Agricultural Sustainability: Progress and Prospects in Crop Research

Collaboratively written by top international experts and established scientists in various fields of agricultural research, this book focuses on the state of food production and sustainability; the problems with degradation of valuable sources of land, water, and air and their effects on food crops; the increasing demand of food resources; and the challenges of food security worldwide. The book provides cutting edge scientific tools and methods of research as well as solid background information that is accessible for those who have a strong interest in agricultural research and development and want to learn more on the challenges facing the global agricultural production systems.

Provides cutting edge scientific tools and available technologies for researchAddresses the effects of climate change and the population explosion on food supply and offers solutions to combat themWritten by a range of experts covering a broad range of agriculture-related disciplines

Foreword

Preface

Section 1: Agricultural biodiversity, organic farming and new crops

1. Functional Agrobiodiversity: The Key to Sustainability?

2. Organic Agriculture - Driving Innovations in Crop Research

3. Guar-an industrial crop from marginal farms

Section 2: Effective management of resources (nutrients and water) and crop modelling

4. Nitrogen use as a component of sustainable crop systems

5. Potential of Management Practices and Amendments for Preventing Nutrient Deficiencies in Field Crops under Organic Cropping Systems

6. Effective management of scarce water resources in the North West India

7. Modelling for Agriculture Sustainability: A Review

Section 3: Molecular, biotechnological and industrial approaches for enhancement of crop production and quality

8. Biotechnological approaches for increasing rice productivity and sustainability: Progress and future outlook

9. Biofortification of staple crops

10. Nutrient focused processing of rice

11. Virus Resistance Breeding in Cool Season Food Legumes: Integrating Traditional and Molecular Approaches

Section 4: Expert advice on policy and developmental aspects

12. Talking agricultural sustainability issues - an interview with Dr Gurdev Khush

13. Economics and politics of Farm Subsidies in India

14. Public-Private Partnership and Policy Reforms for Effective Agricultural Research, Development and Training: A Viewpoint

15. Contract Farming