A changing climate is likely to have a drastic impact on crop yields in Africa. The purpose of this book is to document the effects of climate change on agriculture in Africa and to discuss strategies for adaptation to hotter weather and less predictable rainfall. These strategies include promoting opportunities for farmers to adopt technologies that produce optimal results in terms of crop yield and income under local agro-ecological and socioeconomic conditions. The focus is on sub-Saharan Africa, an area that is already affected by changing patterns of heat and rainfall. Because of the high prevalence of subsistence farming, food insecurity, and extreme poverty in this region, there is a great need for practical adaptation strategies. The book includes empirical research in Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, and other Sub-Saharan countries, and the conclusion summarizes policy-relevant findings from the chapters. It is aimed at advanced students, researchers, extension and development practitioners, and officials of government agencies, NGOs, and funding agencies. It also will provide supplementary reading for courses in environment and development and in agricultural economics.

Farmers' cooperatives are very prevalent in the European Union, where they account for approximately half of agricultural trade and thus are key to articulating rural realities and in shaping the sustainability credentials of European food and farming. This book analyses to what extent farmers' cooperatives are working to benefit their members, are showing concern for their communities and are promoting cooperative economies. It offers a multilevel set of theoretical, disciplinary, methodological, empirical and social perspectives, using the UK and Spain as contrasting examples, and analyses whether agricultural cooperatives contribute to achieving sustainable food systems. The book presents empirical data from diverse and rich case studies, from large, international cooperatives, to small, multi-stakeholder initiatives. This provides an alternative viewpoint to that of economics, which tends to dominate the study of agricultural cooperatives. The author presents a new theoretical framework that provides a novel lens to study farmers' cooperatives as organisations deeply embedded in power dynamics of the food system and agricultural policy that shape and constraint their potential to adopt cooperative and sustainable practices. The book is a major addition to the study of agricultural cooperatives and their impact in the development of fairer and more sustainable food systems and it is one of the first detailed accounts of multi-stakeholder food and farming cooperatives in Europe. It is a valuable resource for all scholars working on cooperatives, as well as for students studying agricultural and food policy, environmental justice and rural sociology.

This book addresses the relevance of geographical indication (GI) as a tool for local and socio-economic development and democratization of agri-food, with case studies from Asia, Europe and the Americas. A geographical indication is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin. It provides not only a way for businesses to leverage the value of their geographically unique products, but also to inform and attract consumers. A highly contested topic, GI is praised as a tool for the revitalization of agricultural communities, while also criticized for being an instrument exploited by global corporate forces to promote their interests. There are concerns that the promotion of GI may hamper the establishment of democratic forms of development. The contributing authors address this topic by offering theoretically informed investigations of GI from around the world. The book includes case studies ranging from green tea in Japan, olive oil in Turkey and dried fish in Norway, to French wine and Mexican Mezcal. It also places GI in the broader context of the evolution and trends of agri-food under neoliberal globalization. The book will be of interest to researchers, policy makers and students in agri-food studies, sociology of food and agriculture, geography, agricultural and rural economics, environmental and intellectual property law, and social development.

Salinity stress currently impacts more than 80 million hectares of land worldwide and more arable land is likely to be impacted in the future due to global climate changes. Managing Salt Tolerance in Plants: Molecular and Genomic Perspectives presents detailed molecular and genomic approaches for the development of crop plants tolerant to salinity stress. The book discusses salinity stress in plant adaptation and productivity, biochemical and molecular mechanisms responsible for plant salt tolerance, and genomic approaches for the development of plants tolerant to salinity stress. With chapters written by leading scientists involved in plant salinity stress research, this book brings together biochemical, physiological, and molecular techniques used to develop crop plants with increased salinity tolerance. The editors integrate the most recent findings about the key biological determinants of salinity stress tolerance with contemporary crop improvement approaches. They include emerging topics and cutting-edge knowledge related to salt stress responses and tolerance mechanisms and describe salinity stress in plants and its effects on plant growth and productivity. Time is of the essence for this issue, as global climate change will further exacerbate the problems of salt stress in the near future. With authoritative coverage of the key factors impacting the world's crop production, this book calls attention to primary genetic, physiological, and biochemical factors of plant salinity stress. It helps you develop conventional and biotechnological applications that can lead to enhanced crop productivity in stressful environments.

Published in 1998, this books is an examination of farm decision-making, incorporating the elements of risk in both production and off-farm or casual wage labour. Farm household decision-making is studied, and issues of wage determination, pricing, commodity price stabilization and producer income and output are also explored.

This important volume, Soil Salinity Management in Agriculture, addresses the crucial issue of soil salinity of potential farmland and provides a comprehensive picture of the saline environment and plant interactions, along with management and reclamation methods and policies. With contributions from researchers from the fields of agricultural chemistry, soil science, biotechnology, agronomy, environmental sciences, and plant breeding and genetics, the volume emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach.

Sustainable Biological Systems for Agriculture: Emerging Issues in Nanotechnology, Biofertilizers, Wastewater, and Farm Machines explores and introduces the use of nanotechnology, biofertilizers, and design of farm machines in agriculture. The contributions are from India, Africa and the USA; the chapters emphasize sustainable solutions for the enhancement of agriculture processes. The volume provides a wealth of information on new and emerging issues in this interdisciplinary field. The book is divided into several sections: Potential Applications of Nanotechnology in Biological Systems Emerging Issues, Challenges and Specific Examples of Nanotechnology for Sustainable Biological Systems Potential of Nano- and Bio- fertilizers in Sustainable Agriculture Emerging Focus Areas in Biological Systems Performance of Farm Machines for Sustainable Agriculture The information provided here will be valuable to government agricultural professionals, scientists, researchers, farmers, and faculty and students all over the world.

Plant physiology is now considered as an essential ingredient for improving crop productivity, a continuing necessity with today's ever-increasing world population. This new volume provides an understanding of the physiological basis of the various plant processes and their underlying mechanisms under fluctuating environments, which is of great importance for sustainable crop production. Further advances in cellular and molecular biology hold promise to modify physiological processes, thereby improving the quality and quantity of major food crops and ensuring stability in yield of the produce even under severe abiotic stress. This book covers the latest information on the physiological basis of plant productivity, including abiotic stress adaptation and management, plant nutrition, climate change and plant productivity, transgenic and functional genomics, and plant growth regulators and their applications. The chapters in this volume tackle some of these key issues of sustainable plant production and evolve future strategies in overcoming challenges faced by the agricultural sector as a whole. The topics covered in this book presents important from research reputed scientists. This volume is a rich source of information in one place. It will be a useful resource for researchers and extension workers involved in plant physiology and related disciplines. Key features: Provide the latest information on developments in plant physiology Covers abiotic and biotic stress on economically important crop species Presents a detailed collection of biotechnological approaches in plant physiology Covers plant growth regulators, secondary metabolites, germination, crop growth and development of different crop species Provides research from experts at internationally renowned institutes

This book discusses theoretical approaches to the taxonomy of biological systems and theory and mathematical approaches to the problem of plant diversity, cultivation, and the environment. Particular attention is given to theoretical and practical problems of soil and the environmental sustainability of phytocoenosis, with the goal to enhance the productivity of agricultural crops: cereals, legumes, vegetables, and fruit. Providing valuable information on the distribution of chemical elements in the soil-plant system and on the migration of chemical elements in the food chain, this book looks at the composition of the soil and the distribution of elements in the soil-plant system that are manifested as adaptations of plant organism to environmental conditions. With chapters written by acknowledged scientists in the field of genetics, plant selection, ecology, and agro-economy, the book attempts, in many cases, to find consensus between the need to address ways to decrease the excess load on the environment and the need to provide adequately for the human population in agro-developed countries. This book also presents precision farming techniques, including the introduction of differentiated agrochemicals and considering variability of soil fertility and crop conditions. An important element for the conservation and adaptation of plant organism to environmental conditions is the use of physiologically active compounds.

Management, Performance, and Applications of Micro Irrigation Systems, the fourth volume in the Research Advances in Sustainable Micro Irrigation series, emphasizes sustainable and meaningful methods of irrigation to counter rampant water scarcity. In many parts of the world, this scarcity significantly affects crop yield, crop quality, and, consequently, human quality of life. This important volume presents the best management practices in sustainable micro irrigation, with the goal of increasing crop yield and quality and conserving water. The practices described are practical and attainable and are based on research and studies from many areas of the world, including India, South Africa, and other areas. The applications described can be adapted and applied to many regions with a critical need to address the water crisis in crop production. The practices and applications presented include: * Partial root-zone surface drip irrigation * Effective maintenance techniques * Web-based irrigation scheduling * Water use efficiency methods * The use of flushing and filtration systems This valuable book is a must for those struggling to find ways to address the need to maintain efficient crop production in the midst of water shortages. With chapters from hands-on experts in the field, the book will be an invaluable reference and guide to effective micro irrigation methods.

Climate change and increased climate variability in terms of rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, and increasing extreme weather events, such as severe drought and devastating floods, pose a threat to the production of agricultural and horticultural crops-a threat this is expected to worsen. Climate change is already affecting-and is likely to increase-invasive species, pests, and disease vectors, all adversely affecting agri-horticultural crop productivity. Advances in agricultural knowledge, science, and technology will be required to develop improved crop traits, such as temperature, drought, pest, and salt tolerance. This two-volume set gives readers an understanding of the issues and makes suggestions for ways to mitigate adverse climate change effects on crops. The focus of Volume 1: The Principles and Applications in Horticultural Science is to identify impacts and suggest appropriate and effective adaptation and mitigation strategies. Volume 2: Impact, Adaptation, and Mitigation focuses on the impact of climate change on horticultural crops and offers ways to adapt practices to mitigate adverse effects. Together, the two volumes offer a diverse selection of chapters that address issues of importance to those in the horticulture industry, researchers, faculty, and others. The books are an excellent resource for researchers; instructors; students in agriculture, horticulture, environmental science, and other allied subjects; and policymakers.

Climate change and increased climate variability in terms of rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, and increasing extreme weather events, such as severe drought and devastating floods, pose a threat to the production of agricultural and horticultural crops-a threat this is expected to worsen. Climate change is already affecting-and is likely to increase-invasive species, pests, and disease vectors, all adversely affecting agri-horticultural crop productivity. Advances in agricultural knowledge, science, and technology will be required to develop improved crop traits, such as temperature, drought, pest, and salt tolerance. This two-volume set gives readers an understanding of the issues and makes suggestions for ways to mitigate adverse climate change effects on crops. The focus of Volume 1: The Principles and Applications in Horticultural Science is to identify impacts and suggest appropriate and effective adaptation and mitigation strategies. Volume 2: Impact, Adaptation, and Mitigation focuses on the impact of climate change on horticultural crops and offers ways to adapt practices to mitigate adverse effects. Together, the two volumes offer a diverse selection of chapters that address issues of importance to those in the horticulture industry, researchers, faculty, and others. The two-volume set: * Provides a recent understanding about climate change effects on horticulture * Covers unique information regarding important fruit crops, including flowers, spices, and plantation crops * Serves as an excellent source for researchers to formulate their adaptation and mitigation strategies * Covers abiotic and biotic stresses in relation to climate change * Presents environmentally safe and recent technological approaches such as nanotechnology and biodynamics * Includes case studies The books are an excellent resource for researchers; instructors; students in agriculture, horticulture, environmental science, and other allied subjects; and policymakers.

Ecological and genetic control of plant resistance to unfavorable environmental influences is being carried out all over the world, and new varieties and hybrids of plants are being created, resulting in rich, new information and innovative new methods of cultivation. This new volume, Temperate Horticulture for Sustainable Development and Environment: Ecological Aspects, explores the vast biotic diversity in horticulture, with a focus on sustainable development in today's deteriorating environment. The book offers new technologies for a wide range of horticultural crops, including vegetables, fruit, berries, and flowers. The information presented here is the result of original experiments and study of leading specialists in horticulture, plant breeding, and related areas. Part 1, Innovation in the Field of Vegetable Growing, looks at several completely new methods for increasing the yield of potatoes and cucumbers. The second part. The Arctic Berries: Ecology and Biochemistry presents an abundance of data on the phytocenotic properties of wild-growing and cultivated berry plants and of arctic raspberry and blueberry in natural populations of taiga zones. The authors studied berry crops, cranberry, Arctic bramble, blueberry, Arctic raspberry, cowberry, growing on the boggy soil and peatlands in taiga zones. Part 3, Decorative Plants: Breeding and Biochemistry, provides an overview of winter garden plants and their successful cultivation, looks at the range of resistance to salinization and other stresses of ornamental plants growing, and presents a biochemical analysis of biological active compounds and antioxidants among various species of the genus Aloe. Part 4, on Fruit Growing and Breeding, reviews various technologies for the cultivation of various fruits and presents an overview of data on breeding rare fruit crop. This volume will be useful for the scientific community, ecologists, geneticists, breeders, and industry professionals interested in using science to implement practical applications in production of fruits, vegetables, and flowers.

Maize is among the most widely spread and widely used crops of the world, used for cereals for over 4 billion humans, as food for farm animals, and as a source material for biofuel production. Yet there are relatively few books on the cropping system of this important crop. This book, Maize Agroecosystem, is a concise treatise dealing with agronomy, soil fertility, and productivity of maize. The information is global in nature and considers recent developments in all maize cropping belts. The "global maize agroecosystem" is a conglomerate of several "maize cropping belts" that flourish on different continents. The impact of nutrient management on the productivity of maize agroecosystems is the main focus of this book. The book includes the history of maize growing, the kinds of soil needed, nutrient dynamics, the use of soil organic matter, the physiology and genetics of maize, and integrated nutrient management. It presents comprehensive knowledge regarding the physicochemical dynamics of the three major nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Also covered is how fertilizers impinge on soils of maize farms and their impact on soil and groundwater quality. The impact of crop genotype on soil nutrient dynamics and productivity is also highlighted. The information provided here will be highly useful to students at colleges and universities in the fields of agricultural sciences and environmental science and ecology, and the book also functions as valuable resource for researchers and professors in crop science. Several figures and tables are included that describe and summarize the impact of various agronomic/fertilizer management procedures on crop productivity.

This title includes a number of Open Access chapters. Agriculture is one of the prime users of water, particularly in arid places with already-limited water resources, and its effects are diverse and far reaching. Providing a nuanced study of agricultural resource management, this informative book takes a four-pronged approach, covering research on: * The impact of agriculture on water * The impact of agriculture on soil quality and its ecological health * Energy and greenhouse gases * The impact of a growing population on agricultural resources Topics include the connection between chemical fertilizer use in agriculture and stream water quality; beef and dairy production on livestock, dairy, and crops; livestock and greenhouse gases; energy consumption rates in agriculture; efficient farming techniques, such as precision agriculture, irrigation management, and sustainable water technologies; and more. This informative and accessible volume offers a comprehensive guide to this vital and necessary field of study.

This title includes a number of Open Access chapters. Changing land-use practices and the role of soil biological diversity has been a major focus of soil science research over the past couple of decades-a trend that is likely to continue. The information presented in this book points to a holistic approach to soil management. The first part looks at the land use effects on soil carbon storage, and considers a range of factors including carbon sequestration in soils. The second part of the book presents research investigating the interactions between soil properties, plant species, and the soil biota.

This title includes a number of Open Access chapters. Organic practices are quickly redefining how agriculture is done around the world, as we come to realize how detrimental conventional agriculture is to local and global environments and economies. This book serves as an overview of some of the important topics in organic agriculture. The volume is broken into several sections which explore the effects of organic practices on crop productivity, the use of biofertilizers, plant cultivars, and compare the environmental impact with conventional agriculture. Also covered are the following topics: *Organic agriculture as a strategy to combat many of the negative effects of conventional agriculture, such as pollution and loss of soil fertility *How practices, such as the use of biofertilizers, can enhance plant growth over the use of chemical fertilizers *Vermicompost and the high potential to benefit land in agricultural use *Organic practices' associations with increased soil fertility, increased biodiversity, and greenhouse gas sequestration *The negative effects of organic agriculture practices, such as an increase in nitrogen pollution or pests This easily accessible reference volume offers a comprehensive guide to this rapidly expanding field. Edited by an experienced writer with experience in both food systems and agricultural sociology, Organic Agricultural Practices: Alternatives to Conventional Agricultural Systems is an authoritative and easy-to-use reference, ideal for both researchers in the field and students who wish to gain an overview to this important field of study.

This title includes a number of Open Access chapters. Environmental science integrates physical and biological sciences to the study of the environment, with the goal of solving today's environmental challenges. Many of these challenges tie into a greater concept of using the earth's resources sustainably. This collection brings together some very important advances in environmental science, including how climate change affects plant disease, how to keep birds and bats away from wind turbines, disinfecting polluted water for drinking, how climate policy impacts natural habitats, cancer risk due to ecological issues, and much more.

The ultimate goal of crop production is to provide quality produce to consumers at reasonable rates. Most fresh produce is highly perishable, and postharvest losses are significant under the present methods of management in many countries. However, significant achievements have been made during the last few years to curtail postharvest losses in fresh produce and to ensure food security and safety as well. These include advancements in breeding horticultural crops for quality improvement; postharvest physiology; postharvest pathology and entomology; postharvest management of fruits, vegetables, and flowers; nondestructive technologies to assess produce quality; minimal processing of fruits and vegetables; as well as innovations in packaging and storage technology of fresh produce. This new book, Postharvest Biology and Technology of Horticultural Crops: Principles and Practices for Quality Maintenance, describes the above-mentioned advancements in postharvest quality improvement of fresh horticultural produce. This book will be a standard reference work for postharvest management for the fresh produce industry. It presents important new advances that will extend the shelf life of fresh produce by retaining its safety and nutritional or sensory quality. The book covers a multitude of topics, particularly advances in: * Conventional breeding approaches for fruits and vegetables * Storage of fruits and vegetables * Postharvest treatment and smart packaging * Management of pests and other postharvest diseases * Postharvest management of fresh-cut flowers * Management of medicinal and aromatic plants during postharvest * Biotechnological methods for postharvest management

Applications of Furrow and Micro Irrigation in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions, the fifth volume in the Research Advances in Sustainable Micro Irrigation series, addresses the ever-challenging need for irrigation systems in arid and semi-arid regions of the world, areas that are suffering from severe water shortages. These areas, such as Egypt, Tunisia, most of Africa, and parts of South America, Central America, and Australia, find it a struggle to grow crops sustainably with the water available. This important book emphasizes sustainable agriculture practices to promote increased water usage efficiency in dry areas for growing of crops. It presents a variety of research and studies on such topics as: * Meteorological instruments for water management * Buried micro irrigation laterals for soil water retention * Water vapor flux models * Performance of various crops grown under different irrigation methods * Scheduling of irrigation * Phyto-monitoring techniques This valuable book is a must for those finding it a challenge to maintain sustainable crop production in the midst of continuous water shortages in areas where water is not naturally plentiful. With contributions from authors with hands-on experience in the field, the book will be an invaluable reference and guide to effective micro irrigation methods.

Comprised of three sections, this covers the nutrient dynamics and productivity of global agroecosystems. It focuses on the major aspects that make up agroecosystems, such as soils, climate, crops, nutrient dynamics, and productivity. It introduces agroeocsystems and describes global soil types that support vast crop belts, then deals with the principles that drive crop growth, nutrient dynamics and ecosystematic functions within any agroecosystem. It also details the influence of agronomic practices and factors such as soil microbes, organic matter, crop genetic nature, irrigation, weeds, and cropping systems that affect productivity of agroecosystems.

This book covers topics on the basic models, assessments, and techniques to calculate evapotranspiration (ET) for practical applications in agriculture, forestry, and urban science. This simple and thorough guide provides the information and techniques necessary to develop, manage, interpret, and apply evapotranspiration [ET] data to practical applications. The simplicity of the contents facilitates a technician to develop an ET data for effective water management.

This title includes a number of Open Access chapters. Advances in information technology and next generation sequencing have propelled the use of bioinformatics in agriculture, especially in the area of crop improvement. An extremely large amount of genomics data is available from plants and animals due to tremendous improvements in the field. This book acquaints readers with state-of-the-art sequencing technologies, recent developments in computing algorithms, and certain biological perspectives that influence development of bioinformatics tools by giving specific examples from model plant species. The challenge is now to make sense and use of this wealth of data.

With contributions from leading scientists in agricultural biology and young researchers, this book examines the ecological consequences that sometimes arise with various methods of increasing crop productivity. It also presents agroecological approaches to crop improvement and productivity from several perspectives, examines alternative energy sources, and discusses other problems related to sustainable agriculture.

This valuable book, the third volume in the Research Advances in Sustainable Micro Irrigation series, focuses on sustainable micro irrigation management for trees and vines. It covers the principles as well as recent advances and applications of micro irrigation techniques. Specialists throughout the world share their expertise on: * Automation of micro irrigation systems * Service and maintenance of micro irrigation systems * Evaluation of micro irrigation systems * Scheduling of irrigation * Using municipal wastewater for micro irrigation * Micro-jet irrigation and other systems * The effect of potassium, acid lime, and other elements