example, a separate digestion is needed for trace elements in order to obtain determinable concentrations. The authors have chosen a design in which the digestion/extraction procedure is described in one chapter together with all determination procedures that may be carried out on that particular digest/extract. All the necessary information (such as standardizations) appears in appendices. As a consequence, several determination procedures are described two or three times, however, each based on a particular digestion or extraction method. Two types of determination procedure are described: manual and automated. Manual procedures are mainly used in research laboratories, whereas automated procedures are more frequently applied in routine laboratories. Both types of determinations can be used freely, provided that appropriate equipment is available. The determination procedures are only for inorganic components, usually elements. Besides, most procedures are designed to give a total content value of the element under consideration, regardless of the chemical structure in which it occurs in the plant. The Plant Analysis Manual is intended for the practicing (agricultural) chemist.

Allelopathy is a new field of science, as the term Allelopathycoined by Prof. Hans Molisch, a German Plant Physiologist in 1937. However, no standard methods are being used by various workers due to lack of compendium on the Techniques, hence, the results obtained are not easily comparable with each others. Till now lot of allelopathy resech has been done in various fields of Agricultural and Plant Sciences. However, there is no compilation of various Research Methods used. Every scientist is conducting research in his own way. It is causing lot of problems to researchers working in underdeveloped/Third World Countries in small towns without Library facilities. Therefore, to make available the standard methods for conducting allelopathy research independently, this multi-volume book has been planned. Since allelopathy is multi-disciplinary area of research, hence, volumes have been planned for each discipline. Prof. S.S. Narwal has planned this multi-volume Book Research Methods in Plant Sciences : Allelopathy. Three volumes (Volume 1. Soil Analysis, Volume 2. Plant Protection and Volume 3. Plant Pathogens) of this Book were released during the IV. International Allelopathy Conference, August 23-25, 2004 at Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125004, India. Volumes 4. Plant Analysis and Volume 5. Plant Physiology will be released in November, 2006. Three volumes (Volume 6. Cell Diagnostics, Volume 7. Chemistry Methods and Volume 8. Weed Studies) are under preparation. This book consists of 12 Chapters, describing the methods to analyse various nutrients in plants. The Book is devided into two Sections : General and Determination of Plant nutrients. The Section I. General, provides very elementary and basic information about the various equipments and apparatus used to determine plant nutrients and preparation of Reagents etc. Further, methods of collecting plant samples and their digestion have been described. In Section II. Determination of Plant Nutrients, 8 Chapters describes methods of determining various plant nutrients (Carbon, Nitrogen, Phospherus, Potassium, Sodium, Calcium, Magnesium, Sulphur, Micronutrients and Toxic metals).