After four decades of fighting and a multitude of failed attempts at negotiating peace, Colombia remains home to the largest conflict in the Western Hemisphere: a conflict which has killed thousands and displaced millions of people. This book analyzes the first stage of the conflict in Colombia, the twenty-year search for a negotiated settlement which concluded in 2002 with the collapse of peace negotiations, and the transition that took place in 2002 to a new approach to peacemaking under the Uribe administration. Contributors examine the local, regional and international dynamics of the conflict, focusing on the effect of US foreign policy on Colombia and neighboring countries. Included also is discussion of the Colombian drug trade and its impact on attempts for peace and the country's economy; the evolution of Pastrana's "Plan Colombia"; internal conflict; and the effects of indigenous movements on the current conflict.

This specially curated collection features four reviews of current and key research on fusarium in cereal crops. The first chapter describes how progress can be built over current agricultural practices in integrated pest management plans. It also addresses the disease cycle of Fusarium head blight, host-pathogen interactions, genetic resistance, the role of mycotoxins, as well as the impact of the disease on yields and loss of crop quality. The second chapter reviews current research on the main fungal diseases affecting barley, as well as what we know about the mechanisms of barley genetic resistance to fungal pathogens. It features detailed discussions on biotrophic foliar diseases such as stem rust and powdery mildew and necrotrophic diseases such as spot blotch and Fusarium head blight. The third chapter reviews control measures for Fusarium head blight, wheat blast and powdery mildew, including the development of resistant cultivars. The final chapter considers the current status of global wheat production, the impact of crop loss on food security and the emergence of the current regulatory environment surrounding pesticides. It also features discussions on the current status of the global fungicide market.

Diseases remain a serious problem in wheat and barley cultivation. It has been estimated that around 20% of global crop production is lost to diseases. Leading fungal diseases affecting wheat and barley include rusts, Septoria blotches, powdery mildew, tan spot, spot blotch, net blotch, scald and Fusarium species. Conventional control using fungicides faces a number of challenges such as increasing regulation and the spread of fungicide resistance. This collection sums up the wealth of research addressing this challenge. Part 1 reviews the latest research on understanding the main fungal diseases of cereals. Part 2 discusses key challenges in integrated disease management of wheat and barley. These challenges include developing new fungicides, the problem of fungicide resistance, breeding disease-resistance varieties, improving disease identification and the use of natural antifungal compounds. With its distinguished editor and international team of expert authors, this will be a standard reference for cereal scientists in universities, government and other research centres and companies involved in wheat cultivation.