Drawing on two years of ethnographic research in the north-eastern borderlands of Bangladesh, this book focuses on the everyday struggles of indigenous farmers threatened with losing their land due to such state programmes as the realignment of the national border, ecotourism, social forestry and the establishment of a military cantonment. In implementing these programmes, state actors challenge farmers' right to land, instituting spaces of violence in which multiple forms of marginalisation overlap and are reinforced. Mapping how farmers react to these challenges emotionally and practically, the book argues that these land conflicts serve as a starting point for existentially charged disputes in which the survival efforts of farmers clash with the political imaginations and practices of the nation-state. The analysis shows that losing land represents more than being deprived of a material asset: it is nothing less than the extinction of ways of life.

For subsistence farmers in eastern Kentucky, wealthy horse owners in the central Bluegrass, and tobacco growers in Western Kentucky, land was, and continues to be, one of the commonwealth's greatest sources of economic growth. It is also a source of nostalgia for a people devoted to tradition, a characteristic that has significantly influenced Kentucky's culture, sometimes to the detriment of education and development.

As timely now as when it was first published, Thomas D. Clark's classic history of agrarianism prepares readers for a new era that promises to bring rapid change to the land and the people of Kentucky.

Build healthy soil and grow better plants Robert Pavlis, a gardener for over four decades, debunks common soil myths, explores the rhizosphere, and provides a personalized soil fertility improvement program in this three-part popular science guidebook. Healthy soil means thriving plants. Yet untangling the soil food web and optimizing your soil health is beyond most gardeners, many of whom lack an in-depth knowledge of the soil ecosystem. Soil Science for Gardeners is an accessible, science-based guide to understanding soil fertility and, in particular, the rhizosphere - the thin layer of liquid and soil surrounding plant roots, so vital to plant health. Coverage includes: Soil biology and chemistry and how plants and soil interact Common soil health problems, including analyzing soil's fertility and plant nutrients The creation of a personalized plan for improving your soil fertility, including setting priorities and goals in a cost-effective, realistic time frame. Creating the optimal conditions for nature to do the heavy lifting of building soil fertility Written for the home gardener, market gardener, and micro-farmer, Soil Science for Gardeners is packed with information to help you grow thriving plants.

An insightful and multidisciplinary exploration of plastic pollutants in the ocean environment In Plastics and the Ocean, renowned researcher Anthony L. Andrady delivers a comprehensive and up-to-date treatment of the sources, characterization, and environmental impacts of plastics in the ocean. The book focuses on macroplastics as well as micro-scale and nanoscale plastics and the human impacts of these that reach consumers via seafood. It also addresses the human behavioral aspects of the problem via discussions of the mismanagement of urban litter. A diverse collection of expert perspectives is arranged logically and guides the reader through this fast-evolving multi-disciplinary subject area. Beginning with an overview of the field, the book goes on to explore the importance of this area of research to related disciplines and to the everyday lives of consumers. This text offers engineers and scientists an up-to-date review of the subject and the state of the art as summarized by key researchers in the field. The book includes: A synthesis of leading voices in oceanography, biogeochemistry, industrial chemistry, ecotoxicology, polymer science, and behavioral science Discussions of the impacts of a range of marine plastics, including large debris, microplastics, and nanoplastics A summary of the abundance and impacts of plastics in various niches in the marine environment Descriptions of the current methodologies for sampling, detection, processing, and identification of plastic waste Plastics and the Ocean is an indispensable resource for professionals, researchers, instructors, and graduate students in polymer science, marine biology, and environmental engineering. It's also a must-read text for chemical engineers, materials scientists, and environmental engineers seeking a one-stop resource that describes the origins, occurrence, composition, environmental fate, and biological impacts of plastic pollutants in an ocean environment.

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.

At a time early in the twenty-first century when the nature and future of British farming is very much a matter of public debate, this volume presents an up-to-date overview of the subject between one and two thousand years ago. Its importance lies in providing an authoritative and scholarly synthesis of a great deal of research--environmental, archaeological and historical --which cumulatively makes a significant shift in the understanding of Britain and its farming peoples, of the British landscape and of farming itself.

This book presents materials and physical methods for carbon dioxide sequestration. Materials include nanosponges, titanium oxide/zeolite hybrids, classical absorbents, metal oxides, ionic liquids, alkaline soils and metal organic frameworks. Methods include cryogenic capture, adsorption, solvent dissolution and soil sequestration.

The efficient production of large numbers of high-quality insects is a concern both for basic research and for the success of control programmes for pests of agricultural and medical significance. This volume provides a comprehensive overview of this important issue, identifying the major applications for insect-rearing technology. The chapters, international in scope, cover genetics and molecular biology; insect rearing and the development of bioengineered crops; nutrition, digestion and artificial diets; and the practical concerns of commercial insect rearing.

In Western societies, the incidence and prevalence of respiratory and food-related allergies have increased rapidly over the past decades. Changes in life style, e.g. in hygiene, child vaccination, housing insulation, food consumption patterns, etc. are thought to be involved in this increase. Direct and indirect costs related to allergy are expected to rise rapidly, especially in the Central and Eastern European countries that recently joined the European Union. Major concerns relate to the significant decrease of the quality of life of patients and their relatives.

Therefore, time is urgent to develop strategies for large-scale and structural tackling of the allergy problem. Approaches aiming at allergy prevention with a focus on controlling our living environment and the food production chain, as well as on the choices consumers and patients make, seem very promising and complementary to solve this medicalized problem.

This book, written by renowned experts, reflects the current ideas for future possibilities of allergy prevention, using integrated and multidisciplinary strategies and covering the entire knowledge framework from comprehensive fundamental research to implementation into society. It describes approaches from the following main topics:

- The medical and molecular context

- The food production chain and novel foods

- The living and occupational environment

- People and society

This book will be an indispensable tool for all those scientists that are searching for ways to solve the current allergy problems.

Ben Raskin's wide-ranging work in varied locations makes The Woodchip Handbook a really useful overview of the possibilities afforded by woodchip. Charles Dowding, author of Charles Dowding's No Dig Gardening The first and only complete guide to sourcing and using woodchip - an abundant, inexpensive and ecologically sustainable material - for savvy growers and landscapers at any scale, from farm to garden to greenhouse. The Woodchip Handbook is the essential guide to the many uses of woodchip both in regenerative agriculture and horticulture. Author Ben Raskin, Head of Horticulture and Agroforestry at the Soil Association, draws on his extensive practical experience using woodchip, provides the latest research from around the world and presents inspiring case studies from innovative farmers. The book explores and unlocks the tremendous potential of woodchip to enhance soil health and plant growth: As a natural mulch for weed suppression, temperature buffering and water conservation As a growing medium for propagating plants As a decomposing source of warmth for hotbeds in the greenhouse or hoop house As a carbon-rich compost ingredient that supports beneficial fungi and microorganisms As a powerful soil health booster when applied as small-sized ramial chipped wood As an ideal substrate for growing many kinds of edible or medicinal mushrooms As a sustainable, versatile and durable material for foot paths and ornamental landscaping Some of these techniques, like mulching - or the renewable harvest potential from coppicing and pollarding trees - have been around forever. Yet there is always new science to be discovered, such as the role that salicylic acid from willow woodchip can play in preventing tree diseases or promoting livestock health when used as a bedding material. Whether you are a commercial grower or farmer, a permaculture practitioner or a serious home gardener producing your own fruit and vegetables, The Woodchip Handbook will show you how to get the most out of this readily available and renewable material. I did not know the world needed a whole book on woodchip, but from the first chapter I could not put this book down. Alys Fowler, author of The Edible Garden and The Thrifty Gardener

Transgenic Plants: A Production System for Industrial and Pharmaceutical Proteins provides a detailed guide to the principles and practice of using transgenic plants as a system for the production of heterologous proteins. It is unique in that it covers the complete process of heterologous protein production in plants, from the initial transformation of the plant, through to transcription, transgene stability and finally the downstreaming processing events for protein purification. Written by an international team of industrialists and academics, this book describes:

• the fundamental issues associated with expressing heterologous proteins in plants;
• a number of detailed examples of the successful small-and large-scale production of proteins;
• the essentials of patenting; and
• the commercial exploitation.

Nanotechnology in Sustainable Agriculture presents applications of nanobiotechnology for eco-friendly agriculture practices. Implementing sustainable agriculture techniques is a crucial component in meeting projected global food demands while minimising toxic waste in the environment. Nano-technological tools - including nanoparticles, nanocapsules, nanotubes and nanomolecules - offer sustainable options to modernise agriculture systems. Written by nanotechnology experts, this book outlines how nano-formulations can improve yield without reliance on chemecial pesticides and reduce nutrient losses in fertilization. It reveals how nanotools are used for rapid disease diagnostics, in treating plant diseases and enhancing the capacity for plants to absorb nutrients. Features: Combines nanotechnology and agronomy presenting applications for improving plant performance and yields. Reveals nanotechnology-based products used for the soil and plant health management which mitigate climate change. Discusses roles of microbial endophytes, heavy metal nanoparticles and environment health, nano-nutrients, phytochemicals, green bioengineering and plant health. This book appeals to professionals working in the agriculture and food industry, as well as agricultural scientists and researchers in nanotechnology and agronomy.

Reproducing Chinese Culture in Diaspora discusses how a group of anti-communist Chinese exiles from Yunnan Province have managed to establish a rural livelihood in Thailand's northern hills over the past half century. When faced with the seemingly invincible Communist forces that were sweeping across the Mainland, these nationals retreated in 1949 or shortly thereafter to the Golden Triangle that sits astride the borders of Burma, Laos, and Thailand in voluntary exile. This book mainly concerns their hardships as they have struggled to carve out a new life along with their attempts to find an agricultural identity in the area. Initially gaining power as drug traffickers and narco-kings, the Yunnan exiles have transformed into sustainable farming leaders. Yet, despite their success in establishing themselves in Thailand, their community is facing a steep decline that threatens their long time survival. Part of their rationale in leaving communist China in search of a new settlement in the Golden Triangle, the exiles sought to protect Chinese traditions and ideals in the face of what they felt was Western influence. Yet, in their attempts to maintain their traditions, they've drifted to the opposite extreme, treating those traditions as sacrosanct and adhering to them rigidly. As a result, many of the younger generations are fleeing the communities from this "cultural petrification," and those who stay openly challenge the authoritarian old guard in a desire to modernize. This clash of old vs new severely strains a prosperous yet fragile community, clouding its future in uncertainty.

This 1997 book describes the spread of new agricultural practice in the half millennium after 1350, and reconstructs a neglected part of Europe's agricultural past: the introduction of fodder crops, and the continuous reorganisation of traditional botanical inputs within a new system of farming. New agricultural systems, based on convertible husbandry, clovers, turnips and roots, were introduced to some areas of Europe from the 1750s, and gave new impetus to productivity. However this so-called 'agricultural revolution' had demanded a learning process in which recourse to ancient and medieval botany helped farmers and scholars to overcome a situation of stalemate in early modern technology. The book breaks entirely new ground by showing the distant historical origins of a major transformation in land potential and farm productivity. A vast range of evidence is cited from Italy, France, England and elsewhere to provide a history of the 'agricultural revolution' in Europe.

Agriculture plays a pivotal role in the economy and development of Pakistan providing food to consumers, raw materials to industries, and a market for industrial goods. Unfortunately, agricultural production is stagnant due to several barriers including a fixed cropping pattern, reliance on a few major crops, a narrow genetic pool, poor seed quality, and a changing climate. In addition, the high cost of production, weak phytosanitary compliance mechanisms, and a lack of cold chain facilities makes Pakistan agriculturally uncompetitive in export markets. Despite all these issues, agriculture is the primary industry in Pakistan and small farmers continue to dominate the business. Small farmers grow crops for subsistence under a fixed cropping pattern and a holistic approach is required to develop agriculture to improve the livelihoods of the rural populace. This book presents an exhaustive look at agriculture in Pakistan. Chapters provide critical analyses of present trends, inadequacies in agriculture, strategic planning, improvement programs and policies while keeping in view the natural resources, plant- and animal-related agricultural production technologies, input supplies, population planning, migration and poverty, and balanced policies on finance, credit, marketing, and trade.

Like all facets of daily life, the food that Russian farms grew and citizens ate-or, in some years, didn't eat-underwent radical shifts in the century between the Bolshevik Revolution and Putin's presidency. The modernization of agriculture during this time is usually understood in terms of advances in farming methods. Susanne A. Wengle's important interdisciplinary history of Russia's agriculture and food systems documents far-reaching changes on farms, along with their effects on ordinary people and for successive political regimes. Wengle argues that we need to focus on the political actors who employed and favored particular agrotechnologies to provide "the good life" for citizens. Each of the large-scale rural reforms was rooted as much in political ambitions as in the need to increase crop and meat yields. Attempts to create the conditions of abundance relied heavily on top-down programs that nearly always had unexpected, and occasionally devastating, outcomes. Bringing together a narrative on governance, production, consumption, nature, and the ensuing vulnerabilities of the agri-food system, Wengle reveals the intended and unintended consequences of Russian agricultural policies since 1917. Ultimately, Black Earth, White Bread is a call for attention to states' reliance on specific technologies to illuminate transformations in food systems everywhere.

The revised edition of the bestselling textbook, covering both classical and molecular plant breeding Principles of Plant Genetics and Breeding integrates theory and practice to provide an insightful examination of the fundamental principles and advanced techniques of modern plant breeding. Combining both classical and molecular tools, this comprehensive textbook describes the multidisciplinary strategies used to produce new varieties of crops and plants, particularly in response to the increasing demands to of growing populations. Illustrated chapters cover a wide range of topics, including plant reproductive systems, germplasm for breeding, molecular breeding, the common objectives of plant breeders, marketing and societal issues, and more. Now in its third edition, this essential textbook contains extensively revised content that reflects recent advances and current practices. Substantial updates have been made to its molecular genetics and breeding sections, including discussions of new breeding techniques such as zinc finger nuclease, oligonucleotide directed mutagenesis, RNA-dependent DNA methylation, reverse breeding, genome editing, and others. A new table enables efficient comparison of an expanded list of molecular markers, including Allozyme, RFLPs, RAPD, SSR, ISSR, DAMD, AFLP, SNPs and ESTs. Also, new and updated "Industry Highlights" sections provide examples of the practical application of plant breeding methods to real-world problems. This new edition: Organizes topics to reflect the stages of an actual breeding project Incorporates the most recent technologies in the field, such as CRSPR genome edition and grafting on GM stock Includes numerous illustrations and end-of-chapter self-assessment questions, key references, suggested readings, and links to relevant websites Features a companion website containing additional artwork and instructor resources Principles of Plant Genetics and Breeding offers researchers and professionals an invaluable resource and remains the ideal textbook for advanced undergraduates and graduates in plant science, particularly those studying plant breeding, biotechnology, and genetics.

A crucial reference/textbook that provides a wide spectrum of information in one easily understandable source The essence of agroecology lies in harnessing and harmonizing the forces of nature for productive purpose. Introduction to Agroecology: Principles and Practices comprehensively explains how this is done, providing a detailed, inclusive look at the underlying theories, concepts, and practices. This allows the reader to explore the full range of possibilities of the nature/agricultural interface and to view agroecology in its entirety, all while providing a clear understanding of the inherent complexity. Productive threats to cropping such as soil depletion, drought, plant-eating insects, heat and cold, weeds, and small and large animals are discussed in depth-with preventative strategies for each-all together in one easy-to-use book. This unique introductory reference source is not only aimed at the novice, but also the more advanced student. In a departure from the norm for introductory material, extensive endnotes elaborate upon the basic information, presenting a full look at the arguments and controversies within the field. The endnotes include over 500 citations, offering a broad window that encompasses ecology, sociology, conservation and environmental studies, and several other fields. The text also contains numerous charts, figures, and tables to clarify data and ideas. Introduction to Agroecology reviews and discusses: agroecological goals, such as profit, quality of life, and minimum disturbance of the natural ecosystem spatial principles, with resource concepts such as capture, production, balance, and biodiversity planting densities, ratios, and spatial patterns facilitation of nutrient and water capture-transfer ecosystem governance certainty-sustainability threats, such as drought, wind, flood, temperature, and fire the use of fences, repellant plants, fauna, and other means to stave off large animal threats basic insect countermeasures agrotechnologies subdivision, scaling, design packages, agrobiodiversity adjustments, and mimicry monocultures seasonal intercropping facilitative and productive agroforestry the use of reservoirs, corridors, wind structures, riparian buffers, firebreaks, and other means as auxiliary systems land modification social and community agroecology core approaches to alternative agriculture, including genetic, microbial, varietal, rotational, and others agroecosystem design many, many more topics Introduction to Agroecology is a unique and accessible reference for those who seek a deeper understanding of the mechanisms and practices that provide a solid foundation for the study of agroecology, including researchers, extension advisors, instructors, and students.

Land and Work in Mediaeval Europe was first published in English in 1967. Throughout the work, the idea that Marc Bloch was not only a historian but a great teacher is exemplified, as is his ability to ask interesting and original questions through his writing. Topics covered include medieval Germany, technical problems in the medieval economy and society, and the medieval class structure.

This innovative text provides a compelling narrative world history through the lens of food and farmers. Tracing the history of agriculture from earliest times to the present, Christopher Isett and Stephen Miller argue that people, rather than markets, have been the primary agents of agricultural change. Exploring the actions taken by individuals and groups over time and analyzing their activities in the wider contexts of markets, states, wars, the environment, population increase, and similar factors, the authors emphasize how larger social and political forces inform decisions and lead to different technological outcomes. Both farmers and elites responded in ways that impeded economic development. Farmers, when able to trade with towns, used the revenue to gain more land and security. Elites used commercial opportunities to accumulate military power and slaves. The book explores these tendencies through rich case studies of ancient China; precolonial South America; early-modern France, England, and Japan; New World slavery; colonial Taiwan; socialist Cuba; and many other periods and places. Readers will understand how the promises and problems of contemporary agriculture are not simply technologically derived but are the outcomes of decisions and choices people have made and continue to make.