The series Underutilized and Underexploited Horticultural Crops are reviewed in several science journals for its uniqueness and richness in content and botanical information. Enlarging the food base and food basket along with validated information on plants for industry, dyes, timber, energy and medicine is the core theme of the series. The third volume has 25 s written by 46 scientists from UK, Mexico, Spain, India, USA, Turkey and Nigeria. The crops covered are atuna, African de bolita, capers and caper plants, kair, natural dye plants, plants used for dye sources, underutilized wild edible fruits of Kerala, bael, carambola, tropical plum, citrus, fig, guava, star gooseberry, hog-plum, underutilized leaf vegetables of sub-Himalayan terai region, underutilized vegetables of Tripura, agathi and chekkurmanis, celosia, colocasia, edible begonias, kangkong, underutilized palms, Atuna and African de bolita are new crops to Indian readeNatural dyes are attaining significant commercial importance in view of the negative effects of synthetic dyes which are allergic and in a few cases carcinogenic. Underutilized fruits like bael, carambola, tropical plum, fig, star gooseberry and hog-plum are receiving attention in view of their wider adaptability and suitability to grow under conditions of stress. Underexploited leaf vegetables like agathi, chekkurmanis, celosia, edible begonias and kangkong have been given prominence. Prof.Ghillean T Prance, FRS has contributed the on Atuna. The Editor is Dr K V Peter Former Vice-Chancellor, Kerala Agricultural University.

There is Global concern on shrinking food base depending on a meager three crops-wheat, rice and maize-.New Crops are to be encouraged to fit into the changing food habits, life styles and above all climate change. Underutilized Horticultural Crops are getting attention world around. The High Impact Journal HortScience reviewed vol. II Underutilized and Underexploited Horticultural Crops and reported its global value. The series projects the nutritional values, ecological compatibility, fitness to ecological niches and above all optimum uses of natural resources like water, energy, space and time. Volume 4 deals with edible plant foods in Africa, African Leafy Vegetables, Amaranths, Chilies, Annual Drumstick, Clove bean, Cluster bean, Curry leaf, Ivy Gourd, Snap melon, Sweet Gourd, Teasles Gourd, Tree borne vegetables, Fruits of North Eastern Region, Dragon Fruit, Wood apple, Strobilanthes, Seed Spices, Yam bean and Trees for Energy. Twenty s in the 4th volume are compiled by the Eminent Scientists in the respective crops. The volume 4 envisages a world free from hunger and under nutrition and full of health and wellness.

This book is a much-expanded and updated edition of a previous volume, published in 1996 as No-tillage Seeding: Science and Practice. The base objective remains to describe, in lay terms, a range of international experiments designed to examine the causes of successes and failures in no-tillage. The book summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of no tillage and highlights the pros and cons of a range of features and options, without promoting any particular product. Topics added or covered in more detail in the second edition include:
DT soil carbon and how its retention or sequestration interacts with tillage and no-tillage
DT controlled traffic farming as an adjunct to no-tillage
DT comparison of the performance of generic no-tillage opener designs
DT the role of banding fertilizer in no-tillage
DT the economics of no-tillage
DT small-scale equipment used by poorer farmers
DT forage cropping by no-tillage
DT a method for risk assessment of different levels of machine sophistication

The book post harvest technology assumes great attention during recent years since preservation of agricultural produce is a basic necessity to sustain agricultural production. It helps to add value of produce, thus having great scope for employment generation at the production catchments. In this book, the authors have attempted to consolidate different methods of post harvest technology of fruits and vegetables focusing on recent advances. This book will benefit both practicing food technologist/post harvest technologist who are searching for answers to critical technical questions of post harvest technology. Further, it will be useful to agricultural engineers, food processors, food scientist ,researchers and progressive farmers and tom those who are working in relevant fields. it is intended to fill a gap in presently available post harvest technology literature

The book focuses on conventional and recent propagation techniques delving upon crop-wise depictions of different propagation methods in horticultural crops. Adequate insight is given to crop botany, ecology and economic importance of important fruit crops, vegetables, plantation crops and spices. The content of the book undoubtedly will provide a good guidance to students of Agriculture and Botany, Nurserymen and Agricultural Extension workers.

Underutilized and underexploited horticultural crops form an integral part of health food green parks, neutraceutical industry, home decorations, renewable sources of green energy and above all food reserves during calamities. Leaf vegetables like agathi, chekkurmanis, waterleaf, drumstick leaf, basella and colacasia leaf are rich in fibre, minerals and beta carotenes. Cucurbits like ash gourd, pointed gourd, ivy gourd, kekrol, snap melons and chow-chow are rich in iron and amino acids. Fruits like karonda, aonla and cherries are highly nutritious and are suited to less moisture soils. Noni is a fruit for health. Noni juice is recommended against diabetes, obesity and sleeplessness. Among spices, long pepper, mint, celery, fenugreek and garcenia possess medicinal properties. There are a large number of underexploited medicinal plants like tulsi and peppermint with considerable economic value. Underutilized crops like in Tripura, Orissa and Kerala are specially mentioned. There is need to broaden the food basket with lesser know crops. There is a shift from Health Care to Wellness Industry. Prevention is always better then cure. The present volume deals with underexploited and underutilized horticultural crops in its totality. The contributors of each are working scientists in the specific crop.

The present book is the second volume in the series Underutilized and Underexploited Horticultural Crops edited by Prof. K.V.Peter. As in the 1st volume the present volume also covers 6 s on underexploited fruits, 5 on vegetables, 1 on tuber crops, 3 each on flowers and trees and 2 on spices. Dr. Bhuwon Sthapit, IPGRI, Malaysia contributes a on In Situ Conservation of Horticultural Crops. Underutilized fruits of Andaman and Nicobar Islands are dealt with in detail by Dr. D.R. Singh, Giant Granadilla, Apricot, Low Chilling Peaches, Aonla and Ber are dealt by eminent scientists in respective crops. Dr. Umesh Srivastava, ICAR, New Delhi deals Genetic Resource Management in Cucurbits. Dr. Samadia from Central Institute of Arid Horticulture, Bikaner writes on Arid Vegetables. Dr. S.K. Pandey, Director, CPRI, Shimla elaborates Taxonomy of Temperate Underutilized Root and Tuber Crops. Underutilized flowers surrounding the homesteads are narrated by Dr. U. Sreelatha, Kerala Agricultural University. An overview on Liliums is given by Dr. K. Valliappan, Mahua, Chironji and Drumstick are the trees dealt with. Turmeric and Long Coriander are elucidated by Dr. A.M. Rao and Dr. P. Indira respectively.

In recent decades, the governance of the environment in agri-food systems has emerged as a crucial challenge. A multiplicity of actors have been enrolled in this process, with the private sector and civil society progressively becoming key components in a global context often described as neoliberalization. Agri-environmental governance (AEG) thus gathers a highly complex assemblage of actors and instruments, with multiple interrelations. This book addresses this complexity, challenging traditional modes of research and explanation in social science and agri-food studies. To do so, it draws on multiple theoretical and methodological insights, applied to case studies from Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas. It elaborates an emergent approach to AEG practices as assemblages, looking at the coming-together of multiple actors with diverse trajectories and objectives. The book lays the foundations for an encompassing theoretical framework that transcends pre-existing categories, as well as promoting innovative methodologies, which integrate the role of social actors - including scientists - in the construction of new assemblages. The chapters define, first, the multiplicities and agencies inherent to AEG assemblages. A second set tackles the question of the politics in AEG assemblages, where political hierarchies interweave with economic power and the search for more democratic and participative approaches. Finally, these insights are developed in the form of assemblage practice and methodology. The book challenges social scientists to confront the shortcomings of existing approaches and consider alternative answers to questions about environmental governance of agri-food systems.

This book, Plant Breeding, has it bases in an earlier text entitled An Introduction to Plant Breeding by Jack Brown and Peter Caligari, first published in 2008. The challenges facing today s plant breeders have never been more overwhelming, yet the prospects to contribute significantly to global food security and farmers quality of life have never been more exciting and fulfilling. Despite this there has been a worrying decline in public funding for plant breeding-related research and support for international centers of germplasm development and crop improvement. In part, this has resulted in a serious reduction in the number of young people interested in devoting their professional careers to plant breeding as well as the number of universities offering plant breeding courses or conducting relevant research in plant breeding. The authors aim in writing this book is to provide an integrated and updated view of the current scientific progress related to diverse plant breeding disciplines, within the context of applied breeding programs. This excellent new book will encourage a new generation of students to pursue careers related to plant breeding and will assist a wider audience of agricultural students, agronomists, policy makers and those with an interest in agriculture in gaining insight about the issues affecting plant breeding and its key role in improving the quality of life of people and in securing sufficient food, at the quality required and at an affordable price. With comprehensive coverage including questions designed for students, and an accompanying website containing additional material to help in the study of the subject, Plant Breeding is an ideal text for all those studying plant and crop sciences, and a convenient reference source for professionals working in the area. All libraries within universities and research establishments where biological and agricultural sciences are studied and taught should have multiple copies of this book.

This new volume addresses the global water crisis by presenting new ways to use irrigation water judiciously through innovative fertigation management. It looks at the research and review work done throughout the world on micro irrigation and the techno-economic feasibility of various fertigation irrigation water management systems. Taking a multidisciplinary perspective, the chapters look at using fertigation to increase the effectiveness of irrigation systems crop performance evaluation of various crops under fertigation and irrigation methods estimating levels of crop requirements scheduling of fertigation and irrigation new fertigation equipment and technology cost components of the various irrigation and fertigation systems

Sustainable Agriculture Systems and Technologies A robust treatment of traditional and new techniques in sustainable agriculture In Sustainable Agriculture Systems and Technologies, a team of distinguished researchers delivers an up-to-date and comprehensive exploration of sustainable agriculture and its relationship to the drivers of climate change. Along with robust examinations of food security and the agrarian livelihood, the book covers the impact of climate change and variability on agriculture, water management in agricultural systems, and precision agriculture. This book represents a significant contribution to the scientific understanding of the application of technologies that address food insecurity and climate change through sustainable productivity, system diversification, irrigation practices, crop modeling, data analytics, and agricultural policy. It also explores the risks and benefits of different agricultural systems under changing climate scenarios. The book also offers: A thorough introduction to agriculture and food security, including the diversification of ecosystems and the impact of Covid-19 lockdowns on food security and smallholder agricultural systems Comprehensive explorations of crop diversification and the impacts of climate variability on food security in Indonesia Practical discussions of water conservation agriculture and the quality of irrigation water for sustainable agriculture development in India In-depth examinations of geoinformatics, artificial intelligence, sensor technology, and big data Perfect for academics, scientists, environmentalists, and environmental consultants, Sustainable Agriculture Systems and Technologies will also earn a place in the libraries of computing experts working in the field of agricultural science.

Plants are frequently exposed to unfavorable and adverse environmental conditions known as abiotic stressors. These factors can include salinity, drought, heat, cold, flooding, heavy metals, and UV radiation which pose serious threats to the sustainability of crop yields. Since abiotic stresses are major constraints for crop production, finding the approaches to enhance stress tolerance is crucial to increase crop production and increase food security. This book discusses approaches to enhance abiotic stress tolerance in crop plants on a global scale. Plants scientists and breeders will learn how to further mitigate plant responses and develop new crop varieties for the changing climate.

A comprehensive and mechanistic perspective on fruit ripening, emphasizing commonalities and differences between fruit groups and ripening processes.

Fruits are an essential part of the human diet and contain important phytochemicals that provide protection against heart disease and cancers. Fruit ripening is of importance for human health and for industry-based strategies to harness natural variation, or genetic modification, for crop improvement.

This book covers recent advances in the field of plant genomics and how these discoveries can be exploited to understand evolutionary processes and the complex network of hormonal and genetic control of ripening. The book explains the physiochemical and molecular changes in fruit that impact its quality, and recent developments in understanding of the genetic, molecular and biochemical basis for colour, flavour and texture. It is a valuable resource for plant and crop researchers and professionals, agricultural engineers, horticulturists, and food scientists.

Summary: Reviews the physiochemical and molecular changes in fruit which impact flavour, texture, and colourCovers recent advances in genomics on the genetic, molecular, and biochemical basis of fruit qualityIntegrates information on both hormonal and genetic control of ripeningRelevant for basic researchers and applied scientists

Since the second half of the 20th Century, our agricultural bee pollinators have faced mounting threats from ecological disturbance and pan-global movement of pathogens and parasites. At the same time, the area of pollinator-dependent crops is increasing globally with no end in sight. Never before has so much been asked of our finite pool of bee pollinators. This book not only explores the evolutionary and ecologic bases of these dynamics, it translates this knowledge into practical research-based guidance for using bees to pollinate crops. It emphasizes conserving wild bee populations as well as culturing honey bees, bumble bees, and managed solitary bees. To cover such a range of biology, theory, and practice from the perspectives of both the pollinator and the crop, the book is divided into two volumes. Volume 1 focuses on bees, their biology, coevolution with plants, foraging ecology and management, and gives practical ways to increase bee abundance and pollinating performance on the farm. Volume 2 (also available from CABI) focuses on crops, with chapters addressing crop-specific requirements and bee pollination management recommendations. Both volumes will be essential reading for farmers, horticulturists and gardeners, researchers and professionals working in insect ecology and conservation, and students of entomology and crop protection.

Global climate change affects crop production through altered weather patterns and increased environmental stresses. Such stresses include soil salinity, drought, flooding, metal/metalloid toxicity, pollution, and extreme temperatures. The variability of these environmental conditions pared with the sessile lifestyle of plants contribute to high exposure to these stress factors. Increasing tolerance of crop plants to abiotic stresses is needed to fulfill increased food needs of the population. This book focuses on methods of improving plants tolerance to abiotic stresses. It provides information on how protective agents, including exogenous phytoprotectants, can mitigate abiotic stressors affecting plants. The application of various phytoprotectants has become one of the most effective approaches in enhancing the tolerance of plants to these stresses. Phytoprotectants are discussed in detail including information on osmoprotectants, antioxidants, phytohormones, nitric oxide, polyamines, amino acids, and nutrient elements of plants. Providing a valuable resource of information on phytoprotectants, this book is useful in diverse areas of life sciences including agronomy, plant physiology, cell biology, environmental sciences, and biotechnology.

This book includes keynote invited papers from the Third International Crop Science Congress held in Hamburg, Germany in August 2000. All papers have been prepared and revised within strict editorial guidelines to ensure that the work is a balanced review text that provides an overview of the major issues confronting crop science today and in the future. It therefore represents a suitable advanced textbook for students as well as offering research workers concise overviews of topics adjacent to their areas of research. Contributors include leading world authorities from Europe, North and South America, Africa, Asia and Australia.

Management Strategies for Water Use Efficiency and Micro Irrigated Crops presents new research and technologies for making better use of water resources for agricultural purposes. The chapters focus on better management to improve allocation and irrigation water efficiency and look at performance factors as well. Chapters look at irrigation technology, environmental conditions, and scheduling of water application. One section of the book focuses on water management in the cultivation of sugarcane, a very important industrial crop used in many fields. Other sections are devoted to principles and challenging technologies, water use efficiency for drip-irrigated crops, performance of fertigated rice under micro irrigation, and evaluation of performance of drip-irrigated crops. This valuable book is a must for those struggling to find ways to address the need to maintain efficient crop production in the midst of water shortages. With chapters from hands-on experts in the field, the book will be an invaluable reference and guide to effective micro irrigation methods.

Healthy Soils for Healthy Vines provides a clear understanding of vineyard soils and how to manage and improve soil health for best vineyard performance. It covers the inherent and dynamic properties of soil health, how to choose which soil properties to monitor, how to monitor soil and vine performance, and how vineyard management practices affect soil health, fruit composition and wine sensory characters. It also covers the basic tenets of sustainable winegrowing and their significance for business resilience in the face of a changing climate. This book will be of practical value to anyone growing grapevines, managing a vineyard or making wine, from the small individual grower to the large wine company employee. It will be of special interest to winegrowers employing organic, natural, or biodynamic methods of production, where the primary focus is on the biological health of the soil.

First published in 1989, "Physiology of Crop Yield" was the first student textbook to digest and assimilate the many advances in crop physiology, within a framework of resource capture and use. Retaining the central core of the first edition, this long-awaited second edition draws on recent developments in areas such as phenology, canopy dynamics and crop modelling, and the concepts of sustainable crop production. A broad perspective is developed, from the gene through the plant and crop to the ecosystem, covering:

Advances in molecular biology relating to crop science
Limitation of crop yield by the supply of water or nitrogen
Global climate change and its impact on crop modelling
Physiological aspects of crop quality
A wider range of species, with emphasis on wheat, maize and soybean

This book will be a valuable tool for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students of agricultural science, plant science, applied ecology and environmental science. It will be an essential addition to all libraries in universities and relevant research establishments.

An analysis of the historical and scientific effects of technology transfer from an imperial to colonial setting. Science and Power in Colonial Mauritius examines, within the context of the history of sugarcane production in Mauritius, the cross-cultural debates about the production and dissemination of science and technology from "developed" to "less-developed" countries and from elites to peasants within these countries. The book also shows in great detail that the history of science, technology, and colonialism can shed light on contemporary problems in natural resource management and global policy making.

A biodynamic farm is an integrated, holistic organism which balances animal husbandry with growing a range of plants, crops and trees. Balance is of the utmost importance, and will result in a sustainable farm. This book focuses in depth on one aspect of biodynamic farming: growing crops. It addresses all aspects of crop husbandry, from the nature of plants and issues of land use to cultivating grassland, weed control, crop rotation, seeds and sowing, and growing cereals, row crops, legumes, fodder crops and herbs. This is a comprehensive overview of crops and cropping for biodynamic farmers, written by experts in their field.

As soil and crop management procedures have become more complex, County Agricultural Agents, farm advisors, consultants, and fertilizer and chemical dealers have had to specialize in some aspect of soil fertility and crop nutrition management procedures, limiting their ability to provide a range of advice and services. Most farmers and growers can no longer turn to just one source for the information and instruction needed to achieve their production goals.

With over 70 percent new material, the second edition of the Plant Nutrition and Soil Fertility Manual discusses the principles determining how plants grow and the elements essential for successful crop production, with a focus on the principles of soil fertility and plant nutrition. The book covers physical and chemical properties of soil, chemical and organic fertilizers, soil acidity and alkalinity, liming and liming materials, and micronutrients essential to plant growth. It also describes elements toxic to plants, soil testing, and plant analysis.

The topics and discussion in this self-contained book are practical and user-friendly, yet comprehensive enough to cover material presented in upper-level soil and plant science courses. It allows practitioners with general background knowledge to feel confident applying the principles presented to soil/crop production systems.

Table of Contents

Section I

Introduction

Management Requirements

Productivity Factors

Climatic Factors

Moving Up the Yield Scale

Product Quality

Soil Fertility Principles

Fertile Soil Defined

Making and Keeping a Soil "Fertile"

Biological Factors

An "Ideal Soil"

Soil Fertility Management Concepts

Multiple Factor Yield Influence

Soil Condition Related to Deficiency in a Major Element and Micronutrient

Elemental Content of the Soil and Soil Solution

Plant Nutrition Principles

Photosynthesis

The Function of Plants

Determination of Essentiality

Essential Element Content in Plants

Classification of the Thirteen Essential Mineral Elements

Role of the Essential Plant Nutrient Elements

Plant Nutrient Element Sources

Element Absorption and Translocation

Elemental Accumulation

Element Absorption and Plant Genetics

Diagnostic Plant Symptoms of Essential Plant Nutrient Element Insufficiencies

The Plant Root

Introduction

Root Function

Root Hairs

Lateral Roots

The Rhizosphere

Root Ion Absorption

Root Crops

How to be a Diagnostician

The Diagnostic Approach

Being a Diagnostician

Diagnostic Factors

Evaluating Diagnostic Procedures

Scouting

Weather Conditions

Factors Affecting Essential Nutrient Element Concentrations in Plants

Plant (Crop) Wilting

Summary

Certified Crop Advisor Programs

Section II: Physical and Physiochemical Characteristics of Soil

Soil Taxonomy, Horizontal Characteristics, and Clay Minerals

Soil Orders (U.S. System of Soil Taxonomy)

Designations for Soil Horizons and Layers

Physical Properties of Soils

Textural Classification

Soil Separates or Primary Soil Separates

Soil Separate Properties

Soil Texture Characterization Definitions

Soil Structure

Tillage Practices

Water-Holding Capacity

Physiochemical Properties of Soil

Soil Separate Properties

Major Phyllosilicate Minerals in Soils

Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) of a Soil Based on Texture

Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) Determination of a Soil

Anion Exchange Capacity

Soil pH: Its Determination and Interpretation

Definitions

Causes of Soil Acidity

Water pH Determination of Mineral Soil, Organic Soil, and Organic Soilless Rooting Media

pH Determination using a Calibrated pH Meter

Other Soil pH Determination Procedure

Salt pH Determination for a Mineral Soil

pH Interpretation: Mineral Soil

pH Interpretation: Organic Soils

pH Interpretation: Organic Soilless Medium

Soil pH Constancy

Plant Root Function

Soil Acidity and NPK Fertilizer Efficiency

Soil pH Effect on Elemental Availability and/or Soil Solution Composition

Soil Buffer pH

pH Determination of Water

Soil Organic Matter

Definitions of Soil Organic Matter and Its Components

Humus

Soil Organic Matter Characteristics

Methods of Soil Organic Matter Determination

Management Requirements for High Organic Matter Content Soils

Adverse Affects of Organic Matter Additions

Section III: Plant Elemental Requirements and Associated Elements

Major Essential Plant Elements

Terminology

Methods of Expression

Established Date for Essentiality/Researchers

Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen

Major Essential Element Properties

Micronutrients Considered Essential to Plants

Terminology

Established Date for Essentiality/Researchers

Content and Function

Soil and Plant Species Associations

Micronutrient Characteristics

Micronutrient Properties

Possible Additional Essential Micronutrients

Elements Considered Beneficial to Plants

The A to Z Nutrient Solution

Elements Essential for Animals

Basis for Essentiality for Beneficial Elements

Potential Essential Elements

"New" Beneficial Elements

Element Substitution

Form of Response

Summary

Elements Considered Toxic to Plants

Introduction

The Nature of Elemental Toxicity

Aluminum and Copper Toxicity

Other Elements

Plant Species Factor

The Heavy Metals

Trace Elements Found in Plants

Definition

Elements Categorized as Trace Elements

High Soil Content Elements

Availability Factors

Accumulator Plants and Elements

Symbiotic Element

Section IV: Methods of Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition Assessment

Soil Testing

Purposes

Field Sampling

Soil Laboratory Selection

Laboratory Soil Testing Procedures

Interpretation of a Soil Test Result

Soil Test Result Tracking (Monitoring)

Liming and Fertilizer Use Strategies

Plant Analysis and Tissue Testing

Plant Analysis Objectives

Sequence of Procedures

Sampling Techniques

Plant Tissue Handling, Preparation, and Analysis

Methods of Interpretation

Word Classification of Elemental Concentrations

As a Diagnostic Technique

Experience Required

Data Logging/Tracking of Plant Analyses

Utilization of Plant Analyses for Nutrient Element Management

Tissue Testing

Indirect Evaluation Procedures

Section V: Amendments for Soil Fertility Maintenance

Lime and Liming Materials

Liming Terms

Liming Materials

Liming Materials and Their Calcium Carbonate Equivalent (CCE)

Mesh Size

Quality Factor Designation

Lime Requirement (LR)

Soil Test Ratio of Ca to Mg Determines Form of Limestone to Apply

Liming Rate Determined by Acidifying Effect of Fertilizer

"Lime Shock"

Lime Incorporation

Depth of Incorporation

Subsoil pH

Inorganic Chemical Fertilizers and Their Properties

Definitions

Fertilizer Terminology

Characteristics of the Major Elements as Fertilizer

Conversion Factors for the Major Essential Fertilizer Elements

Characteristics of the Micronutrients as Fertilizer

The Physical and Chemical Properties of Fertilizers

Naturally Occurring Inorganic Fertilizers

Organic Fertilizers and Their Properties

Value

Composted Animal Manures

Animal Manure Major Element Composition

Other Organic Materials

Soil and Plant Factors

Fertilizer Placement

Objectives

Methods of Fertilizer Placement

Soil Water, Irrigation, and Water Quality

Soil Water Terminology

Soil Factors Affecting Soil Water-Holding Capacity and Movement

Drainage

Irrigation Methods

Irrigation Water Quality

Water Treatment Procedures

What is Water?

Section VI: Methods of Soilless Plant Production

Hydroponics

Hydroponics Defined

Historical Events

Hydroponic Techniques

Hydroponic Growing Systems

Rooting Media

Water Quality

The Nutrient Solution

Reagents and Nutrient Solution Formulations

Concentration Range and Ratios

pH Interpretation-Hydroponic Nutrient Solution

Reconstitution of the Nutrient Solution

Accumulation of Nutrient Elements and Precipitates

Soilless Rooting and/or Growing Media

Soilless Media Ingredients

Soilless Media Formulations

Physical Properties

Physiochemical Properties

Control of pH

Use Formulations

Bag Culture Systems

"Fertility" Determination Procedure for an Organic Soilless Mix

Section VII: Miscellaneous

Organic Farming/Gardening

Chemicalization of Crop Production

"Organically Grown" Defined

Suitable Inorganic Fertilizer Materials

Suitable Organic Fertilizers

Organic Soil Fertility Management

Soil Physical Properties

Food Safety and Quality Issues

Weather and Climatic Conditions

Definitions

Climatic Factors

Weather as a Diagnostic Factor

Best Management Practices (BMPs)

Origin

Best Management Practice Application Broadened

Best Practice

Important Protocol Considerations

Precision Farming

Section Appendices

Glossary

Formulation and Use of Soil Extraction Reagents

Preparation Procedures and Elemental Content Determination for Plant Tissue

Weights and Measures

Reference Books and Texts

References

Index