Plant Cell Biotechnology, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1988 Coll. Nato ASI Subseries H:, Vol. 18

A number of interdisciplinary fields related to Plant Cell Biotechnology are discussed. The two main directions are: Plant cell culture in agricultural applications for the improvement of crops and industrial applications in the production of secondary metabolites. A number of areas such as physiological and biochemical aspects of autotrophic cells, gene characterization in higher plants, transformation of plant cells, genetic stability in plant cell cultures, somatic hybridization and somatic embryogenesis are treated. Recent knowledge on somaclonal and gametoclonal variation as well as on the obtainment of protoplasts and their use for the isolation and culture of heterocaryons as tools for plant breeding are considered. Furthermore, the knowledge on biomass production in fermentor conditions and the role of immobilization for increased production and scale-up of plant cells are discussed.

1. Introduction to Plant Biotechnology.- 2. The Contributions and Prospects of Plant Biotechnology — an Assessement.- 3. Somatic Hybridization of Plants and its Use in Agriculture.- 4. Biotechnology for the Improvement of Cereal and other Grass Crops.- 5. Cell Culture of the Poaceae (Gramineae).- 6. Callus Induction in Endosperms from Maize Mutants with Different IAA Content.- 7. Somatic Embryogenesis in Hordeum vulgare and Secale vavilovii.- 8. Somatic Embryogenesis in Conifers.- 9. Regeneration of thalliclones (?) from Laurencia.- 10. Genetic Instability in Plant Cell Cultures: Utilization in Plant Breeding and Genetic Studies.- 11. Gene characterization in Higher Plants.- 12. Regulation of Genes Involved in T-DNA Processing: An Initial Step in the Genetic Modification of Plant Cells.- 13. Effect of N6- Benzyl Aminopurine on the Translation and Transcription Activity from Apple Cells.- 14. Characteristics of NaCl-Tolerant Calli and Somaclones of Tomato.- 15. Investigations on the Molecular Mechanism of Resistance to Fungi in Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.).- 16. The Structure and Function of Plant Coated Vesicles.- 17. Natural Products from Higher Plants and Plant Cell Culture.- 18. Physiological and Biochemical Characteristics of Photoautotrophic Plant Cell Cultures.- 19. Stress Induced Secondary Metabolism in Plant Cell Cultures.- 20. Elicitation and Metabolism of Phytoalexins in Plant Cell Cultures.- 21. In Vivo Characterization of NADPH: 2?- Hydroxyisoflavone Oxiredutase in Elicitor Treated Chickpea Cell Cultures and Stereochemical Aspects of Phytoalexins Medicarpin and Maackiain.- 22. Nicotinate Conjugate Metabolism in Plant Cell Cultures.- 23. Alkaloids from Organized Atropa belladonna Cultures.- 24. Cultivated Plant Cells: An Enzyme Source for Alkaloid Formation.- 25. Glucose Repression and cAMP Effect on Enzyme Activities in Callus Tissues of Nicotiana tabacum.- 26. Long Term Storage of Vinca minor Cell Cultures.- 27. Biotransformation of Synthetic and NaturalCompounds by Plant Cell Cultures.- 28. Growth and Substrate Utilization of Cell Suspension Cultures of Cucumis sativus on Milk Whey Based Media.- 29. Changes in Anion and Sugar Content in Liquid Media During In Vitro Culture of Cells from Cereals, Sugarcane and Tobacco.- 30. Conditioning of Media; An Elaborate Method of Optimizing Initial Growth Hormone Concentrations ?.- 31. Papain Inhibition by New ?-Methylene- ? — Lactone Carbohydrate Derivatives.- 32. The Large-Scale Cultivation of Plant Cells.- 33. Bioreactors for Plant Cell Culture.- 34. Effect of Aeration on Cynara cardunculus Plant Cell Cultures.- 35. Methods of Immobilization of Plant Cells.- 36. Characterization and Immobilization of Digitoxin 12 — Hydroxylase from Cell Cultures of Digitalis lanata Ehrh.- 37. The Effect of Oxygen Stress on Secondary Metabolite Production by Immobilised Plant Cells in Bioreactors.- 38. Continuous Coagulation of Milk using Immobilized Cells of Cynara cardunculus.- 39. Engineering Aspects of Plant Cell Culture.- 40. Cloning and Cell Sorter.- 41. Secretion of Thiophenes by Differentiated Cell Cultures of Tagetes Species.- 42. The Use of Hairy Root Cultures, Transformed by Agrobacterium rhizogenes for the Production of Plant Secondary Products In Vitro.- 43. The application of Germplasm Storage in Biotechnology.- 44. Future Trends in Plant Cell Biotechnology.- 45. Aspects of Screening Plant Cell Cultures for New Pharmacologically Active Compounds.- 46. Economic Aspects of Plant Cell Biotechnology.- 47. Plant Biotechnology and Community Development.- 48. The IPGBR In Vitro Conservation Databases.