Sustainable Agriculture Advances in Technological Interventions

This new volume looks at the evolution and challenges of sustainable agriculture, a field that is growing in use and popularity, discussing some of the important ideas, practices, and policies that are essential to an effective sustainable agriculture strategy. The book features 25 chapters written by experts in crop improvement, natural resource management, crop protection, social sciences, and product development. The volume provides a good understanding of the use of sustainable agriculture and the sustainable management of agri-horticultural crops, focusing on eco-friendly approaches, such as the utilization of waste materials. Topics include ecofriendly plant protection measures, climate change and natural resource management, tools to mitigate the effect of extreme weather events, agrochemical research and regulation, soil carbon sequestration, water and nutrient management in agricultural systems, and more.Key features:Discusses sustainable agriculture within the framework of recent challenges in agricultureLooks at the development and diversification of crops and cultural practices to enhance biological and economic stabilityDiscusses innovative nanotechnologies in research and production technologiesHighlights the development of new varieties in agri-horticultural cropsDiscussesuse ofrecent technologies for soil–plant–microbe–environment interactions.

Part 1: Crop Improvement1. Genetic Improvement of Major Cereals in Prospect to Bihar StateP. K. Singh, Anand Kumar, and Ravi Ranjan Kumar2. Status, Opportunities, and Challanges of Spice Research and DevelopmentSangeeta Shree and Paramveer3. Perspective of Plantation Crops with Special Reference to Coconut and PalmyraRuby Rani, V. B. Patel, and H. P. Maheshwarappa4. Overview of the Floriculture Sector: Performance, Problems, and ProspectsParamveer Singh, Sangeeta Shree, and Ajay BhardwajPart 2: Natural Resource Management5. Climate Change and Natural Resource ManagementSuborna Roy Choudhury and Syed Sheraz Mahdi6. Soil Carbon Sequestration: Particular Reference to BiharRajeev Padbhushan, Anupam Das, and Swaraj Kumar Dutta7. Agromet Advisory Services: Tool to Mitigate the Effect of Extreme Weather Events Sunil Kumar8. Soil Pollution: Studies with Specific Reference to BiharM. K. Dwivedi et al.9. Nanotechnology in Agricultural ScienceNintu Mandal, Kasturikasen Beura, and Abhijeet Ghatak10. Endomycorrhizal Fungi: Phosphorous Nutrition in CropsMahendra Singh, Rajiv Rakshit, and Kasturikasen Beura11. Water Management in Horticultural CropsK. Karuna and Abhay Mankar12. Orchard Floor ManagementManoj Kundu13. High-Density Planting in Fruit Crops for Enhancing Fruit ProductivityV. K. Tripathi et al.14. Enriching Vermicompost Using P-Solubilizing and N-Fixing Biofertilizers and Eco-Friendly Low-Cost MineralsArun Kumar Jha15. Protected Horticulture in India: An OverviewParamveer Singh, Ajay Bhardwaj, and Randhir Kumar16. Use of Fly Ash in AgricultureSankar Ch. Paul17. Natural Resource Management and Land Use PlanningC. D. Choudhary et al.Part 3: Crop Protection18. Plant Disease Management through Application of NanoscienceAbhijeet Ghatak19. Status of Insect Pests of Cereals in India and Their ManagementAnil and Tarak Nath Goswami20. Major Insect Pests of Vegetable Crops in Bihar and their ManagementTamoghna Saha, Nithya Chandran, and B. C. Anu21. Emerging Viral Diseases of Vegetable Crops: An Outline and Sustainable ManagementMohammad Ansar, A. Srinivasaraghavan, and Aniruddha Kumar Agnihotri22. Advancement of Agrochemical Research & RegulationPritam GangulyPart 4: Product Development and Extension Education23. An Appraisal on Quality Honey ProductionRamanuj Vishwakarma and Ranjeet Kumar24. Institutional Outreach through Innovative ApproachesAditya and R. K. Sohane25. Empowering Rural Youth through AgripreneurshipRam Datt

Ajoy Kumar Singh, PhD, is a Vice-Chancellor of Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, India. He also served as Principal Scientist and Director at theIndian Council of Agricultural Research institutions. Dr. Singh worked extensively on diara land development and cropping systems, farming systems, and on-farm research under varied agro-climatic zones. As Zonal Co-ordinator (Zone II), Zonal Project Director, and Director, Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Kolkata, Dr. Singh monitored, evaluated, and guided 83 Krishi Vigyan Kendra (Farm Science Centers) spread across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Eastern India. He is a recipient of several national awards, including life-time achievement awards from five different organizations.Vishwa Bandhu Patel, PhD, is Principal Scientist at the Division of Fruits and Horticultural Technology, Indian Council of Agricultural Research–Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India. He was a University Professor and Chairman, Dept. of Horticulture, as well as Associate Director of Research at Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour (Bihar). He is associated with the development of five varieties and several production technologies in fruit crops. Dr. Patel has received a number of national awards for his work in the field of horticulture research and development.