This book explores the agricultural, commercial, and ecological future of plants in relation to mineral nutrition. It covers various topics regarding the role and importance of mineral nutrition in plants including essentiality, availability, applications, as well as their management and control strategies. Plants and plant products are increasingly important sources for the production of energy, biofuels, and biopolymers in order to replace the use of fossil fuels. The maximum genetic potential of plants can be realized successfully with a balanced mineral nutrients supply. This book explores efficient nutrient management strategies that tackle the over and under use of nutrients, check different kinds of losses from the system, and improve use efficiency of the plants. Applied and basic aspects of ecophysiology, biochemistry, and biotechnology have been adequately incorporated including pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals, agronomical, breeding and plant protection parameters, propagation and nutrients managements. This book will serve not only as an excellent reference material but also as a practical guide for readers, cultivators, students, botanists, entrepreneurs, and farmers.

Fungi growth in the storage of cereal grain has led to serious losses of grain quality and quantity each year the world over. These fungi and moulds are capable of producing mycotoxins which accumulate in grains. This book contains reviews from 21 experts on the relationship between mould growth in grain and its effects as well as the accumulation of mycotoxins. Discussed are properties of "storage fungi" such as the water and temperature relationship, taxonomy and nomenclature aspects etc. New methods of storage allow for early detection of these mould growths. Significant attention is paid to "Aspergillus" and "Penicillium" species colonizing in cereal grain and their growth requirements. The book touches on the significance of mycotoxins in grain being used for food production and possible detoxification processes. There is considerable attention given to a new technique of decontamination in countries with humid climates involving proper drying techniques at low temperatures or heated air dryers. This volume covers numerous scientific and practical aspects of grain storage on farms and in industries which are important in preventing quality losses and contamination with mycotoxins.

This book is a comprehensive and updated review of fundamental studies on inhibition of soil urease activity and of applied studies on improving efficiency of urea fertilizers by inhibition of soil urease activity. The general literature on these topics covers 65 years and the patent literature comprises a period of nearly 40 years. The potential of food production to meet the growing needs related to population increase is largely conditioned by the efficiency of agricultural fertilizers. Urea has gradually become the most important nitrogen fertilizer in world agriculture. However, its efficiency is in general reduced due to excessive activity of a soil enzyme, urease. One way to increase efficiency of urea fertilizers is the inhibition of soil urease activity. In the last four decades, multilateral investigations have been carried out in a series of countries to identify and test unpolluting and inexpensive chemical compounds to be used as inhibitors of soil urease activity. These investigations are reviewed, including those described in the patent literature.

The book is addressed to a broad audience, including experts and students in agronomy, forestry, plant physiology, soil science (especially soil biology and biochemistry), and other environmental sciences, as well as in organic and inorganic chemistry.

Insect pests remain one of the main constraints to food and fiber production worldwide despite farmers deploying a range of techniques to protect their crops. Modern pest control is guided by the principles of integrated pest management (IPM) with pest resistant germplasm being an important part of the foundation. Since 1996, when the first genetically modified (GM) insect-resistant maize variety was commercialized in the USA, the area planted to insect-resistant GM varieties has grown dramatically, representing the fastest adoption rate of any agricultural technology in human history. The goal of our book is to provide an overview on the role insect-resistant GM plants play in different crop systems worldwide. We hope that the book will contribute to a more rational debate about the role GM crops can play in IPM for food and fiber production.

This volume in Advances in Agronomy contains seven outstanding reviews that discuss cutting edge developments in the crop and soil sciences. Chapter 1 addresses desertification and its relation to climate change. Chapter 2 discusses fate and transport of viruses in porous media. Chapter 3 is a comprehensive treatment of the future needs of root water and nutrient uptake modeling. Chapter 4 is a review on micronutrients in crop production, including a discussion on improving the supply and acquisition. Chapter 5 provides information on soils in tropical and temperate regions. Chapter 6 desribes free-air CO2 enrichment in agriculture. Lastly, chapter 7 discusses break crops and their application in organic agriculture.
Advances in Agronomy continues to be recognized as a leading reference and a first-rate source of the latest and best research in agronomy. Major reviews deal with cutting edge issues of interest to agronomists, as well as crop and soil scientists. As always, the topics covered are varied and exemplary of the panoply of subject matter dealt with by this long-running serial. Donald Sparks is the editor and has been a president of the Soil Science Society of America.
Advances in Agronomy has the highest impact factor among serial publications in Agriculture. The Science Citation Index, 1986, reports an impact factor over 2,459 and a cited half-life over 10 years.

As a member of the working group (WG) on "Temperate Zone Fruit Trees in the Tropics and Subtropics" of the International Society for Horticulture, I was aware of the lack of readily available information needed in many warm-climate locations where temperate fruit crops are grown. The founder of this WG, Frank Dennis, Jr. , was motivated to encourage knowledge transfer by sharing knowledge with many developing countries. We shared his drive and in presenting this book we believe we are doing a service to all persons interested in temperate fruits, but especially to those in tropical and subtropical countries, many of which are developing countries interested in growing these crops and lacking the knowledge needed. In this book, we have collected information covering a variety of different aspects of growing temperate fruit crops in warm climates. As this is the first time such an evaluation of these species has been done, interesting and novel aspects of tree development and fruiting are presented, with stress on elements like dormancy and irrigation that are not of such basic concern in the natural of the temperate zones. We are living in a transition age; horticultural studies habitat are changing and expertise such as can be found in the array of participants in this book is probably not going to be easily found in the future. I hope that this book will broaden our understanding of the fruiting Temperate Zone tree in general and of its adaptation to warm climates, in particular.

QTL Mapping in Crop Improvement: Present Progress and Future Perspectives presents advancements in QTL breeding for biotic and abiotic stresses and nutritional improvement in a range of crop plants. The book presents a roadmap for future breeding for resilience to various stresses and improvement in nutritional quality. Crops such as rice, wheat, maize, soybeans, common bean, and pigeon pea are the major staple crops consumed globally, hence fulfilling the nutritional requirements of global populations, particularly in the under-developed world, is extremely important. Sections cover the challenges facing maximized production of these crops, including diseases, insect damage, drought, heat, salinity and mineral toxicity. Covering globally important crops including maize, wheat, rice, barley, soybean, common bean and pigeon pea, this book will be an important reference for those working in agriculture and crop improvement.

Lockhart and Wiseman's Crop Husbandry Including Grassland, Tenth Edition delivers the latest developments in crop varieties, crop protection products and environmental schemes. This new edition reflects the changing world around us, with sections covering the principles of crop production and chapters on plants, climate, soil management, fertilizers, manures, weeds and diseases that threaten farm crops. Other chapters focus on crop husbandry techniques and the integration of sustainability across the board in crop production. This update also includes an additional focus on the principles of plant breeding, seed production and certification considerations necessary for today's agriculture.

The future of agriculture strongly depends on our ability to enhance productivity without sacrificing long-term production potential. An ecologically and economically sustainable strategy is the application of microorganisms, such as the diverse bacterial species of plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB). The use of these bio-resources for the enhancement of crop productivity is gaining worldwide importance.

"Bacteria in Agrobiology: Crop Ecosystems" describes the beneficial role of plant growth promoting bacteria with special emphasis on oil yielding crops, cereals, fruits and vegetables. Chapters present studies on various aspects of bacteria-plant interactions, soil-borne and seed-borne diseases associated with food crops such as rice, sesame, peanuts, and horticultural crops. Further reviews describe technologies to produce inoculants, the biocontrol of post harvest pathogens as a suitable alternative to agrochemicals, and the restoration of degraded soils.

As the world population is exploding and alongside fluctuations in climate is also prevalent, there is an increasing stress on the food requirements of the population. We have an urgent necessity to produce more food in the limited agricultural land. Further, to feed 7 billion people there is a requirement of high yielding crops, without harming environment and limiting the use of unnecessary pesticide and chemical fertilizers. Therefore it has become crucial to develop agri-bio-techniques which are environment friendly and also give high crop productivity. Many countries are evaluating the utility of biotechnology and its role in addressing problems of food security and poverty. Biotechnology is the application of scientific and engineering principles to the processing and production of materials by utilising biological agents. These agents are exploited to provide goods and services. Agricultural biotechnology encompasses a growing list of techniques that range from simple probes to determine a relevant gene from the complete genome to manipulating genes for a desired outcome. Many other popular methods used in the realm of agricultural technology are - gene integration, Marker-assisted breeding, Tissue culture, Gene profiling or association mapping, Metabolomics etc. The fundamental challenge facing the scientific community is how to devise innovative strategies that will bring all developed as well as developing countries into the "biological fold" and to do so in ways that will take full advantage of advances in the biological sciences to curb poverty, improve public health, and promote human development. This book contains information on eco-friendly techniques for high crop productivity and it is a myriad of different techniques and technology used to sustain productivity in crop plants. There are fewer books focusing on large-scale organic farming, molecular farming etc. Multidisciplinary research and literature is needed to deliver knowledge and products into the marketplace which fulfil these requirements. The present book is a collection of literature contributed by experts, scientists, professors, and researchers from around the world, it emphasizes work of concerned scientist and his choice of techniques used for enhancement of agricultural production. This book analyses the use of modern techniques to increase crop yields, production, and risk of hunger linked to socioeconomic scenarios.

Advances in Agronomy, Volume 175, the latest release in this leading reference on agronomy, contains a variety of updates and highlights new advances in the field. Each chapter is written by an international board of authors.

Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) has become important in rice farming systems because this process diminishes the need for expensive chemical fertilizers which have been associated with numerous health and environmental problems. The extensive exploitation of BNF would provide economic benefits to small farmers, avoiding all malign influences of chemical fertilizers. Meanwhile, advances in biotechnology have brought rice genetics to the threshold of new opportunities for increasing rice production. This volume focuses, in six different sessions, on the role of BNF in the improvement of rice production in the light of the current state of the art of BNF technology transfer and diffusion. New ideas on BNF technology in research, extension information and inoculant technology are also included, together with the socio-economic impacts of using BNF in rice farm systems.

The recent advent of molecular technologies has changed the way plant breeders identify and select their germplasm as genetic variation can now be assessed at the DNA level. Crop Breeding: Methods and Protocols presents detailed guidelines and tutorials that suit different needs and capacity from small laboratories analyzing molecular markers on a one-by-one basis to the increasingly popular high-throughput protocols for high capacity laboratories. Topics covered include breeding strategy for the selection of an ideal variety or genetic ideo type, protocols for breeders using molecular markers in selection programs and for laboratories providing molecular services to breeding programs, statistical programs and software to aid implementation of molecular data into breeding programs and methodologies that facilitate the generation of genetic diversity and its characterization. Written in the successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and easily accessible, Crop Breeding: Methods and Protocols will help in expanding the use of molecular technologies for the creation of tomorrow's crop varieties.

Nitrogen Economy in Tropical Soils presents an authoritative and comprehensive state-of-the-art review on soil/plant nitrogen inter-relationships, with special reference to tropical soils and crops in aerobic and anaerobic environments. Use of isotopically labelled nitrogen in experimentation, especially in tropical environments, and recently developed analytical techniques for soil and plant materials are presented. An important aspect is the emphasis placed on the impact of the tropical environment on nitrogen transformations in the soil environment. This book should be an excellent source of information for senior undergraduate and graduate students with interest in soil/plant nitrogen inter-relationships, and for all levels of research workers in these fields.

Advances in Legume-based Agroecoystem for Sustainable Intensification explores current research and future strategies for ensuring capacity growth and socioeconomic improvement through the utilization of legume crop cultivation and production in the achievement of sustainability development goals (SDGs). Sections cover the role of legumes in addressing issues of food security, improving nitrogen in the environment, environmental sustainability, economic-environmentally optimized systems, the importance and impact of nitrogen, organic production, and biomass potential, legume production, biology, breeding improvement, cropping systems, and the use of legumes for eco-friendly weed management. This book is an important resource for scientists, researchers and advanced students interested in championing the effective utilization of legumes for agronomic and ecological benefit.

Wheat is the world's most important agricultural commodity. In Europe, where wheat is the main staple, bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) covers the majority of land on which wheat is cropped. Wheat breeders and technologists have contributed greatly to the continued success of bread wheat and its products. The bread-making quality' of a wheat variety can be described in relation to the processing its kernels must undergo to make a good bread. Bread wheat kernels must be suitable for proper milling into a flour that can produce a dough capable of becoming fine bread. The type of bread varies depending on local bread-making practices. Part I of this book contains a study of the anatomy and chemical composition of wheat kernels, and of the fundamental difference between soft' and hard' kernelled varieties. It relates these characteristics to the processes of milling, dough-making and manufacturing of bread, and to biscuit and pasta making. The genetic basis for these characteristics is illustrated, and assay methods for characterizing wheat varieties - ranging from Saunders' chewing test to the most recent developments in glutenin and gliadin research - are evaluated. Part II briefly describes - country by country - how bread-making quality has been integrated into wheat-breeding programmes throughout Europe, and how breeders have attempted to resolve the conflict between yield and quality. It describes how quality wheats travelled' around the world - from their endogenic source in Eastern Europe to North America, and back again to Europe. This explains how specific genetic material can appear in the pedigrees of varieties grown in a wide range of agro-ecological zones. In addition to givingan interesting historical survey, the book points the way forward for breeders' efforts in the future. Bread-Making Quality updates and interprets knowledge in a way that makes it particularly accessible for food technologists, breeders, students, and teachers.

Forage plant breeding has entered the genome era. This timely book reviews the latest advances in the development and application of molecular technologies which supplement conventional breeding efforts for our major forage crops. It describes the plethora of new technologies and tools now available for high-throughput gene discovery, genome-wide gene expression analysis, production of transgenic plants, genome analysis and marker-assisted selection as applied to forage plants. Detailed accounts are presented of current and future opportunities for innovative applications of these molecular tools and technologies in the identification, functional characterisation, and use of valuable genes in forage production systems and beyond. This book represents a valuable resource for plant breeders, geneticists, and molecular biologists, and will be of particular relevance to advanced undergraduates, postgraduates, and researchers with an interest in forage legumes and grasses.

The second volume of the IMPD series describes aspects related to most important phytoparasitic nematodes, considering the integration of biological control methods with other management practices and technologies, including the use of predatory nematodes and microbial rhizosphere antagonists. Chapters cover topics like the mode of action and interactions of nematophagous fungi, the efficacy of controll and management of plant parasitic nematode communities through a soil conservation approach, and exploitation of nematodes-bacteria antagonistic relationships. A focus is given on regional issues, like the management of nematodes parasitizing staple crops, i.e. andean tubers or some important grain crops, like soybean in North and South America or cereals. A review on nematode management in cotton is integrated by a chapter on management of nematodes on wheat.

Nano-enabled Sustainable and Precision Agriculture is the first single-volume resource to cover this important field using a whole systems approach that considers both opportunities and challenges. The book provides a comprehensive understanding of the role of nanotechnology in agriculture from broad aspects, but also includes a comprehensive view of the interaction of nanomaterials with soil-plant systems. It highlights aspects not described in previous books, including the application of nanoinformatics and artificial intelligence in nano-enabled sustainable agriculture, the application of nanotechnology in alternative forms of agriculture such as hydroponics, and regulatory frameworks for this research field. The book addresses all these aspects by including sections on enhanced sustainability, reduced pollution and enhanced ecosystems' health, and the role of nanoinformatics and machine learning.

Forty chapters deal with various aspects of tissue culture, in vitro manipulation, and other biotechnological approaches to the improvement of maize.
They are arranged in eight sections: - In Vitro Technology, Callus Cultures and Regeneration of Plants, Somatic Embryogenesis. - Wide Hybridization, Embryo, Ovule, and Inflorescence Culture, in Vitro Fertilization. - Production of Haploids and Double Haploids, Anther and Pollen Culture. - Protoplast Culture, Genetic Transformation. - Somaclonal Variation and Mutations. - Molecular Biology and Physiological Studies. - Proteins and Nutritional Improvement. Pollen Storage, Cryopreservation of Germplasm.

The book presents an overview of the International practices and state-of-the-art of LCA studies in the agri-food sector, both in terms of adopted methodologies and application to particular products; the final purpose is to characterise and put order within the methodological issues connected to some important agri-food products (wine, olive oil, cereals and derived products, meat and fruit) and also defining practical guidelines for the implementation of LCAs in this particular sector. The first chapter entails an overview of the application of LCA to the food sector, the role of the different actors of the food supply chain and the methodological issues at a general level. The other chapters, each with a particular reference to the main foods of the five sectors under study, have a common structure which entails the review of LCA case studies of such agri-food products, the methodological issues, the ways with which they have been faced and the suggestion of practical guidelines.

A deficiency of one or more of the eight plant micronutrients (boron, chlorine, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel and zinc) will adversely affect both the yield and quality of crops. Micronutrient deficiencies in crops occur in many parts of the world, at various scales (from one to millions of hectares), but differences in soil conditions, climate, crop genotypes and management, result in marked variations in their occurrence. The causes, effects and alleviation of micronutrient deficiencies in crops in: Australia, India, China, Turkey, the Near East, Africa, Europe, South America and the United States of America, are covered, and these are representative of most of the different conditions under which crops are grown anywhere in the world.

Links between low contents of iodine, iron and zinc (human micronutrients) in staple grains and the incidence of human health problems are discussed, together with the ways in which the micronutrient content of food crops can be increased and their bioavailability to humans improved. Detailed treatment of topics, such as: soil types associated with deficiencies, soil testing and plant analysis, field experiments, innovative treatments, micronutrients in the subsoil, nutrient interactions, effects of changing cropping systems, micronutrient budgets and hidden deficiencies in various chapters provides depth to the broad coverage of the book.

This book provides a valuable guide to the requirements of crops for plant micronutrients and the causes, occurrence and treatment of deficiencies. It is essential reading for many agronomy, plant nutrition and agricultural extension professionals.

The West African Sahel is the transition zone between the Saharadesert in the north of Africa and the more humid Sudanian zones in the south. Although diverse in many ways, the Sahelian countries have the common problem of a fragile agricultural sector. This predicament is mainly caused by low inherent soil fertility, limited and unpredictable rainfall, frequent droughts, and wind erosion that accelerates soil degradation and desertification, compounded by To assure food production in the future, means rapidly growing populations. of declining soil fertility and increasing must be found to offset the trends soil degradation through wind erosion. This is a challenge for agricultural research. Since 1985, the Special Research Program 308 'Adapted Farming in West Africa' at the UniversityofHohenheimin collaboration with the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in Niger, has pursued the developmentof agricultural innovations for smallholder farmers in one of the most ecologically fragile regions of the world. The prevention of soil degradation, the restoration and maintenance of soil fertility, and the increase of land and labor productivity are key objectives of this multidisci plinary research program. From the beginning, a major focus of research has been wind erosion.

The status of crop biotechnology before 2001 was reviewed in Transgenic Crops I-III, but recent advances in plant cell and molecular biology have prompted the need for new volumes. This volume is devoted to fruit, trees and beverage crops. It presents the current knowledge of plant biotechnology as an important tool for crop improvement and includes up-to-date methodologies.

Haploid plants have the gametophytic number of chromosomes. They are of great importance, especially in studies on the induction of muta tions and also for the production of homozygous plants, they are needed in large numbers. The conventional methods employed by plant breeders for their production are cumbersome, time-consuming, laborious and rather inefficient. Sometimes it may take years to produce a pure line. However, with the introduction of in vitro techniques, especially anther culture for the induction of androgenesis, it has become increasingly evi dent that these methods considerably accelerate the production of haploids for plant breeding programs. During the last decade, in vitro-produced haploids have been incor porated into breeding programs of many agricultural crops, and positive results have been obtained especially with rice, wheat, potato, barley, maize, asparagus, sunflower, brassica, tobacco, etc. Among these, rice and wheat are the best examples in which a number of improved varieties have been released. In wheat, the breeding cycle can be shortened by three or four generations when the pollen haploid breeding method is used instead of conventional cross-breeding. The release of the wheat varieties Jinghua 1 and Florin is a typical example of what can be achieved with other crops. Taking these developments into considera tion, the present volume, Haploids in Crop Improvement I, was compil ed."