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      • Trusted Partner
        Agronomy & crop production
        February 2016

        Climate Change and Cotton Production in Modern Farming Systems

        by M P Bange

        Throughout the world cotton is broadly adapted to growing in temperate, sub-tropical, and tropical environments, but growth may be challenged by future climate change. Production may be directly affected by changes in crop photosynthesis and water use due to rising CO2 and changes in regional temperature patterns. Indirect effects may result from a range of government regulations aimed at climate change mitigation. While there is certainty that future climate change will impact cotton production systems; there will be opportunities to adapt. This review begins to provide details for the formation of robust frameworks to evaluate the impact of projected climatic changes, highlight the risks and opportunities with adaptation, and details the approaches for investment in research. Ultimately, it is a multi-faceted systems-based approach that combines all elements of the cropping system that will provide the best insurance to harness the change that is occurring, and best allow cotton industries worldwide to adapt. Given that there will be no single solution for all of the challenges raised by climate change and variability, the best adaptation strategy for industry will be to develop more resilient systems. Early implementation of adaptation strategies, particularly in regard to enhancing resilience, has the potential to significantly reduce the negative impacts of climate change now and in the future.

      • Trusted Partner
        Fertilizers & manures
        January 2016

        Water Dynamics in Plant Production

        by Wilfried Ehlers, Michael Goss

        Water is the most basic essential for plant growth; an inadequate supply causes severe problems, as plants rely on the water transmitted by soil to meet their physiological and nutritional needs. Since the first edition was published, flooding and droughts throughout the world have made water an even more topical subject, as the importance and instability of our water supplies have been brought to the forefront of daily life. This new edition of Water Dynamics in Plant Production focuses on the dynamics of water through the hydrologic cycle and the associated mechanisms that plants employ to optimize growth and development. It describes the basic scientific principles of water transport in the soil-plant atmosphere continuum, and explains the linkage between transpirational water use and dry matter production. Paying particular attention to the various agronomic strategies for adaptation to climate-driven limitations of water resources, the efficiency of water use in plant production and in achieving an economic yield is presented in detail. This book offers a multidisciplinary introduction to the fundamentals and applications of water dynamics in natural and managed ecosystems. Including text boxes throughout, as well as online supplementary material, it provides an essential state of-the-art resource for students and researchers of soil and plant science, hydrology and agronomy. This book is enhanced with supplementary resources. Access free short answer questions, discussion points and multiple choice questions here.

      • Trusted Partner
        Agronomy & crop production
        May 2006

        Molecular Biology and Biotechnology of Flowering

        by Edited by Brian R Jordan

        Containing contributions from experts from the USA, Europe and New Zealand, this book provides an overview of the molecular mechanisms associated with flowering. The first edition was published in 1993 as The Molecular Biology of Flowering. The second edition has been thoroughly revised and updated to cover the major advances that have been made in the area in the last thirteen years. It has also been extended to examine the new commercial opportunities provided by biotechnology. It explores three main themes: the external and internal regulation of flowering, floral development, and fertilisation and gametophyte development, and includes new chapters on the evolution of flowers, floral senescence and apomixis.

      • Trusted Partner
        Fertilizers & manures
        February 2006

        Soil Biodiversity in Amazonian and Other Brazilian Ecosystems

        by Edited by Fattima M S Moreira, Jose O Siqueira, Lijbert Brussaard

        The loss of biological diversity has become an increased concern over recent years and is now enshrined in international conventions. Most biodiversity in fact occurs in the soil. Soil organisms (especially bacteria, fungi and soil invertebrates) play a major role in the formation of soil structure and are primary agents of decomposition and are drivers of nutrient cycling, and hence agricultural production.This book reviews soil biodiversity in one of the key biodiversity hotspots of the world, i.e. the Amazon and nearby regions of Brazil. It covers both the tropical savannah and rain forests . The work reported is based on a project "Conservation and Sustainable Management of Below-Ground Biodiversity", executed by TSBF-CIAT with co-financing from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implementation support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The book represents a major contribution to the literature and will interest those in biodiversity conservation, soil scienceand ecology and biodiversity conservation.

      • Trusted Partner
        Agronomy & crop production
        January 2006

        Cold Hardiness in Plants

        Molecular Genetics, Cell Biology and Physiology

        by Edited by Tony H H Chen, Matsuo Uemura, Seizo Fujikawa

        Based on papers from the 7th International Plant Cold Hardiness Seminar held in Japan in 2004, this book presents the latest research findings on plant freezing and chilling stress from major laboratories around the world. The chapters focus on various aspects of molecular genetics and the utilization of transgenic plants to further our understanding of plant cold hardiness at the molecular level. Topics covered include: vernalization genes in winter cereals; global analysis of gene networks to solve complex abiotic stress responses; control of growth and cold acclimation in silver birch and the effect of Plasma Membrane-associated Proteins on Acquisition of Freezing Tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana.

      • Trusted Partner
        Fertilizers & manures
        December 2005

        Microbiological Methods for Assessing Soil Quality

        by Edited by Jaap Bloem, David W Hopkins, Anna Benedetti.

        This book provides a selection of microbiological methods which are applicable or already applied in regional or national soil quality monitoring programmes. An overview is given of approaches to monitoring, evaluating and managing soil quality (Part I), followed by a selection of methods which are described in sufficient detail to use the book as a practical handbook in the laboratory (Part II). Finally a census is given of the main methods used in over 30 European laboratories. The book is aimed at different levels: soil scientists, technicians, policy makers, land managers and students.

      • Trusted Partner
        Agronomy & crop production
        July 2005

        Nitrate, Agriculture and the Environment

        by Tom Addiscott

        There is widespread public concern about the effects of nitrate derived from farming on water quality and public health. But research on nitrate during the past decade has revealed wide discrepancies between public perceptions and reality. The main problems from nitrate are ecological changes in coastal and estuarine waters and nitrous oxide in the atmosphere. This gas, largely derived from nitrate, is a threat to the ozone layer in the stratosphere and is also a greenhouse gas. This book builds on Farming, Fertilizers and the Nitrate Problem (CABI, 1991) by Addiscott, Whitmore and Powlson but has been restructured to take account of new developments and to bring out more clearly the role of politicians and economists in the 'nitrate problem'.

      • Trusted Partner
        Agronomy & crop production
        December 2004

        Seed Fate

        Predation, Dispersal and Seedling Establishment

        by Edited by Pierre M Forget, Joanna E Lambert, Philip E Hulme, Stephen B Vander Wall

        This book presents current knowledge of seed fate in both natural and human-disturbed landscapes, from various regions of the world. Habitats considered range from mountain and arid deserts in the temperate zone, to savanna and lowland rainforests in tropical regions of the world. Particular attention is paid to plant diversity conservation when seed removal is affected by factors such as hunting, habitat fragmentation or intensive logging. Contributors include leading scientists involved in research on seed ecology and on animal-plant relationships from the perspective of both primary and secondary seed dispersal, and predation.

      • Trusted Partner
        Agronomy & crop production
        November 2004

        Environmental Impacts of Sugar Production

        by Oliver Cheesman

        Pressure from conservationists and increasing regulation, means that environmental considerations are increasingly important for the sugar industry. This book examines the environmental impacts of the sugar industry in relation to the cultivation of sugar crops (cane and beet) and the processing of the raw materials that they yield. These include soil erosion, loss of natural habits leading to a reduction in biodiversity, excessive water consumption, water and air pollution, and runoff and leaching of nutrients. Whilst some of these impacts are essentially generic impacts of agriculture, others, such as those relating to irrigation, are more specific to the cultivation of sugar crops. The book also investigates the utilization of waste materials from sugar production, and explores methods of reducing the environmental impacts of sugar production and processing.

      • Trusted Partner
        Fertilizers & manures
        June 2004

        Wastewater Use in Irrigated Agriculture

        Confronting the Livelihood and Environmental Realities

        by Edited by Christopher Scott, Naser Faruqui, Liqa Raschid-Sally

        The use of urban wastewater in agriculture is receiving renewed attention, with the increasing scarcity of fresh water resources in many arid and semi-arid regions of the world. Wastewater is a low-cost alternative to conventional irrigation water, although it may carry health and environmental risks.This book critically reviews experience worldwide of these issues. Emphasis is placed on untreated wastewater use by means of field-based case studies from Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. It brings together a range of perspectives including economic, health, agronomic, environmental, institutional, and policy dimensions.

      • Trusted Partner
        Fertilizers & manures
        August 2003

        Water Productivity in Agriculture

        Limits and Opportunities for Improvement

        by Edited by Jacob W Kijne, Randolph Barker, David J Molden

        First title in a major new seriesAddresses improving water productivity to relieve problems of scarcity and competition to provide for food and environmental securityDraws from scientists having a multitude of disciplines to approach this important problemIn a large number of developing countries, policy makers and researchers are increasingly aware of the conflicting demands on water, and look at agriculture to be more effective in its use of water. Focusing on both irrigated and rain-fed agriculture, this book gives a state of the art review of the limits and opportunities for improving water productivity in crop production. It demonstrates how efficiency of water use can be enhanced to maximize yields. The book represents the first in a new series of volumes resulting from the Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture, a research program conducted by the CGIAR's Future Harvest Centres, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and partners worldwide. It will be of significant interest to those working in areas of soil and crop science, water management, irrigation, and development studies.

      • Trusted Partner
        Cereal crops
        October 2009

        Insect-resistant Maize

        by Jürg Bürgi

        Many farmers in sub-Saharan Africa suffer heavily from crop losses due to stem borer pests. Insecticides are often unaffordable; therefore, maize plants must be made resistant to pests. The 'Insect Resistant Maize for Africa' (IRMA) project in Kenya was aimed at developing new maize varieties both by conventional methods and by biotechnologically incorporating the ?-endotoxin produced by the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. The author gives an impartial and chronological account of this exemplary project between 1999 and 2008, supplemented by discussions of agricultural development policy and descriptions of Kenyan smallholders and the project team. Taking critical and rational positions on the use of modern plant breeding techniques, biotechnology and development policy, this book is of interest to researchers and students, development agencies, NGOs and biotechnology companies.

      • Trusted Partner
        Fertilizers & manures
        November 2008

        Ecohydrology

        Processes, Models and Case Studies

        by Edited by David M Harper, M Zalewski, Nic Pacini.

        Ecohydrology is an emerging new sub-discipline which links elements of ecology with hydrology at all points in the water cycle, ranging in scale from water-plant physiological relationships to whole catchment water-ecosystem processes. This book pays most attention to the larger scales of ecohydrology, emphasising the use of this tool in striving towards the goal of sustainable water management. Authors from Eastern as well as Western Europe; from America, Australia and South Africa, give a broad global context.

      • Trusted Partner
        Agronomy & crop production
        June 2008

        Onions and Other Vegetable Alliums

        by James L Brewster

        This fully revised, expanded and updated edition of the successful text, Onions and Other Vegetable Alliums, relates the production and utilization of these familiar and important vegetable crops to the many aspects of plant science underpinning their production and storage technologies. Chapters cover species and crop types, plant structure, genetics and breeding, physiology of growth and development as well as pests and diseases, production agronomy, storage after harvest and the biochemistry of flavour, storage carbohydrates and colour and how this relates to nutritional and health benefits. From this wide perspective it is possible to see many examples where underlying scientific knowledge illuminates, explains and can improve agronomic practice. The reader will get an insight into how molecular methods are revolutionizing the study of taxonomy, genetics, pathology and physiology and how these methods are being applied in the breeding of improved crops.

      • Trusted Partner
        Fertilizers & manures
        February 2008

        Wastewater Use in Irrigated Agriculture

        Confronting the Livelihood and Environmental Realities

        by Edited by Christopher Scott, Naser Faruqui, Liqa Raschid-Sally

        The use of urban wastewater in agriculture is receiving renewed attention, with the increasing scarcity of fresh water resources in many arid and semi-arid regions of the world. Wastewater is a low-cost alternative to conventional irrigation water, although it may carry health and environmental risks.This book critically reviews experience worldwide of these issues. Emphasis is placed on untreated wastewater use by means of field-based case studies from Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. It brings together a range of perspectives including economic, health, agronomic, environmental, institutional, and policy dimensions.

      • Trusted Partner
        Fertilizers & manures
        October 2002

        Methods in Agricultural Chemical Analysis

        A Practical Handbook

        by Nigel T Faithfull

        This reference manual contains information on the most suitable procedures for the analysis of agricultural materials. It describes the analysis of soils and composts, plant materials, feeds, plant components (e.g. cellulose, lignin, trace elements), fertilizers, and biological substances. The book is designed as a laboratory sourcebook, complete with useful Internet addresses, and contains over 60 different practical methods. Each method is described by a step-by-step approach, and contains details of apparatus required, chemical reaction equations, formulae and calculations, and meticulous descriptions of experimental results. Most methods use standard equipment and instruments commonly found in the practical lab. The aim is that scientists with little experience in analytical techniques should be able to safely carry out these procedures and obtain acceptable results.

      • Trusted Partner
        Fertilizers & manures
        February 2002

        Integrated Plant Nutrient Management in Sub-Saharan Africa

        by Edited by Bernard Vanlauwe, J Diels, N Sanginga, R Merckx

        Soil degradation and nutrient depletion have become serious threats to agricultural productivity in Africa. Soils cannot supply the quantities of nutrients required and yield levels decline rapidly once cropping commences. This book addresses these issues and includes papers from an international symposium held at Cotonou, Benin, October 9-12, 2000, organized by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria and the Department of Land Management of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. In five main parts it marks the end of a first phase of collaborative research on "Balanced Nutrient Management Systems for the Moist Savanna and Humid Forest Zones of Africa" and concludes with recommendations, providing essential reading for crop and soil scientists.

      • Trusted Partner
        Fertilizers & manures
        December 2001

        Principles of Tropical Agronomy

        by Sayed N Azam-Ali, Geoffrey R Squire

        As populations continue to grow in tropical countries, there is an ever increasing pressure to produce more food from less land, while at the same time maintaining the quality of the environment. This textbook integrates research in agronomy, physiology, environmental physics and soil science to provide a framework for analyzing practical problems associated with crop production in tropical environments. The impact of essential resources, such as solar radiation and water are discussed and research findings are used to illustrate solutions to real challenges.The book will serve as a core textbook for advanced undergraduate courses in agronomy.

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