For thousands of years, forest biomass or wood has been among the main energy sources of humans around the world. Since the industrial revolution, fossil fuels have replaced wood and become the dominant source of energy. The use of fossil fuels has the disadvantage of increasing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs), especially carbon dioxide (CO2), with the consequent warming of global climate and changes in precipitation. In this context, the substitution of fossil fuels with renewable energy sources like forest biomass is among the ways to mitigate climate change. This book summarizes recent experiences on how to manage forest land to produce woody biomass for energy use and what are the potentials to mitigate climate change by substituting fossil fuels in energy production. In this context, the book addresses how management can affect the supply of energy biomass using short-rotation forestry and the conventional forestry applying long rotations. Furthermore, the book outlines the close interaction between the ecological systems and industrial systems, which controls the carbon cycle between the atmosphere and biosphere. In this context, sustainable forest management is a key to understand and control indirect carbon emissions due to the utilization of forest biomass (e.g. from management, harvesting and logistics, and ecosystem processes), which are often omitted in assessing the carbon neutrality of energy systems based on forest biomass. The focus in this book is on forests and forestry in the boreal and temperate zones, particularly in Northern Europe, where the woody biomass is widely used in the energy industry for producing energy.

The purpose of this book is to introduce the classified chemical components of hypoglycemic compounds in natural products, summarize the recent research progress of natural products with hypoglycemic activity in the past 20 years, and provide the original analysis and development opinions of relevant scholars. Hypoglycemic compounds are to target diabetes mellitus, an important public health problem, one of four priority noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) targeted for action by world leaders. Diabetes mellitus is a common endocrine and metabolic disease, which not only causes physiological damage to patients' kidneys, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular vessels, peripheral blood vessels, nerves and eyes, but also causes mental and psychological pressure to patients. Due to the evidence that traditional medicine and natural herbal formula have advantages in treating diabetes, natural products with hypoglycemic activity have been studied extensively in recent years and have been accepted by many scholars all over the world. This book focuses on the progress on the study of the structure, hypoglycemic activities, structure-activity relationships and mechanism of a wide range of polysaccharides, flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids, terpenoids, polyphenols and other constituents. It will help students and researchers to understand current approaches and progress in the treatment of diabetes with natural products, which may also be beneficial to develop new hypoglycemic drugs.

The Bambara groundnut (BGN) or Vigna subterranea is an extremely hardy grain legume. As it produces reasonable yields even under conditions of drought and low soil fertility, it is also a climate-smart crop. Previously underutilized, BGN is the subject of growing interest among researchers and consumers for its balanced nutritional profile. Indigenous consumers of BGN report medicinal benefits from the plant; however, such knowledge is at risk of being lost with the urbanization and changing lifestyles of younger generations. To date, there is no comprehensive resource on the Bambara groundnut, despite market demand for plant proteins around the globe. Authored by scientists who have researched and developed patents using BGN, Bambara Groundnut: Utilization and Future Prospects aims to fill this gap. The text provides in-depth coverage on breeding, food and feed utilization, medicinal benefits and future research prospects. Drawing on both indigenous knowledge and cutting-edge research, Bambara Groundnut is the first book to fully explore the potential of this remarkable crop.

Abiotic and biotic stress factors, including drought, salinity, waterlog, temperature extremes, mineral nutrients, heavy metals, plant diseases, nematodes, viruses, and diseases, adversely affect growth as well as yield of crop plants worldwide. Plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPM) are receiving increasing attention from agronomists and environmentalists as candidates to develop an effective, eco-friendly, and sustainable alternative to conventional agricultural (e.g., chemical fertilizers and pesticide) and remediation (e.g., chelators-enhanced phytoremediation) methods employed to deal with climate change-induced stresses. Recent studies have shown that plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB), rhizobia, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), cyanobacteria have great potentials in the management of various agricultural and environmental problems. This book provides current research of biofertilizers and the role of microorganisms in plant health, with specific emphasis on the mitigating strategies to combat plant stresses.

Wild Arum. The most mysterious, stylish and sexual plant that you will ever meet. 'A Crafty & Malignant Antediluvian Vegetable' is how Arum was described by the Victorians and no wonder. This is a plant which is said to induce 'insatiable sexual desire' and has multiple orgasms as part of its reproduction. It has mythical links with serpents, death, creation and sexuality. It is included in the first ever encyclopaedia and in the remedies of a Welsh healing family who say they were taught by the fairy folk. Legends tell of its power to rouse bears from hibernation and how its pollen glows at night giving it the name of 'fairy lamps'. Known as Cuckoo Pint, Stallions and Mares and Dog's Dibble, amongst a host of other local names, Arum Maculatum has always stirred our imaginations. The unmistakable sexual suggestiveness carried in its curves has led to it being universally considered a powerful aphrodisiac. Reflecting this bawdy sexuality the plant has inspired over 150 common names in English alone: more than any other British plant. To know the Wild Arum is to steep one's self in the history of our ongoing relationship with plants and to delve into the very roots of herbalism and botany. It is to go on a journey which begins in ancient Greece with the earliest herbal manuscripts ever written and a single book which was in continual use for over 1500 years. It ends with the latest research into the genetic evolution of plants. It is to step into the intimate relationship between powerful plants and our own evolution, taking in along the way the first herbal guides, much myth and folklore, Elizabethan high fashion, rampant plagiarism and hibernating bears. It's quite a story. Containing over 80 stunning photographs showcasing this unique British plant, the Secret Life of Lords and Ladies explores the history, the mythology and the fascination which this plant has held for us since ancient times.

Selenium plays a significant role in preventing certain types of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. The level of Selenium in the human body depends on its concentration in food. In turn, the content in vegetable crops is a function of the soil-plant system. There are many countries in the world with low Selenium content in the soil. The average daily human intake is thus limited through food chain. Analysis of Selenium status suggests that fortification of the soil substrate with Sodium Selenate, and foliar application to agricultural crops are both effective means of Selenium enrichment. Our intention for this publication is to present the possibilities of augmenting Selenium content by biofortification of soils and plants through differentiated nutrition. In the first part of the monograph, the results of Selenium supplementation in model vegetation experiments are presented. The next part of the monograph presents the results of foliar supplementation of Selenium in field conditions. This book is an outstanding reference source for plant breeders and researchers engaged in biofortification of horticulture crops. It is also beneficial to agricultural companies and other stakeholders.