Plants provide food and oxygen for the entire biosphere, literally supporting the existence of life on Earth. They also provide shelter, fiber, fuel, and medicinal compounds that profoundly affect mankind. Plants fascinate biologists because they regulate ecosystem processes, form complex relationships with other organisms, and have intriguing patterns of development and diversity. This presentation (click here to download PowerPoint presentation) from the journal The Plant Cell highlights the importance of studying plants and plant biology.
New Horizons in Plant Sciences - published by the National Academy of Sciences provides a summary of the achievements of the National Plant Genome Initiative.