The encyclopaedia of seeds: science, technology and uses

Abstract

This major and quite remarkable reference work is the realised vision of three seed physiologists and technologists, with substantial contributions from 110 authors from academia and industry. Its scope is the basics (and more) of seed biology, seed technology and seeds as foods, and includes, for example, seed agronomy. The introductory pages include a network diagram of the major contents, which (the longer you study it) is particularly useful in showing the linkages among topics within the encyclopaedia. The use of the word encyclopaedia in the title is well justified: this is most certainly not a dictionary masquerading as something greater. Individual entries vary substantially (and justifiably) in length and detail, from brief entries that are no more than dictionary length (e.g. ‘baked beans’ or ‘homologous genes’), but giving the heading(s) where the topic is dealt with in more detail, to entries several pages long with multiple sub-headings (e.g. ‘sunflower’ or ‘somatic embryogenesis’). The cross-referencing and inclusion of multiple terms for the same topic has been well thought out and is most thorough. The book design (typeface, diagrams, layout) is very clear with good readability. Although mainly monochrome, there is a 16-page section of colour plates with, principally, seed and fruit images. The index is substantial (32 pages) and supports, rather than merely repeats, the A–Z format of the encyclopaedia. For example, while there is no entry for climate change, the index provides three links: one under ‘archaeobotany’, in relation to previous climate change; one under ‘conservation’, in relation to causes of genetic erosion; one under ‘dispersal’, in relation to species shifts. There is a separate index of species. I have to admit that, however excellent overall, some individual entries could be improved. One such subject area, I believe, is that covered by the terms ‘harvest maturity’/‘mass maturity’/‘physiological maturity’ where, in my opinion, much of the research over the last two decades on the impacts on subsequent seed quality has been overlooked. There are good, related sections on ‘production for sowing’, on ‘maturation’, and on ‘desiccation tolerance’, but there does seem to be an absence of links between the seed technology contributions and the seed physiology ones. That is, individual topics tend to have been seen as either technology or physiology. This is not a new problem and at least the encyclopaedia has combined both groups of entries in the one book. Overall, this encyclopaedia is a significant, very high-quality contribution to seed science and technology. It is, I believe, destined to be as well regarded as Bewley and Black's two-volume book from a quarter of a century ago. This is not only an essential purchase by university and college libraries, but I also have no hesitation in saying that (despite the crowded seed textbook market place) if you only buy one seed book then it should be this encyclopaedia.