The publication of this volume marks the 40th anniversary of the Recent Advances in Phytochemistry series which has essentially documented a history of the origins of Phytochemistry. 
The 45th annual meeting of the Phytochemical Society of North America (PSNA) was held July 13-August 3, 2005 in La Jolla, California, USA. The meeting was hosted by the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. The theme of the meeting was - Integrative Plant Biochemistry as we Approach 2010. The focus was "to celebrate the past accomplishments of the PSNA and its focus, the growing importance of phytochemistry and plant biochemistry to the public, and to set a course for the future, by linking the past with the present and attracting a wider breath of scientists and disciplines to the society."