Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing

This collection features five peer-reviewed literature reviews on fertiliser use in agriculture.

The first chapter examines the role of biofertilizers and consortia of microorganisms to improve the effectiveness of organic fertilization, before moving on to consider the use of animal excrement, including manures, slurry and guano.

The second chapter assesses the management of mineral fertilisers and organic manures in relation to its effects on soil health in terms of soil organic carbon and nitrogen, soil acidification and soil microbiology.

The third chapter discusses the history, current status, and future needs of fertilizer developments in light of the goal of achieving global sustainability. It reviews developments in using efficient fertilizer sources to meet the needs of advancing yields of modern crop cultivars/hybrids.

The fourth chapter reviews some of the approaches used by decision support systems to determine fertiliser application decisions. The chapter highlights direct methods and indirect techniques: simulation models, yield forecasts using data-driven approaches and yield forecasts based on water supply.

The final chapter explores the implementation of foliar fertilizer sprays in agriculture for improving crop yield and quality, as well as improving plant performance under abiotic and/or biotic stress threats.

This specially curated collection features three reviews of current and key research on climate change, insect pests and invasive species.

The first chapter reviews the impact of climate change on insect pests and how it has affected insect pest development and population dynamics, activity and abundance, diversity and geographical distribution. It also assesses insect-host plant interactions and the effectiveness of crop pest management techniques.

The second chapter discusses the literature on the potential impact of climate change on the principal insect pests of wheat, including cereal aphids, Hessian fly, orange wheat blossom midge, cereal leaf beetle and cotton bollworm. It assesses the different methods used to assess likely impacts as well climate change effects on biological control in wheat systems.

The final chapter surveys what we know about the ecology of invasive species and potential management strategies. In particular, it assesses how integrated pest management (IPM) needs to evolve to deal with invasive species, particularly in focussing more on monitoring, prevention and rapid response.

This collection features five peer-reviewed reviews on dietary supplements in poultry nutrition.

The first chapter reviews latest research on feed enzymes focussing on identifying the key challenges researchers face in terms of current trends in enzyme development, mechanism(s) of action and enzyme efficacy.

The second chapter considers the role of probiotics in optimising gut function in poultry. It reviews the development of novel, cost-effective, feed-stable, direct-fed microbials with potential for widespread utilisation and improved production.

The third chapter discusses the role of essential oils and botanicals in improving gut function in poultry, focussing on four major functions of phytobiotics that could potentially contribute to gut health: digestive conditioning, antimicrobial property, immunomodulation and gut microbiota modulation.

The fourth chapter considers the development of alternative protein sources for poultry nutrition, including grain by-products, pulses and algae. It also reviews best practices for improving the nutritive value of these alternative protein sources.

The final chapter reviews the effects of supplemental full- or de-fatted microalgal biomass in poultry diets on animal production and performance, meat and egg qualities, as well as nutrient metabolism and molecular responses.

This specially curated collection features six reviews of current and key research on genetic modification of crops.

The first chapter reviews key challenges facing banana production, primarily the risk of species decimation by diseases such as Fusarium wilt, and considers how genetic modification may be a solution to this.

The second chapter discusses the development and establishment of ‘Golden Rice’ - a biofortified variety designed as a health intervention to help alleviate the problem of vitamin A deficiency.

The third chapter details recent advances in the genetic modification of important agronomic traits of soybean crops, such as herbicide tolerance and insect resistance. The fourth chapter addresses progress in and prospects for transgenic interventions in the improvement of grain legumes, concentrating on chickpea, pigeonpea, cowpea and more.

The fifth chapter reviews recent research efforts in the production of genetically modified (GM) oil palm plants and looks towards establishing stable lines of commercially viable GM varieties.

The final chapter describes recent progress relating to transgenic modification of cassava and how future research can strengthen food security and commercialization of the crop.

This collection features four peer-reviewed reviews of septoria tritici blotch in cereals.

The first chapter reviews the various methods for managing septoria tritici blotch (STB), from the the use of fungicides to marker-assisted breeding for increased resistance to STB. It also surveys research on the molecular basis of host-pathogen interactions in STB.

The second chapter reviews current research on the main fungal diseases affecting barley, focussing on biotrophic foliar diseases, such as stem rust and powdery mildew, as well as necrotrophic diseases, such as septoria tritici blotch and fusarium head blight. The chapter also discusses the implications for achieving sustainable resistance to the pathogens responsible for these diseases.

The third chapter addresses advances in understanding the epidemiology of septoria tritici blotch in the major cereal crops. The chapter also reviews the taxonomy and life cycle of Zymoseptoria tritici - the cause of septoria tritici blotch, as well as the economic impact of the pathogen.

The final chapter reviews recent research on genetic resistance loci and breeding strategies based on both conventional and biotechnology-based breeding approaches to achieve durable resistance to septoria tritici blotch infection, whilst simultaneously minimising the risk of grain yield losses.

This collection features three peer-reviewed literature reviews on pre- and probiotics in poultry production.

The first chapter summarises the safety and efficacy of individual monocultures for prophylactic and/or therapeutic efficacy against Salmonella infections in poultry under both laboratory and field conditions. The chapter also considers the development of novel, cost-effective, feed-stable, direct-fed microbials with potential for widespread utilisation and improved production, delivery and clinical efficacy for animal use.

The second chapter discusses the establishment of prebiotics as a series of feed compounds that serve as specific substrates for gastrointestinal tract (GIT) bacteria. The chapter reviews the impact of prebiotics on bird health, GIT function, and prevention of foodborne pathogen GIT colonization. Particular attention is drawn on the impact of prebiotics on the avian intestinal microbiome, cecal microbiome and the avian upper GIT.

The final chapter considers current concerns surrounding the application of probiotics in poultry production, primarily due to mixed experiences of their effectiveness and lack of knowledge regarding the scientific basis for their modes of action. In contrast, prebiotics have been readily accepted by the sector. This chapter summarises recent research on the effects of both types of treatment, their possible modes of action, as well as the strengths and limitations of their use.

This specially curated collection features five reviews of current and key research on crops as livestock feed.

The first chapter reviews the impact of feeding ruminants cereal grains on animal physiology and health. The chapter explores the use of starch-containing cereal grains as a feedstuff to improve animal efficiency and performance, as well as to reduce the environmental footprint of ruminant animal production.

The second chapter discusses key environmental trade-offs in the use of crops as livestock feed. It reviews key elements in trade-off analysis and explores opportunities for making better use of existing feed resources and producing more feed biomass of higher fodder quality.

The third chapter reviews ways of optimising the use of barley for animal feed, from production and breeding through to the application of new technologies such as near infrared spectroscopy and molecular markers.

The fourth chapter reviews the use of sorghum as an important source of fodder and forage. It reviews the different types of sorghum used for forage and other applications, and then provides a detailed discussion of the use of forage sorghum as feed for ruminants.

The final chapter discusses the use of soybean meal (SBM) as an animal feed. It assesses the nutritional content of SBM, as well dealing with its anti-nutritive compounds in optimising its use.

This specially curated collection features four reviews of current and key research on improving crop disease management.

The first chapter reviews strategies for limiting foliar disease development in wheat and barley crops, such as crop rotations, intercropping, gene deployment and conservation tillage. It explores the effectiveness of each strategy against particular foliar diseases, as well as how these strategies can be deployed to reduce inoculum sources for residue-borne cereal leaf diseases.

The second chapter considers the use of integrated disease management (IDM) to prevent or reduce yield loss in wheat. The chapter reviews the tactics/tools used in IDM, such as scouting, disease identification and chemical control, and explores how these tactics can be implemented to maximise the effectiveness of managing diseases in wheat.

The third chapter assesses how IDM can be applied to barley production and considers the different disease threats, the tools available and possible approaches to deploying them. It also reviews the role of agronomy and how it can be used to optimise these tools.

The final chapter reviews the use of IDM in grain legume production and explores the deployment of traditional strategies, such as field and crop management, as well as advanced monitoring methods, modelling and molecular methods to control disease outbreaks in grain legumes.

This specially formulated collection features 3 reviews of current topics and key research in sweetpotato.

The first chapter examines the origin and dispersal of sweetpotato, considers in vitro germplasm storage in sweetpotato genebanks, and looks at the importance of managing sweetpotato crop wild relatives (CWR). The chapter also considers the specific issues associated with sweetpotato germplasm, as well as the application of next-generation sequencing to sweetpotato and its CWR.

The second chapter reviews the development and application of genetic transformation and trait improvement to sweetpotato, including the development of sweetpotato plants which are resistant to disease and abiotic stress, and sweetpotatoes with improved starch quality and higher anthocyanin content.

The final chapter examines the nutritional contribution made by OFSP (orange-fleshed sweetpotato) in poor rural communities in Malawi, Ghana, Nigeria and Burkina Faso; sustainable breeding and seed systems; and effective commercialisation and marketing to benefit the communities concerned. This chapter includes detailed case studies from Ghana and Malawi.

This collection features five peer-reviewed reviews on managing bacterial diseases of poultry.

The first chapter provides a brief overview of Campylobacter in poultry production and the routes of transmission from bird to human. It considers current and future challenges in controlling Campylobacter, as well as the control measures implemented to reduce the occurrence of infection in poultry flocks.

The second chapter discusses economically-important enteric diseases and disorders of poultry. The chapter highlights the aetiology of these diseases and explores more sustainable alternatives to promote gastrointestinal health, such as plant-derived extracts, organic acids, prebiotics and probiotics.

The third chapter provides an overview of best practices to manage disease outbreaks in poultry. It reviews current disease preventative measures, health monitoring procedures, as well as disease investigation techniques.

The fourth chapter reviews the emergence and re-emergence of several infectious pathogens in poultry production and the consequent need to improve current biosecurity measures in poultry flocks to ensure optimal animal health and welfare.

The final chapter considers the main alternatives to antibiotics in preventing zoonoses and other major pathogens in poultry. The chapter reviews the sector’s use of prebiotics and related compounds, as well as the beneficial effects of their use.

This collection features four peer-reviewed reviews on restoring degraded forests.

The first chapter reviews the restoration of tropical forests, focusing specifically on forest landscape restoration (FLR). It addresses the importance of implementing FLR and provides two detailed case studies to demonstrate this. The chapter concludes with a discussion on the challenges and opportunities in taking FLR forwards.

The second chapter considers the importance of exploiting the genetics of tropical tree species for the restoration of tropical forests. The chapter identifies and reviews the available methods to measure genetic diversity and suitability for future plantation establishment, including field trials and molecular markers.

The third chapter provides an overview of ecosystem services delivered by tropical agroforestry systems (AFS). The chapter reviews practical approaches for trade-off analysis between ecosystem services and plant biodiversity for better design (or redesign), as well as the sustainable management of AFS.

The final chapter discusses how measuring, monitoring and managing the environmental impact of plantation operations are key components in sustainable palm oil production. The chapter examines the operational impacts of oil palm cultivation on biodiversity, as well as how oil palm production can be balanced to ensure forest conservation.

This collection features five peer-reviewed literature reviews on ensuring animal welfare during transport and slaughter.

The first chapter examines the impact of transport on beef and dairy cattle, as well as the effects of transport on carcass quality issues, such as bruising and dark cutting beef. It details how conditions can be optimised to ensure the welfare needs of the animal are met during all stages of transport.

The second chapter reviews the legislation and codes of practice surrounding the transport and slaughter of cows to be culled as a result of disease or the development of health conditions such as lameness.

The third chapter considers the effects of transport, handling and slaughter practices on pigs as well as physiological effects on carcass and meat quality.

The fourth chapter explores current approaches used to stun poultry before slaughter, including electrical stunning and controlled atmosphere stunning. The chapter reviews the associated risks and benefits of each approach to overall bird health and welfare.

The final chapter reviews the main welfare issues associated with management of sheep once they leave the farm, including transport by road and sea, use of holding facilities as well as handling and stunning of sheep at abattoirs.

This specially curated collection features four reviews of current and key research on supporting cereal production in sub-Saharan Africa.

The first chapter reviews how research and development can support smallholder wheat farmers through improving access to resources and services. The chapter considers current obstacles faced by smallholder farmers, including biophysical limitations such as climatic issues, as well as socio-economic limitations such as land availability.

The second chapter assesses the importance of increasing the adoption rate of improved maize technologies within smallholder farming households across Africa. The chapter discusses the economic and institutional barriers inhibiting adoption, as well as farmer attitudes to innovation.

The third chapter describes the effect of poor soil fertility, drought and weeds on maize yields in West Africa. The chapter considers strategies for mitigating these constraints, including nutrient management using fertilizers, weed management and resistant varieties of maize.

The final chapter discusses phosphorus scarcity in areas of West Africa and details the need to improve sorghum breeding to enhance the crop’s tolerance to low-phosphorus soil conditions.

This collection features five peer-reviewed literature reviews on sustainable forest management.

The first chapter discusses the varying definitions of sustainable forest management (SFM) in tropical landscapes, as well as the trade-offs associated with SFM. The chapter also reviews the spatial scales of assessing SFM and explores expanding the scope of SFM from individual strands to forested landscapes.

The second chapter provides a comprehensive review of the current research undertaken in sustainable forestry. It considers the concept and evolution of sustainable forestry and the challenges which arise as a result of implementing SFM practices.

The third chapter reviews the role and impact of forest certification schemes in the achievement of SFM. The chapter summarises the wealth of research available on the development of forest certification and how individual elements can be optimised to further improve the model.

The fourth chapter discusses the recent history and implementation challenges of SFM across the Congo Basin, including logging concessions, land zones and the processes and institutions required to implement effective SFM policies.

The final chapter analyses the potential trade-offs between ecosystem services and biodiversity in the southern Patagonian forests. The chapter explores the implementation of SFM as a strategy to mitigate these trade-offs at a landscape level.

This collection features four peer-reviewed literature reviews on soil health indicators.

The first chapter describes indicators and frameworks for soil health currently in use. It evaluates the principles underpinning current approaches to monitoring soil quality/health and shows these principles have been applied in the development of a practical soil health toolkit for use by UK farmers.

The second chapter reviews the range of physical, chemical and biological indicators of soil health and how they can be used in practice. It focusses on measuring soil health in organic vegetable cultivation and, in particular, ways of measuring the effects of adding organic amendments to improve soil health.

The third chapter discusses key issues in soil organic carbon (SOM) modelling and the development of increasingly sophisticated, dynamic SOM models. It looks at the role of SOM models in improving soil health monitoring and developing decision support tools for farmers

The final chapter reviews current challenges in collecting more systematic and reliable data on earthworm communities, including issues in identifying different earthworm groups. It includes a case study on developing a robust method for accurate measurement of earthworm communities in soil in assessing and improving soil health.

This collection features four peer-reviewed reviews on alternatives to antibiotics in pig production.

The first chapter provides a brief overview of antibiotic use in pig production and addresses the consequent development of antibiotic resistance. The chapter reviews recent advances in developing non-antibiotic means of controlling bacterial infections in swine, such as the use of phage therapy.

The second chapter considers the use of prebiotics to optimise gut function in pigs. The chapter summarises current knowledge on the effects of prebiotic oligosaccharides on porcine gut function and health, as well as the modes of action of the commonly used prebiotics in pig production.

The third chapter reviews advances in nutritional strategies to boost immune function in pigs, including the use of lipopolysaccharide to stimulate the immune system. The chapter considers the need to reduce the use of antimicrobials in swine diets and reviews the effect of dietary supplementation during key stages of a pig’s life to enhance immunity.

The final chapter reviews the microbiota of the gastrointestinal tract of the young pig and the important role it plays in the early stages of life. The chapter considers the use of probiotics and prebiotics in the post-weaning period of piglets to optimise gut function, animal health and performance.

This specially curated collection features four reviews of current and key research on mastitis in dairy cattle.

The first chapter reviews the indicators of mastitis and the contagious and environmental pathogens which cause it. It then discusses how mastitis can be managed and controlled on dairy farms, including consideration of dry cow therapy and the use of antibiotics.

The second chapter examines the impact of clinical and subclinical mastitis in cows on milk quality, and provides a detailed account of indicators of mastitis. It describes the impact of mastitis on milk composition and quality, addressing its effect on the protein, fat, lactose and iron content of milk.

The third chapter reviews advances in dairy cattle breeding to improve resistance to mastitis. It includes sections on both conventional and new phenotypes for improving resistance to clinical mastitis and concludes with a section on increasing rates of genetic gain through genomic selection.

The final chapter considers recent research on the prevalence and development of antimicrobial resistance in mastitis pathogens. It shows how consistent diagnostic protocols and recording systems, attention to medical history, appropriate choice of antibiotics and control of treatment duration can all contribute to minimizing unnecessary use of antimicrobials and promoting effective treatment of mastitis.

This collection features four peer-reviewed reviews on developing immunity in poultry.

The first chapter discusses the advances in genetic, genomic and functional genomic studies of immune and disease resistance in chickens. The chapter reviews multi-trait selection experiments and considers the potential trade-offs between production and immunocompetence in response to disease.

The second chapter reviews the importance of the gut microbiome in optimising animal health and reducing susceptibility to major diseases affecting poultry production. The chapter examines intestinal immunity, as well as the microbiota interactions which occur within the poultry immune system.

The third chapter addresses the nutritional strategies which can be implemented to boost immune function in poultry. The chapter considers the process of nutritional modulation and reviews the use of vitamins, minerals and amino acids to enhance, suppress and balance poultry immune systems.

The final chapter provides an overview of the avian defence system and its role in tackling some of the major pathogens affecting global poultry production, such as coccidiosis. The chapter reviews the various elements of the host defence system and considers how supplements can modulate the immune system and its responses to specific challenges.

This specially curated collection features four reviews of current and key research on improving crop nutrient use efficiency.

The first chapter explores the relationship between rhizobacteria and plant roots, looking primarily at the recruitment of rhizobacteria by the plant to carry out particular functions, such as nutrient acquisition. The chapter highlights our current understanding of the molecular determinants of legume nodulation as well as challenges for improvements of biological nitrogen fixation in legumes and non-legumes.

The second chapter considers the rising use of nitrogen (N) fertilizer in agriculture and its role in the shrinking contribution of soil organic N. The chapter explores the impact of the inefficient management of N (low nitrogen-use efficiency) and the consequent developments of major environmental issues, such as pollution to groundwater, oceans and the atmosphere.

The third chapter addresses key issues in using N fertilizers in wheat production, such as product cost and environmental impact. The chapter summarises the development of N-efficient cultivars and their economic benefits, as well as their role in reducing the environmental impact of excessive N fertilizer inputs, whilst maintaining respectable yields.

The final chapter considers the use of breeding techniques, including genetic variability, to develop more efficient wheat varieties with improved traits related to nitrogen capture, nitrogen assimilation and nitrogen remobilization.

This collection features five peer-reviewed literature reviews on conservation tillage in agriculture.

The first chapter reviews types of tillage and soil disturbance and how different soil management techniques affect the cropping cycle. The chapter also discusses how soil disturbance can be minimised during key farming operations.

The second chapter describes the principles of Conservation Agriculture (CA), looking primarily at soil management. It also examines the key concepts of no-tillage agriculture, as well as the environmental and economic benefits these techniques offer.

The third chapter discusses the role of conservation tillage in organic farming, reviewing over 20 years of practical, on-farm research. It outlines the main benefits associated with conservation tillage, whilst also considering the challenges that arise with its implementation and how these can be addressed.

The fourth chapter explores the emergence of conservation tillage (CT) as an innovation to address stagnant wheat yields in the Indo-Gangetic Plains of South Asia. The chapter explores the benefits of CT for soil health and crop yields, and highlights current obstacles facing region-wide adoption of CT.

The final chapter reviews the advantages of zero-till maize cultivation, including reduced soil erosion and nutrient losses. It also summarises best management practices to optimise zero-till maize systems.

This specially curated collection features four reviews of current and key research on fusarium in cereal crops.

The first chapter describes how progress can be built over current agricultural practices in integrated pest management plans. It also addresses the disease cycle of Fusarium head blight, host–pathogen interactions, genetic resistance, the role of mycotoxins, as well as the impact of the disease on yields and loss of crop quality.

The second chapter reviews current research on the main fungal diseases affecting barley, as well as what we know about the mechanisms of barley genetic resistance to fungal pathogens. It features detailed discussions on biotrophic foliar diseases such as stem rust and powdery mildew and necrotrophic diseases such as spot blotch and Fusarium head blight.

The third chapter reviews control measures for Fusarium head blight, wheat blast and powdery mildew, including the development of resistant cultivars.

The final chapter considers the current status of global wheat production, the impact of crop loss on food security and the emergence of the current regulatory environment surrounding pesticides. It also features discussions on the current status of the global fungicide market.