Publisher's Synopsis
Polymers and oligomers of fructose have been found in taxa as diverse as bacteria and flowering plants. They are one of the most widespread alternative storage compounds to glucans. As such, they are of major importance when they are found in plants of agricultural significance. This volume brings together papers on the fructans from the New Phytologist which were originally presented at a symposium in Aberystwyth in 1992. Several aspects of fructan biology are covered. The evolutionary origin in relation to their biogeographic distribution is discussed. A large section surveys synthesis of fructans in a wide range of species including Streptococcus and dandelions. The various structures of fructans and the roles they play in organisms are analysed, especially in important agricultural species such as wheat and barley. Finally the degradation and removal of fructans is examined.
