Indian Phytopath.
65 (3) : 314 (2012)
BOOK REVIEW
Plant Bacteriology by Dr. Kalyan K. Mondal (ISBN: 978- understanding of those exciting fields to the students.
93-272-1631-8), Kalyani Publishers, Lyall Book Depot, Chapters like disease symptoms induced by plant pathogenic
2011, pp. 190, Price Rs. 225/- bacteria; entry, dissemination, and survival of bacterial plant
pathogens; antibiotics and their mode of action; important
The book entitled “Plant Bacteriology” by Dr. Kalyan K.
bacterial diseases and their management; etc. will provide
Mondal, Senior Scientist, Plant Bacteriology Section, Division
snapshots of practical problems the students will encounter
of Plant Pathology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute
in their future quest. Chapters on approved list of plant
(IARI), New Delhi and published by Kalyani Publishers is a
pathogenic bacteria, bacterial culture collection centres, and
welcome attempt in the discipline of teaching plant pathology
list of journals and e-resources are innovative sections of
in India. As claimed by the author, the content of the book
this book that will provide windows to the vast knowledge
has been designed keeping in mind syllabi of introductory
resources for self learning in bacteriology. The chapter on
plant bacteriology course being followed in Indian Agricultural
bacterial isolation, inoculation, preservation and culture
Research Institute and State Agricultural Universities in India.
media is also a very useful section par ticularly for
The book has succeeded reasonably well as an effective
understanding laboratory procedures for studying plant
primer for the ever-expanding field of bacteriology in general
bacteriology. Good sketches are hallmarks of teaching life
and plant bacteriology in particular.
science. This book is an epitome of illustrative sketches that
The book contains 22 chapters giving brief accounts on will make it more interesting for the students as well as
history, taxonomy, morphology, physiology, and genetics of teachers.
prokaryotic organisms with special emphasis on plant
pathogenic bacteria. Historical development in the field of I congratulate the author for this seminal attempt and
bacteriology has been accorded maximum coverage and is hope that all the perceived weaknesses would be converted
narrated through brief biographies and achievements of into strengths in future edition. With little more effort, I am
contemporary microbiologists of the period. I hope this crisp confident that this book may become a leading text book of
account of celebrated microbiologists would inspire the plant bacteriology not only in India but also in other
students to take up bacteriology in their future academic countries.
pursuit. However, development of bacteriology in India would
have been described separately for better visibility. Chapters
on flagella structure, bacterial genetics, bacteriophages, Dr. S.K. Chakrabarti
secretion system in bacteria, bacterial genome structure, size Director, CTCRI,
and sequence status etc. will also provide a glimpse of current Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala)
