Collaboratively written by top international experts and established scientists in various fields of agricultural research, this book focuses on the state of food production and sustainability; the problems with degradation of valuable sources of land, water, and air and their effects on food crops;the increasing demand of food resources; and the challenges of food security worldwide. The book provides cutting edge scientific tools and methods of research as well as solid background information that is accessible for those who have a strong interest in agricultural research and development and want to learn more on the challenges facing the global agricultural production systems.
Provides cutting edge scientific tools and available technologies for researchAddresses the effects of climate change and the population explosion on food supply and offers solutions to combat themWritten by a range of experts covering a broad range of agriculture-related disciplines"

This book provides an introduction to the analysis of chaos and chaos theory as it relates to agricultural science. With clear explanations of chaos theory and principles, the first part of the book offers some basic facts, the fundamental terminology, and the concepts of deterministic chaos.

The second part of this volume contains rich applications of the theory as applied to real agricultural systems. Applications include a wide area such as alternate bearing in tree crops, weed control and tillage, nonlinear vibrations in agricultural tractors, and piglet pricing analysis.

Readers will find useful tools for calculating the order, rules and theory behind complex phenomena observed in arable land.

The increased knowledge about the structure of genomes in a number of species, about the complexity of transcriptomes, and the rapid growth in knowledge about mutant phenotypes have set off the large scale use of transgenes to answer basic biological questions, and to generate new crops and novel products. This volume includes twelve chapters, which to variable degrees describe the use of transgenic plants to explore possibilities and approaches for the modification of plant metabolism, adaptation or development. The interests of the authors range from tool development, to basic biochemical know-how about the engineering of enzymes, to exploring avenues for the modification of complex multigenic pathways, and include several examples for the engineering of specific pathways in different organs and developmental stages.
* Prologue by Paul K. Stumpf and Eric E. Conn
* Incorporates new concepts and insights in plant biochemistry and biology
* Provides a conceptual framework regarding the challenges faced in engineering pathways
* Discusses potential in engineering of metabolic end-products that are of vast economical importance, including genetic engineering of cellulose, seed storage proteins, and edible and industrial oils

More than two billion people worldwide have currently no access to grid electricity or other efficient energy supply. This is one third of humanity and the majority live in rural areas. The productivity and health of these people are diminished by reliance on traditional fuels and technologies, with women and children suffering most. Energy is the key element to empower people and ensure water, food and fodder supply as well as rural development. Therefore access to energy should be treated as the fundamental right to everybody. Renewable energy has the potential to bring power, not only in the literal sense, to communities by transforming their prospects.
This book offers options that meet the needs of people and communities for energy and engage them in identifying and planning their own provision. It describes updated renewable energy technologies and offers strategies and guidelines for the planning and implementation of sustainable energy supply for individuals and communities.

This volume highlights aspects and approaches to questions on the development and findings of biotic indicator (systems), considering the complex problems of conversion into practice. Biotic indication in relation to sustainable land use and biodiversity is discussed from many angles.

Covered in this volume are the following topics:

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• Political requirements and statements on biotic agri-environmental indicators;
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• Requirements regarding agri-environmental indicators from a scientific as well as an applied point of view;
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• Scientific reviews and critical discussions of "state of the art" knowledge regarding several kinds of agri-environmental indicators for biodiversity and/or sustainable agriculture;
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• Original experiments on certain aspects regarding indication of biodiversity in agroecosystems;
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• Practical experience with the application and suitability of agri-environmental indicators (as far as they are already established);
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• Conceptions and models to show the economic effects and possibilities of practical application of such indicators.
  
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Agroecology is the science of applying ecological concepts and principles to the design, development, and management of sustainable agricultural systems. Agroecological economics, a subsection of agricultural economics, evaluates the ecological consequences of agricultural methods on the economic scale. Agroecological economics considers green engineering as a means of measurement.
As the environmental movement unfolds, the importance of biodiversity and long-term sustainability are indisputable. Progress depends on determining the economic viability of terrestrial agroecosystems. What is lacking is the analysis needed to bring biodiverse and sustainable systems to fruition. Agroecological Economics analyzes the current topics that must be addressed in order to provide sustainable agricultural systems. It explains the economics of land-use ecology with emphasis on changing over from a conventional model of agriculture to environmentally- and ecologically-friendly models and the financial incentives that are important to these practices.
* Analyzes agricultural solutions with economic testing
* Includes a complete analysis of recent biodiversity-based research with valuable new economic methodologies
* Provides various applications to mitigate the problems which have economic and ecological effects on agroecosystems
* Offers applications of ecologically-sound land-use practices in production and manufacturing

This comprehensive book describes cork as a natural product, as an industrial raw-materials, and as a wine bottle closure. From its formation in the outer bark of the cork oak tree to the properties that are of relevance to its use, cork is presented and explained including its physical and mechanical properties.
The industrial processing of cork from post-harvest procedures to the production of cork agglomerates and composites is described.
Intended as a reference book, this is the ideal compilation of scientific knowledge on state-of-the-art cork production and use
Key Features:
*Presents comprehensive coverage from cork formation to post-harvest procedures
*Explains the physical properties, mechanical properties and quality of cork
*Addresses topics of interest for those in food science, agriculture and forestry

Vascular Transport in Plants provides an up-to-date synthesis of new research on the biology of long distance transport processes in plants. It will be a valuable resource and reference for researchers and graduate level students in physiology, molecular biology, physiology, ecology, ecological physiology, development, and all applied disciplines related to agriculture, horticulture, forestry and biotechnology. The book considers long-distance transport from the perspective of molecular level processes to whole plant function, allowing readers to integrate information relating to vascular transport across multiple scales. The book is unique in presenting xylem and phloem transport processes in plants together in a comparative style that emphasizes the important interactions between these two parallel transport systems.
* Includes 105 exceptional figures
* Discusses xylem and phloem transport in a single volume, highlighting their interactions
* Syntheses of structure, function and biology of vascular transport by leading authorities
* Poses unsolved questions and stimulates future research
* Provides a new conceptual framework for vascular function in plants