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Synopsis The study of plant development using molecular and genetic techniques is rapidly becoming one of the most active areas of research on flowering plants. The aim of this book is to present a sense of the accomplishments of the past and of the outstanding problems of the future in the study of plant development. An important feature of this book is the integration of results from molecular and genetic studies on various aspects of plant development in a cellular and physiological context. Of particular interest to readers will be the clear treatment of each land mark stage in the life cycle of plants such as seed germination, seedling growth, flowering, gametogenesis, pollen-pistil interactions, embryogenesis, fruit ripening, and seed and bud dormancy. The book also considers the development of individual plant organs such as the shoot, leaf, root, and flowers as well as alternate developmental strategies of plants. Appropriately, emphasis is placed on new insights on the molecular and genetic biology of plant development obtained from model systems like Arabidopsis and maize. The book is intended as a text for courses in plant development for advanced undergraduate and graduate students in plant biology, botany, or agriculture. It will also be of interest to any biologist wishing to gain an understanding of current and future perspectives in the development of flowering plants.