Download or read book The Tapetum written by Michael Hesse and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 156 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The anther tapetum, present in all land plants, is a highly specialized, transient tissue surrounding the (micro-)spores and/or pollen grains during their development. Any tapetum malfunction causes male sterility. The exact knowledge of tapetum form and function therefore is indispensable not only for basic research, but also and especially in plant breeding and plant genetics. In fourteen contributions by reknown experts, a comprehensive account of the various characters and functions of the tapetum is provided, covering the areas of cytology, cytophysiology, biochemistry, tapetum development and function.