This book summarizes the latest findings on the functions of microRNAs in the regulation of plant development and responses to the surrounding environment. MicroRNAs are an important class of molecules that can be found in diverse groups of organisms, including plants and animals, and the investigation of their roles is a highly dynamic and "hot" research topic. The respective chapters address four main aspects, namely: microRNA investigation and annotation, the regulatory roles of microRNAs in various developmental processes, in response to abiotic factors, and in the context of biotic stress response regulation. Systematically reviewing the most important findings in this field, the book offers an essential guide for undergraduate and graduate students, teachers, and plant science researchers. Due to the potential applications of microRNAs in crop breeding and plant protection, it also represents a valuable resource for scientists in academia and the private sector alike.

Autorentext
Prof. Célia M. Miguel is Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Portugal, and Senior Researcher at the BioISI (Biosystems Integrative Sciences Institute). She has been research group leader for more than 10 years, working on the molecular mechanisms that control key developmental processes in trees, and responses to environmental challenges. She has contributed to generate genomic resources in diverse woody plant species, including their small non-coding RNA transcriptomes, and her research has been published in over 40 original research articles in internationally recognized journals.
Prof. Tamas Dalmay is the Head of School of Biological Sciences at the University of East Anglia, Norwich. His research group has been working on small non-coding RNAs since 2002 and published about 120 papers on the topic. He worked on small RNAs of many different species and contributed to the UEA workbench, a freely available bioinformatics platform to analyse next generation sequencing data of small RNAs.
Dr. Inês Chaves is a senior Researcher at iBET and ITQB NOVA, Oeiras, Portugal. Her work is dedicated to the study of development and stress response of woody plants. Her approach is mainly biochemical but since 2006 she has focused her attention on the role of microRNAs as well as other non-coding small RNAs during these processes. She is also involved in the development of bioinformatic tools to be used in model and non-model species. She has over 20 international publications.

Inhalt
Studying miRNAs in plants.- Regulation of plant miRNA biogenesis.- Technologies to address plant miRNA functions.- Strategies and resources for the identification of microRNAs in non-model plants.- miRNAs in the formation of epigenetic memory in plants.- miRNAs in plant development.- miRNA regulation of fruit development.- miRNAs in plant embryogenesis.- Emerging of microRNAs as key regulators in plant secondary metabolism.- miRNAs in vascular development.- miRNAs in plant abiotic and biotic stresses.- Regulation of high-temperature stress response by small RNAs.- Role of microRNAs in plant-fungus interactions.- Plant miRNAs regulate innate immunity through diverse mechanisms.