This book presents recent advances in the study of nitric oxide (NO) biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, and physiology in plants. It provides an overview of current understanding of the NO actions involved in adaptive responses of plant fitness to environmental constraints. Coverage places special emphasis on NO-dependent signaling, molecular adjustments, and targets as key elements in plant growth, development, and stress physiology.

All authors are the most authoritative and competent scientists in the field of NO as a key player in plant physiological processes. Drs. Delledonne, Durner, Wendehenne and Lamattina have, among others, authored landmark publications in the extraordinary up swelling studies on NO actions in plant biology. Drs. Kaiser and Stohr have an extensive trajectory in the study of N metabolism in plants, and the roles/actions of nitrate reductase/nitrite reductase. Their contributions to understand the origin and functions of NO at both the tissues and the subcellular levels have been remarkable. Drs. Jones, Puntarulo and Konjevic have made extraordinary contributions to decipher the role of endogenous NO, its sources and physiological concentrations in seed germination and dormancy breaking. Drs. Scherer, Blatt and Lamattina have made extensive contributions to our understanding of the cross talk between classical plant hormone actions and NO involvement in their signaling mechanisms. Drs. Delledonne, Corpas, Shapiro, Salgado and Hill, and their colleagues have presented pioneering reports on the involvement of NO in plant responses to diverse (a)biotic stress situations, particularly during the hypersensitive response (HR). Finally, the authoritative contribution of Dr. Yamasaki to integrate aspects of NO generation, metabolism and detection in plants has been an important impetus and has lead to new theories on the role of NO in N, C and S metabolism in plants and in the interaction with the environment.