This book is a comprehensive volume that brings together vast knowledge about agricultural prairies in one place, providing concise information and providing concise descriptions of natural resources and their influence on crop productivity. It provides detailed descriptions about natural settings as well as lucid discussions on soil fertility and crop production trends for various agricultural prairies distributed all across the earth. Chapters one through seven provide detailed descriptions on geologic aspects; physiography and agroclimate; natural vegetation and cropping history; human population, migration and development of settlements; natural resources such as soils, water, and crops; and environmental concerns. In particular, the first chapters cover the prairies of North and South America, namely, the Great Plains of North America, the Cerrado of South America, and the Pampas of South America. Chapter 4 deals with the steppes of Southern and Central Europe, Chapter 5 describes the savannahs of West Africa, Chapter 6 is concerned with Indo-Gangetic and Deccan plainsm, and Chapter 7 deals with prairies of Northeast China. The last chapter provides a comparative view of all agricultural prairies. Specifically, it compares the contrasting natural features, soil fertility, irrigation, and crop productivity. Agricultural prairies exist at levels of intensification. A few show subsistence or low input trends. Discussions pertaining to extent of intensification are included. Further, it includes interesting discussions on how the situation has grown into interdependence of man and prairies. It highlights the way prairies (crops) have influenced, naturally coaxed, and driven human activities to their own advantage.

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.

Diseases of Fruits and Vegetable Crops: Recent Management Approaches covers certain basic aspects of knowledge on diagnostic symptoms, modes of perpetuation and dissemination of pathogens, favorable conditions for disease development, and the latest management strategies for disease prevention and mitigation in vegetable crops, fruit crops, and plantation crops. With chapters written by experts working on specific fruit and vegetables disease, the volume covers many vegetable and fruit crops, including pineapples, grapes, apples, guava, litchi, potatoes, peas, beans, ginger and turmeric, and many more. Each chapter reviews the specific diseases relevant to the crop and their management and includes recent research findings. The information presented here will be valuable for plant protection officers, district horticulture officers, and other government personnel in the directorates and agencies of agriculture, horticulture and plant protection, as well as plant protection experts, vegetable specialists, and others.

The Ecological Farm is a breakthrough resource for ecological fruit and vegetable growers at every scale who want to go beyond organic. Through a unique ecosystem-balancing approach focusing on reduced tillage, minimising farm and garden inputs and pest control, you’ll learn how to build higher soil quality and fertility by using fewer harmful inputs.   Farmer, consultant, and educator Helen Atthowe (along with her late husband, Carl Rosato) have decades of farming experience which is shared in this essential book. They guide readers on how to reduce or eliminate the use of outside inputs of fertiliser or pesticides – even those that are commonly used on certified organic orchards and market gardens. With clear, easy to action language and colour photography, charts, and graphs throughout, The Ecological Farm emphasizes the importance of managing the details of an entire growing system over the full life of an enterprise. The Ecological Farm features a crop-by-crop guide to growing more than 25 of the most popular and profitable vegetables and fruits, including specific management advice for dealing with pests and diseases. You’ll also learn how to: design a system that establishes a year-round root-in-soil system for microbial health strengthen the “immune system� of a farm or garden supply crop needs using only on-farm inputs such as cover crops and living mulch maximise the presence of beneficial insects and microbes minimise ecological impact in dealing with insect pest and disease problems The Ecological Farm makes complex, sometimes messy, ecological concepts and practices understandable to all growers, and makes healthy farming, in which nature is invited to participate, possible.

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

A Practical, Get-Your-Hands-in-the-Soil Manual Global climate change, increasing pollution, and continued rapid population growth is wreaking havoc on the planet. Stabilizing the environment at safe levels requires a large-scale restoration of damaged ecosystems. Geotherapy: Innovative Methods of Soil Fertility Restoration, Carbon Sequestration, and Reversing CO2 Increase outlines the basic concepts of geotherapy and highlights the importance of healing the biosphere's ability to store soil carbon to prevent climate change impacts. Facing challenges head on, it addresses how and why policymakers have underestimated the long-term impacts of climate change and how we can correct the flawed carbon management mechanisms today. The book also factors in where carbon can be most effectively stored, how quickly that can be done, and the practical and policy actions needed to get there. This text presents innovative new technologies for restoring the most productive ecosystems on land while maintaining high biodiversity. It addresses processes and techniques of soil carbon restoration through biogeochemical cycling, biochar, slow-release fertilizers, weathering of minerals (olivine) and rock (basalt) powders, amendments and bio-fertilizers, and the establishment of vetiver and other perennials. Written by highly recognized professionals from every continent except Antarctica, this extensive work consists of 34 chapters covering issues that include: field experiences with biochar including a history of its research; practical uses of biochar in farming systems and the use of biochar for soil fertility enhancement; the potential of remineralization as a global movement; seawater concentrate for abundant agriculture; superior food production using sea salt and plant extracts; recycling waste nutrients using biochar and limestone; and commercially viable carbon farming. The book concludes with a chapter providing general thoughts on regreening the earth and averting a global crisis. Geotherapy: Innovative Methods of Soil Fertility Restoration, Carbon Sequestration, and Reversing CO2 Increase is an encyclopedia of ideas providing the tools needed for anyone involved with the ecological restoration and transformation of the planet.

Plant Production in Closed Ecosystems provides overviews of the current trends and concepts in plant production in closed or semi-closed environments. The overviews reflect both the present and future challenges that face the agricultural industry and the methods and tools which will meet these challenges. Plant Production in Closed Ecosystems contains the full texts of the Special Lectures from the International Symposium on Plant Production in Closed Ecosystems, plus several contributed papers. The challenges which await the agricultural industry are diverse. This diversity is reflected in the topics that were covered in the special lectures given by experts in the field. These topics included: greenhouse horticulture, hydroponics, micropropagation, food production in space, environmental control, co-generation, controlled ecological life support systems (CELSS), and resource conservation.

Explore the Relationship between Crop and Climate Agricultural sustainability has been gaining prominence in recent years and is now becoming the focal point of modern agriculture. Recognizing that crop production is very sensitive to climate change, Climate Change Effect on Crop Productivity explores this timely topic in-depth. Incorporating contributions by expert scientists, professors, and researchers from around the world, it emphasizes concerns about the current state of agriculture and of our environment. This text analyzes the global consequences to crop yields, production, and risk of hunger linking climate and socioeconomic scenarios. Addresses Biotechnology, Climate Change, and Plant Productivity The book contains 19 chapters covering issues such as CO2, ozone on plants, productivity fertilization effect, UV (ultraviolet) radiation, temperature, and stress on crop growth. The text discusses the impact of changing climate on agriculture, environment stress physiology, adaptation mechanism, climate change data of recent years, impact of global warming, and climate change on different crops. It explores the overall global picture in terms of the effect of crops to climate change during abiotic stress and considers strategies for offsetting and adapting to ongoing climate change. Details how and why climate change occurs and how it effects crop productivity and agriculture Considers what measures should be taken to mitigate the effect of climate change on agriculture Highlights the effect of climate change on crop productivity, the invention of new technology, and strategies for agriculture practice to adapt to climate change Provides an analysis of the global warming effect on crop productivity due to climate change and long-term agriculture technique development Confirms the asymmetry between potentially severe agricultural damages such as the effect on crop yield due to variation in temperature Reports on the results of experiments to assess the effects of global climate change on crop productivity An asset to agriculturists, environmentalists, climate change specialists, policy makers, and research scholars, Climate Change Effect on Crop Productivity provides relevant information and opportunities for productive engagement and discussion among government negotiators, experts, stakeholders, and others concerned about climate change and agriculture.

Sorghum is one of the hardiest crop plants in modern agriculture and also one of the most versatile. Its seeds provide calorie for food and feed, stalks for building and industrial materials and its juice for syrup. This book provides an in-depth review of the cutting-edge knowledge in sorghum genetics and its applications in sorghum breeding. Each chapter is authored by specialists in their fields to report the latest trends and findings. The book showcases the definitive value of sorghum as a model system to study the genetic basis of crop productivity and stress tolerance and will provide a foundation for future studies in sorghum genetics, genomics, and breeding.

The use of organic management practices in field cropping continues to rise globally, and these methods have proven to be a viable way to produce food with reduced resource use and environmental damage. Managing Energy, Nutrients, and Pests in Organic Field Crops challenges the popular misconception that organic systems are weak at managing energy, nutrients, and pests and shows how innovative farm designs can enhance organic performance. It provides information for assessing the current state of knowledge on organic field cropping and for making the systems more viable. Each chapter summarizes the latest data from a wide range of sources, creating a comprehensive and coherent picture of the issues and integrating agronomic, economic, and policy aspects. Many chapters also include recent research from the authors. Section I, Soil Health, examines the importance of phosphorus balance, soil fertility, and tillage reduction. Section II, Pest Management, focuses on integrated weed management and long-term approaches to insect management. Section III, Integrating Approaches, addresses multiple field cropping challenges. Chapters cover the oldest organic rotational trials in Canada, the issue of using cereals bred for conventional systems and more targeted organic cereal breeding strategies, and case studies of a broad spectrum of farming experiences that explore the broader social and ecological landscape. The final section, Economics, Energy, and Policy, examines environmental issues not previously addressed in the text as well as consumer, economic, and rural community matters. It also presents a reprint of an article that describes policies and programs (and their costs) needed to advance adoption of organic farming in Ontario. The text wraps up with key conclusions and a discussion of overarching themes for the book, summarizing the strengths of the available tool box for organic producers and the challenges that remain.

This book is a comprehensive, beautifully illustrated colour guide to the plants which farmers, growers and gardeners can use to improve soil structure and restore fertility without the use and expense of agrichemicals. Information based on the latest research is given on how to use soil conditioning plants to avoid soil degradation, restore soil quality and help clean polluted land. There are 11 chapters: 1 to 6 cover soil health, nitrogen fixation, green manures and herbal leys, bacteria and other microorganisms, phytoremediators and soil mycorrhiza (plant-fungal symbiosis). Chapter 7 has plant illustrations, with climate range and soil types, along with their soil conditioning properties and each plant is presented with a comprehensive description opposite a detailed illustration, in full colour. Chapters 8 to 10 examine soil stabilisers, weeds and invasive plants, and hedges and trees and the final chapter, contains 5 case studies with the most recent data, followed by an appendix and glossary. The book allows the reader to identify the plants they need quickly and find the information necessary to begin implementation of soil regeneration.

This book covers all aspect of legume production management technologies, plant ecological response, nutrients management, biological nitrogen fixation, molecular approaches, potential cultivars, biodiversity management under climate change. Also covered are various aspects of legume management under climate change such as, production management technology, ecology & adaptation, diseases, and international trade; physiology and crops response to nutrients, drought, salinity, and water use efficiency; Biodiversity management, molecular approaches and biological Nitrogen fixation; climate change and strategies.

This book presents the most comprehensive and up to date review of research on different cool season grain legume crops, nutrients management, biotic and abiotic stresses management, agronomical approaches for drought management, salinity, drought, weed management and water use efficiency, impact on international trade around the world.

This book focuses on production challenges of pulse in India and the scope and opportunities of its cultivation in different cropping systems, despite shrinking of natural resources and climate change. It further highlights self sufficiency in pulse production through knowledge based technological interventions for improving nutritional security and sustainable development. It provides a detailed account of challenges and opportunities of pulse production in India in simpler yet compact manner for better understanding by the researchers and policy makers.

The use of microbial plant protection products is growing and their importance will strongly increase due to political and public pressure. World population is growing and the amount of food needed by 2050 will be double of what is produced now whereas the area of agricultural land is decreasing. We must increase crop yield in a sustainable way. Chemical plant growth promoters must be replaced by microbiological products. Also here, the use of microbial products is growing and their importance will strongly increase. A growing area of agricultural land is salinated. Global warming will increase this process. Plants growth is inhibited by salt or even made impossible and farmers tend to disuse the most salinated lands. Microbes have been very successfully used to alleviate salt stress of plants. Chemical pollution of land can make plant growth difficult and crops grown are often polluted and not suitable for consumption. Microbes have been used to degrade these chemical pollutants.

The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) is a pivotal piece of recent legislation, providing a route map for the use of such resources for sustainable agriculture and food security.

Plant Genetic Resources and Food Security explains clearly the different interests and views at stake between all players in the global food chain. It touches upon many issues such as international food governance and policy, economic aspects of food and seed trade, conservation and sustainable use of food and agricultural biodiversity, hunger alleviation, ecological concerns, consumers' protection, fairness and equity between nations and generations, plant breeding techniques and socio-economic benefits related to food local economies.

The book shows that despite the conflicting interests at stake, players managed to come to an agreement on food and agriculture for the sake of food security and hunger alleviation in the world. Published with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and with Bioversity International.