A clear, concise and vivid account of the process of photosynthesis is presented in this enlarged and fully revised sixth edition, originally published in 1999. The attractive presentation of this book, including the frequent use of line illustrations and colour plates, leads the reader into a fascinating introduction to this sometimes complex topic. The details of photosynthetic processes at the macromolecular and molecular level are discussed based on the results of biochemical, biophysical and genetic studies. The role of photosynthesis in food production and in the global environment are also highlighted. A long final chapter deals with developments in research in photosynthesis from genetics and structure-function relationships to artificial photosynthesis and whole-plant studies. To aid students in their practical work, a set of simple practical experiments are described and explained. A comprehensive further reading list is included.