Ethanol as an alternative fuel is receiving a lot of attention because it addresses concerns related to dwindling oil supplies, energy independence, and climate change. The majority of the ethanol in the US is produced from corn starch. With the US Department of Energy's target that 30% of the fuel in the US is produced from renewable resources by 2030, the anticipated demand for corn starch will quickly exceed the current production of corn. This, plus the concern that less grain will become available for food and feed purposes, necessitates the use of other feedstocks for the production of ethanol. For the very same reasons, there is increasing research activity and growing interest in many other biomass crops. Genetic Improvement of Bio-Energy Crops focuses on the production of ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass, which includes corn stover, biomass from dedicated annual and perennial energy crops, and trees as well as a number of important biomass crops. The biomass is typically pretreated through thermochemical processing to make it more amenable to hydrolysis with cellulolytic enzymes. The enzymatic hydrolysis yields monomeric sugars that can be fermented to ethanol by micro-organisms. While much emphasis has been placed on the optimization of thermo-chemical pretreatment processes, production of more efficient hydrolytic enzymes, and the development of robust microbial strains, relatively little effort has been dedicated to the improvement of the biomass itself.

Soil organic matter (SOM) is a highly reactive constituent of the soil matrix because of its large surface area, high ion exchange capacity, enormous affinity for water due to hygroscopicity, and capacity to form organo-mineral complexes. It is an important source and sink of atmospheric CO2 and other greenhouse gases depending on climate, land use, soil and crop management, and a wide range of abiotic and biotic factors, including the human dimensions of socioeconomic and political factors. Agroecosystems are among important controls of the global carbon cycle with a strong impact on anthropogenic or abrupt climate change. This volume of Advances in Soil Sciences explains pedological processes set-in-motion by increases in SOM content of depleted and degraded soils. It discusses the relationship between SOM content and critical soil quality parameters including aggregation, water retention and transport, aeration and gaseous exchange, and chemical composition of soil air. The book identifies policy options needed to translate science into action for making sustainable management of SOM as a strategy for adaptation to and mitigation of climate change. Features: Relates soil organic matter stock to soil processes, climate parameters, vegetation, landscape attributes Establishes relationships between soil organic matter and land use, species, and climate Identifies land use systems for protecting and restoring soil organic matter stock Links soil organic matter stock with the global carbon cycle for mitigation of climate change Part of the Advances in Soil Sciences series, this volume will appeal to agricultural, environmental, and soil scientists demonstrating the link between soil organic matter stock and provisioning of critical ecosystem services for nature and humans.

Soil organic matter (SOM) is the primary determinant of soil functionality. Soil organic carbon (SOC) accounts for 50% of the SOM content, accompanied by nitrogen, phosphorus, and a range of macro and micro elements. As a dynamic component, SOM is a source of numerous ecosystem services critical to human well-being and nature conservancy. Important among these goods and services generated by SOM include moderation of climate as a source or sink of atmospheric CO2 and other greenhouse gases, storage and purification of water, a source of energy and habitat for biota (macro, meso, and micro-organisms), a medium for plant growth, cycling of elements (N, P, S, etc.), and generation of net primary productivity (NPP). The quality and quantity of NPP has direct impacts on the food and nutritional security of the growing and increasingly affluent human population. Soils of agroecosystems are depleted of their SOC reserves in comparison with those of natural ecosystems. The magnitude of depletion depends on land use and the type and severity of degradation. Soils prone to accelerated erosion can be strongly depleted of their SOC reserves, especially those in the surface layer. Therefore, conservation through restorative land use and adoption of recommended management practices to create a positive soil-ecosystem carbon budget can increase carbon stock and soil health. This volume of Advances in Soil Sciences aims to accomplish the following: Present impacts of land use and soil management on SOC dynamics Discuss effects of SOC levels on agronomic productivity and use efficiency of inputs Detail potential of soil management on the rate and cumulative amount of carbon sequestration in relation to land use and soil/crop management Deliberate the cause-effect relationship between SOC content and provisioning of some ecosystem services Relate soil organic carbon stock to soil properties and processes Establish the relationship between soil organic carbon stock with land and climate Identify controls of making soil organic carbon stock as a source or sink of CO2 Connect soil organic carbon and carbon sequestration for climate mitigation and adaptation

This collection features five peer-reviewed literature reviews on conservation tillage in agriculture. The first chapter reviews types of tillage and soil disturbance and how different soil management techniques affect the cropping cycle. The chapter also discusses how soil disturbance can be minimised during key farming operations. The second chapter describes the principles of Conservation Agriculture (CA), looking primarily at soil management. It also examines the key concepts of no-tillage agriculture, as well as the environmental and economic benefits these techniques offer. The third chapter discusses the role of conservation tillage in organic farming, reviewing over 20 years of practical, on-farm research. It outlines the main benefits associated with conservation tillage, whilst also considering the challenges that arise with its implementation and how these can be addressed. The fourth chapter explores the emergence of conservation tillage (CT) as an innovation to address stagnant wheat yields in the Indo-Gangetic Plains of South Asia. The chapter explores the benefits of CT for soil health and crop yields, and highlights current obstacles facing region-wide adoption of CT. The final chapter reviews the advantages of zero-till maize cultivation, including reduced soil erosion and nutrient losses. It also summarises best management practices to optimise zero-till maize systems.

This collection features four peer-reviewed literature reviews on tropical agroforestry. The first chapter addresses the challenges associated with incorporating agroforestry into agroecological intensification and sustainable landscapes. The chapter also considers the challenge of developing policies in support of agroforestry, and the challenge of developing agroforestry at scale. The second chapter reviews to what extent agroforests are able to meet the objectives of sustainable forest management, focusing on biodiversity conservation, supply of forest products and carbon capture. The chapter also highlights the potential limits of system intensification in delivering ecosystem goods and services. The third chapter presents an overview of the ecosystem services that can be delivered by tropical agroforestry systems. The chapter presents practical approaches for trade-off analysis between ecosystem services and plant biodiversity for better design (or redesign) and how management of agroforestry systems can be optimised. The final chapter summarises the importance of cocoa-based agroforestry systems to global agricultural landscapes. The chapter reviews the different cocoa system technologies (e.g. cocoa-timber systems) and presents a four-step guide for analysing the shade canopy of shaded cocoa systems to ensure a diverse, resilient agroforestry system is in place.

This new volume, Biofertilizers and Biopesticides in Sustainable Agriculture, presents strategies for the management of soil and crop diseases. Microbes have attracted worldwide attention due to their role in disease management and remediation of polluted soils. Taking a sustainable approach, this book explores the means of integrating various microbial management approaches to achieve the desired levels of crop yield under both conventional soils and neglected soils through the use of biopesticides and other botanicals as well as biomolecules. This book also presents a broad and updated view of molecular nitrogen fixation and phosphate-solubilizing and sulfur-transforming microbes for nutrition of crops in relation to the role of metal tolerant microbes in providing protection to plants grown in metal-contaminated soils. The preparation and application of biofertilizers, utilization of household waste materials, and use of genetically modified microorganisms (GMOs) in plant growth and development are also well discussed in the volume.

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

The safety of agri-food supply chains remains under constant threat from risks such as food adulteration, malicious contamination, microbiological and chemical hazards, as well as the presence of foreign bodies in food products. Developing smart agri-food supply chains: Using technology to improve safety and quality provides an authoritative assessment of recent developments to improve safety and quality at key points in the agri-food supply chain. This collection provides a comprehensive coverage of the methods used in tracking and traceability (including detecting genetically-modified organisms in food products), ways of assessing product integrity, dealing with malicious contamination as well as quality assessment and ensuring transparency in supply chains. Edited by Professor Louise Manning, Royal Agricultural University, UK, Developing smart agri-food supply chains: Using technology to improve safety and quality will be a standard reference for those researching food safety, agri-food logistics and supply chains in universities or other research centres, as well as government and commercial agencies responsible for safety and quality monitoring of agri-food supply chains. It will also be a key reference for supply chain actors, from farmers to food processors and retailers.

This specially curated collection features five reviews of current and key research on improving water management in crop cultivation. The first chapter focuses on site-specific variable rate irrigation systems utilised across agriculture and examines site-specific data acquisition and mining approaches, such as soil mapping and zone delineation. The second chapter considers the main deficit irrigation strategies used in agriculture to improve crop water productivity. It also explores the status of site-specific irrigation management and its role in minimizing agricultural water use. The third chapter reviews progress in winter wheat water management and water-use efficiency (WUE), drawing on long-term field experiments in the U.S. southern Great Plains. It discusses the key relationships between yield, evapotranspiration, WUE and best management practices. The fourth chapter considers the key techniques for improving rice water productivity through enhanced irrigation practices aiming to reduce irrigation water use in rice cultivation, such as the Alternate Wetting and Drying technique. The final chapter examines the main irrigation methods used in dryland sorghum production. It also reviews the relationship between soil properties and irrigation management.

Fertigation requires a thorough understanding of the science behind the technology to make it deliver the immense possibility it offers in crop production. Though the idea of fertigation existed from the times of solution culture, it did not receive the necessary attention from among plant nutritionists and agronomists when it reappeared in the context of micro irrigation. Fertilizer application in field agriculture has also not developed as a precision technology. Recommendations of the quantum of fertilizers required for a crop, at least in India are not based on current varieties of the crops, nor have they anything to do with the growth rate and developmental changes occurring while a crop is managed by the grower. Most of the fertilizer recommendations are itself very old and efforts to make them relevant to the current growing conditions, soil status, crop variety and crops reaction to the environment etc. are very limited. It is even worse when growers follow traders' recommendations whose idea is to sell more the fertilizer they supply. Not only lower yields and very low fertilizer use efficiencies, but the deterioration of soil and water bodies are the results. 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 NIPA.

"[The book]...provides a balanced picture of the possibilities and advantages, as well as the challenges, that use of biological crop protection entails... For anyone involved in the microbial bioprotectants space, this is a comprehensive resource you won't want to miss out on. It includes practical yet academic-led discussion and examples that help establish the roadmap for this section of the bioag sector."(BioAgWorld) "This book provides a plethora of knowledge on the biological fight against plant diseases. It's a must have for everyone involved in plant science."(Arie Dwarswaard, Greenity) "The authors provide an overview of beneficial microorganisms against plant pathogens, with a focus on product development, authorisation and application in practice. The book is a source of knowledge and inspiration for researchers, product developers, policy makers and growers."(Doriet Willemen, Gewasbescherming) With growing concerns about the environmental impact of synthetic fungicides, increasing levels of fungicide resistance and increasing regulatory restrictions on fungicide use, the crop protection sector faces mounting pressure to replace synthetic fungicides with more environmentally-friendly biological alternatives for disease control. Microbial bioprotectants for plant disease management provides a comprehensive coverage of the recent advances in the development of more ecologically balanced biological methods to control plant diseases. The collection offers a focussed review on the availability and use of bacterial, fungal and viral bioprotectants, as well as the issues that arise with their development and use. Edited by two world-renowned figures in the field, Microbial bioprotectants for plant disease management will be a standard reference point for researchers in crop protection and agronomy; government and private sector agencies involved in sustainable agriculture; agrochemical companies manufacturing/selling crop protection products; agronomists and farmers wanting to broaden their knowledge on bioprotectants.

The market-leading textbook on this topic, the first edition was groundbreaking in the field and subsequent updates have maintained this as the definite work on Agroecology. A Companion Website offers the entire contents of the updated practical manual, Field and Laboratory Investigations in Agroecology, to book buyers, split into student and lecturer resources. These 24 sample investigations facilitate hands-on learning that involves close observation, creative interpretation, and constant questioning of findings. There is newly streamlined treatment of agroecology's foundations in ecological science, making the text more compatible with typical course curricula. A wealth of new content has been added while maintaining the book's concise, affordable format. The book uses a unique framework that presents agroecology as a science, movement, and practice. Updated case studies and updated chapter content incorporates the most recent knowledge, issues, progress, and research. New chapters offer brand new content: (Alternatives to Industrial Agriculture, Ecological Pest, Weed, and Disease Management, Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture, Agriculture and the Climate Crisis) while a revised analysis and critique of the food system's embeddedness in the extractive capitalist world economy reflects ideas in the emerging field of political agroecology. There is more explicit content on co-creation of knowledge, participatory and transdisciplinary research in this edition than any other.

Features Provide a state-of-the-art description of the physiological, biochemical, and molecular status of the understanding of abiotic stress in plants. Addressing factors that are threatening future food production and providing potential solutions of these factors. Design to cater to the needs of those students engaged in the field of environmental sciences, soil sciences, agricultural microbiology, plant pathology, and agronomy. New strategies have pointed in this book for the better crop productivity and yield. Understanding of new techniques pointed out in this book will open the possibility of genetic engineering in crop plants with the concomitant improved stress tolerance.

This valuable volume highlights biotechnological tools and their utilization for biotic stress management in the tomato plant, one of the world's most important vegetable crops consumed by us in our daily diet and which is vulnerable to over 200 diseases as well as the impact of global climate change. The chapters cover the major diseases of tomato along with practical biotic stress management strategies through biotechnological and molecular approaches. The focus is on molecular tools that can be used to prevent or mitigate damage from such diseases as bacterial wilt, bacterial canker, damping off seedlings, late blight, early blight, fusarium wilt, septorial leaf spot, cercospora leaf spot, verticilium wilt, tomato leaf curl virus, tobacco mosaic virus, tomato spotted wilt virus, root knot nematode, fruit borer, and sucking pests. Gene stacking/pyramiding and postharvest management strategies are also systematically discussed. This book provides an up-to-date and comprehensive review that will be a greatly useful resource, containing basic facts and information on the new and recent discoveries for biotic stresses management of tomatoes.

"This book is number 106 in the Burleigh Dodds Series in Agriculture Science and continues this excellent series of informative reviews in plant and animal agricultural production systems. This volume is a collection of chapters by experts in cereal diseases and disease management from around the world and contains some excellent detailed overviews on recent advances in our understanding of key cereal pathogens and advances in their management. It will be a valuable resource for wheat and barley focussed researchers, breeders and growers." (Professor Matt Dickinson, University of Nottingham, UK - Plant Pathology) It's been estimated that up to 40% of crop yields are lost to pests and diseases worldwide, a problem exacerbated by increasing fungicide resistance. Given the continuous struggle between crops and the diseases which exploit them, achieving durable disease resistance remains a key challenge in ensuring global food security. A range of issues need to be addressed to meet this challenge for major diseases affecting cereal crops such as Fusarium, barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) and Septoria. Achieving durable disease resistance in cereals provides an authoritative review of key advances, from better understanding of pathogen biology/epidemiology and plant-pathogen interactions, to identifying sources of resistance and advances in techniques for breeding new varieties. This collection offers a comprehensive review of research on achieving durable resistance to diseases such as Fusarium head blight, Septoria tritici blotch, Septoria nodorum blotch, tan spot, blast, BYDV and Ramularia. Edited by Professor Richard Oliver, Curtin University, Australia, Achieving durable disease resistance in cereals will be an excellent reference for researchers in cereal science, arable farmers, government and private sector agencies supporting cereal production and companies supplying the cereals sector (e.g. seed companies). It complements Integrated disease management of wheat and barley, also edited by Professor Oliver, published by Burleigh Dodds Science in 2018.

Forage crops are an essential component of livestock's diet. Production and availability of sufficiently good quality forage under diverse ecological dynamics are fundamental to develop an efficient and productive livestock industry. Growers worldwide, especially in developing and underdeveloped countries, face significant challenges in producing sufficient winter fodder. The livestock population is increasing at high rates, and its feed requirement is increasing accordingly. Fodder crops are the leading and cheapest source of feed for livestock; however, the shortage of fodder production is the primary limiting factor for livestock production. This book features an extensive overview of literature providing information on winter fodders used in livestock management. Key features Discusses breeding strategies of winter fodders through conventional approaches and biotechnology. Highlights production, agronomy, and bioecology of winter fodder crops. Provides comprehensive information on the ecological dynamics of winter fodders. Describes the use of precision agriculture for mitigating the effect of climate change on winter fodders. Relays challenges of winter fodder crops on account of microbes, toxins, pests, and diseases. This book is written for researchers and practitioners in agronomy, biotechnology, bioecology and is a comprehensive guide for improving winter fodder production.

Forage crops are an essential component of livestock's diet. Production and availability of sufficiently good quality forage under diverse ecological dynamics are fundamental to develop an efficient and productive livestock industry. Growers worldwide, especially in developing and underdeveloped countries, face significant challenges in producing sufficient winter fodder. The livestock population is increasing at high rates, and its feed requirement is increasing accordingly. Fodder crops are the leading and cheapest source of feed for livestock; however, the shortage of fodder production is the primary limiting factor for livestock production. This book features an extensive overview of literature providing information on winter fodders used in livestock management. Key features Discusses breeding strategies of winter fodders through conventional approaches and biotechnology. Highlights production, agronomy, and bioecology of winter fodder crops. Provides comprehensive information on the ecological dynamics of winter fodders. Describes the use of precision agriculture for mitigating the effect of climate change on winter fodders. Relays challenges of winter fodder crops on account of microbes, toxins, pests, and diseases. This book is written for researchers and practitioners in agronomy, biotechnology, bioecology and is a comprehensive guide for improving winter fodder production.

This book presents up-to-date information on various vector-less/direct (physical, chemical) and vector-mediated/indirect (Agrobacterium-mediated) plant transformation techniques. It summarizes various strategies that facilitate a gene from lower organism to be expressed in higher plants and also in silico designing of synthetic gene for higher expression. It also highlights the importance of strong promoters to drive the expression of transgene(s). This book encompasses the advantages and drawbacks of cisgenesis and transgenesis, their implications towards sustainable crop improvement, and their future prospects. The importance, limitations, challenges, recent developments, and future prospects of molecular pharming is also discussed. The book concludes with a chapter that summarizes the major contribution of GM-crops towards global food security and economy, advances in genome editing for crop improvement, challenges and risk associated with the release of GM-crops, and the future of GM technology. This book is meant for students and researchers in the field of life sciences, food science, and agriculture.

This volume provides a comprehensive collection of methods for plant breeders and researchers working in functional genomics of cereal crops. Chapters detail advances in sequencing of cereal genomes, methods of traditional plant breeding, use of machine learning for genomic selection, random and targeted mutagenesis with CRISPR/Cas9, quantitative proteomics and phenotyping in cereals. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Accelerated Breeding of Cereal Crops aims to be of interest to plant breeders, researchers, postdoctoral fellows, and students working in functional genomics for the development of the next generation of crop plants.

Orphan Crops for Sustainable Food and Nutrition Security discusses the issues, challenges, needs and opportunities related to the promotion of orphan crops, known also as neglected and underutilized species (NUS). The book is structured into six parts, covering the following themes: introduction to NUS, approaches, methods and tools for the use enhancement of NUS, integrated conservation and use of minor millets, nutritional and food security roles of minor millets, stakeholders and global champions, and, building an enabling environment. Presenting a number of case studies at the regional and country levels, the chapters cover different but highly interlinked aspects along the value chains, from acquisition and characterization of genetic diversity, cultivation and harvesting to value addition, marketing, consumption and policy for mainstreaming. Cross-cutting issues like gender, capacity building and empowerment of vulnerable groups are also addressed by authors. Representatives from communities, research for development agencies and the private sector also share their reflections on the needs for the use enhancement of NUS from their own perspectives. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of food security, sustainable agriculture, nutrition and health and development, as well as practitioners and policymakers involved in building more resilient food and production systems.

Orphan Crops for Sustainable Food and Nutrition Security discusses the issues, challenges, needs and opportunities related to the promotion of orphan crops, known also as neglected and underutilized species (NUS). The book is structured into six parts, covering the following themes: introduction to NUS, approaches, methods and tools for the use enhancement of NUS, integrated conservation and use of minor millets, nutritional and food security roles of minor millets, stakeholders and global champions, and, building an enabling environment. Presenting a number of case studies at the regional and country levels, the chapters cover different but highly interlinked aspects along the value chains, from acquisition and characterization of genetic diversity, cultivation and harvesting to value addition, marketing, consumption and policy for mainstreaming. Cross-cutting issues like gender, capacity building and empowerment of vulnerable groups are also addressed by authors. Representatives from communities, research for development agencies and the private sector also share their reflections on the needs for the use enhancement of NUS from their own perspectives. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of food security, sustainable agriculture, nutrition and health and development, as well as practitioners and policymakers involved in building more resilient food and production systems.

Micropropagation of plants is a multibillion dollar industry being prac- ticed in hundreds of small and large nurseries and commercial labora- tories throughout the world. At present, it is the only component of plant biotechnology which has been commercially exploited on such a large scale, especially for the production of ornamentals. Now micro- propagation of trees and medicinal plants has also assumed great im- portance. With recent progress made in the propagation of fruit and forest trees, and the immediate need for afforestation and planting of orchards, propagules and plantlets are required quickly and in large numbers. Taking these points into consideration High-Tech and Micro- propagation I, If, If I, and IV were published in 1991 and 1992. The present two volumes, High-Tech and Micropropagation V and VI, com- prise 51 chapters contributed by international experts from 24 countries. High-Tech and M icropropagation V comprises 24 chapters arranged into the following three sections: I. Vegetables and fruits (garlic, Amaranthus, Brassica oleracea, pepper watermelon, cassava, banana, Myrtus communis, passionfruit, Poly- mnia sonchifolia, pepino, and spinach) II. Grasses (bamboos, Caustis dioica, Dendrocalamus, Miscanthus x giganteus, sugarcane) III. Trees (Aegle marmelos, Eucalyptus, Fraxinus excelsior, Juglans cinerea, Pinus virginiana, Prosopis, and Ulmus species) High-Tech and Micropropagation VI comprises 27 chapters arranged in two sections: I.

"...this book covers a range of algal phyla, specialised algal bioprocessing and application topics that make it very interesting for a broad audience. Each chapter covers a theme in such a way that can easily be read by a non-specialist but, as the authors incorporate recent published papers, the book will also be interesting for experts...I also recommend the book for entrepreneurs and technical staff working in different algal-based operations." (Journal of Phycology) As the global demand for meat increases due to population and economic growth, more pressure has been placed on the animal feed sector to support sustainable livestock production, whilst also ensuring the nutritional value and palatability of feed. With traditional sources of protein, including oilseeds and distiller grains, considered as major contributors to climate change, there is growing interest in establishing alternative, more 'climate-smart' sources of protein, such as seaweed and other forms of microalgae that can supplement livestock diets. Seaweed and microalgae as alternative sources of protein summarises current advances in utilising macroalgae and microalgae as alternative sources of proteins. The collection reviews processes of protein formation in macroalgae and microalgae, macroalgae farming and processing as well as microalgae bioprocessing. Chapters also discuss the practical application of seaweed as an alternative protein source in ruminant, pig, poultry and fish diets. Edited by Professor Xin Gen Lei, Cornell University, USA, Seaweed and microalgae as alternative sources of protein will be a standard reference for researchers from universities or other research centres involved in macroalgae/microalgae production and livestock nutrition, companies involved in the manufacture or supply of animal feed or livestock nutrition services, government and other agencies regulating the animal feed sector, as well as farmers interested in furthering their knowledge on recent developments in the animal feed/livestock nutrition sector.

This collection features five peer-reviewed literature reviews on decision support systems (DSS) in agriculture. The first chapter provides a review of DSS in agriculture, whilst addressing the key questions surrounding their use for farm soil and crop management. The different aspects of agricultural DSS design, implementation and operation are also discussed. The second chapter assesses the role of DSS for pest monitoring and management through information technology such as, remote sensing, GIS, spectral indices, image-based diagnostics, and phenology-based degree day models. The third chapter discusses the potential of implementing DSS within the growing mechanisation in greenhouses. It examines differences in development and application of deterministic explanatory and data-based models for real-time control and DSS. The fourth chapter explores the key issues associated with deploying DSS in precision agriculture, whilst also considering their human and social aspects. The chapter also considers how future research on DSS can be moulded to improve productivity in a precision agriculture setting. The final chapter outlines the importance of a participatory approach in DSS development, whilst also offering examples of climate-based DSS for crop and land management, pest and disease management, and livestock (dairy) management.