This book provides a comprehensive guide to the large number of diseases, disorders and injuries that can cause severe economic losses to banana, abaca and enset crops, and the fungi, bacteria, phytoplasmas, viruses, nematodes and abiotic factors involved. The monoculture of certain banana cultivars in large plantations make the crop particularly susceptible to catastrophic losses from disease and smallholders can also experience major problems. New approaches to breeding, crop management and handling are being developed to meet challenges posed by emerging threats. Handbook of Diseases of Banana, Abaca and Enset both describes and illustrates diseases and is printed in full colour throughout, creating a valuable diagnostic tool. It covers: - The origin and classification of banana, the safe movement of Musa germplasm and banana breeding for disease resistance. - Recent areas of growing research on the most important diseases of banana, such as black leaf streak, Fusarium wilt, Xanthomonas bacterial wilt and bunchy top. - Significant advances relating to pathogens causing less serious and widespread diseases. Authored by an international team of experts, this is an essential reference for all 'banana doctors' around the world. It serves as a useful field and laboratory guide, as well as a source of information for all those investigating diseases of banana, abaca and enset crops.

Perhaps the least appreciated dramatis personae in human history are plants. Humans, like all other animals, cannot produce their own food as plants do through photosynthesis, and must therefore acquire organic material for survival and growth by eating plants or by eating other animals that eat plants. Humans depend on plants not only as a food source, but also as building and clothing materials and as sources of medicines, psychoactive substances, spices, pigments, and more. With plants being such valuable resources, it is therefore not surprising that plants have been involved in practically all violent conflicts among different human societies. Ironically, plants have also been the source of materials to construct weapons or weapon parts. Wars have always constituted a large part of human history, and the overall theme of this book is that to understand the history of violent human conflict, we need to understand what specific materials plants make that people find so useful and worth fighting over, and what roles such plant products have played in specific conflicts. To do so, Plants and Human Conflict begins with a chapter explaining the basic biological facts of the interdependence between plants and humans, and the subsequent seven chapters describe the physical and chemical properties of specific plant products demonstrating how the human need for these products has led to wars as well as contributed to the prosecution of wars. These chapters recount some well-known (and some lesser known) historical events in which plants have played a central role. This book uniquely combines the modern scientific knowledge of plants with the human history of war, introducing readers to a new paradigm that will make them reconsider their understanding of human history, as well as to bring about a greater appreciation of plant biology.

A Produce Reference Guide to Fruits and Vegetables from Around the World: Nature's Harvest answers the many questions consumers have about various fruits and vegetables. Providing basic, clear, and understandable information for each produce item, this reference guide gives you a synopsis of the fruit or vegetable, a short history of the item, the common and uncommon name, what it looks and tastes like, how it is used, and the time of year it is available. Information on nutrition, serving sizes, yields, and optimal storage conditions is also provided. From potatoes to shepherd's purse and from grapes to the Clementine tangor, A Produce Reference Guide to Fruits and Vegetables from Around the World covers both the familiar and the exotic. Other than the obvious fruits and vegetables (such as 12 varieties of cherries and 10 different kinds of squash) you?ll also read about herbs, mushrooms, sprouts, and nuts. A Produce Reference Guide to Fruits and Vegetables from Around the World is packed with useful information. From practical advice to interesting trivia, some of the things you?ll learn include: You should not eat any green parts of potatoes--it will make you sick.How to classify a peach--clingstone vs. freestone and white vs. yellow.The Texas 1015 Supersweet onion is named after its recommended planting date, October 15.Kiwis (originally from China, not Australia) contain an enzyme that tenderizes meat.Women in China once made a dye from the skin of eggplants to stain their teeth black.The famous mutiny by Captain Bligh's crew was caused by breadfruit.Gourds may have spread between continents by floating in the ocean, as they can float in sea water for 220 days without losing seed viability.The two nuts mentioned in the Bible--almonds and pistachios.As new methods in farming, storing, and shipping are allowing exotic fruits and vegetables unheard of a few years ago to become available, consumers are coming up with more and more questions that many professionals are unable to answer. A Produce Reference Guide to Fruits and Vegetables from Around the World is the tool you can use to find answers. The guide is especially useful for specialty produce outlets and wholesalers, importers/exporters of fruits and vegetables, produce brokers and buyers, supermarket and independent food store produce departments, military commissaries, and the general public.

The three-volume set IFIP AICT 368-370 constitutes the refereed post-conference proceedings of the 5th IFIP TC 5, SIG 5.1 International Conference on Computer and Computing Technologies in Agriculture, CCTA 2011, held in Beijing, China, in October 2011. The 189 revised papers presented were carefully selected from numerous submissions. They cover a wide range of interesting theories and applications of information technology in agriculture, including simulation models and decision-support systems for agricultural production, agricultural product quality testing, traceability and e-commerce technology, the application of information and communication technology in agriculture, and universal information service technology and service systems development in rural areas. The 62 papers included in the first volume focus on decision support systems, intelligent systems, and artificial intelligence applications.

This book examines the role of science in the civilization of wine in modern France by examining viticulture, the science of the wine itself, and oenology, the study of winemaking. Together they can boast of at least two major triumphs: the creation of the post-phylloxera vines that repopulated the late-nineteenth-century vineyards devastated by the disease; and the understanding of the complex structure of wine that eventually resulted in the development of the widespread wine models of Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne. For those interested in agriculture, oenologists and historians of France, this is the first analysis of the scientific battle over how to save the French vineyards and the first account of the growth of oenological science in France since Chaptal and Pasteur.

The first section of the book includes information about how tourism-related infrastructure and activities promote biological invasions, including key pathways for non-native invasive species introductions. This section provides case studies of different organisms that are known to be introduced and/or promoted by tourism in different ecosystems or regions. The second section elaborates on known and potential impacts of invasive species on tourism and recreation, including how they may affect, positively or negatively, the economic revenue from tourism, tourist access, recreation, aesthetic values and tourists' perceptions. The last section focuses on management and policy, covering aspects of how visitors perceive invasive species and their willingness to manage them, biosecurity measures to prevent invasion related to tourism, as well as potential policy options moving forward. The book draws on a number of examples across multiple taxa, landscapes and regions of the world.

Bramble Production provides growers with a basic understanding of how raspberry and blackberry plants grow and respond to changes in their environment. Author Perry Crandall includes management practices used by successful growers, making this book a helpful production guide that you can use for making rational decisions. This knowledge of successful production can be used to recommend or adopt management programs specially designed to produce optimum yields with maximum profits.Students and professionals will find Bramble Production to be a scientifically based, easy-to-understand, comprehensive discussion of all facets of berry production. The principle emphasis is on American production, but grower practices in other parts of the world are included, which makes this a valuable guide book for growers all around the world.To provide you with a thorough understanding of how to produce maximum yields, Crandall covers raspberries and blackberries individually. Each fruit has chapters on its: genetic derivation botany physiology site selection and preparation most popular varieties soil management and cultural practices insect and disease identification and control nutrient deficiency symptoms irrigation harvesting, handling, and marketing worldwide distribution Bramble Production is a valuable supplemental reference text for university, junior college, and high school instructors. Cooperative extension specialists, farm advisors, industry representatives, and research personnel can use it as a basis for diagnoses and recommendations, as can commercial growers, master gardeners, and more sophisticated or curious home gardeners.

Bramble Production provides growers with a basic understanding of how raspberry and blackberry plants grow and respond to changes in their environment. Author Perry Crandall includes management practices used by successful growers, making this book a helpful production guide that you can use for making rational decisions. This knowledge of successful production can be used to recommend or adopt management programs specially designed to produce optimum yields with maximum profits. Students and professionals will find Bramble Production to be a scientifically based, easy-to-understand, comprehensive discussion of all facets of berry production. The principle emphasis is on American production, but grower practices in other parts of the world are included, which makes this a valuable guide book for growers all around the world. To provide you with a thorough understanding of how to produce maximum yields, Crandall covers raspberries and blackberries individually.Each fruit has chapters on its: genetic derivation botany physiology site selection and preparation most popular varieties soil management and cultural practices insect and disease identification and control nutrient deficiency symptoms irrigation harvesting, handling, and marketing worldwide distributionBramble Production is a valuable supplemental reference text for university, junior college, and high school instructors. Cooperative extension specialists, farm advisors, industry representatives, and research personnel can use it as a basis for diagnoses and recommendations, as can commercial growers, master gardeners, and more sophisticated or curious home gardeners.

This Second Edition of Management of Turfgrass Diseases has been completely revised and updated to provide the latest information on maintaining a healthy turf and identifying turf diseases. Written by a leading international lecturer on turf grasses, the book covers cultural, genetic, biological, and chemical approaches to turf management and provides practical solutions to everyday problems. Fungal, bacterial, and viral diseases; black layer disease; and diseases caused by nematodes are addressed for all major grasses. You'll learn about cool and warm season grasses, growing conditions, new diseases, symptoms, and identification and management techniques. Valuable tips on irrigation, fertilization, and grass culture as well as 72 full-color photographs and more than 100 figures ensure this book will be dog-eared from use. It's almost like having your own private turfgrass consultant sitting right on your bookshelf.
What's New in the Second Edition?
This second edition features new grasses, new diseases, and the latest research findings and practices. You'll have the most up-to-date information available on these major grasses:

The grove, a grouping of trees, intentionally cultivated or found growing wild, has a long diverse history entwined with human settlement, rural practices and the culture and politics of cities. A grove can be a memorial, a place of learning, a site of poetic retreat and philosophy or political encampment, a public park or theatre, a place of hidden pleasures, a symbol of a vanished forest ecology, or a place of gods or other spirits. Yet groves are largely absent from our contemporary vocabulary and rarely included in today's landscape practice, whether urban or rural. Groves are both literal and metaphorical manifestations, ways of defining spaces and ecologies in our cultural life. Since they can add meaning to urban forms and ecologies and contribute meaningfully to the significance of place, critical examination is long overdue. The editors have taken care to ensure that the text is accessible to the general reader as well as specialists.

The Use and Fate of Pesticides in Vegetable-based Agro-ecosystems in Ghana reviews current knowledge on pesticides use in vegetable farming in Ghana and establishes the fate of pesticides in situ in tropical vegetable-based agro-ecosystems as well as their environmental and public health impacts on selected population groups. A field survey showed that vegetable farmers often spray pesticides on prophylactic basis due to lack of information. Although some farmers may be aware of pesticide hazards, adequate protection is hardly taken to minimize risks. About 70% of exposed farmers had a reduction of 30% or more in whole blood acetylcholinesterase activity. About 95% of the farmers interviewed reported symptoms attributable to pesticide exposure. Water, waterbed sediment, and vegetable crops were checked for residues of the pesticides monitored on the farmers fields. Residues detected in water and waterbed sediment indicated that these have come from runoff from vegetable fields and that the measured levels were transient. Pesticide residue levels detected in five vegetable crop types (tomato, cabbage, pepper, onion, and eggplants) were correlated to the minimal risk levels (MRLs) set by the United States Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Mean intakes of residues by 22- to 75-year old adult farmers were found to be low and did not seem to be associated with health risk. Data on persistent pesticide residues in farmers breast milk and blood serum indicated the presence of DDTs, dieldrin, HCB, and HCHs. When daily intakes of DDTs and HCHs to infants through breastfeeding were estimated, some farmers accumulated these compounds in breast milk above the threshold for adverse effects, which raise concerns on children health. Evidence was found for persistence of isomers of endosulfan and its sulfate metabolite in tomato cropped soil and plant tissues. However, the residue concentration in tomato fruits decreased to a level below the Codex MRL g

An informative selection of papers presented at the Medical Workshop on Pesticide-Related Illnesses It is vital to understand the public health impact of pesticides used in modern day agriculture. Unfortunately, scientifically valid information is often scattered and hard to find. Proceedings from the Medical Workshop on Pesticide-Related Illness is the essential text that fills these two voids. The papers collected here make up a volume that is a timely review of key issues in both the acute and chronic health effects of pesticide exposure. Proceedings from the Medical Workshop on Pesticide-Related Illness offers work originally presented at the groundbreaking 2002 International Conference on Pesticide Exposure and Health in Washington, DC. However, in order to reflect recent developments in the field, all of the authors have revised, updated, and expanded their presentations to address the current status of knowledge in pesticide health effects upon the major body organ systems. This up-to-date reference not only provides a wealth of relevant information on pesticide intoxication, it also offers viable solutions to the challenges of understanding the effects exposure has on health. Papers featured in Proceedings from the Medical Workshop on Pesticide-Related Illness examine: potential mechanisms, examples for each, and an algorithm for etiologic diagnoses of contact dermatitis in agriculture the specific acute and chronic neurological effects of pesticides on both central and peripheral nervous systems in-depth examples of male and female reproductive disorders associated with pesticide exposure and timeframes of diagnosis from weeks to months to years anatomical site-based outlines for the role of pesticide exposures in the etiology of human cancer and evaluations of recent developments in exposure assessment and molecular epidemiology in adults and children goals, components, and

Written by an expert of the ins and outs of viticulture in Burgundy and many other areas of the world, this new volume showcases the wine-growing culture of Burgundy. Sustainable Viticulture: The Vines and Wines of Burgundy covers the rich history and culture of the wine growing tradition of the region. The author, who has worked as a viticulturist in Burgundy, Switzerland, Germany, California, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, tells the epic story of Burgundy, a 2000-year adventure with its ups and downs. The oldest vineyard discovered by archaeologists dates back to the first century A.D. By the third century, Burgundy wines were already famous in the Roman Empire. Burgundy was a powerful state in the 15th century, which was also a golden age for its viticulture. The book covers: the red and white cultivars that are to be found in Burgundy the Appellations Controlees system the tasks the wine grower performs during the year the social life of wine growers the scourges the wine grower fears how religion has played at part in the history of viticulture the factors that contributed to making Burgundy wines famous what new challenges growers are facing today In this entertaining and informative book, the author's approach to viticulture reconciles the present, the past, and the future. The volume will appeal to wine buffs as much as it does to readers who wish to learn about viticulture. It's a serious book that doesn't take itself seriously.

This Trilogy explains What is Horticulture? . Volume three of Horticulture: Plants for People and Places presents readers with detailed accounts of the scientific and scholastic concepts which interact with the arts and humanities and which now underpins the rapidly evolving subject of Social Horticulture. This discipline transcends the barriers between science, medicine and the arts. This volume covers: - Horticulture and Society, Diet and Health, Psychological Health, Wildlife, Horticulture and Public Welfare, Education, Extension, Economics, Exports and Biosecurity, Scholarship and Art, Scholarship and Literature, Scholarship and History and the relationship between Horticulture and Gardening. This volume brings the evolution of the Discipline and Vocation of Horticulture firmly into the 21st Century. It covers new ground by providing a detailed analysis of the value of Horticulture as a force for enhancing society in the forms of social welfare, health and well-being, how knowledge is transferred within and between generations, and the place of Horticulture in the Arts and Humanities. Substantial emphasis is given to the relationships between health, well-being and plants by the internationally acclaimed authors who have contributed accounts of their work in this book."

This multi-authored book provides a comprehensive review of citrus breeding, including relevant genetics, molecular biology and biotechnology. Topics discussed include origin and taxonomy, hybridization and see procedures, triploid breeding, mutation breeding, selection for fruit traits, tree characters and disease resistant, rootstock breeding, soil adaptation, nucellar embryony, cytogenetics, mapping, gene cloning, chromosome transfer technology, haploidy, flow cytometry and somaclonal variation.

This collection features six peer-reviewed reviews on advances and in detecting and forecasting crop pests and diseases. The first chapter introduces the concept of machine learning to identify and diagnose crop diseases, focussing on the deep learning concept. The second chapter discusses recent advances in crop disease forecasting models, focussing on the application of precision agriculture technologies and Earth observation satellites to identify areas at risk of possible disease outbreaks. The third chapter explores the contribution of remote sensing in improving the ways in which plant health is monitored in response to exposure to biotic stresses, such as disease. The fourth chapter reviews how sensor technologies in combination with informatics and modern application technologies can contribute to more effective pest control. The fifth chapter assesses the role of decision support systems for pest monitoring and management through information technology, such as spectral indices and image-based diagnostics. The final chapter addresses key issues and challenges in pest monitoring and forecasting models, such as the limitation of some traps in attracting insects through the use of sex pheromones.

This collection features five peer-reviewed reviews on biostimulant applications in agriculture. The first chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the optimal design and formulation of microbial and non-microbial biostimulants. The chapter presents two case studies to demonstrate the successful commercialisation of microbial and non-microbial biostimulant products. The second chapter considers the utilisation of humic substances (HS) as plant biostimulants in agriculture and their impact on the physical and chemical properties of soil. The chapter also discusses the production of HS. The third chapter reviews the wealth of research on the mechanism of action, applications and efficacy of key biostimulants such as Bacillus species, Pseudomonas species, Trichoderma species and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. The fourth chapter assesses recent advances in the use of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) as a means of enhancing crop root function and nutrient use. The chapter also considers the challenge of practical adoption and use of PGPR in commercial agricultural settings. The final chapter reviews the utilisation of biostimulants as an integrated pest management tool in horticulture. The chapter considers their role in promoting plant growth, building soil structure, as well as pest and disease suppression.

Garden Centre management has professionalised in recent years as garden centres have become more highly developed retail operations. Many students of horticulture are expected to go into retail management and so the topic has increasingly appeared on the further education curriculum. This book is equally targeted at students, garden centre managers and professional courses in garden centre management. It provides a practical approach backed up by management theory. The text covers consumer behaviour, staff management, stock management, marketing and productivity.

This book presents some conditions and/or factors which are little known as possibly affecting moth population density, or have been little-studied and, determines their possible usefulness for integrated pest control in vineyards.

Although urban allotment gardening dates back to the nineteenth century, it has recently undergone a renaissance of interest and popularity. This is the result of greater concern over urban greenspace, food security and quality of life. This book presents a comprehensive, research-based overview of the various features, benefits and values associated with urban allotment gardening in Europe. The book is based on a European COST Action project, which brings together researchers and practitioners from all over Europe for the first detailed exploration of the subject on a continent-wide scale. It assesses the policy, planning and design aspects, as well as the social and ecological benefits of urban allotment gardening. Through an examination of the wide range of different traditions and practices across Europe, it brings together the most recent research to discuss the latest evolutions of urban allotment gardening and to help raise awareness and fill knowledge gaps. The book provides a multidisciplinary perspective, including insights from horticulture and soil science, ecology, sociology, urban geography, landscape, planning and design. The themes are underpinned by case studies from a number of European countries which supply a wide range of examples to illustrate different key issues.

A comprehensive guide to the use of math in the Green Industry

Designed for both students and practitioners in the Green Industry, this book offers full coverage of the calculations necessary to effectively, safely, and economically manage a Green Industry operation.

Following clear explanations of all relevant mathematical principles, the authors cover calculations inherent in all aspects of the Green Industry, from determining area and volume, to the application of fertilizers, pesticides, and growth regulators, to preparing design and installation cost estimates.

Coverage includes computations for:

Landscape installation and maintenance

Greenhouse, nursery, and interior landscape operation

Parks and recreation maintenance

Turf management, including lawn care, sports turf, and sod production

Proper application of fertilizers, pesticides, and plant-growth regulators

Proper calibration of application equipment

Additional features include multiple computations for readers to work through, appendices with units of measure and equivalents, and a table with conversion factors.

For centuries, travel was an important part of a gardener's initial and continuing professional training. Educational journeys to parks and gardens at home and abroad were consistently recorded in lengthy reports and articles for professional journals. The travel report by Hans Jancke (1850-1920), a court gardener who served the Prussian kings in Potsdam, Germany, is typical of this genre. Jancke's manuscript, which until now remained unpublished, describes his 1874-1875 apprenticeship at Knowsley, the seat of the Earl of Derby near Liverpool, England.

Using detailed, step-by-step photography of every stage of the process, Adam Danforth shows you exactly how to humanely slaughter and butcher chickens and other poultry, rabbits, sheep, pigs, and goats. From creating the right pre-slaughter conditions to killing, skinning, keeping cold, breaking the meat down, and creating cuts of meat you ll recognize from the market, Danforth walks you through every step, leaving nothing to chance. He also covers food safety, freezing and packaging, and tools and equipment. This comprehensive reference is the only guide you need to successfully, safely, and humanely slaughter and butcher your own animals."