The book comprises of different chapters associated with methodology in Plant science (Botany), describing in a simple and comprehensive way. The importance of creativity and motivation in research, the planning and proposal of research project, the description of different techniques involved in research are described in an elaborate way. It also includes the sources/collection of scientific information, method of scientific report/paper/thesis writing etc. The book is also a source of different aspects of research methodology in plant science dealt with in a comprehensive manner tailored to the needs of postgraduate students/research scholars for easy understanding. The book is profusely illustrated. The different chapters described in the book include: Introduction, Microscopy, Plant micro-technique, Smear/Sqush technique, Plant tissue culture, Herbarium technique, Hydrogen ion concentration (pH), Centrifugation, Chromatography, Electrophoresis, Colorimetry, Spectro-photometry, Radio-isotopes in biology and Computers and their application in plant sciences. Chapters on Biostatistics, Biophysics and Bioinformatics have also been included to help the student in the statistical analysis of the results, physical principles involved in the operation of different instruments and basics of bioinformatics. We sincerely hope that this book helps to fill up the lacuna and provides what all that is needed about the research methods required for a scholar/student in plant sciences to pursue their higher studies.

If global challenges in food production and the impact of ever-declining biodiversity are to be tackled, every country will need plant biologists who have a deep understanding of plant morphology, physiology and genetics, and how these interact to affect plant function in changing environments. These scientists will also need the capacity to use an effective and powerful set of technologies and research strategies. To prepare and inspire our students to become that next generation of researchers and to instill a meaningful involvement in research we created an integrated set of laboratory investigations that we felt truly reflected the mysteries of plant biology and puzzle-solving processes that we had encountered in our research experience. Rather than a set of unconnected experimental activities, we created a series of closely related experiments that focused on solving ‘mysteries’ in the life of the plant Arabidopsis thaliana (thale cress). The activities charge students with finding the ‘suspect’ gene responsible for the specific phenotypes of an unknown Arabidopsis mutant, which are encountered when they expose the plants to different environmental stresses. This, we hoped, would give keen but inexperienced student scientists a realistic taste of the joys (and frustrations!) of plant science research. Although thrilled by numerous university and national awards for our innovative teaching, we have been most excited by the interest in our ideas and experimental approaches from other plant science educators in Australia and overseas, who are also seeking to improve their plant biology curriculum and attract more students to plant sciences. We are thus proud to present this manual as a gift to our colleagues worldwide. Here you will find a detailed collection of state-of-the-art procedures in plant biology, as well as background information on more commonly used techniques, and tips for class preparation. The concepts and methods we present can be adapted to meet the specific needs and expertise of the teaching staff, and provide inspiration for scaling up for larger audiences, or simplifying for more junior classes. Through this publication, we hope to support our teaching colleagues in making a significant impact on improving the learning experience of plant biology students worldwide, and hope that we will motivate and inspire a new generation of plant detectives.

Methods in Plant Molecular Biology is a lab manual that introduces students to a diversity of molecular techniques needed for experiments with plant cells. Those included have been perfected and are now presented for the first time in a usable and teachable form. Because the manual integrates protein, RNA, and DNA techniques, it will serve students, teachers, and researchers in plant physiology, biophysics, and animal molecular biology who have no previous experience handling recombinant DNA or purified proteins. It can also be used by the established molecular biologist who wishes to utilize the powerful techniques of recombinant DNA to explore the mysteries of the plant kingdom. Eight basic experiments which can be used collectively or individually cover Recombinant Cloning and Screening in E. coli; DNA Sequencing Plant RNA Isolation and in Vitro Translations Plant DNA Isolations and Genomic DNA Southern AnalysisChloroplast Isolation and Protein SynthesisPlant Tissue Culture and Agrobacterium Transformations Experiments that have been student tested for three years Blueprints for setting up gel rigs Comprehensive course schedule outlining individual procedures to be finished in each lab segment Course can be tailored to suit the needs of the individual instructor