Brassinosteroids are plant-growth-promoting natural products similar in structure to animal and insect steroid hormones. They show distinct physiological effects on plant growth including improvement of stress tolerance in crop production. This book presents a comprehensive view of the related chemistry, biochemistry, physiology, agricultural applications, and most recent research in molecular biology. Written by scientists who are active in these fields, Brassinosteroids is a vital source of information for plant and agricultural science researchers with an interest in plant hormones.

History.- Natural occurrence in the plant kingdom.- Biochemical analysis of natural brassinosteroids.- Chemical synthesis of brassinosteroids.- Biosynthesis of brassinosteroids.- Metabolism of brassinosteroids.- Physiological actions of brassinosteroids.- Molecular genetics of brassinosteroids.- Structure-activity relationship.- Practical application of brassionosteroids in agricultural fields.

Brassinosteroids are plant-growth-promoting natural products similar in structure to animal and insect steroid hormones. Considered a new class of plant hormone, along with auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins, abscisic acid, and ethylene, brassinosteroids are present throughout the plant kingdom. They show distinct physiological effects on plant growth including improvement of stress tolerance in crop production. These discoveries, together with advances in molecular and biosynthetic studies of brassinosteroids, open new aspects of research in understanding the growth and development of plants. This book presents a comprehensive view of the related chemistry, biochemistry, physiology, agricultural applications, and most recent research in molecular biology. Written by scientists who are active in these fields, Brassinosteroids is a vital source of information for plant and agricultural science researchers with an interest in plant hormones.