Maize is the world's most productive food and industrial crop, grown in more than 160 countries and on every continent except Antarctica. If by some catastrophe maize were to disappear from our food supply chain, vast numbers of people would starve and global economies would rapidly collapse. How did we come to be so dependent on this one plant? Maize for the Gods brings together new research by archaeologists, archaeobotanists, plant geneticists, and a host of other specialists to explore the complex ways that this single plant and the peoples who domesticated it came to be inextricably entangled with one another over the past nine millennia. Tracing maize from its first appearance and domestication in ancient campsites and settlements in Mexico to its intercontinental journey through most of North and South America, this history also tells the story of the artistic creativity, technological prowess, and social, political, and economic resilience of America's first peoples.

Put Theory into Practice

Scarcity of natural resources, higher costs, higher demand, and concerns about environmental pollution ? under these circumstances, improving food supply worldwide with adequate quantity and quality is fundamental. Based on the author's more than forty years of experience, The Use of Nutrients in Crop Plants builds a bridge between theoretical aspects of mineral nutrition and practical applicability of basic principles of fertilization and use efficiency of essential plant nutrients.

Provides Authoritative and Practical Information

The book explores how to maximize essential nutrients uptake and use efficiency by food crops and how to improve productivity without degrading the environment. It covers nutrients and their cycle in soil-plant systems, functions, and deficiency symptoms. The author includes management strategies that can lead to a reduction in the cost of crop production and environmental degradation. He emphasizes field conditions, crop production, and soil chemistry. Comprehensive coverage of essential nutrients and experimental results are accompanied by tables and figures of updated experimental data that make practical information easily accessible.

A Valuable Tool for Improving Crop Yield

Agricultural science is very dynamic in nature and fertilizer practices change with time due to the release of new cultivars and changing production practices in sustainable crop production systems. The Use of Nutrients in Crop Plants provides in-depth scientific information that is applicable through many methods of crop production. It is a valuable tool for improving crop yields at lower cost and less stress on the environment.

Global demand for wheat, rice, corn, and other essential grains is expected to steadily rise over the next twenty years. Meeting this demand by increasing production through increased land use is not very likely; and while better crop management may make a marginal difference, most agriculture experts agree that this anticipated deficit must be made up through increased crop yields. The first resource of its kind, Physiology and Biotechnology Integration for Plant Breeding assembles current research in crop plant physiology, plant biotechnology, and plant breeding that is aimed toward improving crop plants genetically while supporting a productive agriculture ecosystem. Highly comprehensive, this reference provides access to the most innovative perspectives in crop physiology - with a special emphasis on molecular approaches - aimed at the formulation of those crop cultivars that offer the greatest potential to increase crop yields in stress environments. Surveys the current state of the field, as well as modern options and avenues for plant breeders and biotechnologists interested in augmenting crop yield and stability With the contributions of plant scientists from all corners of the globe who are actively involved in meeting this important challenge, Physiology and Biotechnology Integration for Plant Breeding provides readers with the background information needed to understand this cutting-edge work, as well as detailed information on present and potential applications. While the first half of the book establishes and fully explains the link between crop physiology and molecular biology, the second part explores the application of biotechnology in the effective delivery of the high yield and environmentally stable crop plants needed to avert the very real possibility of worldwide hunger.

It is predicted that the world population will reach about 9.7 billion by the year 2050 and to feed this population the food production has to be increased proportionately. Further we are all concerned about climate which in turn results in abiotic stresses like drought, salinity, etc. These abiotic stresses will seriously affect crop productivity. This approach has gained popularity in the recent years and seems to be a potential option for the future. The present book brings out the role of different groups of microorganisms in alleviating abiotic stress in crop plants. Please note: This volume is Co-published with New India Publishing Agency, New Delhi. Taylor & Francis does not sell or distribute the Hardback in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka

Global climate change affects crop production through altered weather patterns and increased environmental stresses. Such stresses include soil salinity, drought, flooding, metal/metalloid toxicity, pollution, and extreme temperatures. The variability of these environmental conditions pared with the sessile lifestyle of plants contribute to high exposure to these stress factors. Increasing tolerance of crop plants to abiotic stresses is needed to fulfill increased food needs of the population. This book focuses on methods of improving plants tolerance to abiotic stresses. It provides information on how protective agents, including exogenous phytoprotectants, can mitigate abiotic stressors affecting plants. The application of various phytoprotectants has become one of the most effective approaches in enhancing the tolerance of plants to these stresses. Phytoprotectants are discussed in detail including information on osmoprotectants, antioxidants, phytohormones, nitric oxide, polyamines, amino acids, and nutrient elements of plants. Providing a valuable resource of information on phytoprotectants, this book is useful in diverse areas of life sciences including agronomy, plant physiology, cell biology, environmental sciences, and biotechnology.

Saffron is a precious spice which is mainly grown in Iran, India, Spain, Greece, Italy, Pakistan, Morocco, and central Asian countries. Until recently, saffron was perceived only for its value as a spice. However, with recent research findings pointing to the medicinal properties of saffron such as its antimicrobial, anticarcinogenic and antioxidant effects, interest in this plant has increased. The book presents a comprehensive account of saffron which includes the historical background, acerage underproduction, yield and applications, botanical ecophysiology, production technology, irrigation, pests, diseases and weeds, genetics, sterility, reproduction and production of secondary metabolites by in vitro method, economic aspects, indigenous knowledge in saffron production, processing, chemical composition and quality control, and research strategies.

Pearl millet is mainly used for animal and poultry feed. It is the principal source of energy, protein, vitamins, minerals and contains many phenolic compounds, which are a good source of natural antioxidants. Pearl millet is a rich source of bioactive compounds and contains phytates and polyphenols. Owing to high nutritional and phytochemical properties, it has gained considerable attention as a botanical dietary supplement in many functional foods. Pearl Millet: Properties, Functionality and Its Applications provides comprehensive knowledge on nutritional and non-nutritional aspects of pearl millet. It covers recent research on pearl millet and provides information to improve the property and shelf life of flour, as well as the starch, and their uses in various food products. Features: Reviews structure, functional and antioxidant properties in pearl millet flour Deals with the latest developments in modification of native starch Provides information in enhancing shelf life and its utilization in phytochemical-rich product development Covers updated information for grain science professionals and food technologists

1.1. INTRODUCTION Plastic covering, either framed or floating, is now used worldwide to protect crops from unfavorable growing conditions, such as severe weather and insects and birds. Protected cultivation in the broad sense, including mulching, has been widely spread by the innovation of plastic films. Paper, straw, and glass were the main materials used before the era of plastics. Utilization of plastics in agriculture started in the developed countries and is now spreading to the developing countries. Early utilization of plastic was in cold regions, and plastic was mainly used for protection from the cold. Now plastic is used also for protection from wind, insects and diseases. The use of covering techniques started with a simple system such as mulching, then row covers and small tunnels were developed, and finally plastic houses. Floating mulch was an exception to this sequence: it was introduced rather recently, although it is a simple structure. New development of functional and inexpensive films triggered widespread use of floating mulch. Table 1.1. The use a/plastic mulch in the world (after Jouet, 2001).

Biology of Citrus provides a concise and comprehensive discussion of all major developmental, genetic and horticultural aspects of citriculture in an easily readable text. The book deals with the history, distribution and climatic adaptation of the crop, followed by taxonomy and systematics, including a horticultural classification of edible citrus species. Subsequent chapters cover tree structure and function, reproductive physiology, including flowering, fruiting, productivity, ripening, post-harvest and fruit constituents. The main aspects of cultivated citrus, such as rootstocks, irrigation, pests, viruses and diseases are dealt with, leading to a concluding chapter that considers genetic improvement, including the use of tissue culture and plant biotechnology. The book includes many specially produced original illustrations and the extensive reading lists will make it invaluable for students and citrus specialists.

The present multi-volume treatise has been planned to discuss important aspects of the crop-plant physiological aspects, viz., hormones, nutrients, cell membranes, and induced proteins, as related to different types of stresses each in separate volumes. Another type of stress which can be classed under biotic, environmental (sil) or chemical, viz., the stress of allelochemicals which has not been discussed before as a stress factor, will be discussed in a separate volume emphasizing its practical/ ap-plied aspects, rather than mentioning only the allelopathic effects. In this volume on Hormone Relations, different stresses have been arranged in order of their importance and work done.

Abiotic stresses such as drought, flooding, high or low temperatures, metal toxicity and salinity can hamper plant growth and development. Improving Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants explains the physiological and molecular mechanisms plants naturally exhibit to withstand abiotic stresses and outlines the potential approaches to enhance plant abiotic stress tolerance to extreme conditions. Synthesising developments in plant stress biology, the book offers strategies that can be used in breeding, genomic, molecular, physiological and biotechnological approaches that hold the potential to develop resilient plants and improve crop productivity worldwide. Features * Comprehensively explains molecular and physiological mechanism of multiple abiotic stress tolerance in plants * Discusses recent advancements in crop abiotic stress tolerance mechanism and highlights strategies to develop abiotic stress tolerant genotypes for sustainability * Stimulates synthesis of information for plant stress biology for biotechnological applications * Presents essential information for large scale breeding and agricultural biotechnological programs for crop improvement Written by a team of expert scientists, this book benefits researchers in the field of plant stress biology and is essential reading for graduate students and researchers generating stress tolerant crops through genetic engineering and plant breeding. It appeals to individuals developing sustainable agriculture through physiological and biotechnological applications.

In this major 1993 work, Lloyd Evans provides an integrated view of the domestication, adaptation and improvement of crop plants, bringing together genetic diversity, plant breeding, physiology and aspects of agronomy. Considerations of yield and maximum yield provide continuity throughout the book. Food, feed, fibre, fuel and pharmaceutical crops are all discussed. Cereals, grain legumes and root crops, both temperate and tropical, provide many of the examples, but pasture plants, oilseeds, leafy crops, fruit trees and others are also considered. After the introductory chapter, the increasing significance of crop yields to the world's food supply is highlighted. The next three chapters consider changes to crop plants over the last ten thousand years, including domestication, adaptation and improvement. Aimed at research workers and advanced students in crop physiology and ecology, agronomy and plant breeding, this book also reaches conclusions of relevance to those concerned with developmental policy, agricultural research and management, environmental quality, resource depletion and human history.

This insightful reference/text describes the application of viable mathematical models in data analysis to increase crop growth and yields-highlighting effective, analytical functions that have been found useful for the comparison of alternative management techniques to maximize water and nutrient resources. Features solutions to various differential equations and considers different characteristics of the functions related to the phenomenological growth model. Mathematical Models of Crop Growth and Yield examines the response of seasonal dry matter to applied nutrients considers the accumulation of dry matter and plant nutrients explores sensitivity analysis and dimensionless plots assesses the transfer of nitrogen from a legume to a grass analyzes the linkage of animal production with forage production discusses water availability evaluates coupling among applied, soil, and plant components presents numerical procedures for regression analysis supplies extensive exercises for further study Enhanced by the inclusion of more than 1300 literature citations, display equations, tables, and figures, Mathematical Models of Crop Growth and Yield will prove an invaluable reference for plant pathologists; agriculturists; toxicologists; ecologists; botanists; agronomists; horticulturists; biochemists; foresters; plant culturists; biotechnologists; plant and crop physiologists; plant, crop, soil, and environmental scientists; agricultural, biological, and environmental engineers; crop managers; and crop modeling specialists; and an essential text for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students in these disciplines. Return to Top Table of Contents Introduction Seasonal Response Models Growth Response Models Mathematical Characteristics of Models Pasture Systems Nonlinear Regression for Mathematical Models Index Return to Top

One of the world centers of crop evolution and origin, Ethiopia has long been recognized as an important area of diversity for several major and various minor crops. Based on an international conference held in Addis Ababa, this book describes how plant genetic diversity in Ethiopia is of vital importance in breeding new varieties of crops with desirable characteristics, such as increased resistance to pests and diseases and greater adaptation to heat and drought. The three main sections in the book consider the Ethiopian center of diversity, germ plasm or genetic material collection and conservation in Ethiopia, and the evaluation and utilization of Ethiopian genetic resources. A broad range of food and feed crops and plants of medicinal and industrial importance are discussed, both at a national and international level. A brief account of conservation strategies and gene bank problems unique to Ethiopia is also given. The importance of Ethiopia's plant genetic resources to world agriculture has been demonstrated on more than one occasion. Plant breeders, geneticists, and botanists throughout the world will, therefore, find this unique book a valuable source of information and an essential reference work.

Black Pepper is the first monograph to be published on this important spice, the most widely-used by mankind. This monograph includes chapters on all aspects of the crop's botany and its improvement, agronomy, chemistry, post harvest technology, processing, diseases, insect pests, marketing, economics and uses. The available information is collected and presented for the use of students, teachers and research workers. All the chapters are written by experts in their fields.

The book -- a veritable 'treasure trove' of all that is known about the crop -- is meant for undergraduate and graduate students, teachers and researchers in the areas of agriculture, horticulture and crop botany. This will serve both as a text book and as a reference book. It is hoped that this monograph will remain the major reference source for all pepper workers for at least the next decade.

The Maize Handbook represents the collective efforts of the maize research community to enumerate the key steps of standard procedures and to disseminate these protocols for the common good. Although the material in this volume is drawn from experience with maize, many of the procedures, protocols, and descriptions are applicable to other higher plants, particularly to other grasses. The power and resolution of experiments with maize depend on the wide range of specialized genetic techniques and marked stocks; these materials are available today as the culmination of nearly 100 years of genetic research. A major goal of this volume is to introduce this genetical legacy and to highlight current stock construction programs that will soon benefit our work, e. g. high-density RFLP maps, deletion stocks, etc. Both stock construction and maintenance are relatively straightforward in maize as a result of the ease of crossing and the longevity of stored seeds. Crossing is facilitated by the separate staminate (tassel) and pistillate (ear) flowers, a feature almost unique to maize. On the other hand, many of the genetic methodologies utilized with maize, including the precision of record keeping, can be adapted to other plants. Facile communication and a spirit of co-operation have characterized the maize genetics community since its earliest days. Starting in the 1930s, institutions such as annual Maize Genetics Cooperation Newsletter, the Maize Genetics Stock Center, and the annual maize genetics meeting provide continuity to the field.

"Darwin's Harvest" addresses concerns that we are losing the diversity of crop plants that provide food for most of the world. With contributions from evolutionary biologists, geneticists, agronomists, molecular biologists, and anthropologists, this collection discusses how economic development, loss of heirloom varieties and wild ancestors, and modern agricultural techniques have endangered the genetic diversity needed to keep agricultural crops vital and capable of adaptation.

Drawing on the most up-to-date data, the contributors review the utilization of molecular techniques to understand crop evolution. They explore current research on various crop plants of both temperate and tropical origin, including maize, sunflower, avocado, sugarcane, and wheat. The chapters in Darwin's Harvest also provide solid background for understanding many recent discoveries concerning the origins of crops and the influence of human migration and farming practices on the genetics of our modern foods.

Written by noted experts in the field, Handbook of Mango Fruit: Production, Postharvest Science, Processing Technology and Nutrition offers a comprehensive resource regarding the production, trade, and consumption of this popular tropical fruit. The authors review the geographic areas where the fruit is grown and harvested, including information on the ever-expanding global marketplace that highlights United States production, imports and exports, and consumption, as well as data on the outlook for the European market. Handbook of Mango Fruit outlines the postharvest handling and packaging techniques and reviews the fruit s processed products and byproducts that are gleaned from the processing of waste. The authors include information on the nutritional profile of the mango and review the food safety considerations for processing and transport of mangoes. This comprehensive resource: * Reviews global mango production trends and countries that are the major exporters and importers of mangoes * Explores the burgeoning marketplace for mangoes with special emphasis on the US and European marketplace * Assesses latest trends in packaging of and shipping of mangoes * Provides in depth coverage on value-added processing and by-products utilization * Offers vital information on the innovative processing technologies and nutritional profile of popular tropical fruit Written for anyone involved in the production, marketing, postharvest handling, processing and by-products of mangoes, Handbook of Mango Fruit is a vital resource offering the most current information and guidelines on the burgeoning marketplace as well as the safe handling, production, and distribution of mangoes.

Advances in Agronomy, Volume 162, continues to be recognized as a leading reference and first-rate source for the latest research in agronomy. Each volume contains an eclectic group of reviews by leading scientists throughout the world. As always, the subjects covered are rich, varied and exemplary of the abundant subject matter addressed by this long-running serial.

Agricultural Water Management: Theories and Practices advances the scientific understanding, development and application of agricultural water management through an integrated approach. This book presents a collection of recent developments and applications of agricultural water management from advanced sources, such as satellite, mesoscale and climate models that are integrated with conceptual modeling systems. Users will find sections on drought, irrigation scheduling, weather forecasting, climate change, precipitation forecasting, and more. By linking these systems, this book provides the first resource to promote the synergistic and multidisciplinary activities of scientists in hydro-meteorological and agricultural sciences. As agricultural water management has gained considerable momentum in recent decades among the earth and environmental science communities as they seek solutions and an understanding of the concepts integral to agricultural water management, this book is an ideal resource for study and reference.

Winner of the 'Casa Chata Award' for the Best Book of 1994 (Spanish edition)
In charting the paradoxical effects of power and knowledge on the everyday life of subordinate people, this book offers a major rethinking of domination and the agricultural labor process. Challenging the belief that ethnography is theoretically weak, the author provides a fresh perspective on rural workers' responses to the development of transnational production systems and the transformations of agrarian structures brought about by the complex interactions of global and local forces. In questioning ingrained assumptions about worker consciousness, the author exposes the naivete of past approaches and the role of power and hegemony in the micro-politics of human relations.
This book is obligatory reading for anyone interested in current debates about "resistance," development, and the future of rural societies.

Winner of the 'Casa Chata Award' for the Best Book of 1994 (Spanish edition)
In charting the paradoxical effects of power and knowledge on the everyday life of subordinate people, this book offers a major rethinking of domination and the agricultural labor process. Challenging the belief that ethnography is theoretically weak, the author provides a fresh perspective on rural workers' responses to the development of transnational production systems and the transformations of agrarian structures brought about by the complex interactions of global and local forces. In questioning ingrained assumptions about worker consciousness, the author exposes the naivete of past approaches and the role of power and hegemony in the micro-politics of human relations.
This book is obligatory reading for anyone interested in current debates about "resistance," development, and the future of rural societies.

Wheat and Barley Grain Biofortification addresses topics associated with the alleviation of malnutrition in globally diverse populations via wheat and barley biofortification. The book synthesizes the current trends of malnutrition across the globe, the need for wheat and barley nutritional enhancement and how agronomic, microbial and molecular understanding of biofortification can help in devising significant approaches and strategies. In addition, it includes discussions on potential genetic variability available and their efficient utilization in wheat and barley for molecular breeding for nutrients, challenges and opportunities for bioavailability, and technical advancement for analysis of bioavailability.

Nitrogen constitutes about 79 percent of the earth's atmosphere, yet, in an agricultural plant production system, it is still common for soils to be deficient of the nitrogen needed for maximum plant growth. But nitrogen fertilizers that are essential for the economically driven production of food and fiber are recognized as polluters of natural waters, and it has become increasingly apparent that manufactured and naturally occurring nitrogen resources must be better managed. This book addresses the problem by describing how the various factors such as types of soils and crops, irrigation methods, climate, and the nitrogen cycle itself affect levels of nitrogen in plant production systems. The book also provides a practical guide to the many advantages and disadvantages of using different fertilizers across such factors as environment, type of plant, and method of farming. This book will be part of the solution to nitrogen management and agricultural problems and will be of interest to workers in local, state, and federal agricultural extension services, consulting firms, environmental regulators, and students and researchers in soil chemistry. This book is intended for workers in