Book Review – The Secret of Plants in the ENVIRONMENT

The Secret of Plants in the ENVIRONMENT – Book Review
Book Title: The Secret of Plants in the ENVIRONMENT
Author: Rishikesh Upadhyay
Genres : Non-fiction, Environment, Nature, Botany, Ecology, Gardening.
Publication Date : 2 nd April, 2020
Format : Ebook, Paperback
Language – English
Available on : Amazon, Barnes & Noble

The Secret of Plants in the Environment conveys how plant adapts and reacts to different situations, changing climate and environments. It tells us how environmental changes can be stressful or calming on plants. It even helps in finding there positive as well as negative impacts on plant growth. This book seeks to discuss the impact of environmental changes or stress on plant life. Along with changes it also observes environmental stress physiology, and adaptation mechanisms.

About the Author

Rishikesh Upadhyay, (also known R K Upadhyay) is an Indian author, assistant professor and research writer. He was born and grew up in a small Nepalis’ hamlet, Bhanjang Basti via Mahadev Tilla, just a few kilometres of Haflong, the district headquarters of North Cachar Hills, India, He loves learning and teaching to expand his horizons and ideas. Rishikesh Upadhyay believes in and writes about Plants and their environment. He is the author of numerous scientific articles and books in the fields of plant environmental physiology and environmental stressors response in plants. Much of his work is confined to teaching and researching biochemical and environmental stress responses in plants. Currently, he’s now teaching Plant Biochemistry and Stress Biology at a local government college affiliated to Assam University, Silchar, India. He can also be reached on – Twitter and Goodreads.

What book contains

The book tries to cover how plants react to different stress and changes. Simple things and activities around us sometimes are not seen by our eyes, but plants do respond to them. Like the temperature changes, chemical agents, even response to light and magnetic field. Not only this, effects of pollution or stress by floods, presence of different salts, metal or minerals, etc too. All these things have a impact on plant growth. We can read in detail about how Plants respond very sensitive to temperature changes in their environment.

The book covers responses of plants to environmental stress. A series of objectives regarding the conscientious use of soil and water via the adaptation of Eco-friendly measures. A plant/ seed needs water, sunlight and air but we often forget to see beyond it. The environmental pressure and other factors like chemicals, temperature, light, floods, pollution, metals salts, etc also have effect on plant growth.

All about Plants

As has been noted, Plants are static, they don’t move on their own, but they face changes and challenges due to the environment around them. It is important to study the effect of these changes on plants and then understand their growth patterns and adaptations. As the author mentions in the book, The identification of genes that lead to changes or stress tolerance is urgently needed for the growth and development of plants in their natural environment. It highlights the impact of environmental stresses on plants and crops under changing environments. The book gives a comprehensive overview of how plants respond to such environments. It also dwells on some important aspects of environmental change or stress. Reason being that stress is the main issue affecting the survival of plants at the early stages of their life cycle.

We often don’t realize as its mentioned in the book that pollution, deposition of metals, temperatures all these influence most plant processes, including photosynthesis, transpiration, respiration, germination, and flowering. Human made alterations in the environment, and existence of heavy metals from industrial waste etc are a major environmental pollutant. The accumulation of these in the soil is dangerous for plants and organisms. Even the most essential, chlorophyll is sensitive to environmental stress. Author shares how the uptake of excess metal ions is toxic to most plants, and further, the positive effect of magnetic fields and how better plant growth is observed with magnetic technologies.

Some good lines

Additionally, magnetic technologies have been developed in several countries that are ecologically friendly, non-polluting to the soil and potentially attractive because they are affordable to farmers. pg60

Green trees acts as sinks and living filters to minimize air pollution through various processes such as absorption, accumulation detoxification etc without undergoing foliar damage. Pg 82

All our activities pertaining to the protection of our environment directly or indirectly emerge from the need to grow plants for the survival of humans and other living beings. Pg 24

My Review

In the first place, every chapter begins with a famous phrase or quote related to plants, environment and life. It gives the primary idea of what we can expect in the chapter, and its truly exemplary. Book is divided into 17 chapters and topics are accompanied by flow charts for ease of understanding. In addition, the thorough research and the shared reference images to show the effect of various stress on plants, makes it a perfect read. In the present scenario, when we are already dealing with issues like climate change and pollution at global level, this book makes us understand the plants around us.

The book is useful for students and botany professionals. It’s a insightful read, with environmental effect on plant around us. My mother is a botany teacher and I had grown up listening to many terms used in the book. For a lay man one sure needs a basic understanding to absorb the matter. Language is accompanied by scientific and technical words. It gives a wide view and helps to understand us about the secret of plants growing around us and how and what affects their growth.

It mainly highlights the fact that as humans, plants also undergo stress, be it temperature, chemical, metal or even radiations. As a living being, on this Earth, we need to be more aware of our environment and this book is a great guide about plants. Not to mention, me being an Eco-friendly blogger who loves nature and plants, enjoyed reading this book and knowing more about the plants around us.

Why should one read it?

In the light of review, one should read this because it gives the young minds a great spark of inspiration to experiment in the field of environmental science or applied science. If you are looking forward to study environmental science, or want to understand the relationship of plants in our environment, do read this book. The book ends with epilogue followed by, scientific name index, common name index, short forms, subject index, and also Author name index for easy search of required and specific terms and items. To sum up, this book sure does justice in making a reader to understand and know more about how plants endure the various physical and chemical disturbances.

You can find more of my views and reviews here. Please drop your views in the comments.
You can find the book on Amazon and Flipkart.