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TEXBOT 2: Environmental Stress

The second in our series 'Treatise in Experimental Botany' (TEXBOT 2) draws together four broad-based Perspectives on the theme of Environmental Stress that were recently published in the Journal of Experimental Botany.

The Journal of Experimental Botany has traditionally devoted a large proportion of space to papers on plant/environment relationships. The Perspective from Tom Sinclair's group (Serraj, Sinclair, and Purcell) on the symbiotic fixation on N2 in response to drought is a good example of this type of contribution. Inevitably, over the past 20 years we have included much research into the impact of environmental change on plants. The paper by Allen, Nogues, and Baker on the effects of UB-V on photosynthesis and productivity is a controversial but highly important perspective in this important area. More recently, much of this type of research has hinged on knowledge and techniques developed in the field of molecular biology.

The Perspectives included in TEXBOT2 reflect on our commitment to publish research that crosses the boundaries of more discrete areas of plant biology. Mike May's Perspective (May, Vernoux, Leaver, Van Montagu, and Inze) examines how our understanding of glutathione homeostasis in the integration of cellular processes with plant growth and development under stress. Likewise, the Perspective by Tony Yeo looks at the molecular biology of salt tolerance. He argues that this is best considered in the context of the response of the whole plant.

These papers are an excellent example of the interdisciplinary nature of much of the material published by the Journal of Experimental Botany.