Preface

Water availability and water-use efficiency have a decisive influence on plant evolution. Water stress, which comprises both drought and flooding stress, is the most prominent envi‐ ronmental factor that affects the growth and distribution of vegetation. The impact of water stress in plants is it induces several morphological, physiological, biochemical and molecu‐ lar changes, which cause reduced yield of the crops. The plants, however, try to adapt to the stress conditions using biochemical and physiological interventions.

The edited compilation is an attempt to provide new insights into the mechanism and adap‐ tation aspects of water stress in plants through a thoughtful mixture of viewpoints. The book chapters, heterogeneous in nature, were invited by the publisher, and the authors are responsible for the accuracy of their contributions. The book consists of both review-like studies and the results of some new researches and case studies.

The compiled book is expected to be a useful document for professionals and researchers working on water stress in plants. We extend our sincere appreciation to the authors, who are from different countries, for their contribution to the book. We thank the InTech for in‐ viting us to be editors of this book. We would like to extend our special appreciation to the Publishing Process Manger, Ms. Dajana Pemac, for her superb support.

> **Ismail Md. Mofizur Rahman** Fukushima University, Japan

**Zinnat Ara Begum** Southern University, Bangladesh

> **Hiroshi Hasegawa** Kanazawa University, Japan
