Fusarium Mycotoxins: Chemistry, Genetics and Biology . Desjardins, Anne E. . 15·5 × 23·5 cm , 268 pp . St. Paul. MN, USA : American Phytopathological Society ( http://www.apsnet.org ), 2006 . $89 . ISBN 0-89-54-335-6 (hardback) . Recently there have been a number of books published on the subject of mycotoxins but most of these covered a whole range of toxins produced by different fungal genera. This book, as the title suggests, takes an in depth look at the range of toxins produced by the genus Fusarium. The specific aim of the author, a well recognised expert in the field, is to update knowledge of the genus Fusarium and its mycotoxicology since the publication of ‘Toxigenic Fusarium Species: Identity and Mycotoxicology’ by Marasas, Nelson and Toussoun in 1984. Overall, the book is well laid out, very informative and a good source of reference for chemists and biochemists, but does not cover the breadth of reference material which may be required by a plant pathologist working in this field. The main body of the book is divided into two parts. The first deals with the range of metabolites produced by Fusarium species and is split into three chapters which look at the three main classes of toxin (trichothecenes, zearalenone, fumonisins). Each chapter provides a historical case study of suspected mycotoxicosis in humans and animals (including details on the trichothecene yellow rain controversy, zearalenone oestrogenic syndrome and the possible role of fumonisins in neural tube defects). The chapters then go on to examine the natural occurrence of the toxins in different regions of the world, mechanism of action and their biological activity in plant and animal systems. Further detailed information on toxin biosynthesis and genetics is provided in the chapters on trichothecenes and fumonisins. The historical case study of suspected mycotoxicosis in humans and animals provide an interesting read, however, the sections on toxin biosynthesis and genetics, although extremely comprehensive and full of useful information, are more difficult. The second part of the book comprises 42 individual reports on one or a group of similar mycotoxigenic species. Each report gives an overview of the species’ discovery, description and taxonomy followed by a summary of its biology, pathogenicity on major food crops and association with human and animal toxicosis. The general design of the book makes it an ideal reference text with a comprehensive bibliography and thorough index and as such would be ideal for any library. The great swathes of text punctured by chemical formulae and biosynthetic pathways in some chapters make the book difficult to read; although in all fairness it may be difficult to deal with the subject matter in any other way. However, a few colour pictures of disease symptoms would have been nice – or is this just the pathologist in me coming out. The book is compact and concise and very reasonably priced at US$89.