Horses need grass. It plays a vital part in their nutrition, health and well-being, and good grassland management results in a cost-effective way of feeding them. However, all too often horses at grass are either poorly managed or managed according to normal agricultural practice, which does not provide good pasture for them. This informative book explains everything which needs to be considered when managing grasslands to benefit the horse, the vegetation and the environment. The book examines the horse's grazing habits and its requirements when at grass, and goes on to present an overview of the range and types of grasslands found in Britain and their suitability for the horse. Details are given of how to assess a pasture and identify significant plants, and the methods and outcomes of various management practices are discussed. The role of horse owner as land manager is set in the wider context of stewardship of the countryside, with considerations for preventing pollution and protecting wildlife. Of particular assistance to the reader will be the appendix, which gathers together information on the suitability of grassland plants for horses, and the many instructive illustrations. For horse owners and managers and everyone with an interest in managing grassland or conservation grazing, Managing Grass for Horses is essential reading.

Decision-making is a frequent problem in today's financial, business, and industrial world. Thus, fuzzy expert systems are increasingly being used to solve decision-making problems by attempting to solve a part or whole of a practical problem. These expert systems have proven that they can solve problems in various domains where human expertise is required, including the field of agriculture. Fuzzy Expert Systems and Applications in Agricultural Diagnosis is a crucial source that examines the use of fuzzy expert systems for prediction and problem solving in the agricultural industry. Featuring research on topics such as nutrition management, sustainable agriculture, and defuzzification, this book is ideally designed for farmers, researchers, scientists, academics, students, policymakers, and development practitioners seeking the latest research in technological tools that support crop disease diagnosis.

Smart Technologies for Sustainable Smallholder Agriculture: Upscaling in Developing Countries defines integrated climate smart agricultural technologies (ICSAT) as a suite of interconnected techniques and practices that enhance quantity and quality of agricultural products with minimum impact on the environment. These ICSAT are centered on three main pillars, increased production and income, adaptation and resilience to climate change, and minimizing GHG emissions. This book brings together technologies contributing to the three pillars, explains the context in which they can be scaled up, and identifies research and development gaps as areas requiring further investigation. It stresses the urgency in critically analyzing and recommending ICSAT and scaling out the efforts of both developing and disseminating these in an integrated manner. The book discusses, synthesizes, and offers alternative solutions to agriculture production systems and socio-economic development. It brings together biophysical and socioeconomic disciplines in evaluating suitable ICSAT in an effort to help reduce poverty and food insecurity.

Braconidae of the Middle East (Hymenoptera): Taxonomy, Distribution, Biology, and Biocontrol Benefits of Parasitoid Wasps provides the latest and most comprehensive knowledge of parasitoid wasp species. The highest concentration of these species is native to, or found in, the Middle East. This book covers the distribution of these species across the Palearctic region and their widespread global benefits as natural biocontrol agents. Each chapter covers a braconid subfamily, providing introductory information on its biology and phylogeny, total number of species, global distribution, and how they can be used to control pests and invasive insect species. In addition, this book discusses the importance of integrated pest management, specifically how Braconidae can be used for one-time or repeated introduction to natural enemies in suppressing pest populations. Finally, each chapter offers an illustrative key for readers to visualize and identify each species.