Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing Limited

Soybeans are one of the most widely-grown crops in the world. As the world’s main source of vegetable protein, they have a wide range of food and non-food uses. Current yields need to increase significantly to meet growing demand but in a way that reduces input use, does not damage the environment and is resilient to climate change. This collection reviews the wealth of research addressing this challenge.

Volume 2 reviews advances in understanding and managing the range of diseases and pests that continue to cause significant crop losses. Part 1 discusses fungal, viral and bacterial diseases as well as developments in disease-resistant varieties, integrated pest and weed management. Part 2 summaries research on developing the food and non-food uses of soybean, from improving nutritional properties to uses in animal feed.

With its distinguished editor and international team of authors, this will be a standard reference for soybean scientists, growers, government and non-government agencies supporting soybean cultivation. It is accompanied by a companion volume that reviews advances in breeding and cultivation techniques.

Recent IPCC reports have highlighted the environmental impact of livestock production as a major source of non-CO2 emissions: methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and ammonia (NH3). The livestock sector must react to these reports and develop or implement methods that can reduce greenhouse (GHG) emissions from livestock production.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from livestock production provides authoritative reviews on measuring GHG emissions from livestock as well as the range of methods that can be applied to reduce emissions, ranging from breeding to animal health and manure management. The collection also reviews nutritional approaches such as improving forage quality and the use of plant bioactive compounds and other feed supplements to limit emissions by modifying the rumen environment.

Drawing in an international range of expert authors, Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from livestock production summarises what we can do to make livestock production more sustainable and viable for the future. It will be a major reference for the livestock (particularly dairy) science research community, environmental scientists, government and other agencies tackling the challenge of climate change, as well as companies involved in livestock production and processing of dairy and meat products.

"The book is very effective in communicating the many aspects, dimensions and interpretations of sustainable forest management (SFM)…It is clearly born out of an ambitious remit to present an overview of SFM across all its dimensions. In this, it is by and large successful… It provides an effective entry into almost any SFM topic."
Review in Scottish Forestry by Professor Jaboury Ghazoul, ETH Zurich/University of Edinburgh

"Achieving Sustainable Management of Tropical Forests provides an excellent and essential read for those with responsibility for managing the world’s tropical forests…The editors, Dr Blaser and Dr Hardcastle, are to be congratulated for editing the chapters into a very consistent read… Each chapter is authored by an expert or experts in the particular geography and/or discipline as social, governance, tenure, biology, rural livelihoods, climate change, products etc."
Journal of Forestry - Society of American Foresters

Although global rates of deforestation have started to decrease, they remain alarmingly high in many tropical countries. In light of this challenge, the growing importance of sustainable forest management (SFM) has been highlighted as a means for improving sustainability across the sector.

Achieving sustainable management of tropical forests summarises and reviews the rich body of research on tropical forests and how this research can be utilised to make sustainable management of tropical forests a standard implementable strategy for the future. The book features expert discussions on the economic, political and environmental contexts needed for SFM to operate successfully, including coverage of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

With its distinguished editors and international array of expert authors, Achieving sustainable management of tropical forests will be a standard reference for researchers in tropical forest science, international and national organisations responsible for protection and responsible stewardship of tropical forests, as well as the commercial sector harvesting and using tropical forest products.

Whilst it can mean enhanced biosecurity, intensive and globalised pig production (based on a narrowing genetic base) also potentially increases the risk of disease and its spread. It has been estimated that diseases can lower pig production efficiency by 10-15%, though financial losses can be much greater.

Optimising pig herd health and production highlights the need to develop more preventative measures that can be implemented to tackle the increasing threat of disease. The book addresses recent developments in disease prevention, focussing on how farmers and producers can utilise feed management and housing to optimise pig health, as well as the role of vaccine development in preventing the onset of endemic and emerging diseases in pigs.

Through highlighting the importance of understanding and identifying disease, the book showcases how our understanding of the mechanisms of transmission for some of the key porcine viral and bacterial diseases can be applied to optimise pig herd health and production.

“As Editor, Alexander Hristov has gathered together some scientifically excellent contributions from a very select group of eminent animal nutrition experts to create an up to date, readable and comprehensive account of dairy cow nutrition. So, where there have been ‘Advances’ I am confident they will have been covered. Talking to colleagues, enthusiasm was expressed for the quality of the research covered, and I have little doubt that this book will find a place on many bookshelves.” (Professor C. Knight Institute of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark)

Global demand for milk and other dairy products continues to grow. As a result of this increased consumer demand, the sector’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have risen dramatically. It is therefore crucial that the livestock sector reacts to these developments and considers areas for improvement that could reduce the sector’s contribution to climate change.

Advances in sustainable dairy cattle nutrition provides a comprehensive review of the wealth of research on recent advances in understanding and improving dairy cattle nutrition to reduce the carbon footprint of the dairy sector. This collection explores the role of nutritional requirements in optimising gut function and overall animal health, as well as its influence on milk yield and quality. Chapters also review the use of dietary supplements, such as plant extracts and direct-fed microbials (DFM) to optimise dairy cattle nutrition.

Soybeans are one of the most widely-grown crops in the world. As the world’s main source of vegetable protein, they have a wide range of food and non-food uses. Current yields need to increase significantly to meet growing demand but in a way that reduces input use, does not damage the environment and is resilient to climate change. This collection reviews the wealth of research addressing this challenge.

Volume 1 focuses on breeding and cultivation techniques. Part 1 starts by reviewing our understanding of soybean physiology and genetic diversity. It then discusses advances in conventional and marker-assisted breeding, as well as transgenic techniques, and their use to produce more stress-resistant varieties. Part 2 reviews key advances in cultivation techniques to make the most of these new varieties.

With its distinguished editor and international team of authors, this will be a standard reference for soybean scientists, growers, government and non-government agencies supporting soybean cultivation. It is accompanied by a companion volume that looks at diseases and pests as well as the crop's range of uses.

The welfare of farmed animals such as cattle is an increasing concern for consumers and regulatory agencies. This book explores the science behind our understanding of dairy cow behaviour and ways to improve their welfare.

Understanding the behaviour and improving the welfare of dairy cattle summarises this wealth of recent research and reviews dairy cattle behaviour in areas such as cognition, learning, pain and stress. The collection features authoritative assessments by leading experts on developments in welfare indicators, monitoring and certification, as well as approaches to improve welfare practices of calves, heifers and transition cows at different stages of production including housing, transport and slaughter.

With its distinguished author team and wide-ranging coverage, Understanding the behaviour and improving the welfare of dairy cattle will be a standard reference for university and other researchers in dairy and veterinary science as well as ethology. It will also be a key reference for government and other agencies involved in regulating and monitoring farm animal welfare, as well as dairy farmers and companies processing milk and other dairy products.

"Authors have made remarkable efforts to balance background with basic-applied research findings enhancing the understanding of the various issues and techniques involved in tomato production, physiology, breeding and genetics…It is a valuable resource of modern knowledge for research academics and graduate students, and also applicable to consultants and managers involved in tomato R&D, such as those in seed and chemical companies."
Professor Daniel Leskovar in Chronica Horticulturae

Tomatoes are the second most important vegetable crop in the world after potatoes. Originating in South America, they are now grown widely around the world. As the population continues to grow, there is a need to increase yields in the face of such challenges as climate change, threats from pests and diseases and the need to make cultivation more resource-efficient and sustainable.

Drawing on an international range of expertise, this collection focuses on ways of improving the cultivation of tomatoes at each step in the value chain, from breeding to post-harvest storage. The book begins by looking at improvements in cultivation techniques, before moving on to review advances in ensuring genetic diversity, understanding of tomato physiology and breeding techniques. The collection concludes by discussing developments in understanding and managing pests and diseases.

Achieving sustainable cultivation of tomatoes will be a standard reference for horticultural scientists in universities, government and other research centres and companies involved in tomato cultivation.

This collection reviews the latest research on dairy cattle genetics and advanced methods of genetic evaluation and selection.

After an overview of genetic improvements achieved so far, Part 1 assesses the problem of inbreeding and genetic diversity in modern dairy cattle as well as opportunities for crossbreeding. Part 2 then goes onto review research on targeting non-production traits such as fertility, feed conversion efficiency and methane emissions as well as resistance to disease and resilience to heat stress.

Part 3 then surveys the latest techniques and advances in genomic selection (GS) in such areas as functional annotation and use of sequence variants to improve genomic prediction, as well as developments in genetic evaluation (GE). The final part of the book reviews developments in embryo technologies, gene editing and the way new techniques are being integrated in practice into dairy breeding programmes.

"Global tea science: Current status and future needs would suit the library of any botanical enthusiast or academic, with its comprehensive collection of relevant chapters. The humble tea leaf has might roots indeed."
(Plant Science Bulletin – Botanical Society of America)

Tea is the most widely-consumed beverage in the world. Like other crops, tea cultivation faces a number of challenges. With the challenge of climate change and the competition for scarce resources, there is a need to make tea cultivation more efficient and sustainable. Cultivation needs also to be more resilient to biotic and abiotic stresses, whether it be pests or more extreme weather (e.g. drought) associated with global warming.

Fortunately, there is a range of research addressing these challenges. Drawing on an international range of expertise, this collection summarises this research by focusing on ways of improving the cultivation of tea at each step in the value chain, from breeding through to harvest. Part 1 reviews advances in breeding. Part 2 discusses improvements in cultivation techniques. The book then discusses plant protection and chemistry before concluding with sustainability issues.

As the need for more interdisciplinary and collaborative research increases, this collection will be a standard reference for the tea research community by summarising key research trends in each topic and putting them in the context of tea cultivation as a whole.

“Understanding gut microbiomes as targets for improving pig gut health provides a wealth of information, with deep dives into the latest research. Written by recognised experts in the field, it is unlikely you’d need further information to fully understand the pig gut microbiome and the opportunity to increase pig health and productivity, while reducing antibiotic resistance.” (Book Review Published in Practical Pigs – Dr Michaela Giles, British Pig Association, UK)

"As a nutritionist I liked this book a lot. I like the setup of the book and how it starts with the gut microbiome and works through to the different ways to manipulate the gut bacteria, including enzymes and different kinds of fibre. I think this is a great book with a lot of advanced information.” Dr Darlene Bloxham, Adisseo, USA

The pig production sector faces many challenges, including the need to improve feed efficiency to reduce emissions from manure, finding alternative methods to prevent the onset of diseases affecting swine, as well as ensuring that the welfare of pigs is consistent with consumer and regulatory agencies’ expectations.

Understanding gut microbiomes as targets for improving gut health offers a comprehensive coverage on the wealth of research on the porcine gastrointestinal tract, its key role in pig health and nutrition, as well as its implications for improving feed efficiency and growth. This collection details how optimising the gut microbiome can contribute to an overall improvement in pig health.

Edited by Professor Mick Bailey and Emeritus Professor Chris Stokes, University of Bristol, UK, Understanding gut microbiomes as targets for improving gut health will be a standard reference text for pig/swine scientists in universities and research centres, pig feed manufacturers, and government and private sector agencies advising pig farmers on health and nutrition.

"What sets this book apart is its provision of such a comprehensive review of developments in pig nutrition as well as breeding. To do this it brings together some of the world’s leading experts in this field of research to produce an unbiased, accurate and accessible guide to a critical part of pig production."
The Pig Site

Pig meat is the most widely-consumed meat in the world. Previous growth in production has relied, in part, on more intensive systems. In meeting rising demand, these systems face challenges such as the ongoing threat of zoonotic diseases, the need to improve feed efficiency in the face of rising costs, the need to reduce the environmental impact of pig production and increasing concerns about animal welfare. These challenges are addressed in the three volumes of Achieving sustainable production of pig meat. Volume 2 looks at pig breeding and nutrition.

Part 1 starts by reviewing advances and constraints in conventional breeding, the development and use of molecular breeding techniques, as well as factors affecting functional traits such as reproductive and feed efficiency. The second part of the book looks at current research on meeting pig nutritional requirements, including understanding and modelling pig nutritional requirements to optimise feeding, as well as the role of vitamins, exogenous enzymes, growth promoters, prebiotics and probiotics.

With its distinguished editor and international team of expert authors, this will be a standard reference for researchers in swine science as well as producers, government and other organisations involved in supporting pig production. It is accompanied by two companion volumes which focus on safety, quality and sustainability as well as animal health and welfare.

Ornamental plants are plants grown for decorative purposes. They include cut flowers, bulbs, potted plants, shrubs and trees for gardening and landscape design. Like other crops, ornamentals face challenges such as biotic and abiotic stresses as well as the need to develop more sustainable, ‘climate-smart’ methods of cultivation. This collection reviews the rich range of research addressing these challenges.

Part 1 discusses advances in understanding plant physiology, genetic diversity and breeding techniques. Chapters cover recent research on how plants respond to abiotic stress, ways of exploiting genetic diversity to improve target traits, advances in both conventional and marker-assisted breeding techniques, as well as their use to produce abiotic stress-resistant varieties. Part 2 surveys advances in cultivation techniques in such areas as nutrition, irrigation, protected cultivation and integrated disease management.

Sheep farming, whether for meat or wool, has always been an essential component in diversifying farming systems, particularly in exploiting land unsuitable for arable crops. The sector faces a range of challenges in meeting rising demand. There is an ongoing threat both from endemic and more exotic diseases. Consumer expectations about nutritional and sensory quality have never been higher. There is also greater concern about the environmental impact of animal production and animal welfare issues.

Drawing on an international range of expertise, this book reviews research addressing these challenges. The first part of the book addresses quality issues affecting meat, wool and dairy products from sheep. The book then goes on to discuss advances in breeding before reviewing ways of improving sheep nutrition, health and welfare. The collection concludes by assessing the environmental impact of sheep production and ways it can be more effectively managed.

Achieving sustainable production of sheep will be a standard reference for animal and food scientists in universities, government and other research centres and companies involved in supporting sheep farming.

"The book not only has distinguished scientists at its helm but also in the list of contributing authors from Europe, Australasia, North and South America…Compiling the newest grassland science, key features of the book are that it: assesses latest research on how grasslands function; surveys best sustainable grassland management; and considers wider aspects of sustainability such as ecosystem services and biodiversity." Grass and Forage Manager – British Grassland Society

"The comprehensiveness of the book will make it extremely useful for grassland and pasture students. In addition, it has value for anyone interested in a wide range of aspects of cultivated grasslands…it is a valuable source of information on cultivated grasslands in a single book with a good balance between detail and subjects covered."
African Journal of Range and Forage Science

The shift to more intensive livestock system has put more pressure on grasslands used for pasture. At the same time, there is a greater understanding of the role of grasslands in delivering a range of ecosystems services. This volume reviews the range of research on more sustainable use of grasslands to optimise livestock nutrition whilst protecting biodiversity and delivering a range of broader environmental benefits.

Part 1 assesses grassland functions and dynamics, including plant-soil and plant-animal interactions. Part 2 reviews key aspects of grassland management, including sowing, soil health, irrigation and weed control as well as monitoring. The final part of the book considers wider aspects of sustainability such as protecting biodiversity as well as silage processing.

With its distinguished editors and international team of subject experts, this will be a standard reference for grassland and rangeland scientists, livestock producers, government and non-governmental organisations responsible for grassland management.

Rice is one of the most important foods in the world. As the demand for rice continues to increase, there is an urgent need to increase yields in the face of such challenges as climate change, threats from pests and diseases and the need to make cultivation more resource-efficient and sustainable.

Drawing on an international range of expertise, this collection focuses on ways of improving the cultivation of rice at each step in the value chain, from breeding to post-harvest storage. Volume 1 reviews research in physiology and breeding and its application to produce varieties with improved traits such as higher yields. It then goes on to discuss nutritional and other aspects of rice quality and the ways these can be enhanced.

Achieving sustainable cultivation of rice Volume 1: Breeding for higher quality and yield will be a standard reference for rice scientists in universities, government and other research centres and companies involved in rice cultivation. It is accompanied by Volume 2 which reviews improvements in cultivation techniques, pest and disease management.

Post-harvest losses of cereals and other grains, whether from spoilage microorganisms or insect pests, remain a significant issue in both the developed and developing world. Challenges include restrictions on chemicals for decontamination and increasing levels of insect resistance.

Advances in postharvest management of cereals and grains provides a comprehensive review of the latest research on the causes of postharvest cereal losses, as well as the key research on the detection and control of fungal contaminants. This collection includes authoritative discussions led by leading experts on the viability of different technologies implemented to control postharvest losses, such as fumigation, biopesticides, controlled atmospheres and control of fungal contamination.

”All three volumes of Achieving sustainable production of milk should be considered as a whole…Over more than 1200 pages, the authors review all fields of milk production, beginning with milk composition, genetics and breeding, safety and milk quality, sustainability of milk production as well as dairy herd management, health, welfare and nutrition of dairy. All three volumes could be considered a standard reference for graduate students in the fields of dairy science and veterinary medicine, animal and dairy scientists at universities and other research centres, and also those in governments and companies involved or working in the field of milk production.”
Animal Feed Science and Technology

In meeting rising demand, more intensive dairying systems face a range of challenges such as maintaining high standards of safety in the face of the continuing threat from zoonoses entering the food chain, whilst sustaining nutritional and sensory quality. At the same time farms need to become more efficient and sustainable. Finally, farming must also meet higher standards of animal health and welfare.

Drawing on an international range of expertise, this book reviews research addressing the welfare, nutrition and health of dairy cattle. Part 1 begins by discussing key issues in welfare followed by topics such as genetic selection and welfare, housing and transportation. Part 2 looks at nutrition with chapters on rumen microbiology, feed evaluation and formulation, feed supplements and feed safety. The final part of the book covers aspects of health such as control of diseases and other disorders such as lameness as well as dairy herd health management.

Achieving sustainable production of milk Volume 3: Dairy herd management and welfare will be a standard reference for animal and dairy scientists in universities, government and other research centres and companies involved in beef production. It is accompanied by two other volumes which review milk composition, genetics and breeding as well as safety, quality and sustainability.

"This book provides an informative global perspective on soilless culture systems (SCS) around the world…the book promises to bring together the current best practice in SCS horticulture to create an important industry reference for all participants." ISHS - Chronica Horticulturae

Soilless cultivation techniques (including hydroponic systems) have attracted growing attention as a way of growing horticultural crops more efficiently without taking up more land. These controlled environment systems are also less vulnerable to climate change and are particularly suited to urban farming as part of the shift to more localised, circular food systems.

Advances in horticultural soilless culture provides a comprehensive assessment of recent research in this important area, paying close attention to the advances in optimising substrates for soilless cultivation, as well as the developments in solid and liquid-medium container systems, fertigation systems, modelling and process control. The collection includes case studies on horticultural crops such as tomatoes, strawberries and ornamentals.

With its distinguished editor and international range of expert authors, Advances in horticultural soilless culture will be a standard reference for university and other researchers involved in horticultural science, hydroponics and soilless cultivation. It will also be a valuable resource for government and other agencies supporting vertical and urban farming systems, as well as companies involved in this sector.

This collection reviews advances in research on improving barley cultivation across the value chain. Part 1 reviews advances in understanding barley physiology in such areas as plant growth, grain development and plant response to abiotic stress.

Chapters also review current developments in exploiting genetic diversity and mapping the barley genome. Building on this foundation, the second part of the book summarises advances in breeding with chapters on breeding trial design as well as advances in molecular breeding techniques such as genome wide association studies (GWAS) and targeted induced lesions in genomes (TILLING). Part 3 looks further along the value chain at ways of optimising cultivation practices. There are chapters on post-harvest storage as well as fungal diseases, weeds and integrated methods for their management. The final part of the book assesses current developments in optimising barley for particular end uses such as malting, brewing and animal feed as well as current research on the nutraceutical properties of barley.

"This book would make a fine addition to the library of any extension agent, Q Processor Pro, and even conscientious green coffee buyers. It illustrates how to think about improving the social and environmental sustainability of coffee production: by thinking of and treating coffee production as a complex system of interrelated and interdependent parts." (Review by Michael Wright, Oil Slick Coffee Company LLC, USA)

“Speciality coffees emerged to satisfy a specific group of consumers, and such segmentation of the market continues today with refined gradations in quality and taste, along with a greater focus on social and environmental sustainability…the latter trend in coffee consumption also highlights the need for coffee growers to shift their production systems to a climate-friendly approach. Not only to meet the respective demand in the coffee market, but also to contribute to reducing the environmental impact of the coffee industry. How this can be done is outlined in this highly interesting and easy to read publication. Overall, this book that is based on extensive research by a wide range of internationally recognised experts, is of interest to all stakeholders in the coffee value chain, including extension workers and their organisations.” (Dr Eric Tielkes, Book Review in the Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics)

Coffee cultivation faces a number of crucial challenges, including increasing biotic and abiotic stresses related to climate change, concern about its environmental impact and the vulnerability of many smallholder coffee farmers.

Climate-smart production of coffee: Improving social and environmental sustainability addresses the need for more resilient and sustainable methods of cultivation which produce high-quality products with minimum environmental impact while still protecting smallholder livelihoods. The book considers ways of assessing and improving social sustainability, including the role of speciality coffees in improving smallholder incomes, as well as ways coffee production can be optimised throughout the value chain, from breeding through to postharvest.

Coffee is extremely susceptible to a range of pests and diseases such as soil-borne and other insect pests, nematodes and diseases such as coffee leaf rust. This new book reviews recent advances in sustainable crop protection methods on coffee farms and plantations around the world, with a particular focus on integrated pest and disease management programmes.

With contributions from a wide range of internationally-renowned experts, the book shows how coffee production can be made more economically, environmentally and socially sustainable in the face of climate change.

“Burleigh Dodds has recently published the third volume of a three-volume series on Achieving sustainable cultivation of bananas, one of over 160 titles in the Burleigh Dodds Series in Agricultural Science. The third volume is separated into several parts and within each part, several chapters outline the most important pests and diseases affecting banana cultivation throughout the value chain from pre-plant to postharvest. The book is an invaluable tool for students, scientists and technical production managers alike.” (Book Review Published in Chronica Horticulturae – Dr Karin Hennweg, ARC-ITSC, South Africa)

Bananas are a key food source for millions, whilst their production supports the livelihood of farmers across the globe. However, recent research has identified the vulnerability of particular banana varieties to major pests and diseases. With the banana industry under threat of extinction, more research is required into understanding the biology of the pests and diseases that pose this threat so that more effective management strategies can be developed and the risk of future outbreaks reduced.

Achieving sustainable cultivation of bananas Volume 3: Diseases and pests provides a comprehensive review of the major pests and diseases affecting global banana production including Tropical Race 4, black Sigatoka and banana streak virus. The book explores existing methods for pest/disease diagnosis and identification, current management strategies used to control and/or prevent outbreaks, as well as the development of disease-resistant cultivars and integrated pest and disease management programmes.

Sorghum is one of the world’s major cereals, cultivated in the semi-arid tropics for a growing range of uses. Like other crops it faces the need to meet rising demand whilst reducing its environmental impact and adapting to the challenges of climate change. This volume summarises the wealth of research addressing these challenges.

Part 1 explores the genetic diversity and genomics of sorghum. This provides the foundation for Part 2 which reviews advances in conventional and marker-assisted breeding and their use to develop high-yielding and stress-resistant varieties. The final part of the book discusses ways of improving cultivation to make the most of new varieties, from nutrient and water management to better control of diseases, insects and weeds.

With its distinguished editor and international team of expert authors, this will be a standard work for cereal scientists, sorghum breeders and growers as well as government and non-government agencies supporting sorghum cultivation. It is accompanied by a companion volume which reviews the range of uses of sorghum and cultivation in different regions.

A prerequisite to improving the sustainability of agriculture are reliable methods to identify and quantify types of environmental impact. This collection summarises current research on the use of life cycle assessment (LCA) and other modelling techniques to measure and improve the sustainability of agriculture.

Part 1 looks at current best practice and key methodological challenges in life cycle assessment. Part 2 reviews ways of modelling particular types of impact, from nutrient and carbon cycles to freshwater balances, energy use, pesticide use and biodiversity. Part 3 reviews the environmental assessment and optimization of sectors such as crops, ruminant and other livestock production as well as by-products.

Assessing the environmental impact of agriculture will be a standard reference for researchers in agricultural and environmental science concerned with understanding and mitigating the environmental impact of agriculture.

Maize is one of the most important and widely grown cereal crops in the world and is a staple food for almost a billion people, particularly in the developing world. It has been estimated that maize yields need to increase by 60% by 2050. There is an urgent need to increase yields in the face of such challenges as climate change, threats from pests and diseases and the need to make cultivation more resource-efficient and sustainable.

Drawing on an international range of expertise, this collection focuses on ways of improving the cultivation of maize at each step in the value chain, from breeding to post-harvest storage. Volume 2 reviews research on improvements in cultivation techniques such as nutrient management, crop rotation, intercropping and other aspects of conservation agriculture. It also discusses developments in methods for combatting pests and diseases.

Achieving sustainable cultivation of maize Volume 2: Cultivation techniques, pest and disease control will be a standard reference for cereal scientists in universities, government and other research centres and companies involved in maize cultivation. It is accompanied by Volume 1 which reviews developments in breeding and ways research can be translated into effective outcomes for smallholders in the developing world.

"Improving gut health in poultry is as good for the novice as it is for the experienced nutritionist...this book is a must for every poultry nutritionist."Dr Ioannis Mavromichalis, Ariston Nutrition Consulting International

This collection summarises current research on the composition and function of the gastrointestinal tract in poultry, the factors that affect its function, and nutritional strategies to optimise poultry nutrition, health and environmental impact.

Part 1 begins by summarising advances in sequencing and omics technologies to understand gut function. It then reviews our current understanding of the gut microbiota, the development of the gut microbiome over the life of the bird, and gut function in nutrient processing and immune response. The second part of the book reviews what we know about factors affecting gut function and health. Chapters cover gastrointestinal diseases, the interaction between pathogens and the gut as well the impact of antibiotics. The final group of chapters discuss current research on the effectiveness of feed additives in optimising gut health, including probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, antimicrobials, essential oils and other botanicals as well as cereal grains.

With its distinguished editor and team of expert chapter authors, this will be a standard reference for poultry scientists, poultry feed manufacturers and the poultry farming community.

"For anyone who wants information on the insect pests of rice, this book provides an enormous amount of information about the root and stem feeders, stem borers, gall midges, leafhoppers, planthoppers, foliage feeders and panicle feeders, together with colour illustrations and line drawings, supported by an extensive list of references to each chapter. For each insect, information is given on their distribution, host plants, their biology/ecology and plant damage they cause."
Outlooks on Pest Management

The rice plant is an ideal host for many insect species. All of the plant parts are vulnerable to insect-feeding from the time of sowing till harvest. There are over 800 insect species damaging rice in one way or another, although the majority of them do very little damage. In tropical Asia only about 20 species are of major importance. In Africa, 15 species of insects are considered major rice pests and in the Americas about 20 species are considered major pests.

To develop effective pest management strategies, it is essential to properly identify and understand the biology and ecology of insect pests and the arthropods that help regulate their populations. This book effectively utilizes the unique knowledge and expertise of leading rice entomologists from Africa, Asia and the Americas to provide the first global coverage of rice insect pests. The discussion of each pest includes geographical distribution, plant hosts other than rice, description and biology, plant damage and ecology.

"The work not only presents the state of the art for several aspects of IPM but goes further in analysing the actual issues of efficiency and obstacles for wider application by growers…In conclusion this book is a must-have for horticultural students and scientists. It will certainly help to raise IPM application in horticulture to a higher level."(Peter Bleyaert, Chronica Horticulturae)

"The book contains some excellent detailed overviews of recent advances in IPM technology…I congratulate the editor and authors for assembling such a wide range of up-to-date IPM resources into this valuable initiative for scientists, students, agronomists and growers with an interest in horticulture." (Dr Almudena Ortiz-Urquiza, Plant Pathology)

"Improving integrated pest management in horticulture presents a comprehensive review of recent advances in knowledge and research in IPM in horticultural production…The book is easy and enjoyable to read and understand and the chapters and topics are logically arranged and presented. It will be a standard reference for graduate students preparing for careers in horticulture, IPM researchers in horticulture, crop pest management professionals, government agencies tasked with monitoring and regulating pesticide use in agriculture and manufacturers and suppliers of agricultural pesticides."(Professor Stephen N. Wegulo, Crop Protection)

"This book is an extremely important source of information on the present situation and hopefully will encourage more research to refine IPM in horticultural crops."(Professor Graham Matthews, Outlooks on Pest Management)

Pests and diseases remain a significant threat to crop yields worldwide. With concerns about the environmental impact of synthetic pesticides, there remains a need to develop more environmentally-friendly biological methods of control that can be combined synergistically within integrated pest management (IPM) strategies.

Improving integrated pest management in horticulture provides a comprehensive review of the recent developments in integrated pest management for horticultural crops. The collection builds on the wealth of research on insect and disease control in horticulture using IPM strategies in areas such as biological control and decision support systems to target techniques more effectively. The book also includes valuable case studies based on practical experience of IPM.

"This book gives a good overall review of the advances that have recently occurred in the fields of poultry genetics and genomics…one thing that really struck me about this book was the calibre of the editorial team and the international range and expertise of the contributing authors. With over 550 pages this book is well worth its place on the bookshelf of anyone who is interested in poultry breeding and genomics."International Hatchery Practice

The poultry breeding sector faces a number of challenges, including the need to produce more resilient breeds in the face of disease, antibiotic resistance, increasing consumer concerns about bird health and welfare and expectations of poultry meat and egg quality.

Advances in poultry genetics and genomics provides a comprehensive review of the recent developments in poultry genetics, breeding and genomics, focussing on the improvement of functional traits to build resilience, the use of genomic selection and its application in breeding improved layers and broilers, as well as the sector’s emerging trends such as epigenetics and genome editing.

With its distinguished editor team and international range of expert contributors, Advances in poultry genetics and genomics will be a standard reference for poultry scientists, companies involved in poultry breeding and government agencies supporting the poultry sector.

"The result is a beautiful book with a lot of useful and updated information. I am sure it will be in great demand, and hopefully will help in the further improvement of cassava yields, especially in Africa where it is such an important food crop."
Dr Reinhardt Howeler, CIAT Emeritus; author in: Achieving sustainable cultivation of cassava Volume 1

Originating in South America, cassava is now grown in over 100 countries around the world. It is the third most important source of calories in the tropics after rice and maize. Its caloric value, as well as its ability to tolerate dry conditions and poor soils, makes it a key food security crop in developing countries, particularly in Africa. As demand for food grows, there is an urgent need to increase yields in the face of such challenges as climate change, threats from pests and diseases and the need to make cultivation more resource-efficient and sustainable.

Drawing on an international range of expertise, this collection focuses on ways of improving the cultivation of cassava at each step in the value chain, from breeding to post-harvest storage. Volume 1 starts by reviewing current issues facing cassava cultivation around the world before discussing methods for sustainable intensification such as rotations, intercropping and more efficient nutrient management.

Achieving sustainable cultivation of cassava Volume 1: Cultivation techniques will be a standard reference for agricultural scientists in universities, government and other research centres and companies involved in improving cassava cultivation. It is accompanied by Volume 2 which reviews breeding, pests and diseases.

This book reviews key advances in preservation techniques for fresh fruit and vegetables.

Part 1 summarises developments and improvements in preservation technologies such as cooling, controlled atmosphere storage, modified atmosphere and active packaging as well as barrier coatings. The focus of Part 2 is on post-harvest safety management and disinfection. Chapters cover current research on mechanisms of pathogen contamination of fresh produce, as well as improvements in sanitising regimes and disinfection techniques using heat, irradiation and plasma, ozone and natural antimicrobials. The final part of the book surveys advances in monitoring postharvest quality of fresh produce and smart distribution systems to maintain the quality of horticultural produce.

Agroforestry seeks to balance protection of forest resources, the exploitation of the ecosystem services that trees can contribute to agriculture and the role of agroforestry in diversifying the range of agricultural products and markets.

This volume reviews the latest research on the role and implementation of main types of agroforestry, understanding and assessing the ecosystem services that agroforestry can deliver and techniques for optimising agroforestry practice. The book's main focus is on temperate agroforestry, but also reviews particular issues facing agroforestry in the tropics.

The collection will be a standard reference for forestry and agricultural scientists in universities, government and other research centres in agroforestry

Originating in Central Asia, apples are one of the most important fruits globally and are grown in over 100 countries. Apple cultivation faces a number of challenges. Increasing global competition has put the focus on lowering costs whilst further improving sensory quality and shelf-life. There is a need to reduce inputs such as water, fertiliser and labour, both to save costs and reduce environmentally-damaging emissions and pollution. There is a continual battle with fungal, viral and bacterial diseases as well as insect pests. In the long term there is a need for new varieties able to withstand disease or more extreme conditions associated with climate change. This means preserving genetic variety and exploiting new molecular breeding techniques opened up by the sequencing of the apple genome in 2010.

Drawing on an international range of expertise, this collection focuses on ways of improving the cultivation of apples as a food crop at each step in the value chain, from breeding through to post-harvest storage. The book first reviews research in apple physiology and breeding. The following sections focus on cultivation techniques through to post-harvest storage, followed by a discussion of diseases and pests and their management. Concluding chapters address wider issues such as economics, consumer trends and sustainability.

Achieving sustainable cultivation of apples will be a standard reference for fruit and horticultural scientists in universities, government and other research centres and companies producing apples.

"The book will be of particular interest to many whether in marketing or research throughout the pesticide industry and those involved in financial and investment in agriculture, as it provides an interesting insight to the way the industry has grown and adapted to the changes in legislation and regulatory requirements on a global scale."
Outlooks on Pest Management – review by Emeritus Prof. Graham Matthews, Imperial College London, UK

Pesticides have played a critical but sometimes controversial role in the development of agriculture. This book provides an authoritative account of the development of the modern pesticides industry. It discusses the emergence of major pesticide companies such as Bayer, Monsanto, Rhone Poulenc, Dow, DuPont, Ciba-Geigy, Syngenta, BASF and ICI. It covers their competitive strategies such as product development, mergers/acquisitions and diversification.

Individual company strategies are placed in the context of broader developments in agriculture which have driven the evolution of the industry, from the Pre-Productionist period to the contemporary world of Post-Productivism and the Sustainability Paradigm. It also reviews how companies have responded to changing national and international policy towards the role of pesticides in agriculture and efforts to regulate their use.

This book will be a standard reference on understanding the growth structure, dynamics and major players in a hugely-important and influential sector in global agriculture. It will appeal to a wide range of readers, from policy makers and researchers in crop protection to financial and investment analysts focussed on agriculture, and to all those interested in the development and future of modern agriculture.

Increasing concern about over-reliance on antibiotics (resulting in antimicrobial resistance), as well as broader concerns about animal welfare, have put greater emphasis on preventative measures in maintaining the health of farm animals. Herd health management (HHM) programmes take a population approach based on quantitative epidemiology which makes it possible to assess disease risk and, as a result, prevent and manage diseases more effectively.

Improving dairy herd health reviews key challenges in dairy herd health management, such as effective monitoring and diagnosis of infectious diseases, as well as recent developments in areas such as disease prevention and disease surveillance. This collection reviews HHM issues across the dairy cow life cycle, from reproduction and calf health to the transition stage and replacement of stock. Later chapters discuss the successful implementation of HHM programmes in specific instances, from maintaining udder and hoof health, to preventing metabolic disorders, bacterial and viral diseases, as well as parasitic infections.

“The beauty of book chapters stems from the fact that they are often written by experienced authors who make an effort to summarize their expertise in a given area in a way, which is accessible to students and—ideally—policy makers. The editor indeed took great care that all aspects of carbon sequestration are considered. In summary, we do not hesitate to call this book a true soil carbon sequestration bible. We highly recommend the book to students, researchers at any stage of their career as well as governmental and non-governmental organizations working on climate mitigation and related topics. We trust that the knowledge contained in this book will make a much-needed difference regarding global soil carbon status not only from a climate point of view, but also for the benefit of soil health in general.” (Dr Else K. Bünemann, FiBL, Switzerland – Book Review Published in Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems)

Soils are known to be an enormous reservoir of carbon and represent an important and dynamic part of the global carbon cycle. However, this reservoir is under constant threat due to a combination of issues, including mismanagement, climate change and intensive agricultural production which has led to depletion of soil organic carbon.

Understanding and fostering soil carbon sequestration reviews the wealth of research on important aspects of soil carbon sequestration, including its potential in mitigating and adapting to climate change and improving global food security. The collection explores our understanding of carbon sequestration in soils, detailing the mechanisms and abiotic factors that can affect the process, as well as the socioeconomic, legal and policy issues that can arise as a result of this use.

In its extensive exploration of soil carbon cycling and capture, the book highlights how an informed understanding of carbon sequestration in a variety of soil types can contribute to achieving a more sustainable agriculture, as well as the methods which can be implemented by farmers to optimise the process of fostering carbon in soils.

Major advances in analytical techniques and genomics have transformed our understanding of rumen microbiology. This understanding is of critical importance to livestock production since rumen function affects nutritional efficiency, emissions from ruminants (such as methane and nitrous oxide) as well as animal health. This collection reviews what we know about rumen microbiota and the role of nutritional strategies in optimising their function for more sustainable livestock production.

Part 1 summarises advances in methods for analysing the rumen microbiome. Part 2 reviews recent research on the role of different types of rumen microbiota such as bacteria, archaea, anaerobic fungi, viruses and the rumen wall microbial community. Part 3 discusses the way the rumen processes nutrients such as fibre and protein as well as outputs such as energy, lipids and methane emissions. Part 4 explores nutritional strategies to optimise rumen function, including the role of pasture, silage, cereal feed, plant secondary compounds and probiotics.

"With concerns about climate change, loss of biodiversity and the need to feed an ever-growing human population, the book provides a valuable reference on the need to develop IPM giving greater emphasis to the environment. This is necessary with the future of farming changing with new technology, including precision agriculture, digitalisation, robotics and new genetic engineering technology."
International Pest Control – review by Emeritus Professor Graham Matthews, Imperial College London, UK

Plant health covers topics such as the safe handling and movement of germplasm and seed, as well as the range of biotic threats faced by crops and the ways they can be managed to optimise yields and ensure safety and quality in crop production. These threats include viral, bacterial and fungal diseases as well as the impact of insect pests and weeds. This collection summarises 50 years of research on plant health by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) to improve the health of crops in Africa.

The first part of the book reviews general issues such as pest and disease surveillance and the range of viruses affecting key African crops. Part 2 summarises key research on improving the health of major crops such as cassava, maize, yams and cocoyams, bananas and plantains, legumes, vegetables and tree fruits. The final part of the book discusses ways of improving integrated pest management of insect pests, diseases and weeds in sub-Saharan Africa.

This unique book brings together some of the world’s leading experts on plant health in sub-Saharan Africa to review progress in dealing with the range of biotic threats faced by African farmers, and will be a standard reference on improving the management of pests and diseases in developing countries.

Temperate fruits include stone/drupe fruits (such as peach), pome fruits (such as apple) and berries (such as strawberries). Like other crops, cultivation of these fruits faces a number of challenges. These include the need to optimize yields, sensory and nutritional quality; the dynamic threats from biotic and abiotic stresses in a changing climate; and the need for more efficient use of resources to minimise environmental impact. The two volumes of Achieving sustainable cultivation of temperate zone tree fruits and berries summarise the wealth of research addressing these challenges.

Volume 1 focusses on key advances across the value chain, from breeding improved varieties to better techniques for cultivation and crop protection. Part 1 discusses current research on physiology, genetics and breeding. Part 2 reviews advances in cultivation from orchard design to optimising water and nutrient management and harvesting operations.

With its distinguished editor and international range of expert authors, this collection will be a standard reference for horticultural scientists, government and other research centres and companies involved in cultivation of the range of temperate fruits.

This book provides a comprehensive review of key advances in the use of robots in agriculture.

Chapters summarise developments in location and guidance systems, GPS technologies, machine vision, navigation, actuation, communication and control technologies. The second part of the book discusses deploying these techniques to save labour, improve precision, speed and efficiency in agricultural operations.

Chapters review the state of the art on the use of agricultural robots in planting, crop monitoring, spraying, irrigation and weed management. There are also reviews of orchard management and harvesting, harvesting of soft fruit and in-field grading of harvested produce. Other chapters cover the application of robotics in the livestock sector.

Insect pests remain a major threat to crop production primarily because of their ability to inflict severe damage on crop yields, as well as their role as key vectors of disease. Early identification of pests is critical to the success of integrated pest management (IPM) programmes and essential for the development of phytosanitary/quarantine regimes to prevent the introduction of invasive insect pests to new environments.

Advances in monitoring of native and invasive insect pests of crops reviews the wealth of research on techniques to monitor and thus prevent threats from both native and invasive insect pests. The book considers recent advances in areas such as sampling, identifying and modelling pest populations.

With its considered approach, the book explores current best practices for the detection, identification and modelling of native and invasive insect pests of crops. The contributors offer farmers informed advice on how to mitigate a growing problem which has been exacerbated as a result of climate change.

"This book provides a decent overview of recent advances in biopesticides and other biological options for insect management with an easy-to-follow format and content…a good resource for students, educators, researchers, regulators, agricultural partners and IPM implementors interested in sustainable agriculture."
(Society for Invertebrate Pathology Newsletter)

With increasing concern about the environmental impact of synthetic pesticide use, including their impact on beneficial insects, the problem of insect resistance and the lack of new products, there has been an increasing interest in developing alternative biopesticides to control insects and other pests. This collection reviews the wealth of research on identifying, developing, assessing and improving the growing range of biopesticides.

Part 1 of this collection reviews research on developing new biopesticides in such areas as screening new compounds, ways of assessing effectiveness in the field and improving regulatory approval processes. Part 2 summarises advances in different types of entomopathogenic biopesticide including entomopathogenic fungi and nematodes and the use of Bt genes in insect-resistant crops. Part 3 assesses the use of semiochemicals such as pheromones and allelochemicals, peptide-based and other natural substance-based biopesticides.

This collection reviews and summarises the wealth of research on key challenges in developing better data management and decision support systems (DSS) for farmers and examples of how those systems are being deployed to optimise efficiency in crop and livestock production.

Part 1 reviews general issues underpinning effective decision support systems (DSS) such as data access, standards, tagging and security. Part 2 contains case studies of the practical application of data management and DSS in areas such as crop planting, nutrition and use of rotations, livestock feed and pasture management as well as optimising supply chains for fresh produce.

With its distinguished editor and international team of authors, Improving data management and decision support systems in agriculture will be a standard reference for researchers in agriculture and computer science interested in improving data management, modelling and decision support systems in farming, as well as government and other agencies supporting the use of precision farming techniques, and companies supplying decision support services to the farming sector.

"Each chapter provides an overview of current knowledge on the topic in question, accompanied by an outline of advances in both scientific and applied fields. The chapters are written by twenty-five authors, all scientific experts in the subject discussed… In conclusion, Understanding the behaviour and improving the welfare of chickens is an expertly written, widely accessible book for all professionals in the field, which should provide increased understanding of chicken behaviour and welfare." (Animal Welfare - Universities Federation for Animal Welfare)

With rising consumer concerns about the welfare of farm animals, such as chickens, there is a growing urgency for the livestock production sector to ensure that welfare standards are met throughout the supply chain, from breeding to slaughter.

Understanding the behaviour and improving the welfare of chickens offers a comprehensive summary on the wealth of recent research completed on understanding chicken behaviour and discusses how best to use this rich body of knowledge to optimise welfare management of broilers and layers. This collection features expert insights into the use of wearable, video and acoustic technologies as a means of monitoring behaviour, as well as improving current welfare protocols.

With its distinguished editor and team of leading experts in their fields, Understanding the behaviour and improving the welfare of chickens will be a standard text for university researchers in poultry and veterinary science as well as ethology. The book will also be an authoritative reference for government and other agencies responsible for the poultry sector and farm animal welfare, as well as companies involved in rearing chickens and processing poultry meat and eggs.

This collection provides a comprehensive review of key advances in greenhouse and other forms of protected and controlled environment cultivation.

Chapters discuss developments in types of production systems: greenhouses, net houses, aquaponic and vertical farming systems. A particular focus is on ways of controlling the aerial environment, including lighting and atmosphere control, and on optimising root development, including growing media, irrigation and nutrient management. Chapters also summarise advances in systems monitoring and management, including the use of sensors, decision support systems and robotics to optimise efficiency.

With more consumers moving away from traditional cereal-based foods due to concerns about health impacts, including wheat intolerance, the sector must develop next-generation nutritionally-enhanced cereal products to maximise market potential.

Improving the nutritional and nutraceutical properties of wheat and other cereals reviews key research into the nutritional components of cereals and their role in preventing chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and cancer. Initial chapters cover our understanding of the nutritional value of starch, antioxidants and lipids in wheat.

The book also details the interactions of these components with the gut and whether the way they are processed can inhibit or optimise benefits to overall human health. Final chapters review the key steps in nutritional enhancement of cereals such as wheat, spelt and millet.

Edited by Professor Trust Beta, University of Manitoba, Canada, Improving the nutritional and nutraceutical properties of wheat and other cereals will be an excellent reference framework for academic researchers in cereal science, arable farmers, manufacturers/suppliers of cereal nutrition products, as well as government and private sector agencies supporting cereal production.

"This book is number 106 in the Burleigh Dodds Series in Agriculture Science and continues this excellent series of informative reviews in plant and animal agricultural production systems. This volume is a collection of chapters by experts in cereal diseases and disease management from around the world and contains some excellent detailed overviews on recent advances in our understanding of key cereal pathogens and advances in their management. It will be a valuable resource for wheat and barley focussed researchers, breeders and growers."
(Professor Matt Dickinson, University of Nottingham, UK - Plant Pathology)

It’s been estimated that up to 40% of crop yields are lost to pests and diseases worldwide, a problem exacerbated by increasing fungicide resistance. Given the continuous struggle between crops and the diseases which exploit them, achieving durable disease resistance remains a key challenge in ensuring global food security. A range of issues need to be addressed to meet this challenge for major diseases affecting cereal crops such as Fusarium, barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) and Septoria.

Achieving durable disease resistance in cereals provides an authoritative review of key advances, from better understanding of pathogen biology/epidemiology and plant-pathogen interactions, to identifying sources of resistance and advances in techniques for breeding new varieties. This collection offers a comprehensive review of research on achieving durable resistance to diseases such as Fusarium head blight, Septoria tritici blotch, Septoria nodorum blotch, tan spot, blast, BYDV and Ramularia.

Edited by Professor Richard Oliver, Curtin University, Australia, Achieving durable disease resistance in cereals will be an excellent reference for researchers in cereal science, arable farmers, government and private sector agencies supporting cereal production and companies supplying the cereals sector (e.g. seed companies). It complements Integrated disease management of wheat and barley, also edited by Professor Oliver, published by Burleigh Dodds Science in 2018.

Oil palm is widely cultivated in tropical countries for use in food processing, personal care products and other applications such as biodiesel. Cultivation faces a range of challenges such as its environmental impact (e.g. in deforestation and biodiversity loss) as well threats from pests and diseases. There is an urgent need to make oil palm cultivation more efficient and environmentally sustainable. This collection reviews the key research addressing this challenge.

Volume 1 begins by reviewing trends in production and key challenges facing the sector. Part 2 focusses on developments in understanding oil palm physiology, genetics and genetic diversity and their application to improved breeding techniques. The final part of the book discusses developments in cultivation practices.

With its distinguished editor and international team of expert authors, this collection will be a standard reference for researchers, oil palm growers, palm oil processors as well as government and non-governmental agencies responsible for more sustainable oil palm cultivation. Volume 1 is accompanied by Volume 2 which covers pests and diseases, quality and sustainability issues

“The book provides an excellent overview of mango cultivation across the world… a comprehensive foundation of knowledge on which future research strategies can be built.”
Chronica Horticulturae

Mangoes are one of the most important and widely-cultivated fruits in tropical as well as sub-tropical regions. There have been a number of recent developments with the potential to improve crop yields and quality. There has been new research in understanding the physiology of tree and fruit development with implications for both breeding and cultivation. Analysis of the mango genome promises new, faster breeding techniques to develop improved cultivars. These and other advances are helping to tackle diseases and pests which still cause significant losses.

Drawing on an international range of expertise, this collection focuses on ways of improving the cultivation of mango as a food crop at each step in the value chain, from breeding through to post-harvest storage. Part 1 discusses advances in understanding tree growth, flowering, pollination and fruit development as well as developments in marker-assisted breeding. Part 2 reviews improvements in cultivation practice, including organic and greenhouse cultivation. Part 3 covers post-harvest management and quality, whilst the final part of the book assesses disease and pest management.

As the need for more interdisciplinary and collaborative research increases, this collection will be a standard reference for the mango research community by summarising key research trends in each topic and putting them in the context of mango cultivation as a whole.

"Overall, this new Burleigh Dodds text, Ensuring Safety and Quality in the Production of Beef, is a breath of fresh air. It covers a mountain of factors that can contribute to beef demand. It assembles a truly remarkable set of authors; scientists that have spent a career on their specific topics. This text is a “must read”!!
Meat Science

Consumer expectations of sensory and nutritional quality have never been higher. Drawing on an international range of expertise, this book reviews research in understanding and improving the quality of beef. Part 1 reviews how breeding and growth affect carcass composition. Part 2 discusses aspects of husbandry affecting meat quality such as nutrition, metabolic modifiers and handling of cattle. The book then goes on to discuss factors affecting flavor, color and tenderness, as well as grading, packaging and methods for measuring sensory quality.

Ensuring safety and quality in the production of beef Volume 2: Quality will be a standard reference for animal and food scientists in universities, government and other research centres and companies involved in beef production. It is accompanied by Volume 1 which reviews safety issues in beef production.

This collection reviews key recent research on developing urban and peri-urban agriculture.

Chapters first discuss ways of building urban agriculture, from planning and business models to building social networks to support local supply chains. Other chapters survey developments in key technologies for urban agriculture, including rooftop systems and vertical farming. The book also assesses challenges and improvements in irrigation, waste management, composting/soil nutrition and pest management. The final group of chapters provides a series of case studies on urban farming of particular commodities, including horticultural produce, livestock and forestry.

“The volume stands out for its principal focus on photosynthetic improvement yet supports this focus by providing essential basic background that allows readers to understand and appreciate the most promising strategies for enhancing photosynthetic productivity in C3 crops…The chapters in Understanding and improving crop photosynthesis follow well the Burleigh Dodds model of providing a rich assortment of references, particularly recent references representing the state of the art for each subject. The chapters also close by highlighting key reviews and websites where readers can seek additional updates and information. These additional resources bridge the gap between the advanced topics discussed in each chapter and general introductions...The book will be appreciated by a wide range of scholars, from advanced undergraduates to established experts looking to keep abreast of developments in the field.” (Book Review Published in Annals of Botany – Professor Rowan F. Sage, University of Toronto, Canada)

It is widely recognised that photosynthesis in many important crops is well below its theoretical potential. With crop yields and stability under threat from the impact of climate change, there is now an urgent need to synthesise existing research on best practices for improving C3 photosynthesis in crops to optimise sustainable crop production and yields.

Understanding and improving crop photosynthesis reviews the wealth of current research that addresses this challenge. The book explores our understanding of the general components of C3 photosynthesis, including its biochemistry, as well as the recent advances in techniques for improving photosynthesis, focussing primarily on light harvesting and optimising chloroplast function/light conversion.

Through providing its readers with a comprehensive exploration of crop photosynthesis, the book showcases how farmers can utilise their understanding of the science behind this key process to optimise their yields and achieve successful crop production.

Sorghum is one of the world’s major cereals, cultivated in the semi-arid tropics for a growing range of uses. Like other crops it faces the need to meet rising demand whilst reducing its environmental impact and adapting to the challenges of climate change. This volume summarises the wealth of research addressing these challenges.

Part 1 reviews the chemistry of sorghum and its physiology, before discussing its use as a food grain, in feed and as a forage and energy crop. The second part of the book discusses ways of improving cultivation in regions such as South America, Asia and Africa.

With its distinguished editor and international team of expert authors, this will be a standard work for cereal scientists, sorghum breeders and growers as well as government and non-government agencies supporting sorghum cultivation. It is accompanied by a companion volume which reviews genetics, breeding and production techniques.

“This ingenious title stimulates curiosity to discover how biostimulants can be used to improve the quality and abundance in any place where it is desired to grow plants with good performance. This book is an essential Pharmacopoeia for agricultural professionals seeking new strategies and for researchers passionate about sustainable agricultural innovation. In addition to its practical advice, it presents a rich collection of remedies accompanied by original tables and illustrations. The scientific, regulatory, technical, and technological references it provides are crucial for successfully adapting Biostimulant applications based on specific soil, crop, and climatic conditions.” (Book Review Published in International Journal of Environmental Studies – Professor Nadia Boutaleb, Hassan II University of Casablanca, Morocco)

"In addition to being well written and structured, this book is edited by some of the most prominent authors in the field of biostimulants…It meets the need for a reliable and comprehensive review on current legislation, challenges and peer-reviewed scientific results… a comprehensive guide to the potential roles of the different biostimulant categories in sustainable agriculture."
Chronica Horticulturae

With increasing concerns about the environmental impact of fertilizers, there is a growing need for the sector to develop more sustainable, ‘climate-smart’ methods of crop production. Biostimulants have attracted growing attention since they offer the potential to enhance yields through stimulating natural processes in crops.

Biostimulants for sustainable crop production provides a comprehensive review of the key advances in understanding and using biostimulants. This collection covers the major groups of biostimulants, from humic substances and seaweed extracts to protein hydrolysates and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), as well as the practical application of biostimulants in areas such as enhancing nutrient use efficiency (NUE).

With its distinguished editors and international range of expert authors, Biostimulants for sustainable crop production will be a standard reference for those researching crop nutrition, government and other bodies supporting more sustainable agriculture as well as agronomists and farmers.

The emergence of fungicide resistance is a major challenge facing agriculture. With increasing regulation and costs limiting the development of new fungicides, farmers remain reliant on a relatively small group of working fungicides, many of which are decreasingly effective as major crop disease pathogens develop resistance to them.

Understanding and minimising fungicide resistance provides an authoritative review on the wealth of research on understanding the development of fungicide resistance in agricultural crops and the establishment of preventative measures which can be implemented to limit its spread and the consequent impact of disease on yields. This collection includes ways of understanding and preventing resistance to key groups of fungicides, such as SBI, Qol, SDHI and OSBPI.

"These books present a comprehensive coverage of issues facing wheat production globally. The authors represent the top scientists involved in the diverse areas that are important for sustainable wheat production and will this book provides an excellent resource for those interested in wheat improvement and production."
Dr Hans-Joachim Braun, Director Global Wheat Program and CRP Wheat, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Mexico

Wheat is the most widely cultivated cereal in the world and a staple food for around 3 billion people. It has been estimated that demand for wheat could increase by up to 60% by 2050. There is an urgent need to increase yields in the face of such challenges as climate change, threats from pests and diseases and the need to make cultivation more resource-efficient and sustainable.

Drawing on an international range of expertise, this collection focuses on ways of improving the cultivation of wheat at each step in the value chain, from breeding to post-harvest storage. Volume 1 reviews research in wheat breeding and quality traits as well as diseases and pests and their management. Chapters in Part 1 review advances in understanding of wheat physiology and genetics and how this has informed developments in breeding, including developing varieties with desirable traits such as drought tolerance. Part 2 discusses aspects of nutritional and processing quality. Chapters in Part 3 cover research on key wheat diseases and their control as well as the management of insect pests and weeds.

Achieving sustainable cultivation of wheat Volume 1: Breeding, quality traits, pests and diseases will be a standard reference for cereal scientists in universities, government and other research centres and companies involved in wheat cultivation. It is accompanied by Volume 2 which reviews improvements in cultivation techniques.

This collection reviews key research addressing key challenges faced by organic animal farming in improving yields, animal nutrition and health. Part 1 assesses current research on environmental impact, promoting animal health, enhancing naturalness and welfare. It also reviews how organic systems fit in with agroforestry, pastoralist and other smallholder farming systems.

The second part of the book includes case studies from leading experts on current research in improving the farming of particular species. Chapters review challenges and opportunities in organic dairy and beef farming, sheep and goats, pigs and poultry. There are also chapters on organic aquaculture as well as organic and natural beekeeping.

With its distinguished editors and international team of expert authors, this will be a standard reference for all those researching organic animal farming as well as the organic livestock farmers, organic certification and regulatory bodies.

Potatoes are one of the world’s key food crops. Their nutritional value, and the fact that they can be grown with relatively few inputs in a wide range of environments, makes them an important food security crop. However, yields in developing countries are held back by factors such as poor cultivation practices and the impact of pests and diseases, whilst more intensive systems need to become more ‘climate smart’ both to minimise their environmental impact and adapt to climate change.

This volume reviews general developments in breeding as well as improving particular traits before discussing the challenges facing potato cultivation in particular regions. Part 1 assesses recent research on plant physiology and genetic diversity and their implications for conventional, hybrid and marker-assisted breeding. Part 2 looks at ways of breeding varieties with desirable traits such as stress resistance or improved nutritional quality. The final part of the book looks at ways of supporting smallholders in regions such as Africa and Latin America. Although a separate species, the book also includes selective coverage of research on sweet potato.

With its distinguished editor and international team of expert authors, this will be a standard reference for potato scientists, growers, government and non-government agencies supporting potato cultivation. This volume is accompanied by a companion volume looking at production and storage, diseases and sustainability.

Originating in South America, cassava is grown in over 100 countries around the world. It is the third most important source of calories in the tropics after rice and maize. Its caloric value, as well as its ability to tolerate dry conditions and poor soils, makes it a key food security crop in developing countries. As demand for food grows, there is an urgent need to increase yields in the face of such challenges as climate change, threats from pests and diseases and the need to make cultivation more resource-efficient and sustainable.

Drawing on an international range of expertise, this collection focuses on ways of improving the cultivation of cassava at each step in the value chain, from breeding to post-harvest storage. Volume 2 starts by reviewing genetic resources, advances in breeding and their application to produce varieties with desirable traits such as higher yield. It then goes on to review developments in understanding and managing pests and diseases.

Achieving sustainable cultivation of cassava Volume 2: Genetic resources, breeding, pests and diseases will be a standard reference for agricultural scientists in universities, government and other research centres and companies involved in improving cassava cultivation. It is accompanied by Volume 1 which reviews cultivation techniques.

Recent years have seen a rise in the number of consumers wishing to know more about the journey their food takes from farm to fork. Consumer expectations of the sensory and nutritional qualities of food products have increased as a result. Poultry producers and processors must balance these quality parameters with other requirements such as yield and animal welfare.

Improving poultry meat quality addresses the wealth of recent research on the genetic and environmental factors affecting the development of quality traits in poultry meat and their potential implications for breeding, husbandry and postharvest processing. This collection also reviews recent advances in understanding colour, texture and flavour development in poultry meat.

A particular focus is coverage of key poultry myopathies associated with modern broiler production such as white striping, wooden breast and pale soft exudative meat. The book considers their causes, impacts on meat quality and how these defects can be prevented or overcome.

"This is an excellent overview of the latest thinking in weed management, with chapters written by some of the most prominent authorities conducting research today… the book is a valuable addition to the literature, and one that will be widely used as a key reference".
Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems

Weeds remain a major obstacle to increased yields. Past reliance on herbicides is no longer sufficient with increasing concerns about environmental effects, regulation and resistance. This has led to the development of integrated weed management (IWM) which includes herbicides as part of a broader array of cultural, physical and biological methods of control. This volume reviews key research on the use of IWM in sustainable agriculture.

Parts 1 and 2 introduce weed ecology and IWM principles, including surveillance, risk assessment and planning an IWM programme. Part 3 summarises the role of herbicides in IWM whilst Part 4 reviews the range of cultural and physical methods of weed control. The final part of the book surveys biological techniques for weed control.

With its eminent editor and international range of expert authors, this will be a standard reference for weed scientists, the agricultural community and the pesticide industry as well as government and non-governmental agencies supporting a more sustainable agriculture.

"What Dr Samuel Johnson did for English, Professor Amir Kassam has done for Conservation Agriculture (CA). He is eminently well qualified and has enlisted more than a hundred battle-hardened champions to contribute 26 chapters amounting to over a thousand scholarly pages. The content is formidable. Volume one, Systems and Science, embraces: the need for CA; global developments; soil health and landscape management; the roles of minimum soil disturbance, mulch and cover crops; crops and cropping systems, vegetable systems, perennial systems; integration of cropping and livestock; mechanization; certification; institutional and policy support. Volume two, Practice and Benefits, includes management of crops and cropping systems, soil, weeds, insect pests and disease, nutrients, carbon, and biodiversity; climate change mitigation and adaptation; benefits to farmers and society; ecosystem services; and rehabilitation of degraded farmland…This book can change the future."review by David Dent in International Journal of Environmental Studies

This collection reviews ways of optimising Conservation Agricultural (CA) practices and their benefits.

Chapters summarise research on optimising soil management, crop nutrition and irrigation, as well as weed, insect pest and disease management. The book also reviews ways of optimising the environmental and social benefits of adopting CA practices.

Chapters discuss carbon and biodiversity management, the ways CA can promote ecosystem services as well as the use of life cycle assessment (LCA) techniques to monitor and improve CA. There are also chapters on improving the economic and broader social benefits of CA for farming communities.

"The book contains many contributions informed by recent research. These will be of value to nutritionists, dairy scientists and technologists working in research, industrial and teaching roles…the editors have achieved their aim of producing a reference work that addresses the nutritional and functional properties of milk and its contribution to human nutrition. It is a valuable reference source for dairy professionals."
(International Journal of Dairy Technology)

The dairy sector is under increasing scrutiny on environmental and health grounds. Optimising the nutritional and functional properties of milk as part of a balanced diet offers one solution to these challenges. This book draws on a wealth of knowledge from a team of internationally-renowned dairy experts to show how this can be achieved.

Understanding and improving the functional and nutritional properties of milk reviews the latest research on the remarkable range of functional and nutritional properties of milk that make it both a key food source and ingredient in a wide range of dairy products. The collection discusses proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and other components of milk, as well as how our understanding can be used to optimise the quality of milk and dairy products such as cheese and yoghurt.

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.

“Internationally-renowned researcher Professor Per Kudsk from Aarhus University in Denmark assembled an excellent panel of European experts to discuss various aspects of IWM, namely weed ecology and intelligent weed control technologies, followed by numerous case studies. The book is timely, informative, and relevant to today’s pressing needs for clear guidelines promoting the adoption of much needed IWM practices around the globe.” (Professor Franck E. Dayan, Outlooks on Pest Management)

Weed management continues to face many challenges, including herbicide resistance, invasive species, climate change and how best to deploy the range of non-chemical control methods available. To tackle these challenges, integrated weed management (IWM) needs to evolve to embrace a more holistic, landscape-based agroecological approach.

Advances in integrated weed management provides an authoritative review of the latest developments in IWM. The book covers new research on understanding weed ecology as a basis for more sustainable control, as well as developments in technology to better target IWM techniques. This collection also offers examples of how advances are being applied in practice for particular crops.

Edited by Professor Per Kudsk, Aarhus University, Denmark, Advances in integrated weed management will be a standard reference for weed scientists, researchers in crop protection, agronomists, farmers, companies supplying/manufacturing pesticides, and government and private sector agencies supporting sustainable agriculture.

“The book is broken down into three distinct parts and encompasses a total of 20 chapters which come complete with extensive references. The editor – Dr Michael Fidanza – needs little introduction to global turfgrass managers…he has drawn together more than 60 contributing authors, representing a ‘who’s who’ of the turfgrass scientific and academic community.” (Book Review Published in Australian Turfgrass Management Journal – Brett Robinson, Australian Sports Turf Managers Association, Australia)

Turfgrass is required to meet a challenging range of aesthetic, functional and environmental requirements, whilst also adapting to the threat of abiotic and biotic stresses which are being accentuated by climate change. The turfgrass industry is also facing increasing pressure to reduce its environmental impact and advance more sustainable maintenance practices that utilise and/or optimise fewer agronomic-related resources.

Achieving sustainable turfgrass management summarises the wealth of recent research that addresses these challenges, whilst also identifying potential mitigation strategies to reduce the sector’s contribution to climate change, such as reduced fertilizer use and water conservation. This collection also highlights developments in breeding for improved cultivars of turfgrass with enhanced abiotic and biotic stress responses, as well as climate resilience.

In its extensive exploration of turfgrass physiology, breeding and cultivation, the book showcases how the turfgrass industry can adopt more sustainable management practices and reduce its environmental impact.

"From the beginning of this book to the end, it has been Professor Hochmuth’s intent to address and educate with a complete synopsis of what he calls ‘…the wealth of research addressing the challenges’ in sustainable growth of vegetables… I believe he has succeeded."
(Plant Science Bulletin - Botanical Society of America)

Sustainability involves meeting current needs without compromising the ability to meet future requirements. Like other crops, vegetable cultivation faces a number of challenges in ensuring sustainable production. These challenges include the need to improve yields and quality to meet rising demand and higher consumer expectations, the need to reduce the ongoing threats from pathogens and pests. Focussing on temperate cultivation, Achieving sustainable cultivation of vegetables summarises the wealth of research addressing these challenges, from breeding improved varieties to better techniques for cultivation and crop protection.

Part 1 reviews advances in physiology and breeding. Parts 2-3 summarise advances in cultivation and pest management. The final part includes case studies on the breeding and cultivation of key vegetables such as carrot, lettuce and cabbage.

With its distinguished editor and range of expert authors, this will be a standard reference for horticultural scientists in universities, government and other research centres involved in supporting vegetable cultivation, as well as companies supporting the vegetable sector.

Sugarcane is the source of over three quarters of the world’s sugar, and is grown widely in the tropics and sub-tropics. Despite rising demand, average yields have not increased significantly, partly because of continued vulnerability to pests and diseases. In addition, cultivation has been seen as damaging biodiversity and soil health with a negative effect on both yields and the environment. This volume summarises the wealth of research addressing these challenges.

Volume 2 reviews advances in breeding and the management of pests and diseases. Part 1 assesses the latest research on sugarcane genetics, physiology and genetic diversity, and how this is informing advances in conventional, marker-assisted and transgenic breeding techniques. Part 2 discusses progress in understanding bacterial, fungal and viral diseases and their management, as well as the management of insect and nematode pests as well as weeds.

With its distinguished editor and international team of expert authors, this will be a standard reference for sugarcane scientists, growers, government and non-governmental agencies responsible for supporting and monitoring the impact of sugarcane cultivation. It is accompanied by a companion volume reviewing cultivation and sustainability issues.

'We at Too Good To Go, found the research presented immensely insightful as we continue to build awareness raising campaigns with the aim of changing behaviours.'
Too Good To Go

This book provides a comprehensive review of the causes and prevention of food losses and waste (FLW) at key steps in the supply chain.

The book begins by defining what is meant by food losses and waste and then assessing current research on its economic, environmental and nutritional impact. It then reviews what we know about causes and prevention of FLW at different stages in the supply chain, from cultivation, harvesting and storage, through processing and distribution to retail and consumer use. The third part of the book looks at FLW for particular commodities, including cereals and grains, fresh fruit and vegetables, roots and tubers, oilseeds and tubers, meat and dairy products, and fish and seafood products. The final section in the book reviews the effectiveness of campaigns to reduce FLW in regions such as North and Latin America, Asia and the Pacific, the Middle East and, sub-Saharan Africa.

This collection summarises key advances in crop modelling, with a focus on developing the next generation of crop and whole-farm models to improve decision making and support for farmers.

Chapters in Part 1 review advances in modelling individual components of agricultural systems, such as plant responses to environmental conditions, crop growth stage prediction, nutrient and water cycling as well as pest/disease dynamics. Building on topics previously discussed in Part 1, Part 2 addresses the challenges of combining modular sub-systems into whole farm system, landscape and regional models. Chapters cover topics such as integration of rotations and livestock, as well as landscape models such as agroecological zone (AEZ) models. Chapters also review the performance of specific models such as APSIM and DSSAT and the challenges of developing decision support systems (DSS) linked with such models. The final part of the book reviews wider issues in improving model reliability such as data sharing and the supply of real-time data, as well as crop model inter-comparison.

With its distinguished editor and range of experienced and expert chapter authors, this collection will be a standard reference for crop modellers and developers of decision support systems to improve the efficiency and sustainability of farming.

As populations in many developed countries age and the burden of chronic disease increases, there remains a need to establish effective preventative measures. Fruit and vegetables are a natural source of vitamins and minerals which can contribute to good health.

Understanding and optimising the nutraceutical properties of fruit and vegetables reviews the associated health benefits of key horticultural crops, including apples, broccoli and cranberries. The book provides authoritative discussions on the nutraceutical properties of the major phytochemical compounds, including antioxidants and flavonoids, and how these properties can be optimised to prevent the onset of chronic diseases.

By providing a comprehensive insight into the human health benefits of fruit and vegetables, the book highlights the emergence of a more sustainable, alternative method to preventing the onset of disease with less reliance on overburdened healthcare systems.

Coffee is one of the most widely traded commodities in the world. Coffee cultivation faces a number of challenges including over reliance on a relatively small number of varieties vulnerable to a range of abiotic and biotic stresses as well as increasing expectations of quality amongst consumers. These challenges are addressed by this volume.

Part 1 looks at advances in understanding plant physiology and ensuring genetic diversity. These provide the basis for summarising developments in breeding improved varieties of Arabica and Robusta coffee. The second part of the book reviews our understanding of the chemical composition, sensory properties and potential nutraceutical benefits of coffee.

With its distinguished editor and international range of expert authors, this volume will be a standard reference for coffee scientists, growers and processors.

Potatoes are one of the world’s key food crops. Their nutritional value, and the fact that they can be grown with relatively few inputs in a wide range of environments, makes them an important food security crop. However, yields in developing countries are held back by factors such as poor cultivation practices and the impact of pests and diseases, whilst more intensive systems need to become more ‘climate smart’ both to minimise their environmental impact and adapt to climate change.

This volume looks at key research on improving cultivation techniques at each stage in the value chain for potato production. Chapters in Part 1 range from modelling growth to nutrient and irrigation management as well as post-harvest storage. Part 2 reviews advances in understanding and managing fungal, bacterial and viral diseases as well as the management of insect and nematode pests.

With its distinguished editor and international team of expert authors, this will be a standard reference for potato scientists, growers, government and non-government agencies supporting potato cultivation. Volume 1 looks at breeding and aspects of quality.

"Needless to say, such a book is timely as it provides a valuable account of modern food safety management in poultry processing, coupled with the key elements of sustainable production systems." - Poultry Production

To meet growing demand, the FAO has estimated that world poultry production needs to grow by 2-3% per year to 2030. Much of the increase in output already achieved has been as a result of improvements in commercial breeds combined with rearing in more intensive production systems. However, more intensive systems and complex supply chains have increased the risk of rapid transmission of animal diseases and zoonoses. Consumer expectations of sensory and nutritional quality have never been higher. At the same time consumers are more concerned about the environmental impact of poultry production as well as animal welfare.

Drawing on an international range of expertise, this book reviews research on safety, quality and sustainability issues in poultry production. Part 1 discusses risks from pathogens, detection and safety management on farms and in slaughterhouse operations. Part 2 looks at ways of enhancing the flavour, colour, texture and nutritional quality of poultry meat. Finally, the book reviews the environmental impact of poultry production.

Achieving sustainable production of poultry meat Volume 1: Safety, quality and sustainability will be a standard reference for poultry and food scientists in universities, government and other research centres and companies involved in poultry production. It is accompanied by two further volumes which review poultry breeding, nutrition, health and welfare.

"This book provides an excellent synthesis of conservation practices...The book has insightfully blended constructive concepts supported by well-recognised models and case studies on how to manage agricultural production and biodiversity...I strongly recommend this brilliant book to students, scientists, managers, policymakers and politicians engaging in biodiversity conservation in the agricultural landscape globally."
Journal of Nature Conservation

More intensive, monocultural agriculture has been associated with a decline in diversity of habitat and plant species which leads to corresponding declines in diversity of insect, bird and mammal species. There is mounting evidence that a more biodiverse landscape improves ecosystem services which benefits farmers.

Reconciling agricultural production with biodiversity conservation provides an authoritative review of current biodiversity conservation practices, including field margins, agroforestry systems, hedgerows and improved pasture and grassland management. The collection additionally summarises the theoretical framework that underpins biodiversity conservation in agriculture, dedicating chapters to key developments in areas such as landscape approaches, mapping and modelling diversity, as well as ways of assessing the economic value of biodiversity conservation practices.

Maize is one of the most important and widely grown cereal crops in the world and is a staple food for almost a billion people, particularly in the developing world. It has been estimated that maize yields need to increase by 60% by 2050. There is an urgent need to increase yields in the face of such challenges as climate change, threats from pests and diseases and the need to make cultivation more resource-efficient and sustainable.

Drawing on an international range of expertise, this collection focuses on ways of improving the cultivation of maize at each step in the value chain, from breeding to post-harvest storage. Volume 1 reviews research on breeding and its use in improving nutritional quality and agronomic performance. It then goes on to discuss the challenges in translating these advances into effective outcomes for smallholders in the developing world.

Achieving sustainable cultivation of maize Volume 1: From improved varieties to local applications will be a standard reference for cereal scientists in universities, government and other research centres and companies involved in maize cultivation. It is accompanied by Volume 2 which reviews improvements in cultivation techniques as well as the management of pests and diseases.

This volume reviews key advances in precision agriculture technology and applications. Chapters summarise developments in monitoring techniques, including proximal crop and soil sensors and remote sensing technologies. The book then goes on to discuss how this information is processed to identify management zones and input targets. Chapters also assesses advances in delivery mechanisms such as variable rate application and targeted spray technologies. The final part of the book surveys the wide range of applications of precision agriculture, from controlled traffic farming to site-specific nutrient and water management.

With its distinguished editor and international team of subject experts, this will be a standard reference for crop scientists and agronomists as well as all those concerned with improving the efficiency and sustainability of agriculture.

With the agricultural sector facing mounting pressure to reduce their carbon footprint, greater emphasis has been placed on improving existing components and practices, such as soil health and biodiversity, which have since emerged as key components to achieving regenerative agriculture.

Sensors provide the opportunity to measure crop and soil health at unparalleled scales and resolution. Key developments in sensor technology will help improve our current understanding and optimisation of the complex agricultural systems that make up our global ecosystem.

Advances in sensor technology for sustainable crop production provides a comprehensive review of the wealth of research on key developments in sensor technology to improve monitoring and management of crop health, soil health, weeds and diseases. This collection also reviews advances in proximal and remote sensing techniques to monitor soil health, such as spectroscopy and radiometrics, as well as how sensor technology can be optimised for more targeted irrigation, site-specific nutrient and weed management.