Litchi (lychee) and the related fruit longan are grown extensively in China and South-East Asia, as well as in Australia, Florida (USA), Southern Europe and Southern Africa. This book represents the only comprehensive, balanced and internationally focused publication on these fruits. It covers all aspects of production, from taxonomy and breeding, to propagation, flowering and fruit set, to diseases, pests and postharvest storage and processing. It also contains information on photosynthesis, productivity, plant-water relations and nutrition.

This book is for people who are working on, or are interested in, the subject of 'Greenhouse Technology', or in dealing with subjects related to crop science. The book explains the reason to go for greenhouse technology, its history and present scenario of greenhouse cultivation. Planning, designing, cost involved and all that is involved in setting up an efficient greenhouse system as per different climatic conditions find place in this book. Innovative technology of 'Bamboo Greenhouse Technology, with information on control mechanisms required for different climatic components are also discussed in depth.This book targets researchers, extension workers and individual entrepreneurs to provide a clear and handy idea about greenhouse technology. Note: T& F does not sell or distribute the Hardback in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. This title is co-published with New India Publishing Agency.

This book presents the progress, changes, and evolvement for apple mechanical harvest during the past decades, which include, but not limited to, bulky harvest method, harvest platform, apple infield sorting, and harvest robotics. Though there are significant progresses in apple harvest robotics, there still is a long way ahead before its practical applications, with existing and potential bottlenecks described in this book. Hence, other researchers would take advantage of this book to have a hint of the apple mechanical harvest history and state-of-the-art progress, so that they can find the room for their new research. This book targets senior undergraduates and more importantly graduate students in the field of agricultural engineering, sensing, automatic, and robotics.

This book has been prepared to provide every production aspect of important vegetables along with information regarding origin and distribution, composition and uses, botany, varieties, climatic and soil requirement, cultivation practices, harvesting, post-harvest management, insect-pests and diseases along with their control measures. Its users would find this book very practical for raising vegetable crops profitably.

Explore the Relationship between Crop and Climate Agricultural sustainability has been gaining prominence in recent years and is now becoming the focal point of modern agriculture. Recognizing that crop production is very sensitive to climate change, Climate Change Effect on Crop Productivity explores this timely topic in-depth. Incorporating contributions by expert scientists, professors, and researchers from around the world, it emphasizes concerns about the current state of agriculture and of our environment. This text analyzes the global consequences to crop yields, production, and risk of hunger linking climate and socioeconomic scenarios. Addresses Biotechnology, Climate Change, and Plant Productivity The book contains 19 chapters covering issues such as CO2, ozone on plants, productivity fertilization effect, UV (ultraviolet) radiation, temperature, and stress on crop growth. The text discusses the impact of changing climate on agriculture, environment stress physiology, adaptation mechanism, climate change data of recent years, impact of global warming, and climate change on different crops. It explores the overall global picture in terms of the effect of crops to climate change during abiotic stress and considers strategies for offsetting and adapting to ongoing climate change. Details how and why climate change occurs and how it effects crop productivity and agriculture Considers what measures should be taken to mitigate the effect of climate change on agriculture Highlights the effect of climate change on crop productivity, the invention of new technology, and strategies for agriculture practice to adapt to climate change Provides an analysis of the global warming effect on crop productivity due to climate change and long-term agriculture technique development Confirms the asymmetry between potentially severe agricultural damages such as the effect on crop yield due to variation in temperature Reports on the results of experiments to assess the effects of global climate change on crop productivity An asset to agriculturists, environmentalists, climate change specialists, policy makers, and research scholars, Climate Change Effect on Crop Productivity provides relevant information and opportunities for productive engagement and discussion among government negotiators, experts, stakeholders, and others concerned about climate change and agriculture.

This book provides a comprehensive presentation of the realization of improved rainfed agriculture yield in semi-arid and dry land areas. The incentive of watershed programs is to increase the return on investment with over 20% for 65% of the projects that are currently underperforming. Besides techniques to improve the livelihood of the many small-scale farmers in developing countries, it includes examples and case studies for further support. The methods discussed have recently shown to be successful and economically remunerative in India and in various African countries. Intended for professionals (investors, policy makers), researchers and (post) graduate students working on dry land and sustainable agriculture and water and natural resources management. Suited for courses in dry land agriculture, soil and water management and watershed development.

Healthy seeds and propagules are the basic requirement for producing good grains, fruits and vegetables needed for human survival and perpetuation. Dispersal of microbial plant pathogens via seeds and propagules has assumed more importance than other modes of dispersal, as infected seeds and propagules have the potential to become the primary sources of carrying pathogen inoculum for subsequent crops. Several diseases transmitted through seeds and propagules have been shown to have the potential to damage economies as a result of huge quantitative and qualitative losses in numerous crops. Hence, it is essential to rapidly detect, identify and differentiate the microbial plant pathogens present in seeds and propagules precisely and reliably, using sensitive techniques. Microbial Plant Pathogens: Detection and Management in Seeds and Propagules provides a comprehensive resource on seed-borne and propagule-borne pathogens. Information on the biology of microbial pathogens, including genetic diversity, infection process and survival mechanisms of pathogens and epidemiology of diseases caused by them, are discussed critically and in detail to highlight weak links in the life cycles of the pathogens. Development of effective disease management systems, based on the principles of exclusion and eradication of pathogens and immunization of crop plants to enhance the levels of resistance of cultivars to diseases, has been effective to keep the pathogens at bay. The need for production of disease-free seeds/propagules has been emphasized to prevent the carryover of the inoculum to the next crop or introduction of the pathogens to other locations. Effectiveness of adopting simple cultural practices and development of cultivars resistant to diseases through traditional breeding methods or biotechnological approach have resulted in reducing the pathogen inoculum and disease incidence. Although application of different chemicals may reduce the disease incidence effectively, biological management of crop diseases, employing potential biological control agents have to be preferred to preserve the agroecosystems. Greater efforts have to be made to integrate compatible strategies to enhance the effectiveness of diseases management systems. Protocols appended at the end of relevant chapters form a unique feature of this book to enable the researchers to fine-tune their projects. This 2 volume set provides comprehensive and updated information about the economically-important groups of microbial plant pathogens carried by seed and propagules. Graduate students, researchers and teachers of plant pathology, plant protection, microbiology, plant breeding and genetics, agriculture and horticulture, as well as certification and quarantine personnel will find the information presented in this book useful.

There is a growing awareness that an understanding of international plant health agreements and protocol is essential in the increasingly free-trade environment of today, and that administrative methods of plant pest control are important in crop production. However, there has been no recent book, which introduces students and practitioners to the subject of plant health and quarantine. This book fills this gap.

Rhizosphere biology is approaching a century of investigations wherein growth-promoting rhizomicroorganisms (PGPR) have attracted special attention for their ability to enhance productivity, profitability and sustainability at a time when food security and rural livelihood are a key priority. Bio-inputs - either directly in the form of microbes or their by-products - are gaining tremendous momentum and harnessing the potential of agriculturally important microorganisms could help in providing low-cost and environmentally safe technologies to farmers.One approach to such biologically-based strategies is the use of naturally occurring products such as PGPR. Advances in PGPR Research explores recent developments and global issues in biopesticide research, presented via extended case studies and up-to-date coverage of: * Low input biofertilizers and biofungicides used for sustainable agriculture. * Molecular techniques to enhance efficacy of microbial inputs. * Intellectual property issues in PGPR research. Written by an international team of experts, this book considers new concepts and global issues in biopesticide research and evaluates the implications for sustainable productivity. It is an invaluable resource for researchers in applied agricultural biotechnology, microbiology and soil science, and also for industry personnel in these areas.

Wild rice has always been essential to life in the Upper Midwest and neighboring Canada. In this far-reaching book, Thomas Vennum, Jr., uses travelers' narratives, historical and ethnological accounts, scientific data, historical and contemporary photographs and sketches, his own field work, and the words of Indian people to examine the importance of this wild food to the Ojibway people. He details the technology of harvesting and processing, from seventeenth-century reports though modern mechanization. He explains the important place of wild rice in Ojibway ceremony and legend and depicts the rich social life of the traditional rice camps. And he reviews the volatile issues of treaty rights and litigations involving Indian problems in maintaining this traditional resource.
A staple of the Ojibway diet and economy for centuries, wild rice has now become a gourmet food. With twentieth-century agricultural technology and paddy cultivation, white growers have virtually removed this important source of income from Indain hands. Nevertheless, the Ojibway continue to harvest and process rice each year. It remains a vital part of their social, cultural, and religious life.

"Plant Production on the Threshold of a New Century" describes and compares problems and frontier developments in the different sectors of plant production, integrating developments in basic plant sciences, crop science and socio-economic science, leading to sustainable plant production. Hence the book formulates goals and constraints in policy, economy, production, environment and land use; indicates how these goals and constraints may be translated into farming styles and cropping systems; and describes how the fundamental plant sciences can contribute to the implementation of such farming styles and cropping systems.

With coverage that ranges from basic information to advanced research, Papaya: Biology, Cultivation, Production and Uses pulls together the vast literature scattered over various sources into one practical resource. The book provides a solid review of papaya biology, production, and uses supported by color photographs and illustrations. It covers papaya cultivation, botany, genetics, medicinal uses, unfruitfulness, plant protection, and physiological disorders for the first time in considerable detail. This textcomprises advanced information on agronomy, breeding, seed production technology, scientific crop management issues, and protected cultivation. It discusses papain, papaya products, source of drugs, important nutrients, anti-nutrients, and other commercial compounds produced and used for disease management. Additional background material on the production, processing, uses of papaya, considerations to be taken into account when assessing new varieties of papaya and constituents to be analyzed related to food and feed. Papaya is one of the most nutritious and medicinally important fruits of the tropical region. Scientific papaya cultivation and efficient use of resources hold the real key to providing fresh papaya produce and livelihood security to the masses of developing countries. Thus, the academic and practical knowledge about papaya production is essential to helping you formulate management practices for sustainable agricultural development.

Despite major international investment in biofuels, the invasive risks associated with these crops are still unknown. A cohesive state-of-the-art review of the invasive potential of bioenergy crops, this book covers the identified risks of invasion, distributions of key crops and policy and management issues. Including a section on developing predictive models, this book also assesses the potential societal impact of bioenergy crops and how to mitigate invasive risks.

This book is not about what might be done with straw one day. It is about what can be done with it right now on the farm. It is about today's technology, allowing decisions to be made about what to do with straw this year in order to minimize costs, minimize management problems and maximize yields and profits. It can be read cover to cover, chapter by chapter or dipped into as a reference book. Whichever way, this manual is aimed at helping the farmer to understand the technology and do the job that has to be done - profitably. Action Plans which summarize the relevant data and ease decision-making appear at the end of each chapter. The final part is a Decision Planner which will help with tackling the job in hand, on the day. Acknowledgments Grateful thanks are given to many individuals and organizations for their assistance, support and provision of information. Special acknowledgment is made to the fine work done by ADAS and their staff who made efforts to provide a great deal of up to date data for this publication. Thanks for assistance are also given to leI Plant Protection Division and to John Deere who, through their annual Award to agricultural writers, sparked this project off by giving the award to the author in 1982.

This book focuses on the previously neglected interface between the conservation of plant genetic resources and their utilization. Only through utilization can the potential value of conserved genetic resources be realized. However, as this book shows, much conserved germplasm has to be subjected to long-term pre-breeding and genetic enhancement before it can be used in plant breeding programs.The authors explore the rationale and approaches for such pre-breeding efforts as the basis for broadening the genetic bases of crop production. Examples from a range of major food crops are presented and issues analyzed by leading authorities from around the world.

This new book, the first of two volumes on forage crops grown throughout the world, discusses the importance of fodder production of the major fodder crops for animals. It focuses on the 17 major forage crops, both non-leguminous perennial forages and leguminous forages. It discusses crop production methodology and agronomic management in a systemic way, providing an abundance of information on each type of forage crop, including preferred soil type, land capability, cropping patterns, climate, and socioeconomic conditions. It goes on to address pests of leguminous forage crops, disease management of non-leguminous seasonal forages, agroforestry in fodder and forage crops, preservation of forage crops, and forage production and climate change. This volume provides valuable information needed for effective forage crop production and management. The book, with chapters from highly qualified scientists, will be a rich resource for researchers, academicians, students, and those in the industry. Volume 2 of Forage Crops of the World focuses on minor forage crops. Key features: * Discusses 17 different types of major forage crops, including many types of grasses and other plants * Provides information on agronomic production practices * Covers pest and disease management practices for forage crops

The present investigation was carried out in the period 1977-1981 at the Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition of the Agricultural University Wageningen, Netherlands. This university supplied the major financial sup port through a research grant, with additional financial support rendered by the Dutch Nitrogen Fertilizer Industry and Unilever Research, Netherlands. This support is gratefully acknowledged. In the present form this report is the author's doctoral dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Agricul tural University. The author hereby wishes to thank prof. dr. ir. A. van Diest for his criti cal reading and correction of the English text, and drjr. J. H. G. Slangen for his valuable advices during the investigations and in the course of the preparation of this report. The au thor also acknowledges the valuable support received from several Agricultural Research Institutes and University Depart ments which made facilities and manpower available to conduct the ex periments and to transform the results obtained into the present report. Contents Preface / v Abstract / 1 List of ab breviations / 2 Introduction / 3 2 Literature / 6 2. 1 Nitrogen transformations in soil / 7 2. 2 Nitrate uptake / 7 Nitrate reduction in plants / 7 2. 3 2. 4 Nitrate contents in plants / 8 2. 5 Cultural measures / 9 2. 5. 1 Nitrogen dressing / 9 2. 5. 1. 1 Nitrogen amount / 9 2. 5 . 1."

Lexicon of Pulse Crops integrates botanical and linguistic data to analyze and interpret the grain legume significance from the earliest archaeological and written records until the present day. Aimed at both agronomic and linguistic research communities, this book presents a database containing 9,500 common names in more than 900 languages and dialects of all ethnolinguistic families, denoting more than 1,100 botanical taxa of 14 selected pulse crop genera and species. The book begins with overviews of the world's economically most important grain legume crops and their uncultivated relatives, as well as the world's language families with their inner structure, including both extinct and living members. The main section of the text presents 14 specialized book chapters covering Arachis, Cajanus, Cicer, Ervum, Faba, Glycine, Lablab, Lathyrus, Lens, Lupinus, Phaseolus, Pisum, Vicia, and Vigna. They provide the reader with extensive lists of the botanically accepted species and subtaxa and surveys lexicological abundance in all world's ethnolinguistic families, comprising extinct and living as well as natural and constructed languages, while the vernacular names for the most significant taxa are presented in comprehensive tables. Each of these chapters also presents the existing etymologies and novel approaches to deciphering the origins of common names, accompanied by one original color plate depicting possible root evolutions in the form of corresponding pulse crop plants.

Nutrient imbalance in soils is an emerging threat to sustainable agriculture: intensive cultivation, use of poor quality groundwater, depletion of soil organic matter and excessive use of fertilizers are major reasons for poor soil fertility worldwide. This necessitates correct diagnosis of plant nutrient deficiencies to avoid further use of pesticides in cases where pests or pathogens that are not in fact the cause of poor crop health. Richly illustrated with 600 colour photographs, this book is a visual field identification guide for symptoms of most common nutrient deficiencies in field crops, covering all their stages of occurrence. Detailed descriptions and suggested for management practices are given with each entry.

This open access book describes recent innovations in food systems based on root, tuber and banana crops in developing countries. These innovations respond to many of the challenges facing these vital crops, linked to their vegetative seed and bulky and perishable produce. The innovations create value, food, jobs and new sources of income while improving the wellbeing and quality of life of their users. Women are often key players in the production, processing and marketing of roots, tubers and bananas, so successful innovation needs to consider gender. These crops and their value chains have long been neglected by research and development, hence this book contributes to filling in the gap. The book features many outcomes of the CGIAR Research Program in Roots, Tubers and Banana (RTB), which operated from 2012-21, encompassing many tropical countries, academic and industry partners, multiple crops, and major initiatives. It describes the successful innovation model developed by RTB that brings together diverse partners and organizations, to create value for the end users and to generate positive economic and social outcomes. RTB has accelerated the scaling of innovations to reach many end users cost effectively. Though most of the book's examples and insights are from Africa, they can be applied worldwide. The book will be useful for decision makers designing policies to scale up agricultural solutions, for researchers and extension specialists seeking practical ideas, and for scholars of innovation.

One of the main approaches for safeguarding food security, sustainable development has increased demand for knowledge on fertilizer management in crop production. Among essential plant nutrients, nitrogen is one of the most important yield-limiting nutrients, mainly responsible for determining yield and yield components in cereals and legumes. It is also responsible for the activation of many enzymes and, of course, plays an important role in photosynthesis. With a recovery efficiency of less than 50 percent in most cropping systems, a large portion of the nitrogen applied as fertilizer is not used by plants, creating environmental and economic issues. Nitrogen Management in Crop Production covers the critical aspects for the judicious use of nitrogen in cropping systems. This includes appropriate methods of nitrogen application, effective source and timing of application during crop growth cycles, use of an adequate application rate to avoid loss and reduce cost, use of nitrogen-efficient crop genotypes, and use of legumes that fix sufficient amounts of atmospheric nitrogen. There is also a chapter on organic matter and its role in sustainability. This book presents recent information from the international literature, making it relevant for most agroecological regions. Chapters provide experimental results to aid in practical application of the information. The book contains color photos of nitrogen deficiency symptoms to serve as a guide for important crop species, such as rice, dry bean, wheat, soybean, and corn. It also includes numerous tables and figures, providing an easy-to-read reference.

Tillage agriculture has led to widespread soil and ecosystem degradation globally, and more particularly in the developing regions. This is especially so in Africa where traditional agricultural practices have become unsustainable due to severe exploitation of natural resources with negative impacts on the environment and food system. In addition, agricultural land use in Africa today faces major challenges including increased costs, climate change and a need to transform to more sustainable production intensification systems. Conservation Agriculture has emerged as a major alternative sustainable climate smart agriculture approach in Africa and has spread to many African countries in the past decade as more development and research, including in sustainable mechanization, has enabled its extension and uptake. It is key to transforming Africa's agriculture and food system given its ability to restore soil health, biodiversity and productivity of millions of smallholder farms as well as larger-scale farms. This landmark volume is based on the material presented at the Second Africa Congress on Conservation Agriculture which was held in Johannesburg, South Africa, 9-12 October 2018. The main theme of the Congress was 'Making Climate Smart Agriculture Real in Africa with Conservation Agriculture: Supporting the Malabo Declaration and Agenda 2063'. The Congress was aligned to mobilize stakeholders in all agriculture sectors to provide greater technical, institutional, development and investment support, impetus and direction to the vision and agenda for transforming African agriculture as set out by the Malabo Declaration and Agenda 2063. This book is aimed at all agricultural stakeholders in the public, private and civil sectors in Africa engaged in supporting the transformation of conventional tillage agriculture to Conservation Agriculture. The book will be of interest to: researchers, academics, students, development stakeholders, public and private sector investors and policy makers as well as institutional libraries across the world.

This new book presents an abundance of important information and case studies that deal with bamboo farming and its effects from and on climate change adaptation and mitigation. There is a lack of research on the role of bamboo in climate change adaptation and mitigation; this volume helps to fill that gap by providing information that will enable policymakers to consider bamboo farming and its implications in carbon trading. Bamboo represents one of the world's highest yielding renewable natural resources and is an important source of non-timber forest products for subsistence use as well as for materials with many commercial and industrial uses. There are over 1500 documented applications of bamboo products, including materials for bridges, construction, furniture, agricultural tools, handicrafts, papers, textiles, boards, edible, and bioenergy applications. With their fast growth rate and rapid propagation, bamboo forests have a high C storage potential, especially when the harvested culms are transformed into durable products and thereby prolonging the C storage. Environmentalists love bamboo for its quick growth and for the fact that it can be harvested without harming the environment. This volume is a rich resource on the role of bamboo in ecological farming and climate change mitigation. Key features of the book include: * Explores the role of bamboo on climate change and environment and ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change * Considers overlooked bamboo biomass resources * Explains carbon capture and storage potential in bamboo * Assesses opportunities for carbon farming and carbon trading in bamboo * Looks at the role on bamboo cultivation on the livelihood of rural populations * Details the soil properties needed for bamboo-based agroforestry systems