The development of a plant's roots is of fundamental importance to the success of a plant, its growth and level of yield, particularly important in commercially exploited crop plants. A full understanding of this most important subject is core to the work of most plant and crop scientists.

Root Development is an extremely exciting new title in Blackwell Publishing's Annual Plant Reviews Series(Series Editor Profesor Jeremy Roberts). The book consists of contributions from author groups based at many of the World's formeost laboratories working in the root development area. The book's editor Tom Beeckman, himself very well known and respected for his work in this area, has drawn together an exceptional set of core cutting edge reviews of the subject, providing a state of the art reference tool for all those researching in this area.

Chapter coverage includes: the root apical meristem, vascular morphogenesis, root epidermal and lateral development, adventitious rooting in cuttings, root gravitropism, molecular and genetic dissection of cereal root development, fern root development, symbiosis, legume root architecture, effects of nutrient availability on root system development, and genomic approaches to the understanding of root development.

Root Development is an essential reference book for crop and plant scientists. Libraries in all universities and research establishments teaching and researching in biological sciences should have copies of this book on their shelves.