Intercropping Under Rice-Based Cropping System: An Experimental Study on Productivity and Profitability


Book Description

Rice farmers are mostly involved in monoculture practices. This deprives the land for growing other food crops. Hence, a better alternative of mono/sole cropping is required to overcome this shortcoming. Therefore, a shift from mono cropping to inter/multiple cropping as an excellent strategy for intensifying land use and increasing income and production per unit area and time is appreciated. Production efficiency, economic efficiency and employment generation efficiency of any diversified system is a direct measure of its preferability. Keeping this view in mind, this study deals with the production potential and economic viability of different rabi intercropping in rabi cereal, legume, oilseeds and spices to identify the suitable/remunerative rice (Oryza sativa L.) based cropping systems.




Farming System and Sustainable Agriculture


Book Description

The land holding of the farmer is decreasing day by day due to urbanisation and there is no chance for horizontal increase in agricultural land. To increase the income of the farmers, few steps for vertical increase in agricultural production have been discussed in this book. A detailed and comprehensive information regarding the historical background of farming system, farming system and its components, integrated farming system and allied enterprises, integrated farming system models in different agroclimatic zones, role of integrated farming system in agriculture and livelihood security, resource cycling and flow of energy in different farming systems, role of crop residues in agriculture, farming system of dryland agriculture, role of agroforestry in farming system, scope of organic farming in farming system have been given. A detailed information regarding the latest concepts of agronomy like conservation agriculture strategies in cropping system, sustainable agriculture, scope of hydroponics techniques in agriculture have also been discussed. In the end tools for determining production and efficiencies in cropping and farming system have also been given.




Issues in Agricultural Research: 2011 Edition


Book Description

Issues in Agricultural Research / 2011 Edition is a ScholarlyEditions™ eBook that delivers timely, authoritative, and comprehensive information about Agricultural Research. The editors have built Issues in Agricultural Research: 2011 Edition on the vast information databases of ScholarlyNews.™ You can expect the information about Agricultural Research in this eBook to be deeper than what you can access anywhere else, as well as consistently reliable, authoritative, informed, and relevant. The content of Issues in Agricultural Research: 2011 Edition has been produced by the world’s leading scientists, engineers, analysts, research institutions, and companies. All of the content is from peer-reviewed sources, and all of it is written, assembled, and edited by the editors at ScholarlyEditions™ and available exclusively from us. You now have a source you can cite with authority, confidence, and credibility. More information is available at http://www.ScholarlyEditions.com/.







Solving The Pulses Crisis


Book Description

India has achieved self sufficiency in food grain production in recent years with record production of 250 mt during 2011-12. However, the pulses production remained low and considered to be the major concern for researchers and development planners. Considering the much more importance in near future and to avoid pulses crisis situation, the present attempt was made to compile the available scientific information, so as to highlight the issues, technologies and strategies in the title of "Solving Pulses Crisis" in India. The publication is divided into two parts. The first part deals national issues, technologies and strategies while the second part deals with crop based issue and technologies. The first part consists of 13 s. The first three s deals with pulses related national issues, technologies and strategies including NEH region too. The IV deals with crop diversification involving pulses while V focused on pulses production under organic system. The issues related to legumes as a nutrient supplement in VI, tillage and crop establishment in VII water management in pulses in VIII and Integrated nutrient management in IX are discussed in detail. The aspects of weed and pest management are presented in X to XI, respectively. The specific issues related to post harvest, value addition are discussed in XII, while trade related policy issues are focused in XIII. In part second, the crop issues, strategies and technologies are presented. Accordingly, XIV deals with pigeonpea while in XV issues related to greengram and black gram are discussed. The XVI to XIX deals with chickpea, lentil, field pea and lathyrus while in XX the issues technologies and prospects of Guar are discussed. In last XXI the issues and technologies related to arid legumes (mothbean, cowpea and horsegram) with special reference to arid areas are discussed. Hopefully, the publication will prove to be a reference and a way forward for solving pulses crisis in India and achieving the targets matching with food production strategies in years to come.




Organic Crop Production - Ambitions and Limitations


Book Description

Many people believe that organic agriculture is a solution for various problems related to food production. Organic agriculture is supposed to produce healthier products, does not pollute the environment, improves the fertility of soils, saves fossil fuels and enables high biodiversity. This book has been written to provide scientifically based information on organic agriculture such as crop yields, food safety, nutrient use efficiency, leaching, long-term sustainability, greenhouse gas emissions and energy aspects. A number of scientists working with questions related to organic agriculture were invited to present the most recent research and to address critical issues. An unbiased selection of literature, facts rather than standpoints, and scientifically-based examinations instead of wishful thinking will help the reader be aware of difficulties involved with organic agriculture. Organic agriculture, which originates from philosophies of nature, has often outlined key goals to reach long-term sustainability but practical solutions are lacking. The central tasks of agriculture - to produce sufficient food of high quality without harmful effects on the environment - seem to be difficult to achieve through exclusively applying organic principles ruling out many valuable possibilities and solutions.




Climate Neutral and Resilient Farming Systems


Book Description

This book presents evidence-based research on climate-neutral and resilient farming systems and further provides innovative and practical solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating the impact of climate change. Intensive farming systems are a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, thereby contributing to global warming and the acceleration of climate change. As paddy rice farming is one of the largest contributors, and environmentally damaging farming systems, it will be a particular focus of this book. The mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions needs to be urgently addressed to achieve the 2°C target adopted by COP21 and the 2015 Paris Agreement, but this is not possible if local and national level innovations are not accompanied by international level cooperation, mutual learning and sharing of knowledge and technologies. This book, therefore, brings together international collaborative research experiences on climate-neutral and resilient farming systems compiled by leading scientists and experts from Europe, Asia and Africa. The chapters present evidence-based research and innovative solutions that can be applied or upscaled in different farming systems and regions across the world. Chapters also present models and technologies that can be used for practical implementation at the systemic level and advance the state-of-the-art knowledge on carbon-neutral farming. Combining theory and practice, this interdisciplinary book provides guidance which can inform and increase cooperation between researchers from various countries on climate-neutral and resilient farming systems. Most importantly, the volume provides recommendations which can be put into practice by those working in the agricultural industry, especially in developing countries, where they are attempting to promote climate-neutral and resilient farming systems. The book will be of great interest to students and academics of sustainable agriculture, food security, climate mitigation and sustainable development, in addition to policymakers and practitioners working in these areas. The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.




Integrated Pest Management in Diverse Cropping Systems


Book Description

Climate change has intensified in recent decades, which has affected crop production as well as facilitated the emergence of new diseases and insect pests, causing serious threats to agriculture. Farmers have mostly taken a crop-based approach to insect pest management (IPM); the authors of this new volume, however, take the unique approach that IPM based on specific cropping systems is more efficient, resulting in reduced cultivation costs, increased yield and profitability, and decreased residue from crop produce and products. This volume presents the results of research done by crop protection scientists on integrated pest management in diverse cropping systems based on rice, wheat, maize, pulses, food legumes, oilseeds, groundnut, potato, and other horticulture crops. With chapters written by well-known and experienced scientists in their fields, this volume provides in-depth knowledge on integrated pest management in conjunction with an array of specific cropping systems, taking into consideration all the elements, including the crops, crop sequences, spatial and temporal aspects of managing an agricultural system, and other aspects. This volume will be valuable for entomologists, plant pathologists, and agronomists, as well as for farmers—both small and industrial sized, agricultural extension centers, faculty and students, and many others involved with crop cultivation.




New Horizons in Wheat and Barley Research


Book Description

This book discusses the research progress on pathology, entomology, nematology, and resource management of wheat and barley crops. The volume summarizes the research progress and discusses the future perspectives based on current understanding of the existing issues and advancing cutting-edge technologies in the field. The book aims to help in deciding future research and development agenda by devising better strategies and techniques to cultivate these crops under clean and sustainable environment. Through this book an international group of leading wheat and barley researchers unveil the emerging concepts and issues related to biotic stresses and resource management and offers latest glimpses of technological needs and resource optimization in wheat and barley production system. Also, key topics such as frontier mechanization technologies, improved precision farming techniques, pluralistic extension and policy interventions for enhancing the resource efficiency and livelihood security of the farmers are explored here. This book is of interest to teachers, researchers, molecular breeders, cereal biochemists and biotechnologists, policymakers and professionals working in the area of wheat and barley research, food and cereal industry. Also, the book serves as an additional reading material for undergraduate and graduate students of agriculture and food sciences. National and international agricultural scientists, policy makers will also find this book to be a useful read. Volume 1 of New Horizons in Wheat and Barley Research covers global trends, breeding and quality enhancement.




Legumes for Soil Health and Sustainable Management


Book Description

Sustainable management of soils is an important global issue of the 21st century. Feeding roughly 8 billion people with an environmentally sustainable production system is a major challenge, especially considering the fact that 10% of the world’s population at risk of hunger and 25% at risk of malnutrition. Accordingly, the 68th United Nations (UN) general assembly declared 2016 the “International Year of Pulses” to raise awareness and to celebrate the role of pulses in human nutrition and welfare. Likewise, the assembly declared the year 2015 as the “International Year of Soils” to promote awareness of the role of “healthy soils for a healthy life” and the International Union of Soil Science (IUSS) has declared 2015-2024 as the International Decade of Soils. Including legumes in cropping systems is an important toward advancing soil sustainability, food and nutritional security without compromising soil quality or its production potential. Several textbooks and edited volumes are currently available on general soil fertility or on legumes but‚ to date‚ none have been dedicated to the study of “Legumes for Soil Health and Sustainable Management”. This is important aspect, as the soil, the epidermis of the Earth (geoderma)‚ is the major component of the terrestrial biosphere. This book explores the impacts of legumes on soil health and sustainability, structure and functioning of agro-ecosystems, agronomic productivity and food security, BNF, microbial transformation of soil N and P, plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria, biofertilizers, etc. With the advent of fertilizers, legumes have been sidelined since World War II, which has produced serious consequences for soils and the environment alike. Therefore, legume-based rational cropping/soil management practices must support environmentally and economically sustainable agroecosystems based on (sequential) rotation and intercropping considerations to restore soil health and sustainability. All chapters are amply illustrated with appropriately placed data, tables, figures, and photographs, and supported with extensive and cutting-edge references. The editors have provided a roadmap for the sustainable development of legumes for food and nutritional security and soil sustainability in agricultural systems, offering a unique resource for teachers, researchers, and policymakers, as well as undergraduate and graduate students of soil science, agronomy, ecology, and the environmental sciences.