This book is a collection of invited articles as well as selected contributions from an International Workshop on Sulfur Metabolism in Plants held in Melbourne in 2010. The perspective ranges from cell biology to the whole plant and includes such aspects as regulation of sulphate uptake and assimilation, interactions with minerals, sulphur metabolism in biotic and abiotic stress responses, food security and quality, and in relation to global change. There are over 30 chapters that are dealt with in three sections, Mechanisms, Mineral Interactions and Food Security and Environmental Interactions. There are some overlaps in content, to be expected in a workshop volume, but overall the work provides an excellent update of the field and the advances in understanding that have taken place over recent years. The Mechanisms section includes several contributions that cover sulphate uptake and assimilation, and its molecular and cellular regulation, sulphur-containing amino acid synthesis and partitioning of sulphur between primary and secondary metabolism. The section on Mineral Interactions largely refers to ‘mineral ion’ availability and links with sulphur metabolism, especially selenium and iron, of which selenium is especially interesting in view of its chemical similarities to sulphur. The final section ‘Food Security and Environmental Interactions’ contains diverse contributions as well as food security, including several on stress responses, and others detailing various aspects of sulphur metabolism, sulphate transport and amino acid synthesis. The book is amply illustrated with figures, tables and diagrams and the contributions range from authoritative overview chapters to shorter experimental chapters, presumably the selected contributions. It will be of interest to many concerned with the impact of sulphur on plant growth, and consequences for crop production, food security and human health.
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