Weed Anatomy

Weeds affect everyone in the world by reducing crop yield andcrop quality, delaying or interfering with harvesting, interferingwith animal feeding (including poisoning), reducing animal health,preventing water flow, as plant parasites, etc. Weeds are commoneverywhere and cause many $ billions worth of crop losses annually,with the global cost of controlling weeds running into $billions.The anatomy of plants is generally well understood, but theexamples used for explanations in most books are often restrictedto non-weed species. Weeds have many features that make them morecompetitive, for example enabling them to more quickly recoverafter herbicide treatment. Some of these adaptations includerhizomes, adapted roots, tubers and other special structures. Untilnow,no single book has concentrated on weeds' anatomicalfeatures. A comprehensive understanding of these features is,however, often imperative to the successful implementation of manyweed control measures.Beautifully and comprehensively illustrated, in full colourthroughout, Weed Anatomy provides a comprehensive insight into theanatomy of the globally-important weeds of commercial significance.Commencing with a general overview of anatomy, the major part ofthe book then includes sections covering monocotyledons,dicotyledons, brackens and horsetails, with special reference totheir anatomy. Ecological and evolutionary aspects of weeds arealso covered and a number of less common weeds such as Adonisvernalis, Caucalis platycarpos and Scandix pecten-veneris are alsoincluded.The authors of this book, who have between them many years ofexperience studying weeds, have put together a true landmarkpublication, providing a huge wealth of commercially-importantinformation. Weed scientists, plant anatomists and agriculturalscientists, including personnel within the agrochemical and cropprotection industry, will find a great deal of useful informationwithinthe book's covers. All libraries in universities and researchestablishments where agricultural and biological sciences arestudied and taught should have copies of this exceptional book ontheir shelves.