Contemporary research reveals that when plants actively acquire nutrients, the acquisition process is not a passive one in which plants simply wait for dissolved nutrients to come closer to their roots. In fact, plants play a far more active role than once was understood to be possible in nutrient acquisition and in adaptation to problem soils. This book presents an overview and summary of modern concepts of plant nutrient acquisition mechanisms, and sets forth their practical implications in crop production. The scope is wide-ranging, from biochemical, molecular, and genetic analysis of nutrient acquisition to global nutritional problems. There are also sections on the cell apoplast, phosphorus-solubilizing organisms, and direct uptake of macro-organic molecules. With contributions by leading scientists worldwide, the book provides a useful resource for researchers in plant and environmental sciences and in agronomy and other branches of agriculture.