With contributions from leading scientists in agricultural biology and young researchers, this book examines the ecological consequences that sometimes arise with various methods of increasing crop productivity. It also presents agroecological approaches to crop improvement and productivity from several perspectives, examines alternative energy sources, and discusses other problems related to sustainable agriculture.

This text is a reference work for botanists studying the flora of South Asia. As commander of Malabar, van Reed was responsible for compiling the Hortus Malabaricus, a major publication of the flora and medical use of plants.

In 2007, the first edition of Handbook of Plant Nutrition presented a compendium of information on the mineral nutrition of plants available at that time-and became a bestseller and trusted resource. Updated to reflect recent advances in knowledge of plant nutrition, the second edition continues this tradition. With chapters written by a new team of experts, each element is covered in a different manner, providing a fresh look and new understanding of the material. The chapters extensively explore the relationship between plant genetics and the accumulation and use of nutrients by plants, adding to the coverage available in the first edition. The second edition features a chapter on lanthanides, which have gained importance in plant nutrition since the publication of the first edition, and contains chapters on the different mineral elements. It follows the general pattern of a description of the determination of essentiality or beneficial effects of the element, uptake and assimilation, physiological responses of plants to the element, genetics of its acquisition by plants, concentrations of the element and its derivatives and metabolites in plants, interaction of the element with uptake of other elements, diagnosis of concentrations of the element in plants, forms and concentrations of the element in soils and its availability to plants, soil tests and fertilizers used to supply the element. The book demonstrates how the appearance and composition of plants can be used to assess nutritional status and the value of soil tests for assessing nutrition status. It also includes recommendations of fertilizers that can be applied to remedy nutritional deficiencies. These features and more make Handbook of Plant Nutrition, Second Edition a practical, easy-to-use reference for determining, monitoring, and improving the nutritional profiles of plants worldwide.

The book synthesizes knowledge on the arthropod taxon Oribatida, a suborder of Acari (the mites and ticks), that are a key group in soil ecology and biodiversity studies for Canada and Alaska but also worldwide. This book is unparalleled in the comprehensive nature of the information provided on this key biotic group. It is presented by two leading global experts for this group. There is no competing text in English. Reviewers were unanimous in their view that there is an "unquestionable" need for this book. The book provides highly reliable set of data, well prepared from a content and methodological point of view, bringing much interesting information on the subject and a valuable contribution to the knowledge of ecology of the group of invertebrates.

Agriculture and food production have a large footprint on the landscape globally and compete for space with land for nature conservation. This book explores the competition between the food needs of a growing human population and the conservation of biodiversity as intensified by the emerging use of crops for energy production. As concern about the impact of greenhouse gas emissions on climate grows and oil prices increase, energy production from agricultural crops has become a significant industry. At the same time, growth in food demand due to population growth has been accelerated by growing affluence associated with economic growth in major developing countries increasing per capita consumption. Consumers are concerned that the price of food will continue to increase sharply as a result of this competition but a loss of biodiversity may be another major outcome. Drawing on his expertise in plant conservation genetics, the author provides a balanced appraisal of the potential for developing new or improved crops for food or bioenergy production in the context of climate change, while at the same time protecting biodiversity.

First published in 1985. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

The field of ecohydraulics integrates hydrodynamic and eco-dynamic processes. While hydrodynamic processes are usually well described by partial differential equations (PDE's) based on physical conservation principles, ecosystem dynamics often involve specific interactions at the local scale. Because of this, Cellular Automata (CA) are a viable paradigm in ecosystem modelling. All cells in a CA system update their states synchronously at discrete steps according to simple local rules. The classical CA configuration consists of uniformly distributed cells on a structured grid. But in the field of hydrodynamics, the use of unstructured grids has become more and more popular due to its flexibility to handle arbitrary geometries. The main objective of this research is to identify whether the CA paradigm can be extended to unstructured grids. To that end the concept of Unstructured Cellular Automata (UCA) is developed and various UCA configurations are explored and their performance investigated. The influence of cell size was analyzed in analogy with the Finite Volume Method. A characteristic parameter -min distance of UCA- was put forward and tested by numerical experiments. Special attention was paid to exploring the analogies and differences between the discrete CA paradigm and discrete numerical approximations for solving PDE's. The practical applicability of UCA in ecohydraulics modelling is explored through a number of case studies and compared with field measurements.

The Study of Plants in a Whole New Light "Matt Candeias succeeds in evoking the wonder of plants with wit and wisdom." James T. Costa, PhD, executive director, Highlands Biological Station and author of Darwin's Backyard #1 New Release in Nature & Ecology, Plants, Botany, Horticulture, Trees, Biological Sciences, and Nature Writing & Essays In his debut book, internationally-recognized blogger and podcaster Matt Candeias celebrates the nature of plants and the extraordinary world of plant organisms. A botanist's defense. Since his early days of plant restoration, this amateur plant scientist has been enchanted with flora and the greater environmental ecology of the planet. Now, he looks at the study of plants through the lens of his ever-growing houseplant collection. Using gardening, houseplants, and examples of plants around you, In Defense of Plants changes your relationship with the world from the comfort of your windowsill. The ruthless, horny, and wonderful nature of plants. Understand how plants evolve and live on Earth with a never-before-seen look into their daily drama. Inside, Candeias explores the incredible ways plants live, fight, and conquer new territory. Whether a blossoming botanist or a professional plant scientist, In Defense of Plants is for anyone who sees plants as more than just static backdrops to more charismatic life forms. In this easily accessible introduction to the incredible world of plants, you'll find: Fantastic botanical histories and plant symbolism Passionate stories of flora diversity and scientific names of plant organisms Personal tales of plantsman discovery through the study of plants If you enjoyed books like The Botany of Desire, What a Plant Knows, or The Soul of an Octopus, then you'll love In Defense of Plants.

This title brings together a collection of indigenous shrubs - not only established favourites but also many lesser-known species that will amaze the reader with their beauty and versatility. The title covers more than 100 species of indigenous shrubs in detail, with descriptive text and more than 200 full-colour photographs for easy identification. Detailed species accounts include a description of the plant, advice on how to propagate it from seed or cuttings and how to care for it in the garden. The author also shares fascinating snippets of information on the traditional uses of each plant and gives down-to-earth advice on how to use the plant in the garden to achieve the best effect. A range of icons offers an easy overview of the plant's size and shape, its cultivation requirements, uses, flower colour, flowering time and other special features. The introductory section includes advice on planning a garden, how to plant and care for shrubs, how to propagate shrubs form seed and cuttings as well as hints on gardening for birds and butterflies.

The correct design, analysis and interpretation of plant science experiments is imperative for continued improvements in agricultural production worldwide. The enormous number of design and analysis options available for correctly implementing, analysing and interpreting research can be overwhelming. SAS (R) is the most widely used statistical software in the world and SAS (R) OnDemand for Academics is now freely available for academic institutions. This is a user-friendly guide to statistics using SAS (R) OnDemand for Academics, ideal for facilitating the design and analysis of plant science experiments. It presents the most frequently used statistical methods in an easy-to-follow and non-intimidating fashion, and teaches the appropriate use of SAS (R) within the context of plant science research. This book: - Covers experimental designs and data analysis protocols - Is presented as a how-to guide with many examples - Includes freely downloadable data sets - Examines key topics such as merging data frames, multivariate analysis and linear regression Authored by an experienced teacher of applied plant science statistics, this book assumes no prior background in statistics and guides users through the appropriate methodologies in research. It is an invaluable tool for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, in addition to researchers, extension consultants, faculty and technicians.

David Ricardo (1772 - 1823) was a hugely influential British political economist and stock trader. This volume, first published in 1923, contains five important pamphlets published by him, edited and with an overarching introductory essay by E. C. K. Gonner. Each essay relates either to monetary and financial subjects - including the high price of Bullion, monetary theory and the position of the Bank of England - or to the agricultural conditions of Britain and proposed solutions to the problems discussed. This is a fascinating and detailed work, which will be of great value to those with an interest in Ricardo's theories and British economic history.

This book deals with the practical aspects in regeneration of field crop plants; regeneration of pasture plants; and regeneration of horticultural plants. It discusses the methods to increase seed stocks of cross-pollinated species.

In use as a medicinal plant since time immemorial in Europe and the Middle East, chamomile is gaining popularity in the Americas, Australia, and Asia. The spectrum of disease conditions in which it is used in traditional medicine systems is, quite simply, mind boggling. There is, without a doubt, a growing demand for this plant and therefore a growing need for an updated ready reference for the researchers, cultivators, and entrepreneurs who wish to work with chamomile. Chamomile: Medicinal, Biochemical, and Agricultural Aspects is just that. Based on extensive research, this book provides the latest information on the medicinal, aromatic, and cultivation aspects of chamomile. It covers chamomile's geographical distribution, taxonomy, chemistry, pharmacology, genetics, biochemistry, breeding, and cultivation. The book also discusses the profiles of the several medicinally active compounds of the oil and extracts and how their levels could be increased through breeding. The author highlights several potentially useful compounds discovered in the chamomile oil and extracts and discusses the cultivation and postharvest technology aspects of the plant in different agroclimatic zones including that of India. She presents guidelines on the good manufacturing practices laid out in different systems of medicine and provides an overview of the patents and products of chamomile especially important to researchers and entrepreneurs. Although there is a plethora of information available on chamomile, the challenge has been finding a central repository that covers all aspects of the plant. Some books provide general coverage, others focus on only on pharmacological uses, and many are outdated. This book examines all aspects from cultivation and harvesting, to essential oil content and profile as well as pharmacology and biotechnology. It is a reference for current information, an entry point for further study, a resource for using oils and extr

Covers recent advancement in potato improvement in the post-genomics era after the potato genome sequencing in 2011. Includes integration of modern technological technologies in potato improvement. Implicates resequencing of potato genomes and discovery of SNP markers to accelerate next-generation potato breeding. Incorporates genomics-aided progress in germplasm management, pre-breeding genomics, gene mapping and cloning, transgenics, omics studies (transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics and phenomics), genome editing and bioinformatics.

Numerous herbal plants are used as an important source of life saving drugs for the world's population. Herbal plants are the natural source of several medicines, mainly due to their secondary metabolites, and have long been in use as medicine in the crude extract form. They are also used to isolate the bioactive compounds in modern medicine and herbal medicine systems. They play an important role in the development, synthesis, and formulation of new drugs. Includes chapters on relevant topics contributed by experts of the subjects to make available a comprehensive treatise with in-depth analysis. Audience - those specifically in herbal plant-based drug formulation - presents biotechnological techniques to obtain the desirable products from some specific herbal plants.

Merging topical data from recently published review and research articles, as well as the knowledge and insight of industry experts, Omics Applications in Crop Science delves into plant science, and various technologies that use omics in agriculture. This book concentrates on crop breeding and environmental applications, and examines the applications of various omics technologies including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics to important agronomic, horticultural, medicinal, plantation, fiber, forage, and bioenergy crops. It covers the application of omics technologies in several important crops, including cereal, and pulse. It explores the brassica species, drought tolerance in rice, and genetic engineering of the potato. The book discusses temperate fruits; and omics of medicinal plants, the metabolomics of Catharanthus roseus and how the medicinally important alkaloids of the plant are produced, as well as the omics of another important medicinal plant, Withania somnifera. It examines floriculture, the omics advances in tea, and omics strategies in improving the fiber qualities of cotton. It provides omics-related information on forest trees and forage crops, and offers a detailed account on how omics technologies are applicable in molecular farming, along with associated issues such as commercial aspects of molecular farming, clinical trials of plant-produced pharmaceuticals, regulatory issues and intellectual property rights. Written as a resource for plant biologists, plant breeders, agriculture scientists, researchers and college students studying various fields in agriculture, and the agri industries, OMICS Applications in Crop Science compiles the latest research in this essential field of modern crop and plant science utilizing various omics technologies and their applications in a number of important crops/plants from agronomy, pomology, olericulture, floriculture, medicinal plants, plantation and energy crops, agro-forestry, and more.

Many North American plants have characteristics that are especially promising for creating varieties needed to expand food production, and there are excellent prospects of generating new economically competitive crops from these natives. The inadequacy of current crops to meet the food demands of the world's huge, growing population makes the potential of indigenous North American food plants even more significant. These plants can also generate crops that are more compatible with the ecology of the world, and many also have inherent health benefits. Presenting detailed scholarship, a thoroughly accessible style, and numerous entertaining anecdotes, North American Cornucopia: Top 100 Indigenous Food Plants is a full-color book dedicated to the most important 100 native food plants of North America north of Mexico that have achieved commercial success or have substantial market potential. The introductory chapter reviews the historical development of North American indigenous crops and factors bearing on their future economic success. The rest of the book consists of 100 chapters, each dedicated to a particular crop. The book employs a user-friendly chapter format that presents the material in sections offering in-depth coverage of each plant. The first section of each chapter provides information on the scientific and English names of the plants, followed by a section on the geography and ecology of the wild forms, accompanied by a map showing the North American distribution. A section entitled "Plant Portrait" comprises a basic description of the plant, its history, and its economic and social importance. This is followed by "Culinary Portrait," concerned with food uses and culinary vocabulary. The chapters then provide an analysis of the economic future of each crop, discuss notable and interesting scientific or technological observations and accomplishments, and present extensive references.

"The authors of this introductory text are acknowledged experts on tropical American orchids with decades of combined experience of orchids in both the wild and culture. You could not find a better trio of enthusiasts and specialists to introduce you to the wonderful and occasionally bizarre world of tropical American orchids." from the Foreword by Phillip J. Cribb

Orchids of Tropical America is an entertaining, informative, and splendidly illustrated introduction to the orchid family for enthusiasts and newcomers seeking to learn about more than 120 widespread orchid genera. Joe E. Meisel, Ronald S. Kaufmann, and Franco Pupulin bring alive the riot of colors, extraordinary shapes, and varied biology and ecology of the principal orchid genera ranging from Mexico and the Caribbean to Bolivia and Brazil. Orchids, likely the most diverse family of plants on earth, reach their peak diversity in the tropical countries of the Western Hemisphere, including, for example, more than 2,500 species in Brazil and 4,000 in Ecuador. The book also highlights reserves in the American tropics where travelers can enjoy orchids in the wild.

Whether you journey abroad to see these unique plants, raise them in your home, or admire them from afar, this book offers fascinating insights into the diversity and natural history of orchids. Beyond the plant and flower descriptions, Orchids of Tropical America is packed with informative stories about the ecology and history of each genus. Pollination ecology is given in detail, with an emphasis on how floral features distinctive to the genus are linked to interaction with pollinators. This book also features information on medicinal and commercial uses, notes on the discoverers, and relevant historical data.

The easy-to-use identification system permits quick recognition of the most common orchid groups in Central and South America. Genus descriptions are given in plain language designed for a nonscientific audience but will prove highly useful to advanced botanists as well. Descriptions focus on external morphology, and great care has been taken to ensure the guide is useful in the field without reliance on microscopes or dissections. Equally valuable as a field guide, a desktop reference, or a gift, Orchids of Tropical America will make an excellent addition to any orchid lover's library.

Visit the website for this book at www.orchidsoftropicalamerica.com."

The third most important cereal crop after wheat and corn, rice is a staple food for more than half of the world's population. This includes regions of high population density and rapid growth, indicating that rice will continue to be a major food crop in the next century. Mineral Nutrition of Rice brings together a wealth of information on the ecophysiology and nutrient requirements of rice. Compiling the latest scientific research, the book explains how to manage essential nutrients to maximize rice yield. The book examines 15 essential or beneficial nutrients used in irrigated, upland, and floating rice across a range of geographic regions. For each mineral, the text details the cycle in the soil-plant system as well as the mineral's functions, deficiency symptoms, uptake in plants, harvest index, and use efficiency. It then outlines management practices, covering application methods and timing, adequate rates, the use of efficient genotypes, and more. The author, an internationally recognized expert in mineral nutrition for crop plants, also proposes recommendations for the judicious use of fertilizers to reduce the cost of crop production and the risk of environmental pollution. Color photographs help readers identify nutrient deficiency symptoms and take the necessary corrective measures. Packed with useful tables and illustrations, this comprehensive reference guides readers who want to know how to increase rice yield, reduce production costs, and avoid environmental pollution from fertilizers. It offers practical information for those working in agricultural research fields, in laboratories, and in classrooms around the world.

Following his participation in James Cook's circumnavigation in HMS Endeavour (1768-71), Joseph Banks developed an extensive global network of scientists and explorers. His correspondence shows how he developed effective working links with the British Admiralty and with the generation of naval officers who sailed after Cook.

Guide to cultivating peyote and other psychoactive cacti and extracting active properties, including obtaining seeds, growing a variety of cacti, cloning, and grafting, and extracting the maximum output of mescaline and other alkaloids, descriptions of procedures used for extracting mescaline from peyote and San Pedro, and legal aspects prepared by Attorney Richard Glen Boire.

Reviews agricultural nanobiotechnology applications and limitations Rationalised design of nanomaterials and its benefit Nano-enabled pesticides and their applications Nanofungicides for the management of fungal diseases in crops Nanofertilizer and their development Biosensors for Monitoring Soil Health Assessment of Toxicity and risk of nanoparticles Chitosan nanoparticles and their applications in plant diseases management

Aeroponics: Growing Vertical covers aspects of the emerging technology, aeroponics, which is a sister to hydroponics, involving state-of-the-art controlled environment agriculture. The book begins with an introduction of aeroponics followed by a summary of peer-reviewed technical literature conducted over 50 years involving various aspects of aeroponics. It covers the science and all the patent literature since 2001 to give the reader a comprehensive view of the innovations related to aeroponics. This book is a useful reference for people interested in learning about how aeroponics works. This book is for novices as well as scientists interested in research activities conducted in countries around the world as well as work in using aeroponics in outer space. Designed for the user interested in research conducted in the past, this a helpful resource for those in the next generation of profitable agricultural endeavors. Features: * Comprehensive resource presenting key aspects of aeroponics * Focus on areas of aeroponics including its history, science, innovations, business, and practice * Provides a complete overview of the intellectual property associated with aeroponics * Presents a broad overview of research using aeroponic systems across the globe * Features information on key start-up businesses and activities that drive this technology Thomas Gurley earned a BA in chemistry from Houghton College and a PhD in analytical chemistry from Case Western Reserve University and has 40 years industrial chemistry experience with companies including Goodyear, Abbott Labs, and his consulting company, Manning Wood LLC. He holds two Fulbright scholarships to Ukraine and Uganda. He is currently R&D Director for Aero Development Corporation, a manufacturer of aeroponic commercial growing systems. He conducts research in aeroponics as an adjunct professor at Charleston Southern University in South Carolina.

David Ricardo (1772 - 1823) was a hugely influential British political economist and stock trader. This volume, first published in 1923, contains five important pamphlets published by him, edited and with an overarching introductory essay by E. C. K. Gonner. Each essay relates either to monetary and financial subjects - including the high price of Bullion, monetary theory and the position of the Bank of England - or to the agricultural conditions of Britain and proposed solutions to the problems discussed. This is a fascinating and detailed work, which will be of great value to those with an interest in Ricardo's theories and British economic history.

This wonderfully illustrated book is a snapshot of our extensive national collection of botanical books, herbarium specimens and archival material. With more than three million preserved plant specimens and 70,000 books to choose from, the selection is just a sample of the treasures we hold, offering a glimpse into this unique collection. From objects that tell tales of daring plant collectors, to specimens of plants now extinct, historical maps and diaries, a letter from Charles Darwin and innovative nature printing techniques, this book showcases an international collection that reflects the rich scientific history of Scotland and is still used every day in our work to explore, explain and conserve the world of plants. This book won runner up in the Best New Publications category of the Association for Cultural Enterprises Awards 2015.