Water is the key component of life, and most organisms cannot survive dehydration. The plants discussed in this book possess the unique ability to survive severe dehydration--up to and including the complete loss of water, also known as desiccation. As our changing climate demands that plants adapt to more extreme stresses, understanding the responses and adaptations of desiccation-tolerant plants to severe water loss is key to the improvement of economically important crops.

Plant Desiccation Tolerance brings together leading international researchers to provide an up-to-date review of the advances in plant desiccation tolerance research. The book is presented in three sections: Vegetative Desiccation Tolerance; Desiccation Tolerance of Pollen, Spores, and Seeds; and Applications of Desiccation Tolerance Research. Plant Desiccation Tolerance not only provides an excellent synthesis of information on this novel adaptation, but also looks forward to the potential applications that might be possible as our understanding of desiccation tolerance continues to expand.

Plant Desiccation Tolerance will be an indispensable source of information for plant biologists, crop science researchers and professionals.