Preface. Abbreviations. Acknowledgments. Occurrence of Starch. Physico-Chemical Structure of the Starch Granule. The Biosynthetic Reactions of Starch Synthesis. ADPglucose Pyrophosphorylase. Starch Synthases. Branching Enzymes.The Site of Starch Synthesis in Non-Photosynthetic Plant Tissues. Regulation of the Starch Biosynthetic Pathway: Targets for Biotechnology. Starch Accumulation in Photosynthetic Cells. Starch Degradation. Industrial Applications of Starch.