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Books > Professional & Technical > Agriculture & farming > Crop husbandry > General
This book reviews the current state of knowledge concerning cacao
pathogens and methods for their management. Topics discussed
include the history, biology and genetic diversity of
Moniliophthora species (which cause witches' broom and frosty pod
rot) and Phytophthora species (which cause black pod rot) that
cause diseases resulting in major losses to cacao production.
Emerging pathogens such as Cacao swollen shoot virus and
Ceratobasidium theobromae (which causes vascular streak dieback)
are also discussed in detail, along with many pathogens of
significant local concern. Most of these pathogens represent major
risks to global cacao production should they expand into new areas,
breaking out of their current limited distributions. By considering
cacao diseases as a group, similarities in the available tools and
techniques used in their management become apparent, as do their
limitations. Gaps in our current knowledge of cacao pathogens and
the management of the diseases they cause are detailed, and
suggestions for future research directions are provided. This
insight allows readers to consider cacao disease threats from a
more comprehensive, global perspective and paves the way for an
improved synergy of efforts between the various research programs,
agencies, and industries, both private and public, with vested
interests in cacao production, and cacao farmers.
Amidst Mad Cow scares and consumer concerns about how farm animals
are bred, fed, and raised, many farmers and homesteaders are
rediscovering the traditional practice of pastoral farming.
Grasses, clovers, and forbs are the natural diet of cattle, horses,
and sheep, and are vital supplements for hogs, chickens, and
turkeys. Consumers increasingly seek the health benefits of meat
from animals raised in green paddocks instead of in muddy feedlots.
In All Flesh Is Grass: The Pleasures and Promises of Pasture
Farming, Gene Logsdon explains that well-managed pastures are
nutritious and palatable-virtual salads for livestock. Leafy
pastures also hold the soil, foster biodiversity, and create lovely
landscapes. Grass farming might be the solution for a stressed
agricultural system based on an industrial model and propped up by
federal subsidies. In his clear and conversational style, Logsdon
explains historically effective practices and new techniques. His
warm, informative profiles of successful grass farmers offer
inspiration and ideas. His narrative is enriched by his own
experience as a "contrary farmer" on his artisan-scale farm near
Upper Sandusky, Ohio. All Flesh Is Grass will have broad appeal to
the sustainable commercial farmer, the home-food producer, and all
consumers who care about their food.
The research and its outcomes presented here focuses on
tropospheric or ground level ozone, in particular due to its
surfacing as a major threat to crop productivity around the world.
This book presents the ozone concentration data for a variety of
geographical regions, examines the factors responsible for its
increasing concentrations and its potential effects on
physiological and biochemical responses culminating in crop
productivity losses which, in turn may pose a serious threat to
global food security. Beside this, certain ameliorative measures
that could be adopted to assess ozone injury in plants are also
discussed. Global climate change scenarios predict a significant
increase in future tropospheric ozone concentration. Particular
attention is therefore given to evaluate the effect of global
climate change on ozone concentrations. Readers will also discover
how yield losses due to ozone are related to changes in the
socio-economic conditions of the society, especially in South Asian
regions. Students and researchers studying crop and soil science,
environmental scientists, risk assessment professionals and policy
makers will find this book of interest.
Advances in Agronomy continues to be recognized as a leading
reference and a first-rate source for the latest research in
agronomy. As always, the subjects covered are varied and exemplary
of the myriad of subject matter dealt with by this long-running
serial
Since agriculture is one of the key parameters in assessing the
gross domestic product (GDP) of any country, it has become crucial
to transition from traditional agricultural practices to smart
agriculture. New agricultural technologies provide numerous
opportunities to maximize crop yield by recognizing and analyzing
diseases and other natural variables that may affect it. Therefore,
it is necessary to understand how computer-assisted technologies
can best be utilized and adopted in the conversion to smart
agriculture. Modern Techniques for Agricultural Disease Management
and Crop Yield Prediction is an essential publication that widens
the spectrum of computational methods that can aid in agriculture
disease management, weed detection, and crop yield prediction.
Featuring coverage on a wide range of topics such as soil and crop
sensors, swarm robotics, and weed detection, this book is ideally
designed for environmentalists, farmers, botanists, agricultural
engineers, computer engineers, scientists, researchers,
practitioners, and students seeking current research on technology
and techniques for agricultural diseases and predictive trends.
Abiotic stresses such as drought (water deficit), extreme
temperatures (cold, frost and heat), salinity (sodicity) and
mineral (metal and metalloid) toxicity limit productivity of crop
plants worldwide and are big threats to global food security. With
worsening climate change scenarios, these stresses will further
increase in intensity and frequency. Improving tolerance to abiotic
stresses, therefore, has become a major objective in crop breeding
programs. A lot of research has been conducted on the regulatory
mechanisms, signaling pathways governing these abiotic stresses,
and cross talk among them in various model and non-model species.
Also, various 'omics' platforms have been utilized to unravel the
candidate genes underpinning various abiotic stresses, which have
increased our understanding of the tolerance mechanisms at
structural, physiological, transcriptional and molecular level.
Further, a wealth of information has been generated on the role of
chromatin assembly and its remodeling under stress and on the
epigenetic dynamics via histones modifications. The book
consolidates outlooks, perspectives and updates on the research
conducted by scientists in the abovementioned areas. The
information covered in this book will therefore interest workers in
all areas of plant sciences. The results presented on multiple
crops will be useful to scientists in building strategies to
counter these stresses in plants. In addition, students who are
beginners in the areas of abiotic stress tolerance will find this
book handy to clear their concepts and to get an update on the
research conducted in various crops at one place
From climate change to farming systems to genetic modification of
organisms, Crop Physiology, Second Edition provides a practical
tool for understanding the relationships and challenges of
successful cropping. With a focus on genetic improvement and
agronomy, this book addresses the challenges of environmentally
sound production of bulk and quality food, fodder, fiber, and
energy which are of ongoing international concern. The second
edition of Crop Physiology continues to provide a unique analysis
of these topics while reflecting important changes and advances in
the relevant science and implementation systems. Contemporary
agriculture confronts the challenge of increasing demand in terms
of quantitative and qualitative production targets. These targets
have to be achieved against the background of soil and water
scarcity, worldwide and regional shifts in the patterns of land use
driven by both climate change and the need to develop crop-based
sources of energy, and the environmental and social aspects of
agricultural sustainability.
This book is a compilation of information on insect/mite/vertebrate
pests and fungal/bacterial/viral/mycoplasma/nematode diseases of
tropical root and tuber crops such as cassava, sweet potato, yams,
taro, Amorphophallus, yam bean and tannia. The book highlights the
distribution, symptoms and damage, biology, survival and spread of
each pest and describes management methods. It also sheds light on
different eco-friendly pest management strategies including
physical, cultural, chemical, biological, host resistance and
integrated methods. The book is written in a lucid style using
easy-to-understand language and offers adoptable recommendations
involving eco-friendly control measures. It serves as a useful
reference source for policy makers, research and extension workers,
practicing farmers and students. The material can also be used for
teaching post graduate courses in state agricultural universities.
"Emerging Technologies and Management of Crop Stress Tolerance:
Volume II - A Sustainable Approach" helps readers take
technological measures to alleviate plant stress and improve crop
production in various environmental conditions.
This resource provides a comprehensive review of how technology
can be implemented to improve plant stress tolerance to increase
productivity and meet the agricultural needs of the growing human
population. The book considers issues of deforestation, disease
prevention, climate change and drought, water and land management,
and more. It will help any scientist better understand
environmental stresses to improve resource management within a
world of limited resources.
Includes the most recent advances methods and applications of
biotechnology to crop sciencePromotes the prevention of potential
diseases to inhibit bacteria postharvest quality of fruits and
vegetable crops by advancing application and researchPresents a
thorough account of research results and critical reviews
The oil palm is the world's most valuable oil crop. Its production
has increased over the decades, reaching 56 million tons in 2013,
and it gives the highest yields per hectare of all oil crops.
Remarkably, oil palm has remained profitable through periods of low
prices. Demand for palm oil is also expanding, with the edible
demand now complemented by added demand from biodiesel producers.
The Oil Palm is the definitive reference work on this important
crop. This fifth edition features new topics - including the
conversion of palm oil to biodiesel, and discussions about the
impacts of palm oil production on the environment and effects of
climate change alongside comprehensively revised chapters, with
updated references throughout. The Oil Palm, Fifth Edition will be
useful to researchers, plantation and mill managers who wish to
understand the science underlying recommended practices. It is an
indispensable reference for agriculture students and all those
working in the oil palm industry worldwide.
"Emerging Technologies and Management of Crop Stress Tolerance:
Volume 1 - Biological Techniques "presents the latest technologies
used by scientists for improvement the crop production and explores
the various roles of these technologies for the enhancement of crop
productivity and inhibition of pathogenic bacteria that can cause
disease.
This resource provides a comprehensive review of how proteomics,
genomics, transcriptomics, ionomics, and micromics are a pathway to
improve plant stress tolerance to increase productivity and meet
the agricultural needs of the growing human population. This
valuable resource will help any scientist have a better
understanding of environmental stresses to improve resource
management within a world of limited resources.
Includes the most recent advances methods and applications of
biotechnology to crop scienceDiscusses different techniques of
genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics and nanotechnologyPromotes
the prevention of potential diseases to inhibit bacteria
postharvest quality of fruits and vegetable crops by advancing
application and researchPresents a thorough account of research
results and critical reviews
"Advances in Agronomy" continues to be recognized as a leading
reference and a first-rate source for the latest research in
agronomy. As always, the subjects covered are varied and exemplary
of the myriad of subject matter dealt with by this long-running
serial
Maintains the highest impact factor among serial publications in
agriculture
Presents timely reviews on important agronomy issues
Enjoys a long-standing reputation for excellence in the field
Plant molecular biology came to the fore in the early 1980s and
there has been tremendous growth in the subject since then. The
study of plant genes and genomes and the development of techniques
for the incorporation of novel or modified genes into plants
eventually led to the commercialisation of genetically modified
(GM) crops in the mid-1990s. This was seen as the start of a
biotechnological revolution in plant breeding. However, plant
biotechnology has become one of the hottest debates of the age and,
in Europe at least, one of the greatest challenges that plant
scientists have ever faced.This book covers the history and
development of the science and techniques that underpin plant
biotechnology. It describes the GM crops that are or have been
grown commercially around the world, including failures as well as
successes, and the new varieties that are being developed. The
safety record of GM crops is reviewed together with the legislation
that has been adopted to cover their use. The book also deals with
the concerns of consumers, the GM crop debate and the prospects for
the technology. In the second edition, sections on current GM crops
and future developments in plant biotechnology have been greatly
expanded, while those on techniques, legislation and the GM crop
debate have also been updated.The book is a concise, comprehensive
and readable study that is accessible to a general readership with
a scientific background but also provides useful information for
the specialist.
The food, feed, ?ber, and fuel needs of the changing world pose the
challenge of doubling or tripling of world food, feed, and ?ber
production by the year 2050 to meet the needs of a 11 billion
global population. In addition, the dramatic changes in food prices
in the recent years further warrant that production and
productivity need to be enhanced to ensure adequate supplies.
Biotechnology can make a signi?cant contribution to this effort as
demonstrated by cotton and other crops; the new advances in
biotechnology have made it possible to develop plants that contain
genes that were not possible to be developed by sexual means.
Cotton has been a leader in the use of biotechnology. With the
introduction of Bt cotton, followed by stacked cotton products
(insect and herbicide tolerance) and extensive use of molecular
breeding tools, cotton cultivation has been much improved. The
contributions in this book illustrate the scienti?c advances that
are going on in cotton and the impact they continue to deliver for
all cotton growers. Twelve percent of the global cotton area is now
under biotech products at 15. 5 million ha. The primary bene?ts
from using genetically engineered cotton include reduced
insecticide use, lower production costs, improved yields, lower
farming risks, and increased opportunities to grow cotton in areas
of severe pest infestation.
"Global Tea Breeding: Achievements, Challenges and Perspectives"
provides a global review on biodiversity and biotechnology issues
in tea breeding and selection. The contributions are written by
experts from China, India, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Turkey,
Indonesia, Japan, Bangladesh, Korea, Nigeria, and etc., which
countries amount to 90% of the world tea production. This book
focuses on the germplasm, breeding and selection of tea cultivars
for the production of black, green and Oolong teas from the tea
plant, "Camellia sinensis "(L.) O. Kuntze. It can benefit the tea
breeders in the global tea industry, as well as the breeders of
other woody cash crops like coffee and other sub-tropical fruit
trees.
Liang Chen is a Professor and Associate Director at National
Center for Tea Improvement, Tea Research Institute of the Chinese
Academy of Agricultural Sciences (TRICAAS), Hangzhou, China.
Zeno Apostolides is a Professor at the Department of
Biochemistry, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
Zong-Mao Chen is the Academician of the Chinese Academy of
Engineering and a Professor at the Tea Research Institute of the
Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China.
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