Pp. xxi + 563; ISBN 8-8053-0653-6 R.M. Atlas, R. Bartha,Editors, ,Microbial Ecology: Fundamentals...
1
Volume 9, Part 3, August 1995 BOOK REVIEWS .. Microbial Ecology: Fundamentals and Applications by RM. Atlas & R Bartha (1993). 3rd Edition. Pp. xxi + 563; ISBN 8-8053- 0653-6; Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Co. Inc., Redwood City, USA. Price £29.95/$66.75. This edition has been expanded, mainly by the inclusion of additional information on molecular genetics such as the use of the polymerase chain reaction in the methods section and more infor- mation on bacterial genetics. There has been some re-arrangement of the chapters and the material within them, the most notable of which is the relegation ofthe taxonomy to an appendix and the removal of the illustrations from this section. Taxonomy of the fungi follows traditional lines. Many of the diagrams have been re-drawn, some with improvements such as the use of coniferous trees in connection with Heterobasidion root and butt rot, and others with minor mistakes intro- duced like the frequency diagram for Conio- sporium colonisation of pine needles. A few typographical errors have been introduced during the re-setting ofthe text, but these are not serious enough to be a problem. This book continues the very broad coverage of the subject which was the most attractive feature of the previous editions. From the point of view of the mycologist there is a definite bias towards bacteria and this is often justified by the aspects being discussed, but there are sections where fungi might reasonably be expected to predomi- nate and they do not: fungal plant diseases cover Modern Assays for Plant Pathogenic Fungi Edited by A. Schots, F.M. Dewey & R Oliver (1994). Pp. 267. ISBN 0-85198-870-9. CAB International, Wallingford, UK. Price £24.50. This book is based on papers presented at a conference held in Oxford in March 1993 under the BRIDGE-COST-88 Programme developed by the Commission of the European Communities and is a collection of practical protocols for the rapid and accurate diagnosis of plant pathogenic fungi. Following a short introduction the individual chapters are divided beween nine parts covering diseases of plant stems, soil, vascular system, root rots and root infecting fungi, postharvest fruits and vegetables, seed, foliar diseases, fungi resist- ant to fungicides and field detection of airborne fungi. The introduction correctly says that the development of practical protocols for the rapid and accurate diagnosis of plant pathogenic fungi less than one page oftext but bacterial diseases of plants get more than this. Some of the diseases still carry their antique names in some parts of the text, such as Fomes annosus. Some of the mycological material is also less than authori- tative and when discussing mycorrhiza, for ex- ample, there is a persistent mis-citation of Hart- ley for J.L. Harley who is correctly cited elsewhere. The bias towards bacteriology is not as bad as in many texts which claim to cover general microbiology. This book remains, therefore, a goodundergraudate text on microbial ecology, but will need to be supplemented with other material for those of us who place more emphasis on eukaryotic microorganisms than is usual in microbiology. The chapters on biotechnological aspects of the subject are especially useful at this under- graduate level, and reflect the authors' expertise in areas like bioremediation. The glossary is another useful addition for those just starting out on the subject and the whole book is written in a clear style which makes even complex parts ofthe subject easy to understand. The price makes it doubtful if this will be bought by many undergraduates in the UK, but it is an essential reference text for the lecturer's bookshelf, for the library and as an introduction for the non-specialist to this increasingly import- ant subject. R Campbell is not the limiting step now, it is the reluctance of regulatory bodies to adopt these methods rather than the current methods in use. This relation- ship between conventional and modern rapid methods of diagnosis of plant pathogens is covered more fully in another recent book in the CAB series where my own views, expressed in Princi- ples of Diagnostic Techniques in Plant Pathology, are that conventional and more innovative tech- niques will continue to coexist. After reading Modern Assays for Plant Pathogenic Fungi my views have not changed. While many of the techniques described deserve a place in the practical diagnosis of plant pathogens, there must be some considerable doubt about the value of others except as research tools. If one abandons the classification into parts determined by plant part and considers the division between electrophoresis, immunology and molecular techniques based on differences in
-
Upload
r-campbell -
Category
Documents
-
view
214 -
download
2
Transcript of Pp. xxi + 563; ISBN 8-8053-0653-6 R.M. Atlas, R. Bartha,Editors, ,Microbial Ecology: Fundamentals...
Volume 9, Part 3, August 1995
BOOK REVIEWS
..
Microbial Ecology: Fundamentals andApplications by RM. Atlas & R Bartha(1993). 3rd Edition. Pp. xxi + 563; ISBN 8-8053-0653-6; Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Co.Inc., Redwood City, USA. Price £29.95/$66.75.This edition has been expanded, mainly by theinclusion of additional information on moleculargenetics such as the use of the polymerase chainreaction in the methods section and more infor-mation on bacterial genetics. There has been somere-arrangement of the chapters and the materialwithin them, the most notable of which is therelegation ofthe taxonomy to an appendix and theremoval of the illustrations from this section.Taxonomy of the fungi follows traditional lines.Many of the diagrams have been re-drawn, somewith improvements such as the use of coniferoustrees in connection with Heterobasidion root andbutt rot, and others with minor mistakes intro-duced like the frequency diagram for Conio-sporium colonisation of pine needles. A fewtypographical errors have been introduced duringthe re-setting of the text, but these are not seriousenough to be a problem.
This book continues the very broad coverage ofthe subject which was the most attractive featureof the previous editions. From the point of view ofthe mycologist there is a definite bias towardsbacteria and this is often justified by the aspectsbeing discussed, but there are sections wherefungi might reasonably be expected to predomi-nate and they do not: fungal plant diseases cover
Modern Assays for Plant Pathogenic FungiEdited by A. Schots, F.M. Dewey & R Oliver(1994). Pp. 267. ISBN 0-85198-870-9. CABInternational, Wallingford, UK. Price £24.50.This book is based on papers presented at aconference held in Oxford in March 1993 underthe BRIDGE-COST-88 Programme developed bythe Commission of the European Communitiesand is a collection of practical protocols for therapid and accurate diagnosis of plant pathogenicfungi.
Following a short introduction the individualchapters are divided beween nine parts coveringdiseases ofplant stems, soil, vascular system, rootrots and root infecting fungi, postharvest fruitsand vegetables, seed, foliar diseases, fungi resist-ant to fungicides and field detection of airbornefungi. The introduction correctly says that thedevelopment of practical protocols for the rapidand accurate diagnosis of plant pathogenic fungi
less than one page of text but bacterial diseases ofplants get more than this. Some of the diseasesstill carry their antique names in some parts ofthe text, such as Fomes annosus. Some of themycological material is also less than authori-tative and when discussing mycorrhiza, for ex-ample, there is a persistent mis-citation of Hart-ley for J.L. Harley who is correctly citedelsewhere. The bias towards bacteriology is not asbad as in many texts which claim to cover generalmicrobiology. This book remains, therefore, agoodundergraudate text on microbial ecology, butwill need to be supplemented with other materialfor those of us who place more emphasis oneukaryotic microorganisms than is usual inmicrobiology.
The chapters on biotechnological aspects of thesubject are especially useful at this under-graduate level, and reflect the authors' expertisein areas like bioremediation. The glossary isanother useful addition for those just starting outon the subject and the whole book is written in aclear style which makes even complex parts ofthesubject easy to understand.
The price makes it doubtful if this will bebought by many undergraduates in the UK, but itis an essential reference text for the lecturer'sbookshelf, for the library and as an introductionfor the non-specialist to this increasingly import-ant subject.
R Campbell
is not the limiting step now, it is the reluctance ofregulatory bodies to adopt these methods ratherthan the current methods in use. This relation-ship between conventional and modern rapidmethods ofdiagnosis ofplant pathogens is coveredmore fully in another recent book in the CABseries where my own views, expressed in Princi-ples of Diagnostic Techniques in Plant Pathology,are that conventional and more innovative tech-niques will continue to coexist. After readingModern Assays for Plant Pathogenic Fungi myviews have not changed. While many of thetechniques described deserve a place in thepractical diagnosis ofplant pathogens, there mustbe some considerable doubt about the value ofothers except as research tools.
If one abandons the classification into partsdetermined by plant part and considers thedivision between electrophoresis, immunologyand molecular techniques based on differences in
