Plants depend on physiological mechanisms to combat adverse environmental conditions, such as pathogen attack, wounding, drought, cold, freezing, salt, UV, intense light, heavy metals and SO2. Many of these cause excess production of active oxygen species in plant cells. Plants have evolved complex defense systems against such oxidative stress. The study of these mechanisms has become a fast-moving, important field to many biologists. Written and edited by world-leading scientists, Oxidative Stress in Plants explores the current knowledge of the mechanisms by which various biotic and abiotic environmental stress conditions produce oxygen radicals. The text considers the biochemistry and molecular biology of both non-enzymatic (vitamin C, glutathione) and enzymatic systems which eliminate active oxygen species. In addition, the book discusses evidence that active oxygen species and antioxidants act as signals which trigger defense reactions.
